Canadian Heritage Committee on Oct. 19th, 2010

[Greg Farrant, Manager, Government Relations and Communications, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters]

Good afternoon, Mr. Chair. Thank you very much.

Mr. Chair and members of the committee, on behalf of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, our 100,000 members, subscribers, and supporters, and our 670 member clubs across Ontario, I thank you for the opportunity to appear today in support of Bill C-465.

There has been talk already about the heritage values in this country. Well, as you all know, Canada was built on the staples economy, or, to use a more familiar expression, by people who were hewers of wood and drawers of water. A large part of that early staples economy was based upon hunting, fishing, and trapping, which have been part of our history and this country's fabric for centuries, predating the arrival of the first non-aboriginal explorers and colonists to these shores. One of our most venerable and largest retail institutions, in fact, the Hudson's Bay Company, was founded in the late 1600s, largely based on the trade in furs, which Mr. Angus alluded to earlier.

Today, millions of Canadians engage in recreational sport fishing and hunting, while for tens of thousands these activities are a way of life, a means of making a living, a ceremonial or treaty right, or a means of putting food on the table. For all, hunting, fishing, and trapping are second nature.

To date, eight provinces and/or territories have passed, or are currently engaged in passing, legislation that recognizes the cultural and heritage value of those activities and the right of Canadians to participate in those activities according to the law. The provinces of Alberta and Manitoba have also established special days that recognize the importance of hunting.

Ontario was one of the first provinces to formally recognize these activities by passing in 2002 the Heritage Hunting and Fishing Act, which also provided for the creation of a heritage and fish and wildlife commission to advise the Minister of Natural Resources. This is similar in nature to what was proposed by Mr. Bagnell in Bill C-277, which, quite frankly, could be seen as a companion piece to the legislation in front of you today.

Bill C-465 is inherently a very simple of legislation, but underlying its simplicity is the fact that the activities the bill speaks to are critical, not only in terms of our heritage but also in terms of the impact they have made on the conservation of fish and wildlife populations and the contributions of anglers, hunters, and trappers to our national economy. The bill mimics similar legislation in the U.S. that has celebrated National Hunting and Fishing Day since 1972.

Dating back to the 19th century, anglers, hunters, and trappers were the earliest proponents of conservation and scientific wildlife management. They were the first to recognize that rapid development and unregulated use of fish and wildlife threatened the future of many species. Led by Teddy Roosevelt in the States, Sir Wilfrid Laurier in Canada, and a host of sportsmen on both sides of the border, early conservationists helped to create the first laws restricting unfettered use of wildlife. They worked in support of sustainable use of fish and wildlife and helped to create hunting and fishing licences. This resulted eventually in the creation of the North American wildlife conservation model, the underpinning for most fish and wildlife programs in existence today.

I have provided members of the committee, through the clerk, with a DVD produced by us in cooperation with Shane Mahoney and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. The DVD traces the contributions made over the last 120 years by anglers, hunters, and trappers to the health and welfare of fish and wildlife populations on both sides of the border.

Hunting, fishing, and trapping combined in Canada contribute over $10 billion annually to the Canadian economy. In 1995 the Province of Ontario set up what is known as the special purpose account, or SPA, the money from which is used to fund fish and wildlife programs in this province. The money comes from two sources. The first is revenue generated by hunting and fishing licences and outdoor cards. The second is from the province's consolidated revenue fund.

It was originally intended that angler and hunter contributions would be matched dollar for dollar by the province. In practice, however, two-thirds of the funding for the SPA is derived from the revenues produced by anglers and hunters. In 2009 this amounted to $62 million from anglers and hunters, $28 million from the province. So two-thirds of all fish and wildlife program spending in this province is coming directly from the activities of anglers, hunters, and trappers. This funding is used to protect species that may be at risk; to restore species like elk, wild turkey, and Atlantic salmon; to fight against invasive species that threaten our fish and wildlife populations; and to restore vital habitat for hundreds of species of birds, fish, and wildlife.

In Manitoba, hundreds of acres of wetlands have been permanently protected thanks to grants generated by waterfowl hunters. An $8.50 stamp on every migratory game bird hunting permit is directed to a fund administered by Wildlife Habitat Canada to support conservation. Over the years this has contributed $32 million to hundreds of projects across the country.

In fact, According to a report published by Wildlife Habitat Canada in 2000, between 1984 and 1999 hunters across the country directly contributed more than $335 million to wildlife habitat conservation.

During second reading debate on Bill C-465, which saw strong support for the bill from all sides of the House, it was clear that the members had done their homework. I refer to the member for Yukon and his two friendly amendments, which we support. I also want to refer to the member for Saint-Bruno--Saint-Hubert, who made some very insightful comments about recreational hunting and the control of wildlife populations. Madame Lavallée was dead-on in her remarks.

Bill C-465 is an important first step toward the recognition of the important heritage of hunting, fishing, and trapping in Canada and the contribution that anglers, hunters, and trappers make to the conservation of the resource for current and future generations. We commend Mr. Norlock for introducing this bill and we are proud to support it. We would certainly be prepared to support a friendly amendment. In my printed remarks, we've suggested that it might be brought in line with the U.S. national hunting and fishing day, which is the fourth Saturday of September, but we are more than happy to support the third weekend in September as an alternative.

I thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Thank you very much.

We'll now hear an opening statement from Mr. Rodgers.

[Tony Rodgers, Executive Director, Nova Scotia Federation of Anglers and Hunters]

Thank you.

Good afternoon. My name is Tony Rodgers. I am the executive director of the Nova Scotia Federation of Anglers and Hunters. My federation of 32 hunting, trapping, and angling clubs has been in existence since 1930, and we are very proud of our outdoor heritage. We are the largest conservation organization in Nova Scotia and take pride in ourselves for being on the front line of all environmental and wildlife conservation discussions.

We would like to thank the committee for the opportunity to be here today to speak in support of Bill C-465, An Act respecting a National Hunting, Trapping and Fishing Heritage Day. We would also like to salute Mr. Norlock for introducing the bill and for his understanding of the outdoor community.

The people who hunt, trap, and fish in Canada are in some ways a very complicated folk. Some people who don't hunt and fish find it difficult to understand why we would get out of a nice warm bed at 4 o'clock in the morning, slip into a pair of rubber boots and a parka, and try to catch a duck or some other wild creature.

Well, there are many reasons. Hunting and angling are good for the soul. They help you to better commune with nature. They put different food on the table. They allow the participants to contribute in a hands-on way to meaningful wildlife conservation and to help promote the North American system of wildlife management.

To me, conservation means a wise use of our natural resources. Regulated hunting and angling is a way to reach those conservation goals. From the time that French and English trappers, along with the existing native trappers, started selling fur in Europe until today, trapping has been sustainable and so have hunting and angling.

Hunters, trappers, and anglers are the only users of wildlife and wildlife habitat who reach into their pockets and financially support these activities through the purchase of hunting and angling licences. They also purchase wildlife habitat stamps that provide money for conservation projects.

Hunting and angling are healthy outdoor activities that provide, for most of us, lifelong enjoyment. I personally have been hunting for 46 years. So far this year, I've gone on a moose-hunting trip, I have a week-long deer-hunting trip planned, and I will have a goose-hunting trip to P.E.I. in November. These trips are all paid for with taxable dollars. However, our activities do not require that millions of dollars in infrastructure be spent. We don't need fields. We don't need gymnasiums and rinks. A natural stream or an open bog will do just fine.

In 2004, my federation, along with our sister organizations across Canada, signed a Canadian hunting heritage accord. This accord could apply just as easily to fishing and trapping. The accord, in summary, states that the signatories will ensure that the activity of hunting--and, by extension, angling and trapping--will continue to be ecological, sustainable, safe, lawful, responsible, and true to the hunting heritage of our forefathers.

It also contains 10 articles that support the accord, the tenth one being that “Canada's hunting community will share the rich history and traditions of hunting in all its forms with future generations in a manner that reflects respect for the quarry and the responsibilities of the hunter”. These are not just words but commitments to Canada and to our activities.

Many sports-people, such as me, are mentors to young anglers and hunters. I've been involved with hunting education for 25 years, first as a bow-hunting instructor and then as a hunter education instructor, and I have spent many hours helping new hunters and anglers hone their skills. My federation was responsible for bringing the “Becoming an Outdoors-Woman” program to Nova Scotia. It's a program that introduces angling and hunting to women and young girls who may not otherwise have the opportunity to experience these skills.

Hunters, trappers, and anglers have a lot to be proud of. In a way, they have helped governments manage our wildlife resources for all of us. To that end, the recognition associated with a national hunting, trapping, and fishing heritage day will go a long way in cementing our position as conservationists, by once a year bringing attention to our activities as a reminder to all levels of government of the service provided to them by us.

Approximately 135,000 Nova Scotians hunt and fish, and many of them do both. The majority of our provincial populations are quite okay with what we're doing as long as we follow the rules and do it in a sustainable manner.

All of us in this room are the descendants of successful hunters and anglers. In some cases they may be from a few generations back, but we would not be here without our forefathers having hunting and fishing skills.

In my written remarks I say that I would like the national day to be September 23, but following the friendly amendment, I'll go along with whatever is agreed upon by everybody else.

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Thank you very much, Mr. Rodgers.

We'll now hear an opening statement from Mr. Bailey.

[Dr. Robert Bailey, Vice-President, Policy for Canada, Delta Waterfowl Foundation]

Hello. Thank you very much for inviting me and Delta Waterfowl—I'm also representing the Canadian Outdoors Network—to address you on this important issue.

My name is Dr. Robert Owen Bailey. I have an honours degree in agriculture, a master's degree in renewable resources, and a Ph.D. in ecology. I've been active in the conservation field for over 40 years. I am also an angler and a hunter, and I was a trapper when I was on the farm as a kid.

I know that you probably don't know much about Delta Waterfowl. It's one of the continent's oldest conservation organizations. Probably the single greatest attribute has been the education of students at the master's and Ph.D. levels in wildlife and habitat conservation. That's what we have done since 1938, when Aldo Leopold, who is the recognized father of the conservation movement in North America, established the research program in 1938 at Delta Waterfowl.

Since then, we have educated or helped in the education of over 400 individuals from both Canada and the United States. They've produced over 700 scientific peer-reviewed publications in scientific journals. They and that legacy are part of the scientific foundation for managing fish and wildlife in North America, in part, as my colleagues have mentioned, contributing to the very successful North American model of wildlife management.

Just as an aside, when you think about wildlife around the world and how much difficulty wildlife is in around the world, and then you look at Canada, we're truly blessed with still-natural populations, free-roving large herds of different kinds of animals, like the caribou in the north--things that are there not by accident but because people care, and hunters and aboriginal people and others care. They are there also because of the scientific management that the federal government, the provincial governments, and many conservation organizations undertake. It's very much a combined effort.

In addition to Delta Waterfowl, I'm presently also the chair and national coordinator of the Canadian Outdoors Network. The network was initiated in 2007. It's a coalition of 28 of the major conservation, hunting, fishing, trapping, and shooting sports organizations across Canada. Our collective organizations, including my colleagues' organizations here, include 500,000 members and supporters in every province and one territory. Through our own media, I think we are the voice and the leaders of Canada's 10 million hunters, anglers, trappers, and shooting sports enthusiasts.

Network organizations are also the strength and the backbone of fish and wildlife conservation volunteerism in Canada, and certainly the financial supporters of conservation, in partnership with governments and others.

In terms of notes to share with you on the bill, I'm going to read the statement because these two paragraphs have been endorsed by the 28 organizations, so I want to be clear. This is what we offer collectively to you.

We believe Bill C-465 is an opportunity for Canada to recognize and support our hunting, trapping, and fishing heritage, which was a major part of the foundation of Canada as a nation and continues as an important lifestyle choice and culture for many Canadians. Many Canadians connect with nature, as my colleagues mentioned, through hunting, fishing, and trapping. These enthusiasts are the most critical and vocal proponents of our fish and wildlife heritage, as I'm sure many of you know.

Millions of Canadians derive their livelihood in part or fully through their interest in fish and wildlife and in conserving wild places. Indeed, much of the work done by organizations in the outdoor network is to restore and enhance habitat, and to be a catalyst and an advocate for fish, wildlife, and our natural environment.

In considering BillC-465 as a celebration of a unique aspect of Canadian heritage, it is important to understand the role of lifestyle choice in the development of our Canadian society, including many cultures. Cultures grow and are handed down as a heritage. Values and traditions are recognized and passed on. The diversity and strength of cultures within any society depends upon freedom and tolerance. Cultures thrive where citizens are free to make legitimate lifestyle choices, even where the activities and views supported by the culture are not always shared by all members of society. Over time, this culture is captured and validated as a heritage.

Perhaps the single greatest social attribute of Canadian heritage is to encourage tolerance and promote harmony among different peoples, while preserving their culture, and encouraging it to realize its full potential as part of the Canadian mosaic. We believe Bill C-465 will be a critical step forward for preserving Canada's outdoor heritage and the many social, economic, and environmental benefits and opportunities that it supports across Canada.

This presentation has been signed by: the Alberta Fish and Game Association; the Alberta Outdoor Coalition; the B.C. Wildlife Federation; the B.C. Wildlife Federation Political Action Alliance; the Canadian Institute for Legislative Action; Canadian Section, The Wildlife Society; the Canadian Shooting Sports Association; the Canadian Sporting Arms and Ammunition Association; Delta Waterfowl Foundation; the Fédération québécoise des chasseurs et pêcheurs; the Fur Institute of Canada; Friends of Fur; the Hunting for Tomorrow Foundation; Long Point Waterfowl; the Manitoba Wildlife Federation; the National Wild Turkey Federation; the New Brunswick Wildlife Federation; the Newfoundland and Labrador Wildlife Federation; the Northwestern Ontario Sportsmen's Alliance; the Nova Scotia Federation Of Anglers and Hunters; the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters; the Prince Edward Island Trappers Association; the Prince Edward Island Wildlife Federation; the Ruffed Grouse Society; the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation; the Yukon Fish and Game Association; and Wildlife Habitat Canada.

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Thank you very much, Mr. Bailey.

Finally, we'll hear from Mr. Kendell, who is president of the Credit River Anglers Association. I'll note that the headwaters of the Credit River are in Wellington County, which is in my riding.

Welcome to the committee. We look forward to your opening statement.

[John Kendell, President, Credit River Anglers Association]

Thank you very much.

Thank you to the chair and committee for the opportunity to speak here.

My name is John Kendell. I am president and chair of the Credit River Anglers Association. We are based out of Mississauga on the Credit River, but our mandate has expanded to encompass most of Lake Ontario watersheds and migratory fish around the Great Lakes.

Fishing and hunting has been in my family since my family first came to Canada in the early 1800s. My wife is a new Canadian, but she also fishes; I can't get her to hunt yet, but I'm working on that. My children hunt and fish with me. My daughter is only five and she's been out numerous times already.

This is a wonderful bill, and our membership fully supports it. It's such a key, as has been said, but I'm not going to reiterate what's already been said by the other members beyond saying that fishing and hunting have been ingrained in our society from day one. My grandfather used to take me hunting and fishing; my dad used to take me hunting and fishing; and now my dad takes my grandchildren hunting and fishing. This has gone on for several generations. It's wonderful to have a bill put forth to recognize that heritage.

We do have the hunting and heritage fishing laws within Ontario, but to have it recognized across the country is vital. I have hunted in several parts of the country, and I fish from coast to coast. Again, this is encompassing, right across this great nation of ours.

Also, I think it is important to recognize what anglers and hunters give back to society. I volunteer 1,000 hours a year. My membership of my association volunteers 30,000 to 40,000 hours a year back to the community. That's for wildlife habitat preservation, tree-planting, fish-stocking--all of these things. They do it because they enjoy the environment, but they also do it because it's so important to protect our fishery.

In closing, I think we have to understand, too, that we have a world-class fishery all across Canada. We have unique fisheries within Ontario, B.C., the Prairies, the Maritimes, and Quebec. This bill will make the rest of Canada, those who do not partake in these activities, aware of what we love. It will help with that understanding.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Thank you very much, Mr. Kendell.

We'll begin now with about 30 minutes of questions and comments from members of the committee, beginning with Madam Crombie.

[Bonnie Crombie, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Thank you so much.

I'm going to limit my question to Mr. Kendell and allow my committee colleagues to pick up the excess time.

Mr. Kendell, I just wanted to note that you also received the national recreational fisheries award from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans this year. Congratulations.

Mr. Kendell is one of my favourite constituents, too, and is an outstanding citizen. He has built up the Credit River Anglers Association from 35 members to 5,000.

Congratulations to an outstanding citizen.

Do you think that such a national heritage day as Bill C-465 has would draw attention to anglers in Mississauga, obviously, grow your membership even further—you've done an incredible job already--and ultimately grow the business in the area and around the country?

[John Kendell]

Yes. I believe this will definitely help that. I hope that at the federal level some interest will be put forth to make this well known, not just to anglers and hunters, because we're already on board, but to the person who lives on Yonge Street in downtown Toronto who doesn't own a fishing rod, to allow them to understand, and also to get people involved.

Nine out of ten people I talk to in my neighbourhood are shocked to find out that there are thousands of salmon in the Credit River behind our house. So if it's like that in Mississauga, it's like that right across the country. We just need to make people aware. If they're aware, then you're going to have the spinoff benefits to the economy.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Mr. Simms, go ahead.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mrs. Crombie.

There are just a couple of points that you brought up earlier. In your opening statement, Mr. Farrant, I'm glad to see that you included the non-aboriginal settlers who first came here. You mentioned John Cabot--Giovanni Caboto--but before that, the aboriginal component was very important, because the now extinct Beothuk Indians in Newfoundland and Labrador were actually some of the greatest hunters known in history. So I support the friendly amendment that I hope will succeed through the preamble on that one; I commend the mover of this, as it is long overdue.

When you talk about establishing heritage days for several issues, as I've seen thus far in my six-and-a-half years here, we don't see a lot behind them when it comes to promotion, for whatever reason. With private members' bills you can't spend money, and there's no money tagged to this. We went through this with lighthouses and that sort of thing, and I understand that.

How do you envision the government departments taking this third Saturday in September and promoting it as something that is part of our heritage, our DNA, as the mover mentions, and which I agree with?

[Greg Farrant]

I can't speak for the government, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Environment Canada, or whatever federal level would be responsible for such promotion. But as an outdoor network, and with those 28 groups, we would certainly approach the government, behind Mr. Norlock's bill, to work with them to try to free up some funding for support of this initiative.

We've seen it at the provincial level in Alberta and Manitoba and in Ontario, where we have family fishing weekend twice a year, and there is also a national family fishing week that is promoted across the country. We hope that similar support will be given to this bill not only by the federal government, but also by the provinces in each jurisdiction.

Both collectively and individually as organizations we will seek to move forward to government and say, “It is now time for you to put some money behind this”. It has been recognized in eight provinces and territories. It will be recognized nationally if Bill C-465 is approved. It's something that you need to put some oomph behind. Let's celebrate it not just by providing some framework and structure legislatively, but also by providing some funding dollars.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

I agree. One of the things that I notice they're doing is promoting the new regulations for pleasure craft, for instance, on the new licensing you need. Some of the groups around that are busy promoting how to get the certification and the education behind that. I don't know if you envision that as part of this, but I would like get the opinions of others on it as well.

Mr. Bailey.

[Dr. Robert Bailey]

I think it would be a challenge, and I say that not in an unfriendly way. One thing is that, personally, being in Ottawa for quite a long time, working with the different departments and meeting with many different ministers over actually decades of time, sometimes anglers and hunters don't really see our culture reflected in government bureaucracies very much. Not everybody agrees with hunting and fishing, as you know.

So I think this bill is very important because it highlights.... Plus, it's a very important bill because it receives the support of all the parties here.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Thank you very much, Mr. Bailey.

Thank you, Mr. Simms.

Madame Lavallée.

[Carole Lavallée, Bloc, Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC]

I will start, and then I'll turn the floor over to my colleague, if that's alright with him.

I want to come back to something Mr. Norlock said earlier. The fact that the Bloc Québécois supports this bill is completely separate from the matter of the Canadian firearms registry. In our view, the two issues are totally unrelated. Our support for the bill has nothing to do with our support for maintaining the firearms registry. Unless you say differently, I'll take it that you agree with us. I don't wish to discuss the registry. I just want to be certain that everyone is clear on our position.

Getting back to the date of September 23 mentioned in section 2 of the bill, Mr. Norlock let it be known earlier that he would be open to our amending this provision right away, right this very afternoon, and to changing the date on which National Hunting, Trapping and Fishing Heritage Day would be commemorated across Canada to the third Saturday in September.

Are there any objections to changing the date? I'll start with Mr. Rodgers.

[Tony Rodgers]

Yes, we certainly support any changes that may come out. I think it's the day that's important, recognizing the day as opposed to when exactly it is or what specific date it is--as long as we get to the fact that there is such a day.

[Carole Lavallée, Bloc, Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Monsieur Farrant.

[Greg Farrant]

As I indicated earlier and as we suggested in our written statement, certainly I would support perhaps the fourth Saturday of the month, simply because that is when the U.S. recognizes their national hunting and fishing day. But maybe we need to be a bit different from the U.S., as we should be. I understand that my good friend and colleague Alain Cossette, from the Quebec federation of anglers and hunters, is supportive of the third Saturday, and therefore we would certainly be supportive of the third Saturday.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Mr. Bailey.

[Dr. Robert Bailey]

I think it's important for this national heritage day to fall on a Saturday, because people will want to mark the occasion in some way. It wouldn't be the same if the day were to fall on a Monday or Tuesday.

[Carole Lavallée, Bloc, Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC]

What would be the better date, in your opinion? The third or the fourth Saturday?

[Dr. Robert Bailey]

I think the third Saturday would be preferable.

[Carole Lavallée, Bloc, Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC]

What about you, Mr. Kendell?