Is Mike Bridger the 7B biologist?
Was this proposal supported by the gov biologists?
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Is Mike Bridger the 7B biologist?
Was this proposal supported by the gov biologists?
Received a reply from Peter Milobar - MLA Kamloops - North Thompson - Finance Critic
Thank you for your email expressing your concerns regarding the hunting closures being proposed in Region 7b.
As Official Opposition we are also concerned with how things are happening and our MLA's from that area have taken the lead on this issue. They have recently sent a letter, which I have attached for your information. I will make sure to let them know that this issue is also impacting many people from my riding and that they fully understand this.
Thank you again for taking the time to email me.
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
of BRITISH COLUMBIA
BC Liberal Official Opposition
Parliament Buildings
Victoria, BC V8V 1X4
T: 250-356-6171
BY EMAIL
Honourable Katrine Conroy
Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development
Parliament Buildings
Victoria, BC
March 4, 2022
Dear Minister:
British Columbians are concerned about declining ungulate populations. Decisions surrounding
wildlife management in the province of British Columbia must be science-based and not
political. The vast majority of hunters support science-based wildlife management and are
willing to see reductions in wildlife harvest levels to help ungulate populations recover as
needed.
Constituents concerned with the decision to significantly reduce moose hunting opportunities
in Region 7B in north-eastern British Columbia have written to the Official Opposition, asking
for clarity on the government’s decision-making process. You will find these letters enclosed.
When decisions are made behind closed doors, rumours thrive. When wild salmon returns are
down, all invested parties see restrictions on what can be harvested. This is done publicly and
transparently so that everyone can understand the steps that are being taken. In a similar
fashion, the management of ungulate harvest levels should see reductions across the board
when science demonstrates it is required. It is incumbent on the government to be transparent
with British Columbians and provide the rationale for its recent decision. The Official
Opposition calls on the government to:
• open, meaningful conversations about wildlife management to all concerned parties;
• assure British Columbians have fair and equal access to ungulates similarly as to how
wild salmon populations are managed;
• disclose the data surrounding ungulate populations in the area;
• provide a list of stakeholders the government consulted prior to making the decision;
and
• disclose any economic impact studies on the local area resulting from a reduction in
moose hunting.
The right to hunt and fish by Indigenous Peoples is enshrined in the Canadian constitution. It is
important to uphold these rights so that transparent, science-based decisions regarding
ungulate populations can be supported by all. Thousands of British Columbians rely on hunting
to feed their families and hunters are well-aware of the need for strong wildlife management
practices to ensure wildlife populations are healthy and sustainable for the future.
We look forward to your prompt response.
Sincerely,
John Rustad, MLA Nechako Lakes
Dan Davies, MLA Peace River North
Mike Bernier, MLA Peace River South
The Wild Sheep Society of BC Steps Up:
"The Wild Sheep Society of BC is disheartened to learn that wildlife is once again being used as a bargaining chip. It has come to our attention, along with many concerned stake and title holders across the province that the BC government is making secret deals, with the end goal of putting the entire Region of 7B Peace under moose limited entry, and a complete closure of caribou hunting.
These proposed decisions have been made in blatant contradiction to the Vision, Principles & Goals of Together for Wildlife, the Provincial Wildlife Management Strategy. It is unacceptable that in the adolescence of the Strategy’s implementation its Vision, Principles and Goals are being disregarded in decision making. Instead of upholding these, the proposed decisions are being made under social values, instead of science and evidence-based management and dealing with the cumulative effects of resource extraction.
The WSSBC maintains that it is our intent to recognize and support the rights and title of First Nations in the province and has and will continue to work alongside them on projects. The province needs to put an immediate stop to using wildlife as a pawn in social management decisions that only fuel divisiveness. The division created when we only manage access to wildlife, rather than manage wildlife is unacceptable when the province is committed to implementing Together for Wildlife.
This agreement goes farther than hunting. This affects everyone that uses the outdoors, including hikers, anglers, campers and all who love to embrace the beautiful backcountry. It is imperative to the sustainability of wildlife and habitat, and outdoor recreation that land use decisions, and their associated management plans do not occur in the shadows.
It is critical to sound, successful stewardship that the province supports organizations like ours in building bridges between Stakeholder, Non-Governmental Conservation Organizations and First Nations in pursuit of bettering shared values, rather than place us at ends with one another.
We encourage everyone that is concerned by this to engage their MLA and voice their thoughts in a rational and intelligent manner."
https://www.wildsheepsociety.com/actnow/
They have links to the engagement survey, and present another opportunity to send letters through them to the appropriate MLA & Ministers.
I suggest we all use their suggestions and send them a loud THANKS!
Nog
The link that says take the survey just goes to the proposal details . Filled out the form .
Correct. The survey link takes you to the government survey already listed here.
Filling out the form sends Emails to your MLA, Conroy and Cullen.
Add the latter to your cc / distribution lists:
Another for the cc / distribution list:
Nathan Cullen MLA for Stikine Minister of State for Lands and Natural Resource Operations & Chair of the Environment and Land Use Committee
nathan.cullen.MLA@leg.bc.ca
Room 027 Parliament Buildings
Victoria, BC V8V 1X4
Has anyone gotten a response from an NDP MLA??? I've gotten the auto responses, and a few form letters back from bc liberals.
If I had an NDP locally I'd go knock on their office door, person to person gets more attention from them, especially if they think you have money, so dress up nice if you go visiting.
I am trying to get an appointment to meet with Josie Osborne (now a Minister of the newly formed Land, Water and Resource Stewardship Ministry) on an unrelated matter, but will of course bring this issue to her direct attention at the same time.
Replies from all of those NDP I have written have to date simply been an acknowledgement they have received the email / letter. In every single occasion, I send both an email and follow up with a written copy. Hard copy letters actually count for dozens of emails, so is very much worth putting the effort into.
Keep the letters rolling Folks!
This one is damned important!
Cheers,
Matt
Everyone should sign up to https://www.howlforwildlife.org takes a few seconds and they send emails out on our behalf, donate if you can, there's 2400 that have already. There's 12000 members here lets pressure them as much as we can.
Note that the government survey states that comment will be shut down at midnight on the 23rd of March.
However, their own backgrounder and other related pages mark that as the 22nd.
Time to get on with submitting your comments folks.
And it would really be beneficial if we all fired off a letter or two as noted above...
Cheers,
Nog