On March 27, 2019, three individuals in Quebec pleaded guilty to
two counts each under the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994, S.C. 1994,
c. 22, (the "MBCA") for unlawfully disturbing
migratory bird nests and unlawfully taking migratory bird eggs.
The MBCA, section 5(a), makes it an offence to "be in
possession of a migratory bird or nest" without a permit, and
"migratory bird" is defined in the MBCA to include
"eggs".
The Migratory Birds Regulations, C.R.C., c.
1035, section 6, make it a further offence to "disturb,
destroy or take" a nest or egg or to have a nest or egg in
ones possession, without a permit.
Three individuals were caught on May 22, 2017, by Environment
and Climate Change Canada enforcement officers and Parks Canada
park wardens as part of a joint operation to stop the illegal
collection of migratory bird eggs. They had a total of 189
migratory bird eggs in their possession, which had been illegally
collected on islands near the Mingan
