The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.) is encouraging everyone to take advantage of the upcoming provincial Family Day holiday and license-free fishing opportunity to get outdoors during Ontario Family Fishing Weekend, February 13-15, 2010.

“Ice fishing is a great Canadian winter pastime and a very family-friendly activity,” said Mike Reader, O.F.A.H. Executive Director. “We invite families across Ontario to take the opportunity to head out to a nearby lake or pond during Ontario Family Fishing Weekend and drop a line. It’s a terrific way to connect with our natural resources.” “If you’ve never tried fishing, this is the perfect time,” said the Honourable Linda Jeffrey, Minister of Natural Resources, of the upcoming license-free fishing opportunity.

Fast Facts:

• Safety first. Check conditions before you head out and frequently while out. Clear ice should be at least 10 cm (4 inches) for walking. Anything less is not safe. Carry rescue equipment and a whistle or cell phone.
• Across Ontario, Canadian residents do not require a fishing licence from February 13-15, but must follow all other fishing regulations, which can be found in the Fishing Ontario, 2010 Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary. Copies are available online at www.ontario.ca/fishing and in print from ServiceOntario centres.
• OFFW events are currently registered for the following communities: Bancroft, Cambridge, Cardiff, Espanola, Ennismore, Hearst, Honey Harbour, Marmora, New Liskeard, Ottawa, Pefferlaw, Trout Creek and Verona. Other family-friendly events may also be planned so check your local listings. Visit www.familyfishingweekend.com for details.
• Ontario Family Fishing Weekend is an initiative of the Ministry of Natural Resources. The program includes a winter weekend and a summer event in July which runs concurrent with National Fishing Week. The OFFW Steering Committee is comprised of the O.F.A.H., MNR, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and the Canadian Sportfishing Industry Association.

With 100,000 members, subscribers and supporters, and 660 member clubs, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters is the leading nonprofit fishing, hunting and conservation-based organization in Ontario. To learn more, visit www.ofah.org.

*Press Release Used With Permission

Bill C-391, An amendment to the Criminal Code (repeal of the long gun registry), passed a major hurdle in the legislative process earlier today when it was approved at Second Reading in the House of Commons.

For 14 years, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.) has been determinedly fighting to scrap the long gun registry through media campaigns, rallies, presentations and meetings with public officials and politicians, and most recently, a national online petition.

The bill, a simple and straightforward piece of legislation was introduced earlier this year by Candice Hoeppner, Conservation M.P. for Portage-Lisgar, Manitoba. Once passed, the bill will provide for the repeal of the ill fated and much maligned long gun registry, created by the former Liberal government as part of Bill C-68 in 1995. The requirement to take firearms safety training, obtain a license and practice safe storage and transportation of legal firearms will not be impacted upon by the legislation.

“This is an important moment for law-abiding firearms owners across Canada. Since 1995, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, our provincial and territorial affiliates, recreational shooting organizations, hunters and farmers have been calling on the government to abolish the long gun registry, a paper trail nightmare which has cost Canadian taxpayers almost $2 billion dollars, a far cry from the promised $2 million dollar price tag,” said O.F.A.H. Manager of Government Relations and Communications, Greg Farrant. “We appreciate the fact that several members of the New Democratic and Liberal opposition in Parliament recognized the importance of this issue to their constituents and voted their conscience. Over the last few years, every major public opinion poll has clearly indicated that Canadians believe that the system has failed the test and hasn’t enhanced public safety or saved lives.”

The vote was one step in a long process that has seen law-abiding firearms owners across Canada and almost 80,000 signatories on petitions earlier this year urging the government to end the long gun registry. Two major police associations, some police chiefs and many frontline police officers across Canada have also indicated that they support elimination of the long gun registry.

“There is still much work to be done before Bill C-391 is finally passed, however this speaks to one important aspect of the government’s larger commitment to scrap Bill C-68. Ms. Hoeppner has shown a great deal of perseverance and has fulfilled a commitment to her constituents. She deserves a great deal of credit for recognizing the problem and tackling the issue head on,” said O.F.A.H. Executive Director, Mike Reader. “The bottom line is that criminals don’t register firearms. Instead of creating a paper chase for the law-abiding, the system needs to be revamped to focus on law breakers who use illegal firearms, many of them smuggled into Canada from the U.S., to commit crimes in our communities.”

With over 100,000 members, subscribers and supporters, and 660 member clubs, the O.F.A.H. is the largest nonprofit, charitable, fishing, hunting and conservation-based organization in Ontario, and the voice of anglers and hunters. For more information, visit www.ofah.org.

Contact
Greg Farrant
Manager, Government Relations and Communications
705-748-6324 ext 236
705-875-0274 (cell)

Lezlie Goodwin
O.F.A.H. Communications Coordinator
705-748-6324 ext 270

*Press Release Used With Permission

For over 100,000 Ontario residents, the month of October is a time to dig out the hunter orange clothing and participate in the annual moose hunt. The Ontario Conservation Officers Association (O.C.O.A.) and the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.) want to wish all Ontario hunters a safe and successful hunt.

“During the moose hunt, Conservation Officers (C.O.’s) will focus their activities on violations that threaten our moose herds and public safety,” says O.C.O.A. President Dan VanExan. “Officers will be out in force — conducting uniformed patrols, running road check stations, and undertaking specialized investigations targeting habitual violators.”

“Responsible hunters strive to maintain the highest standards of public safety and have a profound respect for wildlife,” said O.F.A.H. Executive Director Mike Reader. “Hunters and anglers led the conservation movement in North America more than a hundred years ago, and to this day are leading efforts to conserve and enhance wildlife throughout the province. Hunters are partners in wildlife management, and they respect wildlife seasons and limits which ensure a sustainable harvest, today and into the future.”

Every year, C.O.’s investigate cases of moose carcasses that are found abandoned in the bush. This often occurs when hunters mistakenly shoot an animal for which they are not licensed, and leave the animal to rot because they are afraid of being charged for their mistake. C.O.’s are hunters themselves, and have the utmost respect for someone who calls to report accidentally shooting the wrong moose. Hunters are encouraged to report any accidental kills immediately, and to trust officers to respect this cooperation during their investigation.

“Officers will have zero tolerance for anyone who allows a moose to spoil,” said VanExan. “Walking away from an honest mistake and allowing a valuable game animal to be wasted is an offence that no one should tolerate. Help us do our jobs by reporting this illegal and unethical behavior.”

Anyone who observes illegal or unsafe hunting activity is asked to help C.O.’s protect our natural resources and ensure public safety by calling the M.N.R.’s violation reporting line at 1-877-TIPS-MNR (847-7677), or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

For more information about natural resources regulations and enforcement, please visit the O.C.O.A. website at www.ocoa.ca or contact your local Conservation Officer.

Representing more than 100,000 members, subscribers and supporters, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters is the province’s largest nonprofit fish and wildlife conservation-based organization, and the voice of anglers and hunters.

Contact
Lezlie Goodwin
Communications Coordinator
Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
705-748-6324 ext 270

Dan VanExan
President
Ontario Conservation Officers Association
(613) 478-6132

*Press Release used with Permission

Earlier this week, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.), along with the Canadian Shooting Sports Association (C.S.S.A.) and other organizations representing firearms owners across Canada, became aware of an apparent breach of confidentiality involving information contained in the firearms registration system.

This breach strongly justifies earlier calls to scrap the system, as proposed in Bill C-391, currently before the House of Commons.

Ekos Research, a private sector polling company, was contracted by the Canadian Firearms Centre (C.F.C.) to conduct a survey of firearms owners across Canada, and was provided with personal information about firearms owners by the C.F.C., in an apparent breach of privacy and confidentiality. Worse still, the Minister of Public Safety, who is responsible for the C.F.C. and its parent body, the R.C.M.P., was not consulted prior to the release of the information.

“The fact that the C.F.C. would provide highly sensitive information identifying individual firearms owners to an outside polling firm is a travesty,” said Greg Farrant, O.F.A.H. Manager of Government Relations and Communications. “For years, licensed, law-abiding firearms owners have pointed to repeated abuses and breakdowns in what is supposed to be a highly confidential system. When the Liberal government created the system under Bill C-68, they insisted that a violation of this nature would not occur, despite being warned by the firearms community and Opposition members at the time that the potential for serious abuse existed. We hope that this will finally convince Opposition Members in Parliament of the need to scrap the system by supporting Candice Hoeppner’s Bill C-391, which simply proposes to repeal the long gun portion of the firearms system.”

The apparent release of information to Ekos, which occurred in violation of government policy, and without the knowledge and approval of the Minister, who in any case would not authorize the release of such information, is the latest in a long line of procedural gaffs and financial disasters associated with the ill-fated long gun registry, which has cost Canadian taxpayers almost $2 billion to date.

“We are profoundly concerned that an apparent violation has occurred, which has provided a private business with information that is supposed be closely guarded. The government has referred this matter to the Privacy Commissioner for a ruling on whether the Act has been breached, an action we strongly support. It is inexcusable that information of this nature should be made so readily available. The timing of this action is highly suspect, given the apparent source of the information, and the fact that Second Reading of Bill C-391 to scrap the long gun registry is scheduled in the House of Commons next week,” said Farrant.

With over 100,000 members, subscribers and supporters, and 660 member clubs, the O.F.A.H. is the largest nonprofit conservation-based, fish and hunting organization in Ontario and the voice of anglers and hunters. For more information, visit www.ofah.org.

*Muskoka Outdoors Take: You may be wondering why this is a big deal. I suppose it is not IF the information gathered about the firearms is not released to the wrong people. Potentially, the big deal is, that addresses of gun owners have been taken from a ’secure’ database located with the RCMP. Gun owners were told their information would be private and secure. It’s possible that firearm owners could now be targeted by any criminal idiot who ‘accidentally’  gets access to our information.

It has been taking over fields, roadside signs, fences, trees, and even houses in the United States for years, but now, the kudzu vine (Pueraria montana) has been discovered in Ontario, on the shores of Lake Erie near the town of Leamington.

The kudzu vine is a native of Eastern Asia, and was first brought to North America in 1876 for a centennial exhibition. It was later used for erosion control and promoted as a forage crop. Eventually, it took over much of the southern states and despite attempts to stop it, has continued to spread northward.

“We have been watching the kudzu vine move toward Canada for some time now, with great apprehension. Our colleagues in the south have been fighting a tough battle with this invader, so we need to take immediate action in Ontario to stop kudzu in its tracks,” says Rachel Gagnon, Coordinator of the O.I.P.C. (Ontario Invasive Plant Council), a collective of organizations collaborating to address the spread of alien invasive plants in Ontario. “Fortunately, it’s been found early, so unlike previous invaders, such as dog strangling vine, we have the potential to eradicate kudzu and protect Ontario’s biodiversity. Controlling this menace is critical to maintaining our native plants and wildlife habitat. If we let kudzu become established, it will cause untold ecological and economic damage.”

Like all other invasive species, when the vine takes to its new environment it spreads quickly at the expense of native species, including trees, which are girdled by the vine; broken by its weight; or killed by lack of light. The kudzu grows at an astounding rate of 30 centimeters (one foot) per day, and in a single season can grow up 30 meters (90 feet) in length.

Control measures include hand cutting, mowing, controlled burns and herbicide. Grazing animals, such as goats and pigs have also been effective at containing the spread of the vine over the long term.

The O.I.P.C. is a non-profit, multi-agency organization that facilitates a coordinated response to the threat of invasive plants. The council provides leadership, expertise and a forum to educate, motivate and empower organizations and citizens.

The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, Ontario’s largest nonprofit, fish and wildlife conservation organization, houses the O.I.P.C. and supports its efforts. Visit www.ofah.org to learn more about the O.F.A.H.

To report a sighting of the kudzu vine or any other invasive species, call the O.F.A.H./M.N.R. Invading Species Hotline at 1-800-563-7711.

Visit www.ontarioinvasiveplants.ca to download a fact sheet on the kudzu vine, or to learn more about other invasive plants.

*OFAH press release used with permission

Ekos Research is currently conducting a poll of firearms owners using contact information obtained from the Canadian Firearms Centre (CFC). When the federal government was alerted to the existence of the poll they knew nothing about it and immediately began an investigation.

The O.F.A.H. shares the concern over this action expressed by the Canadian Shooting Sports Association (CSSA). The O.F.A.H. has written to the Minister of Public Safety to protest this action by the CFC and strongly agrees with the suggestion that if contacted by Ekos Research, all firearms owners should decline to participate in what is an obvious attempt to justify the continuation of the wasteful and badly flawed long gun registry. It is particularly disturbing that they would undertake this action when Bill C-391 to scrap the long gun registry is expected to come forward for Second Reading by the end of September, particularly since much of the information requested in the poll is already on their databases.

The CFC may have violated your privacy by releasing this information, despite assurances from the government of the day that this would never happen.

It is now more critical than ever that MPs support the passage of Bill C-391 that will bring an end to the long gun registry. If you live in a riding where your federal Member of Parliament is either Liberal or NDP, call their office immediately and urge them to support C-391. For more information visit the OFAH news site here.

*Press Release used with permission