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Letter to Stephen Harper - March 14, 2007 ( DOC ) |
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| Source: | Dr. Robert O. Bailey, deltawaterfowl.org | Date: | March 14, 2007 | |
| Right Hon. Stephen Harper Prime Minister of Canada House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6 April 5, 2007 Dear Mr. Harper, We the undersigned are representatives of most of the major hunting and fishing groups in Canada. There are currently at least 8 million Canadians who enjoy hunting, fishing, and trapping. Outdoor heritage activities contribute billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of jobs to the economy, especially in the rural regions of the country. Outdoor activities are a distinct Canadian lifestyle choice, allowing many Canadians to appreciate and value nature, and contribute to the management and control of wildlife populations. But most enthusiasts simply enjoy being in Canada’s “Great Outdoors,” and we want to see those opportunities to access nature continue for future generations. We noted with great interest your March 14, 2007 announcement, the “National Land Conservation Campaign.” Hunting, fishing and trapping groups are Canada’s foremost leaders in wildlife conservation in Canada. Our groups have collectively invested by far the most time, volunteer effort, and hundreds of millions of dollars in fish and wildlife habitat conservation right across the country. We have an urgent request regarding your March 14, 2007 announcement. Given the conservation accomplishments and the economic track record of hunting, fishing, and trapping in Canada, and the very high participation rates by Canadians in these activities, we strongly urge you to ensure that any lands that are either purchased or affected by this program using any taxpayers’ dollars, remain open to hunting, fishing, and trapping. Far too often it has been the case that lands purchased for parks, wilderness areas and conservation purposes have been subsequently declared “off- limits” to outdoor heritage activities. In view of the magnitude of area envisaged under this program, coupled with the anti- hunting, fishing and trapping agendas of some of the groups you have endorsed as partners, we cannot allow millions of outdoor enthusiasts to be denied access to lands set aside, using tax- payer dollars under this program. We remain deeply concerned about the social and economic impact of a massive land purchase and set aside program for conservation purposes, especially in view of the fact that much of this program will focus by necessity, on private lands. We think other options should be explored for achieving conservation, that directly involve private landowners and rural communities, in the decision- making and delivery of environmental programs in the countryside. While maintaining access to public lands for legitimate outdoor heritage activities is critical to our organizations, we empathize with the farmers, ranchers and other interests in rural communities who share many concerns about government and urban- based environmental groups imposing this kind of program in our rural backyards. We look forward to your reply and assurances that our Canadian outdoor heritage activities are sustained and encouraged under this program. Please forward the relevant documentation ensuring that lands purchased with federal funding under this program will continue to provide Canadians with hunting, fishing and trapping opportunities. Yours in conservation, Alberta Fish and Game Association British Columbia Wildlife Federation Canadian Institute for Legislative Action Canadian Outdoor Heritage Alliance Canadian Shooting Sports Association Canadian Sportfishing Industry Association Canadian Sporting Arms and Ammunition Association Delta Waterfowl Foundation Federation Quebecoise de la Faune Friends of Fur Hunting for Tomorrow Foundation Long Point Waterfowlers Association Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters PEI Chapter Delta Waterfowl National Wild Turkey Federation Newfoundland and Labrador Wildlife Federation Nova Scotia Federation of Anglers and Hunters Manitoba Wildlife Federation Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation Ruffed Grouse Society Yukon Fish and Game Association cc. Hon. John Baird Hon. Loyola Hearn Conservative Members of Parliament Mr. David McGinty M. Bernard Bigras Mr. Nathan Cullen Provincial/ Territorial Environment Ministers Provincial/ Territorial Fish & Wildlife Ministers Please reply to: Dr. Robert O. Bailey 125 Otter Lake Road Lombardy, Ontario K0G 1L0 rbailey@deltawaterfowl.org (613) 283- 6866 |
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