Conservation Pioneer James Harkin: The Power of Quiet Persuasion
Source: Library and Archives Canada/Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development fonds/PA-121371
James Harkin (1875 – 1955), first commissioner of Parks Canada, is one of the biggest contributors to the country’s national parks system.
From his appointment in 1911, all the way through to his retirement in 1936, he quietly, but persistently, pushed for economy-focused governments to conserve “wilderness”.
A mission that required reading voraciously, studying dry administrative documents for hours at a time and the constant adaptation of his arguments to a rapidly evolving North American reality.
If you’re feeling a bit discouraged by the toughness of the fight to protect nature, this little tale of resourcefulness might just uplift you.
Here’s a glimpse of Harkin’s early years as commissioner, which were decisive for the burgeoning (and already threatened) national parks system in Canada.
Establishing National Parks as a Necessity
James Harkin: A driving Force Behind Inauspicious Scenes
‘’These were problems sufficiently difficult to damp the courage of any executive. But the commissioner (…) had energy (…), imagination, and an unusual capacity for disinterested service. And he cheerfully faced the task.’’
– Mabel Williams, member of Harkin’s staff at the Dominion Parks Branch, in Guardians of the Wild
The Dominion Parks Branch, today Parks Canada, was founded in 1911.
But truth be told, in the early 1910s, no one really knew what national parks were or meant. Including the young man who is now celebrated as their father.
Sure enough, the North American movement for nature conservation was in its infancy. Its influence on Canada was just beginning to be felt.
The year 1887 saw the government create the first Canadian National Park: the Rocky Mountains Park, AB (today Banff National Park).
Continuing along these lines, it went on to establish reserves at Lake Louise (AB), Yoho (BC) And Glacier (BC).
It was to oversee the management of this growing collection of “reserved” lands that the Dominion Parks Branch was formed. It was the first such entity in the world.
An impressive, but faltering momentum.
In reality, political support for the protection of “wilderness” was largely driven by economic concerns.
The main reason behind the creation of the Rocky Mountains Park, for example, had been to ensure tourist access to the hot springs.
In fact, “scenery” was perceived by most politicians and officials as a resource to be exploited.
Although considering the Rocky Mountains Park, as well as two other “reserved” areas, were reduced in size in 1911, they weren’t fully convinced of the business being worth their while yet.
This was the inauspicious context in which Harkin was to take charge of the budding national parks system.
Thankfully, this former journalist had just the right personality for such a position. Low-profile as public service required, yet outspoken, he was the definition of a quiet force.
Drawing mainly on the power of the written word, he set out to craft convincing, well-reasoned annual reports, as well as enticing publicity tools.
Tourism: The Business of Play and Awe
– James Harkin, in his first Report of the Commissioner of the Parks Branch (1912)
Annual reports were among Harkin’s most powerful tools.
Not surprisingly, his very first one (written in 1912) capitalized on the government’s interest in tourism.
“As I was pondering (…) how to convince members of the House of Commons to increase appropriations,” he related later, “my attention was called to an article (…) stating that a considerable part of the wealth of France, Italy and Switzerland was derived from foreign tourists.”
A golden finding that had Harkin and his staff conduct research into the tourism revenues of these countries. When the numbers turned out to be “astonishing”, he knew he could make a compelling case.
First, he argued that national parks held unique financial potential, because, unlike with most “goods”, their enjoyment didn’t decrease “stocks”.
“The foreign tourist goes away with probably improved health,” he explained, “certainly with a recollection of enjoyment of unequalled wonders of mountains, forest, stream and sky (…), but of the wealth of the country he takes nothing.”
He deepened his argument further by positing that leisurely activity, or “play”, is a fundamental need. A notion akin to those of the recreation movement, then emerging in North America and Europe.
In essence, Harkin argued that humans’ “play spirit” pushes them to seek regenerating experiences. “(P)eople play because of the results that follow. (…) Most (…) take holidays in the summer in order that they may be “toned up”; and holidays after all mean play.”
Backed by his findings about tourism revenues, he went on to assert that people were particularly inclined to seek the highest, most healthful form of play: spending time in nature.
“On every hand,” he wrote in closing, “there is evidence of a (…) prevailing desire on the part of the people to see and commune with the beauties of nature, their willingness to pay for it and the pecuniary benefit of the locality concerned.”
In other words, the people needed and wanted what Canada, with its incredible, unique landscapes, was in the best position to offer. No other step was necessary but to increase funding and provide amenities.
Unwilling to have this persuasive report shelved, Harkin sent copies to every member of the House of Commons, as well as every Senator.
He also sent them to every major national newspaper in the country. Many picked up the story, results as rewarding as Harkin could hope. It was the beginning of a campaign that would greatly benefit Parks.
Patriotism: Love of the Land
‘’…know your own country before you seek to understand others. And (…) our national parks (…) contain the masterpieces in our respective countries.’’
– James Harkin in 1917, in his address at the National Parks Conference in Washington D. C.
This strong beginning was an omen for Harkin’s long work of quiet persuasion.
The Forest Reserves and Parks Act of 1911, through which the Parks Branch had been created, stated that parks existed for “the benefit, advantage and enjoyment of the people of Canada”.
From that statement to the claim that parks could instill a stronger sense of patriotism in Canadians, there was but a small step, which he gladly took.
Allowing citizens to bask in the greatness of unique Canadian landscapes, Harkin believed, would foster national pride and attachment to the land.
He was drawing on J. Horace McFarland’s ideas. This American conservationist had been arguing that the greatness of nature in the United States had the power to “safeguard and stimulate the essential virtue of patriotism”.
In his second report, Harkin quoted many alpinists raving about the beauty of the Rocky Mountains. Such as Thomas Longstaff, who felt that: “In no other mountain region on the globe do peak and cliff, snowfield and glacier, alpland and forest, lake, cataract, and stream form such a perfect combination as is to be found (…) in these glorious ranges.”
In 1914, Harkin took a new, substantial step by publishing Just a Sprig of Mountain Heather, a pamphlet on the role and potential of parks. It was, according to historian and biographer E. J. Hart, the first such piece issued anywhere.
Reading even just a few lines, it’s easy to feel how it might have stirred readers’ imagination at the time.
Among other things, Harkin in it speaks of “that natural heritage of beauty whether it be in the form of majestic mountain, peaceful valley, gleaming glacier or crystalline lake, which is men’s rightful heritage.”
Words that were more than just a poetic tribute. In discussing parks as a “rightful” legacy to not only enjoy, but also love, he was subtly setting them up as something to protect.
His arguments on landscapes and patriotism culminated during the First World War.
In a 1917 address at the National Parks Conference in Washington, he went as far as saying that: “(…) the man who has seen (…) our Canadian Rockies has a new realization of his country. His conceptions are broadened, his imagination enlarged, and he will sing ‘O, Canada’ with a new and deeper sense of patriotism.”
If patriotism isn’t quite as trendy today, Harkin’s appeal to our inner yearning for awe, and our fundamental need to embrace wonders bigger than us, is timeless.
Reading him reminds us how reverence for nature can make us, like him, capable of moving mountains.
Yet, as solid and inspiring as Harkin’s words were, they wouldn’t have broken through to parliamentarians if he hadn’t put them forward persistently.
The increase of funding he was coveting with all his might became a reality in 1920, 9 years after he first began.
A milestone in his 25 years of service as commissioner, during which he went on to contribute to the founding National Parks Act of 1930, and help establish many national parks across the country.
While he started off placing a strong focus on their commercial value, he came to develop, through his experience and readings, a strong sensitivity to environmental issues.
Towards the end of his life, he alluded to what he felt to be the new conservation challenges of the time, mentioning in his notes: “Man can maim, disfigure, and weaken nature. (…) The battle for the establishment of National Parks is long since over but the battle to keep them inviolate is never won…”
References
– This article is largely based on E. J. Hart’s biography: J. B. Harkin: Father of Canada’s National Parks, on Internet Archive, Alberta University Press, 2010
– James B. Harkin, Canadian National Parks (Address), On Internet Archive, Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 1917
– Mabel Williams, Guardians of the Wild, on Internet Archive, London, Toronto, T. Nelson and sons ltd, 1936
– J. Hart, Quiet crusader, Canada’s History, 2015
– Kevin McNamee and Maxwell W. Finkelstein, National Parks of Canada, The Canadian Encyclopedia, published 2012, last edited 2021
– Maxwell Sutherland, James Bernard Harkin, The Canadian Encyclopedia, published 2007, last edited 2014
– The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society gives the Harkin Award to those who “have demonstrated a significant contribution throughout their lifetime through words and deeds to the conservation of Canada’s parks and wilderness”.
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