NEWS

Massive Métis Harvesting Agreement Petition Raises Concerns Over Fairness

Edmonton—A petition of more than 4,000 names opposed to the Interim Métis Harvesting Agreement has been presented to Maurice Tougas, Alberta Liberal Opposition critic for Aboriginal Affairs.

“The size of the petition shows the depth of concern over this agreement,” says Tougas.

The petition, with 4,435 names, was gathered by the Sportsmen of Alberta, and was endorsed by the Alberta Fish and Game Association, the Alberta Bowhunters Association, the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep, the Hunting for Tomorrow Foundation, and the Alberta Professional Outfitters Society. It has been signed by hunting and fishing enthusiasts from every corner of the province.

The agreement was created by the provincial government without consulting any of the province’s fish and wildlife organizations, Tougas says. This has created an atmosphere of mistrust between the Métis people and hunting and fishing groups, and outfitters.

“The hunting and fishing communities should have been consulted before this Interim Métis Harvesting Agreement was negotiated,” says Tougas.

“I hope the province gets the message that sportsmen of Alberta have legitimate concerns about the welfare of wildlife in Alberta. To ensure the rights of Métis to hunt and fish for genuine subsistence is an admirable goal and the Alberta Liberals support this right, but the government’s actions have created a rift between two groups who both have the welfare of Alberta’s wildlife at heart.”

Tougas intends to enter the petition into the record when the Legislature session resumes.

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Attached: Petition against the Métis interim agreement that allows unregulated hunting and fishing in Alberta statement.

       
For more information contact:
Josh Stewart, Media Liaison      
780-499-5470                

or              

Maurice Tougas, Aboriginal Affairs critic
780-913-6800

Backgrounder –Petition statement

PETITION AGAINST THE METIS INTERIM AGREEMENT THAT ALLOWS UNREGULATED HUNTING AND FISHING IN ALBERTA

We, the undersigned residents of Alberta, petition the Government of Alberta to stop the interim Métis Harvesting Agreement with the Métis people of Alberta.

This agreement poses a serious threat to Alberta’s fish and wildlife management in this province.

Some of our more vulnerable species are now being hunted by Alberta Métis under the guise of subsistence hunting. Bighorn rams can be killed while on their wintering grounds, deer are being hunted for trophy, cow moose can be legally shot in March while they are pregnant, grizzly bear can be hunted, as well as elk, mountain goats, pronghorn antelope and caribou. While licensed hunters must draw for species such as moose, elk, goats and antelope, etc., Métis can now kill as many of these species, male or female, as they wish. Even caribou, which are protected from hunting in Alberta, can be hunted by Métis with no limits.

As well, with few exceptions, Métis people are now netting many of our lakes, including those with collapsed or vulnerable pike and walleye populations and those with zero catch limits for licensed anglers. When licensed anglers find it often quite difficult to take home a fish to eat, Métis now have no size restrictions or limits to the amount of fish they can remove from a water body.

Few people in Alberta can claim they need more meat than what current Alberta regulations permit under regulated hunting and fishing practices – this includes Métis. Managing Alberta’s fish and wildlife is an enormous undertaking that requires knowledge of what is being harvested, when and where. The allowance of unregulated hunting and fishing by Métis people throws fish and wildlife management clearly out the window and sets back the gains and sacrifices made by regulated hunters and anglers whose monetary contributions to this same management are enormous.

Métis people are our neighbours, our bosses, our doctors and our lawyers. They are a modern people living in modern cities running successful businesses. This right to unregulated hunting and fishing will do little more than harm fish and wildlife populations as well as create social tension and financial implications that may never be undone. Many Métis themselves are against this agreement.