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End of the world, as we know it
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In his weekly hunting adventure television show, Canada in the Rough,
host Thomas Pigeon reminds viewers to be proud of their hunting heritage.
As much as I agree with his sentiments, it appears that we are
losing a generation of hunters and the future doesn’t look bright
for the sport across this country.
While there remains a steady demand for both big and small game licenses
in this province, younger folk are turning their attention elsewhere.
Most would not recognize the call of nature, unless it came by way of
instant messenger!
I recently served as a monitor on a Historica Encounters program at Ottawa.
While there I took the opportunity to speak to several of the 72 participants,
representing all regions of Canada, about their involvement in hunting
and fishing back in their home province or territory. Although the survey
was far from an accurate scientific study, I believe it did reflect a
growing apathy for the sport. Only two of the high school students I spoke
with had an interest in hunting and one of them was but an occasional
hunter.
If you have been keeping an eye on the debate taking place among politicians
in Ottawa, you might have further reason to wonder about the future of
our hunting and fishing pursuits. If M.P. Mark Holland’s Bill C-373
is passed, we might just see hunters and anglers prosecuted and convicted
of the offence of killing an animal brutally and viciously while engaging
in normal hunting and fishing practices.
As you might expect, a number of animal rights groups, including the International
Fund for Animal Welfare and the Toronto-based Animal Alliance, have spoken
out in support of the bill. These people, who are vehemently opposed to
the seal hunt, have expressed an avowed goal of ending all hunting and
fishing, stopping all beef and pig farming and closing all zoos. If they
have their way, rural life in this country, particularly in this province,
would take a dramatic turn for the worse. To borrow a phrase from Great
Big Sea, it would be the end of the world, as we know it.
But cooler heads are prevailing, led by Senator John Bryden and
his proposed counter legislation, Bill S-213. Endorsed by the Harper administration
and a long list of organizations representing animal use and conservation
groups in Canada, including the Newfoundland and Labrador Wildlife Federation,
the bill accomplishes the primary goal of animal cruelty legislative reform
without infringing on traditional rights to harvest or use animals.
There are those who willingly abuse animals and their cruelty should be
punished to the full extent of the law. Most Canadians would support stiffer
penalties for such abuse and Bill S-213 addresses this concern.
Despite every effort to make a humane kill, a hunter will sometimes fail
to make a clean shot and an animal will succumb to a more violent death
than we would like. Those of us who hunt must do everything in our power
to minimize the chance of this taking place, but Bill C-373 would provide
no exceptions while in the field.
As we head toward a more urbanized society, with fewer opportunities for
young people to be introduced to hunting and fishing activities, think
of how legislation such as Bill C-373 would act as a further disincentive.
It’s important that we know where our Member of Parliament stands
on these issues. We need to make sure they support legislation
preserving our hunting traditions, a legacy we have reason to be proud
of.
dbrace@nf.sympatico.ca