Ontario Right to Hunt and Fish
(Sent 22 November 2001)
PUBLICATION: The Toronto Sun
DATE: 2001.11.22
SECTION: Sports
PAGE: 123
COLUMN: Outdoors
BYLINE: John Kerr
BILL 135 IS A STEP IN RIGHT DIRECTION
Keeping a promise Premier Mike Harris made to Ontario anglers and
hunters, on Monday, Minister of Natural Resources John Snobelen has
introduced Bill 135, a Heritage Hunting and Fishing Act, after a
30-day posting on the Environmental Bill of Rights registry.
The act legislates a person's "right to hunt and fish in accordance
with
the law" and establishes a Fish and Wildlife Heritage Commission,
which
will advise the minister on a variety of fish and wildlife
initiatives
and how to promote recreational hunting and fishing, as well as
spending from the Special Purpose Fund comprised of hunting and
fishing fees.
The lieutenant-governor in council will appoint commission members,
and
the minister will have to submit annual reports on commission
activities
to the lieutenant-governor and table them in the legislature.
Brett Kelly, press co-ordinator for Snobelen, said the EBR response
was
the second largest ever, at 18,000, with 97% support for the act.
Kelly said the bill sailed through first reading and is expected to
be
passed by Christmas break.
Whether it actually gives anglers and hunters any rights is
questionable, since constitutional rights are a federal
responsibility,
and hunting and fishing will still be subject to provincial and
federal regulations.
The bill should, however, make it tougher for politicians to make
arbitrary decisions on fishing and hunting seasons, such as happened
with the spring bear hunt cancellation, unless there's a
conservation
issue involved over sustainability of a resource.
It's a good start. Thumbs up to Premier Harris for this one. As far
as
I'm aware, it's a first in Canada.
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