By Jesse Zeman
Amid all the anxiety about Canada’s future and our relationship with our neighbours to the south, it’s easy to forget about the things that make this country great.
Hiking, camping, fishing, and hunting are integral to the story of Canada and our access to wild places and our devotion to outdoor pursuits is unique in the world. As an added bonus, wild foods are tariff-proof.
The B.C. Wildlife Federation has joined 11 other provincial wildlife federations to form the National Fishing and Hunting Collaborative with a goal to guarantee access to public lands and resources for all Canadians. In simpler terms, we must make sure that Canadians are not locked out of the lands we share, that we are not denied access to fish and wildlife, and that decisions about public fisheries and wildlife are based on science and shielded from political interference.
To get there, the NFHC has adopted five policy positions for this federal election. Ideally, every party will adopt these positions and more importantly act on them when the next government is formed.
We are asking candidates and parties to commit to a national strategy to promote hunting and fishing. Canada is home to three million anglers, more one million hunters, and 2.4 million licensed firearms owners who spend $19 billion each year on outdoor pursuits. Directing a meaningful portion of the GST charged on hunting and fishing gear to conservation could provide dedicated funds for fish, wildlife and habitat restoration.
The federal government must also commit to legislation preserving public access to public resources and wild places for all Canadians who consider hiking, camping, hunting and fishing an important part of their culture and heritage.
The current government’s wrong-headed attack on licensed firearms owners is going to cost billions of dollars with no hope of improving public safety.
Canada’s licensed firearm owners have a safety record that is the envy of the world, because we know firearms are simply tools that we use to harvest wild food. Licensed owners are less likely to commit crimes with firearms than other Canadians and millions of Canadians participate in hunting and shooting sports, where we excel at the highest levels.
The federal government’s prohibition on “assault-style” rifles and the planned buyback program is a gargantuan waste of taxpayers’ dollars. It also makes little sense, since actual assault rifles have been prohibited in Canada for decades. The buyback program is aimed at firearms that are aesthetically similar to assault rifles, but with none of the functionality.
Think of what we could achieve for fish and wildlife conservation with those billions.
We could start with effective management of disease threatening deer, elk and moose, and create a robust response to invasive species that are threatening freshwater ecosystems.
When chronic wasting disease spreads unchecked, it can affect up to 85 per cent of a herd and CWD is 100 per cent fatal in deer, elk, and moose.
The federal government must commit to an immediate prohibition on the movement of these species across provincial and territorial boundaries and to phase out commercial farming of affected species to reduce the risk of massive transmission events.
If you care about fish, drink water or pay taxes, you should know that invasive mussels will clog and foul municipal water and hydroelectric equipment costing us hundreds of millions of dollars. Their sharp shells can also make beaches unusable and when they die in the millions the stench is unbearable. Parasites and invasive fish species are also a threat to Canada’s native species, especially salmonids.
The federal government must commit to permanent, dedicated funding for prevention, education, early detection, and rapid response to invasive threats.
In addition to the NFHC’s election priorities, the B.C. Wildlife Federation has concerns about Pacific fisheries management. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has a long history of conflicts, failure to conserve fish, and failure to support the public fishery. Scientific reports are routinely altered for political reasons and our wild fisheries are paying a steep price.
The next federal government must reorganize DFO to focus on conservation of wild fish and properly fund salmon habitat restoration. That means topping up the Watershed Security Fund with $600 million, accelerating Species at Risk assessments, and getting ocean-based salmon farms out of our waters.
To ensure that Canadians have access to public fisheries, DFO must make fisheries decisions based on science and address an exploding pinniped population that consumes tens of millions of salmon a month.
Canada is facing serious threats at this moment in history. There are hunters, anglers and sport shooters who want to spend money in your community and on conservation, but the government is saying no. It is vital that we don’t lose our sense of what it is to be Canadian.
Jesse Zeman is the Executive Director of the B.C. Wildlife Federation, B.C.’s largest conservation organization.