Coyotes are a canine species similar to wolves, found only in North and South America and like other wild animals, sometimes come into conflict with humans.
Since migrating to the province of Ontario from the western side of Canada more than 100 years ago, coyotes have adapted well to urban environments and can now be found in both rural and urban settings. Coyotes are most abundant in southern agricultural Ontario and urban areas and there are ways to prevent and manage conflicts.
Factors That Influence Possibility Of Sightings
Changes in land use, agricultural practices, weather, supplemental feeding and natural food shortages may contribute to more coyote sightings in your community.
Homeowners and renters in areas of potential encounters should take these steps to make sure coyotes aren’t attracted to their homes and to keep their pets safe.
To reduce the potential for coyote encounters, the Ministry of Natural Resources has the following tips for the public.
Do not approach or feed coyotes
Coyotes are usually wary of humans and avoid people whenever possible. However, they are wild animals and should not be approached.
People should NOT feed coyotes — either intentionally or unintentionally. It makes them less fearful of humans and makes them accustomed to food provided by humans.
Aggressive behavior towards people is unusual for coyotes, but people should always exercise caution around wildlife. Secure garbage, compost and other attractants
Do not provide food to coyotes and other wildlife. Properly store and maintain garbage containers to help prevent coyotes from becoming a problem.
In the fall, pick ripe fruit from fruit trees, remove fallen fruit from the ground and keep bird feeders from overflowing as coyotes eat fruit, nuts and seeds.
In the summer, protect vegetable gardens with heavy-duty garden fences or place vegetable plants in a greenhouse. Check with your local nursery to see what deterrent products are available.
Place trash bins inside an enclosed structure to discourage the presence of small rodents, which are an important food source for coyotes.
Put garbage at curb-side the morning of the scheduled pickup, rather than the night before.
Use enclosed composting bins rather than exposed piles. Coyotes are attracted to dog and cat waste as well as products containing meat, milk and eggs.
Consider eliminating artificial water sources such as koi ponds.
Keep pet food indoors. Use deterrents and fences to keep coyotes away from your home and gardens
Use motion-sensitive lighting and/or motion-activated sprinkler systems to make your property less attractive to coyotes and other nocturnal wildlife.
Fence your property or yard. It is recommended the fence be at least six-feet tall with the bottom extending at least six inches below the ground and/or a foot outward, so coyotes cannot dig under the fence. A roller system can be attached to the top of the fence, preventing animals from gaining the foothold they need to pull themselves up and over the top of a fence.
Electric fencing can also help deter coyotes from properties or gardens in some circumstances.
Clear away bushes and dense weeds near your home where coyotes may find cover and small animals to feed upon.
Close off crawl spaces under porches, decks, and sheds. Coyotes use these areas for denning and raising young.
Keep pets safe
Cats and small dogs may be seen as prey by coyotes, while larger dogs may be injured in a confrontation. To avoid these situations consider the following suggestions:
Install proper fencing.
As coyotes are primarily nocturnal, pets should be kept inside at night.
Keep all pets on leashes or confined to a yard.
Keep cats indoors and do not allow pets to roam from home.
Spay or neuter your dogs. Coyotes are attracted to, and can mate with, domestic dogs that have not been spayed or neutered.
If You Encounter A Coyote
Do not turn your back on or run. Back away while remaining calm.
Use whistles and personal alarm devices to frighten an approaching or threatening animal.
If a coyote poses an immediate threat or danger to public safety, call 911.
Never attempt to tame a coyote. Reduce risk of predation on livestock
Barns or sheds can provide effective protection from the threat of coyotes preying on livestock.
Guard animals, such as donkeys, llamas and dogs, can be a cost-effective way to protect livestock from coyotes. Guard animals will develop a bond with livestock if they are slowly integrated and will aggressively repel predators.
For more information on preventing livestock predation and claiming compensation from the government, please visit the Ministry of Agriculture and Food website.
Managing Problem Wildlife
Landowners are responsible for managing problem wildlife, including coyotes, on their own property.
The Ministry of Natural Resources helps landowners and municipalities deal with problem wildlife by providing fact sheets, appropriate agency referrals, and information on steps they can take to address problems with wildlife.
The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act sets out the legal actions property owners can take to deal with problem wildlife. Generally, landowners or their agents may harass, capture or kill problem wildlife to prevent damage to their property.
The full Hunter’s Moon—a moon known for its extra-bountiful glow in autumn, one that traditionally helped hunters harvest venison into the late evening, before the winter freeze—will rise on Oct. 17. It will loom larger and brighter than ever. The reason?
It will be a supermoon. But not just any supermoon.
The Hunter’s Moon this October will be the biggest supermoon of the year, the fourth and final one of 2024.
How the Hunter’s Moon Got Its Name
Both Colonial Americans and Canadian Settlers once had to hunt to fill their stores before settling into their lodges for the winter. To this end, they would hunt late into the evening while deer and other large game were easy to spot in the open stubble fields after the harvest.
These night hunts were assisted by moonlight from October’s full moon, which mysteriously rose sooner than expected and loomed larger than was typical. It was as if it provided light specifically for their hunting.
What looked like a helping hand from the full moon gave rise to its traditional name: the Hunter’s Moon.
This year, the Hunter’s Moon falls on Oct. 17, reaching peak illumination at exactly 7:26 a.m. EDT. It will be below the horizon for stargazers here in Canada and the rest of North America at that time. But at sunset that evening you can look eastward and find it still quite full, as it will seem the following evening, on Oct. 18, and the evening prior, on Oct. 16. Moons don’t change their cycles on a dime.
It Will Be a ‘Supermoon’
Similar to September’s huge Harvest Moon, October’s full moon will be a supermoon. It will appear larger and will be closer to the Earth than usual, which happens because the moon’s distance from Earth isn’t fixed. Our largest natural satellite travels along an oval-shaped orbit, so sometimes it’s nearer and other times further away.
When a full moon occurs near the point closest to Earth along said orbit, a point called the perigee, a supermoon results. This occurred in September’s Harvest Moon and will happen again for October’s Hunter’s Moon, making it the fourth and final supermoon of the year; the largest in 2024.
The Hunter’s Moon traditionally follows the Harvest Moon. Shutterstock/Harry L/Richard OD
On Oct. 16, perigee will be reached. At exactly 8:57 p.m. EDT, the moon will be 222,055 miles from Earth, roughly 17,000 miles nearer than average. Not 12 hours later, the full moon will fall. Supermoons can loom 7 percent larger than normal, though human eyes can’t usually tell. It’ll also shine slightly brighter.
Facts And Folklore of Autumn Full Moons
As full moons go, autumn’s are famously big. Supermoon or no supermoon, farmers have long relied on fall full moons for moonlight when working late to bring harvests in before the frost. Folklore says these moons are larger and even seem to forestall their departure mysteriously, as if gracing the harvest with extra illumination.
The “Hunter’s Moon” usually falls in October, but not always. Full moons in September, October, and November sometimes swap names. Harvest Moon always denotes the moon closest to the equinox (the first day of fall) and usually falls in September, and so, they are most commonly in September. But every so often, October’s full moon is closest to the equinox (which is in late September) and thus assumes the title Harvest Moon. When that happens, the Hunter’s Moon gets bumped into November.
Swapping names is unusual for full moons; they don’t follow that tradition in other months. April’s Pink Moon and June’s Strawberry Moon don’t shift, nor do moons of other months. Furthermore, most moon names denote the month’s entire lunar cycle, whereas the Harvest Moon and Hunter’s Moon denote just the full moon event.
Colonial Americans traditionally hunted after the autumn harvest to fill their stores for the winter months. Shutterstock/Maciej Pawlik
Autumn moons loom larger than usual, too. Astronomers say this is just an optical illusion. Autumn moons often appear near the horizon because the moon’s arc is so affected by Earth’s axial tilt during the equinox. They may seem larger when viewed next to terrestrial foreground objects like trees or buildings. The psychological impact this has makes the moon look grander.
It’s just an illusion, though—the “moon illusion.”
But there’s more to the equinox than smoke and mirrors. Some of the strangeness is real, as autumn moons follow a perplexing schedule. On average, throughout the year, the moon rises 50 minutes later each night as its orbit carries it steadily eastward. But around the equinox, it may rise as few as 23 minutes later. This boon to farmers is no illusion.
Astronomers twist their tongues to explain it.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac says it’s because the moon’s arc has its greatest northerly component during fall and is thus at its longest. Now traveling rapidly northward, it appears to rise sooner than expected, and all the more so the further north you go.
All together—the Hunter’s Moon, the extra moonlight, the equinox, the moon illusion, and the largest supermoon of 2024—it seems we’re in for a sublime lunar spectacle. There’s a chill in the air. So grab your fall coat for an evening under the warm glow of the Hunter’s Moon. For the Silo, Michael Wing.
Featured image- Designed by friends at The Epoch Times Shutterstock/solepsizm/Richard OD/Harry L
Spring means fresh flowers and sunny days, but it also brings seasonal health issues as the weather gets warmer: from Rosacea to Lyme disease.
Most likely, you or someone you know has been affected by Lyme disease, the most common tick-borne illness in North America with more than 300,000 cases diagnosed each year. In a timely new book, Conquering Lyme Disease(Columbia University Press), Columbia University Medical Center physicians Brian A. Fallon and Jennifer Sotsky reveal that despite the challenges to find a cure for this complex, debilitating disease, precision medicine and biotechnology are accelerating the discovery of new tools with which doctors will be able to diagnose it and treat patients.
“Through rapid genetic sequencing, scientists can identify many different strains of Borrelia burgdorferi as well as new tick-borne microbial infections, such as Borrelia miyamotoi, Borrelia mayonii, and the Heartland virus.” — Brian Fallon
Could groundbreaking technologies that rapidly increase our understanding and open up new pathways mean a cure for Lyme disease one day soon? The Global Search for Education is pleased to welcome Dr. Brian Fallon to find out how tech is tackling the ticks.
“Modern technology using Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) allows one to discover with great rapidity all microbes that may be present within a sample of fluid.” — Brian Fallon
Brian, how has technology improved the research process for tick borne diseases?
Consider the difference in price of genome sequencing between 20 years ago and today. In 2003, it had taken the Human Genome Project about 4 years and costs estimated between $500 million to 1 billion…by 2006 the cost for sequencing a single human genome had dropped to 14 million……today a whole human genome can be sequenced within days for less than $1,000. This is a tremendous advance.
Why is genome sequencing so important? Let’s look at human tick-borne diseases. When two different people are infected with Borrelia burgdorferi (the microbe that causes Lyme disease), one will resolve the disease quickly after a course of antibiotics while the other may develop a chronic relapsing remitting illness. Why? Because one person might have gotten a more persistent strain, while the other received a less invasive strain that stays localized to the skin. Additionally, the genetic differences in the human determines how the immune system responds to the invading microbe. Understanding the genetics of the infection and of the human host allows scientists to unravel the mysteries of tick-borne illnesses.
Through rapid genetic sequencing, scientists can identify many different strains of Borrelia burgdorferi as well as new tick-borne microbial infections, such as Borrelia miyamotoi, Borrelia mayonii, and the Heartland virus. When the genome of a microbe is sequenced, it provides a starting point for the study of pathogenesis, vaccine development, and treatment. Discovery of these new microbes inside ticks has been enormously helpful. A patient who has had typical symptoms of Lyme disease after a tick bite but has tested negative on the blood tests for Lyme disease might puzzle clinicians. They may criticize the insensitivity of the Lyme disease tests. However, when this same patient is tested for the newly discovered tick-borne infection, Borrelia miyamotoi, the diagnosis is then clear. Yes, the patient had a Lyme-like illness, but it wasn’t Lyme disease: it was Borrelia Miyamotoi disease.
Modern technology using Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) allows one to discover with great rapidity all microbes that may be present within a sample of fluid. This “discovery based” approach using “unbiased next generation sequencing” enabled a 14 year old boy to be rescued from a fatal infection within 48 hours (Wilson et al, NEJM, 2014). This boy had endured 3 hospitalizations over 4 months, had over 100 diagnostic tests, spent 44 days in an ICU for encephalitis of unknown etiology, had a brain biopsy, and had to be put into a medically induced coma to prevent damage from his ongoing seizures.
Eventually Dr. Charles Chiu at U.C.S.F. employed NGS analysis of more than 8 million sequences with a bioinformatics pipeline (SURPI) for the detection of all known pathogens. The cause of the boy’s meningoencephalitis was revealed as Leptospira santarosai. He had likely acquired it in Puerto Rico, as it is not present in the continental United States. He received the appropriate antibiotics and was discharged 2 weeks later to rehab. This same approach is especially useful for uncommon infections as they might not be suspected; for example, rare tick-borne viruses such as Powassan Virus or Heartland Virus can be rapidly detected using this discovery approach.
DNA Double Helix
How has big data impacted the way advocacy groups support research?
A patient-generated source of Big Data is LymeDisease.org. This California based organization developed a survey called “My Lyme Data” that patients could fill out on the web about their clinical history and lab tests and treatments. In a short period of time, they had data on 10,000 patients whom they track over time. With this information, they provide a more comprehensive clinical view of the bulk of patients who are diagnosed with persistent symptoms despite treatment for Lyme Disease (aka Chronic Lyme Disease).
“In geographic areas where medical professionals are scarce, AI technologies will play an increasing role in improving patient care by allowing differential diagnoses to be generated and treatment options suggested through AI-based systems accessed through the internet.” — Brian Fallon
Jobs in all professions are being automated. Do you believe AI technologies will only assist doctors or will they replace physicians in some tasks? What does this mean for doctors, nurses, and the future of medicine?
Borrelia
While AI technologies will go a long way to assist health care providers to provide better care, its application to medical care is still just beginning. One can anticipate, however, that in geographic areas where medical professionals are scarce, AI technologies will play an increasing role in improving patient care by allowing differential diagnoses to be generated and treatment options suggested through AI-based systems accessed through the internet.
The general public has more access to information than ever before about Lyme disease from websites, medical organizations, articles and social media. Everyone can be their own “expert” or even their own “doctor.” Can you speak about the pros and cons of online health data in the era of fake news?
This obviously is a huge area of concern. Individuals used to turn to their physician or to the medical information books, such as the Merck Manual. Now, they turn to the web.
In a recent survey of patients who used the web to obtain health information (Doherty-Torstrick 2016), we learned that more than half of the 730 patients reported they experienced increased distress as a result of checking the web. We also learned from this survey that individuals who did not have a health education were more likely to spend more time on the web and were thus prone to develop more anxiety than those who were better educated from a health perspective. While some of the information they find may be accurate, other information may be well-intentioned but ill-informed, misleading, and even harmful.
“Researchers can rapidly screen thousands of drugs to determine which agents have the strongest ability to kill Borrelia spirochetes. This is possible because of the development of high throughput assays, which have proven more effective than the standard agents in eradicating both the stationary phase Borrelia and its more drug-tolerant persister-forms.” — Brian Fallon
Look into the future. What are the technologies you are most excited about in terms of helping to find cures for Lyme disease and improve patients quality of life?
Researchers can rapidly screen thousands of drugs to determine which agents have the strongest ability to kill Borrelia spirochetes (Feng 2014). This is possible because of the development of high throughput assays, which have identified new antibiotics that have proven more effective than the standard agents (doxycycline, amoxicillin) in eradicating both the stationary phase Borrelia and its more drug-tolerant persister-forms. While it cannot be assumed that what is true in the lab setting will translate to efficacy in humans, biotechnology advances have enabled the identification of new therapeutic agents, offering much hope for a wider array of treatment options for patients in the future.
Another major advance is “big data” conducted by biomedical information engineers trained in biostatistics and computer science. Internet search engine queries are being monitored to predict outbreaks of infectious disease. Unanticipated side effects of drugs and their interactions can be detected through analyzing millions of digital medical records from patients who have taken a particular drug. One can examine whether patients given an antibiotic did better when treated for longer or shorter periods, or whether patients with a pre-existing autoimmune disease are more likely to develop complications from a new onset Tick-borne infection than those without a history of autoimmune problems.
2005 James Gathany; William Nicholson The blacklegged ticks, I. pacificus, (depicted here), and I. scapularis, are known vectors for the zoonotic spirochetal bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi, which is the pathogenic bacteria responsible for causing Lyme disease. The ticks, inoculated with the bacterium when they bite infected mice, squirrels and other small animals, subsequently pass the pathogens to their human victims when they obtain a blood meal.B. burgdorferi bacteria can infect several parts of the body, producing different symptoms at different times. Not all patients with Lyme disease will have all symptoms, and many of the symptoms can occur with other diseases as well. If you believe you may have Lyme disease, it is important that you consult your health care provider for proper diagnosis. The first sign of infection is usually a circular rash called “erythema migrans”, or EM. This rash occurs in approximately 70-80% of infected persons and begins at the site of a tick bite after a delay of 3-30 days. A distinctive feature of the rash is that it gradually expands over a period of several days, reaching up to 12 inches (30 cm) across. The center of the rash may clear as it enlarges, resulting in a bull’s-eye appearance. It may be warm but is not usually painful. Some patients develop additional EM lesions in other areas of the body after several days. Patients also experience symptoms of fatigue, chills, fever, headache, and muscle and joint aches, and swollen lymph nodes. In some cases, these may be the only symptoms of infection.
Our Lyme and Tick-borne Diseases Research Center, located at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) in New York City, is right next door to an international data resource. CUIMC is the coordinating center of a public health information initiative which includes medical records from approximately 400 million people drawn from eighty health-care organizations from around the world. This represents a unique opportunity to ask questions, generate hypotheses and get answers about Tick-borne diseases. When discovery is optimized, medical care is enhanced.
Brian Fallon, MD, MPH is the Director of the Lyme and Tick-Borne Diseases Research Center at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center and the author with Jennifer Sotsky of Conquering Lyme Disease: Science Bridges the Great Divide, published in 2018 by Columbia University Press.
Botswana’s president recently threatened to send 20,000 elephants from Botswana to Germany in a feud over stricter regulations on trophy imports. Find out why President Mokgweetsi Masisi’s claims about hunting simply don’t stack up and how animal-friendly approaches in Botswana actually help conservation goals and the economy.
Earlier this year, Germany proposed stricter limits on trophy imports, which led to controversy and claims from President Masisi that it would further impoverish Botswanans.
Trophy hunters worldwide are attempting to justify their killing by making outlandish claims to hide their conservation harms and economic exploitation.
According to Dr. Keith Lindsay, a renowned conservation biologist with over 30 years of research and hands-on experience conserving African elephants, including population management, nothing could be further from the truth.
While there are challenges for African countries that have elephant/human conflicts, many have found proven solutions that respect elephants without killing or trapping them.
The way to create harmony with elephants is to know the facts first.
Elephant populations have not “exploded,” as President Masisi claims. Botswana’s elephant population has not increased significantly for about two decades.
Trophy hunting funds corruption and does not bring in significant net revenue for conservation. The ones that profit are sports hunting companies, a few government officials, and community trust members who siphon off funds. Very little goes to the hundreds of households sharing the meager proceeds, which Dr. Lindsay says is “enough for a pair of socks.”
According to the numbers, hunting does not keep elephant populations in check, as President Masisi claims. A 2022 survey of elephants in Botswana indicated there were about 132,000. The hunting quota in 2024 is 400 elephants, which is less than 0.3%. It’s not enough to make a dent in their population, even if all 400 were killed, but it is a risk to all older male elephants and large-tusked elephants, who hunters target despite their vitally important role in elephant societies.
Botswana banned trophy hunting in 2014 but lifted it in 2019 to give the impression it would boost the economy, but elephants are much more valuable alive.
Live elephants contribute a much greater amount to the economy than dead ones. Per Dr. Lindsay, “Photographic ecotourism, even in Botswana, employs more people and contributes more to the national economy, including through multiplier effects on value chains of suppliers to the industry than does the minimal amount from trophy companies.” Only a few countries in southern Africa exploit wild animals as a resource through killing and consumption.
Conflicts from elephants eating crops and killing people are not due to elephant overpopulation but to human populations expanding into elephant territories and growing vegetation that elephants like to eat.
Many conservation experts advocate against killing keystone species on ecological grounds. The minority who stand to gain from trophy hunting often attempt to marginalize all who oppose hunting and killing elephants as “extremists” despite being the vast majority.
Organizations like Ecoexist and Elephants Without Borders are working successfully with local farmers on practical approaches to human-elephant coexistence to resolve conflicts where they exist.
Elephants are not products to buy and sell. They are majestic living beings who deserve to live free as they have for thousands of years on the lands of their ancestors.
For the Silo, Courtney Scott / In Defense Of Animals.
Featured image: German sport hunter kills old Bull elephant in Botswana. image courtesy of National Geographic.
EDMONTON, AB – May, 2014 – Cold beverages won’t be getting warm anytime soon in the Pelican ProGear™ 20QT Elite Cooler. Perfect for use while fishing, boating, camping or hanging out on the beach, the newest Pelican ProGear Elite Cooler holds up to 21 U.S. liquid quarts (18.9 liters). Additional tailgate and picnic friendly features include a stainless steel lock protector that doubles as a bottle opener, four integrated cup holders in the lid and an extra-wide pickup handle for easy team and individual carrying.
Like all Pelican ProGear Elite Coolers, the 20QT is built tough to exacting military standards and is engineered with rugged polymer
exterior walls. Its extra-thick polyurethane foam core works with secure Press & Pull latches and a freezer-grade o-ring to deliver extreme ice retention.
“The new Pelican ProGear 20QT Elite Cooler now gives tailgaters, golfers and beachgoers another reason to enjoy the fresh air. With Pelican core DNA built in and extreme ice-retention, this cooler is as tough and dependable as Pelican cases used by professionals who work in extreme environments around the globe,” said Stephan Corti, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales – Pelican Products, Inc. “It doesn’t matter if it’s an extended fishing trip or hunting adventure, this new portable cooler is designed to protect and keep your food and drinks cold for the duration.”
The cooler is available in either Marine White or Outdoor Tan and has an MSRP of CAD$274.98. Manufactured in the company’s South Deerfield, Massachusetts facility, the Pelican ProGear 20QT Elite Cooler (along with the 35QT, 45QT, 65QT, 95QT, 150QT and 250QT models) can be purchased through their authorized Pelican Dealer network. All Pelican ProGear Elite Coolers are backed by an industry leading lifetime guarantee of excellence.
The Pelican ProGear brand includes rugged, protective consumer products designed to allow users to transport and protect all that they value, regardless of environmental conditions. The line is presented to consumers via www.PelicanProGear.ca.
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Up to 15,000 dolphins are being killed every year in Peru’s waters — for bait to catch endangered sharks. A new report has forced the government to respond but they’re not taking enough action yet and meanwhile the dolphins and the sharks are being killed. We can stop the massacre by threatening Peru’s international reputation as a tourism destination. Sign now and share:
I just saw a report on the news in Peru showing how fishermen are slaughtering up to 15,000 dolphins every year — for bait to catch endangered sharks. The entire story made me sick — and now I’m fighting to end this nightmare.
My government is starting to react, but they’re not taking enough action yet. Dolphin hunting is already illegal and punishable with several years in prison, but authorities are turning a blind eye — allowing thousands of dolphins and sharks to be butchered. The government cares a lot about Peru’s international reputation, especially for tourism, and if we can make them feel embarrassed with a massive global campaign, I’m sure they’ll start taking action to end the massacre.
Once I deliver a million signatures from all over the world to the government of Peru,Avaaz will place ads in tourism magazines in countries where most of our tourists come from and the government won’t be able to ignore us! Help me stop the brutal slaughter by signing now:
When I saw this horrific hunt I realised I needed to do something about it before our dolphins and sharks are gone forever. So I decided to set up a petition and shared it with my friends and in less than 24 hours over 10,000 people had signed it!
Partially butchered Dolphin, found on Bujama beach on 1.24.13 image: bluevoice.org
Our oceans are under attack. Sharks and dolphins already face threats from pollution, climate change and entanglement in fishing gear. They play an important role as ocean predators and need to be protected — not butchered. Many marine ecosystems are on the verge of collapse from which they won’t recover and they will not wait while our politicians dither around making empty statements.
Tourism is Peru’s third largest industry, growing faster than any other South American country. Visitors are coming to see our pristine wilderness and eco-tourism is very important. We can create a serious threat by taking out hard-hitting ads in key countries where most visitors are coming from. Our government will realise people not only love our country because of the Machu Picchu and local gastronomy but also because they love our oceans and wildlife. Sign now and share this with everyone:
As an Avaaz member I’ve been truly amazed at our ability to help protect our oceans. At first, I wanted to get 15,000 signatures to represent the 15,000 dolphins that are killed every year but together we can represent all the dolphins and the sharks that can be saved in Peru’s waters!
With hope and excitement,
Zoe — together with the Avaaz Community Petitions Team
Toby Barrett, MPP Column Available Ahead of Print Publication
Support our hunting, fishing, outdoors heritage
Gun owners and those concerned with the waste of money should be glad to see the end of the long gun registry – an issue that has long frustrated farmers, hunters and recreational shooters.
Ending the registry was part of the federal Conservative platform. It’s expected legislation to that end will be introduced this fall and will be similar to the Private Member’s Bill voted down jointly by the Liberals, NDP and Bloc Quebecois last year.
I have been a critic of the long gun registry and Bill C-68 since the Chretien Liberals proposed it in the 1990s. I rode the bus to Ottawa with constituents to march on Parliament Hill to protest the then-pending legislation.
Estimates put the amount of money wasted on tracking farmers and duck hunters at more than $2 billion while doing nothing to address criminals. By definition criminals don’t obey the law, so why would they register their guns?
And while the federal gun registry may soon be history, I remain concerned about the potential for a provincial registry.
In Quebec, there is speculation about the provincial government implementing its own registry. And there has been media speculation that Premier McGuinty might take similar measures.
As Official Opposition we are opposed to any long-gun registry, federal or provincial. Can we trust that Mr. McGuinty will not implement a provincial long gun registry?
By way of contrast, Mr. McGuinty asked the federal government for a handgun ban in 2007. The federal Conservatives denied his request, saying it might do more harm than good. The NDP also support a comprehensive handgun ban.
The other piece of legislation affecting gun owners is Ontario’s Ammunition Regulation Act, of 1994. In 1996, I appeared before the Red Tape Commission arguing to scrap the Ammunition Act – it duplicates federal legislation and is redundant. In addition to support in our riding, I was backed by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, the Ontario Handgun Association, the National Firearms Association and the Canadian Sporting Arms and Ammunition Association. Even the province’s Chief Firearms Officer recommended scrapping the bill, with concerns about privacy. Despite the opposition and a petition I helped organize against the legislation, the Ammunition Act remains to this day.
Several years ago, after purchasing a rifle at a Ducks Unlimited fundraiser, I went to a local gun store to pick up shells. The paperwork and list-making required under provincial legislation kept people waiting. The store owner told me his list hadn’t been checked in two years.
Firearms regulations are just one issue facing those who are concerned about our hunting, fishing and outdoors heritage. Last week, I met with the president of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters and heard further concerns – including cormorants, about access in the north, the potential spread of Chronic Wasting Disease and the Endangered Species Act. Sadly, many of these issues haven’t been resolved since I was Parliamentary Assistant to MNR 10 years ago.
A new issue the OFAH is concerned about is the red tape facing volunteer-run fish hatcheries. These operations provide nearly half the fish stocked in the province, but in some cases, they have to go through the same environmental approvals as industrial polluters.
It’s time Government supports, not interferes, with our hunting, fishing and outdoors heritage.
Jeff Helsdon
Office of Toby Barrett
519-428-0446
1-800-903-8629
39 Norfolk St. N.
Simcoe, ON
N3Y 3N6
www.tobybarrett.com
Follow Toby on Twitter @ TobyBarrettMPP
