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Outdoor caucus formed

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The belief that fishing, hunting and trapping are outdoor traditions that need to be preserved and protected in Canada has prompted Yorkton-Melville MP Garry Breitkreuz to initiate a parliamentary outdoor caucus. "When you think of Canada, you think of the great outdoors. It's one of the strengths of our country," Breitkreuz said Thursday from his Yorkton office.

Promoting outdoor activities such as fishing, hunting and trapping would be one of the primary purposes of the caucus. It would also ensure that legislation and regulations the federal government may be considering do not hamper these activities, said Breitkreuz.

The gun registry --an issue Breitkreuz has focused on for years -- is one example of regulations that hindered hunting.

"That was one of the negative spin-offs that people didn't realize would occur. The decline in hunting, guiding and fishing came as a result of over-regulation," said Breitkreuz.

But the gun registry is not what inspired Breitkreuz to initiate this caucus. It was the annual canoe trips he took in his early years as an MP with groups of young people from Springside, just outside Yorkton. "We need to promote the outdoors more among young people," said Breitkreuz, who hunts on his land with his son when he can find time away from his political duties.

Letters have been sent to all of the Saskatchewan MPs by the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation encouraging them to join this caucus. "We're ecstatic about it," said Darrell Crabbe, executive director of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation.

Legislation protecting hunting, fishing and trapping rights is the inaugural issue Crabbe would like the caucus to handle.

The significant economic impact of hunting and fishing in Saskatchewan is reason enough to join, said Crabbe. Details on how significant it is will be released in the coming weeks.

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OUTDOORS CAUCUS MEMBERSHIP SUMMARY AS OF APRIL 19, 2006
57 MEMBERS : 49 MPs and 8 Senators
• 43 Conservatives, 10 Liberals, 2 NDP, 2 Bloc
• 19-Ont; 4-Que; 9-Alta; 5-Sask; 8-BC; 4-NS; 2-NB; 4-Man; 1-PEI; 1-Yukon

AS OF TODAY, THESE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE OUTDOORS CAUCUS HAVE GRANTED PERMISSION TO RELEASE THEIR NAMES TO THE MEDIA http://www.cssa-cila.org/garryb/publications/2006_new/50.htm