Stealing our heritage as hunters in BC

[GrooveTunes]

http://www.treehugger.com/endangered-species/chinese-tourists-paying-80000-hunt-polar-bears-canada.html

[GrooveTunes]

http://www.vancouverobserver.com/news/grizzly-bear-population-risk-bc-liberal-government-aligns-trophy-hunters

[mechanic_virus]

I encourage anybody interested to come out to the rally today!
http://www.castanet.net/news/West-Kelow ... r-s-office

[monilynno]

New Information that I think catches the Clark government in a serious conflict of interest. copied from BC hunting and Fishing Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/groups/2311768 ... ment_reply
Its time to blow this up.

Everyone knows that there has been some speculation about the GOABC and the Liberal Party working behind the scenes at the expense of the Resident Hunters of BC.

Throughout digging and searching, I have found the following and let you make your own decisions.

Here is a considerable list of donations from the GOABC to the Liberals

http://contributions.electionsbc.gov...TMonth=&DTDay=

Approximately 100 000$

Marc Werners - Former President of the GOABC's side business website- cached version

Ill draw your attention to what it said in his bio;

He has risen in the political arena as a trusted adviser to key cabinet ministers in the B.C. Government and was asked to sit on the prestigious Minister’s Council on Tourism for the Honorable Shirley Bond. During his tenure as president, Mark grew the GOABC to what is considered by many in government to be the top lobby association.

After this was posted this on social media , his webpage has been altered to remove his bio.

Why dont you want the Resident Hunter to know you are a lobbyist, and worked directly with the Liberal Goverment at their request?

Michael Schneider - Former VP of the GOABC , was an Adviser-committee member for MLA Prince George- Mike Morris- who also has voiced his support to this decision and himself a past president of BC Trapper's Association.

I have also found that Mark Werner, Michael Schneider and Scott Ellis all were registered lobbyists for the GOABC. Now Werner is passing himself off as a "trusted advisor"- in his own words

Lobbyist to Trusted Advisor? Am I the only one that sees an issue here?

Why did the Liberals pay $50 000 to the GOABC?

What was that used for?

Was it to Lobby against the Resident hunters?

https://eservice.pssg.gov.bc.ca/LRA/...ationId=435391

Lobbyists Activity Registration - Organization
Registration ID: 435391
Submitted by lobbyist on: October 20, 2014 10:10 AM
Accepted by Registrar on: October 20, 2014 10:33 AM
Designated Filer Contact Information
Surname: Ellis
First Name: Scott
Middle Name:
Address: Suite 103
19140-28th Ave
Surrey, BC V3S 6M3
Canada
E-mail Address: [email protected]
Phone Number: 604 541-6332
Fax Number: 604 541-6339
Organization Information

Name of organization: Guide Outfitters Association of British Columbia
Organization business or activity summary: The GOABC promotes guide outfitting to government and within our communities. We help market the Canadian northwest as the premier hunting destination and endorse the responsible, sustainable and ethical use of the wildlife resource. There are many issues, laws, policies and regulations affecting the guide outfitting industry. We seek to ensure our members are recognized in the development and implementation of government decisions. We encourage our members to honour a Code of Conduct and follow best practices to ensure the highest quality wilderness experiences for hunting clients.
Address: Suite 103
19140-28th Ave
Surrey, BC V3S 6M3
Canada
E-mail Address: [email protected]
Phone Number: 604 541-6332
Fax Number: 604 541-6339
Organization Lobbying Activity

Registration start date: October 20, 2014
Registration end date: April 18, 2015
Organization's Relevant Interfaces

Government or Government Agency Funding

Name of Government or Government Agency Amount of Funding
Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training $50,000

Page 158
http://docs.openinfo.gov.bc.ca/D5285...2012-00160.PDF

MINISTRY OF FORESTS, LANDS AND NATURAL RESOURCE OPERATIONS INFORMATION NOTE Date: May 25, 2012 CLIFF/tracking #: 188559
PREPARED FOR: Tom Ethier, Assistant Deputy Minister, Resource Stewardship Division ISSUE: In preparation for the meeting on May 31st, 2012 5:30 pm 6:00 pm with Minister Pat Bell, Mark Werner, Board President and Scott Ellis, Executive Director, Guide Outfitter Association of BC (GOABC).
BACKGROUND: GOABC is meeting with Minister Pat Bell and ADM Tom Ethier to discuss:

1. Adventure Tourism Policy concerns

2. Requests for Wildlife Act amendments to improve industry competiveness. In November 2011, Wildlife Act amendments were introduced to provide business certainty to the guiding industry and to provide additional recreational opportunities to youth and families. As of April 1st, 2012, there was an increase in the deadline for submission of a guide report from 10 days after the conclusion of a hunt to 30 days after the conclusion of a hunt. Extending the deadline for submission of a guide declaration made it easier for guide outfitters to comply with reporting requirements, particularly for guides in isolated areas. As of July 1st, 2012, the ministry is increasing the length of the guiding territory certificate from a maximum of 10 years to a maximum of 25 years.
The certificate can be reissued after 3/5 of the term of the certificate has elapsed, for a period not to exceed 25 years.

GOABC received $50,000 for marketing support from the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation for 2011/12, and a further $30,000 for 2012/13.

Support from JTI is applied to GOABC’s AGM, translation services for their website and a consumer expo.

$80 000 dollars to the GOABC from the Liberals?

What about the Foreign Workers that are employed here, taking jobs away from BC residents?

Foreign ownership and foreign guides do nothing for BC economy

http://www.extremehuntress.com/erika-bergmark/

"Last year I was in Canada. I sended out email to random outfitters and offered myself working against food and living. An outfitter in British Columbia offered me work and I booked a one-way ticket flight"

This isnt an exception- this happens often in this industry.
How does this type of arrangement help the BC economy, as various lobbyists suggest?

This is an OIC- Order in Council

Stamped March 22 2013 and signed by Minister Thomson PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

ORDER OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL

Order in Council No. 183 , Approved and Ordered

Administrwor

On the recommendation of the undersigned, thttt=3: by and with the advice and consent of the
Executive Council, orders that the Wildlife Act General Regulation, B.C. Reg. 3,10182, is amended
(a) by adding the following section before Division 1:

Definition

1.001 in this regulation, "Act" means the Wildlife Act.,

(b) in sections 101 and 11.01 by striking out "Wildlife Act" and substituting "Act",

(c) in section 18.02 (2) by striking out "section 74 (1) (b) (ii) of the Wildlife Act" and substituting "section 84 (1)

(b) (ii) of the Act", and

(d) by adding the following section:

Exception — exceeding quota assigned to guide outfitter licence

16.011 Despite section 16.01 (i), and without limiting section 60 (2) of the Act, a guide outfitter does not commit an offence if the guide outfitter has a quota assigned as a condition of his or her guide outfitter licence and allows his or her clients to kill game to the extent that the number killed exceeds the quota assigned to the guide outfitter.

I think this one speaks for itself

I do have all the documents saved and links as well, if anyone wants to call doubt into these.

This is all public information if you know where to look- and factual.

[monilynno]

This lets the guides take as many animals as they want.

[Rwede]

So let me get this straight: GOABC and their members lobby funds from the Liberal government, and GOABC and their members donate damn near the same amount of funds to the Liberal Party?

How interesting. Can Christy explain how that works?

And besides this ridiculous, unprecedented increase in allocation given to the guides that was taken away from the resident meat hunters, Minister Thomson signs an Order in Council to exonerate any guide from prosecution if that guide's clients shoot more than their limit.

A license to poach. Shoot as many moose/elk/goats/sheep/bears as you want, 'cause Stevie T just exempted you from prosecution if you do.

This is "wildlife stewardship?" Exceed the limits, big deal, there's no offence for the guide? Where's the principle of wildlife conservation?

This is sickening.

[monilynno]

So what does this teach our young hunters about our system of so called government?
Follow the conversation on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/2311768 ... ent_follow

[logicalview]

http://www.treehugger.com/endangered-species/chinese-tourists-paying-80000-hunt-polar-bears-canada.html

This article has nothing to do with BC hunting and is just chock-full of nonsense.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/nat ... le4099460/

[Joe Public]

This protest seems a bit ridiculous.

It's not that I am for or against the issue.

But everyone knows that the BC Liberals support business over taxpayers; particularly businesses that donate to their political party.

If any one of you voted for the BC Liberals, or did not vote against them, then you knew that they would do this and you have no one but yourselves to blame. In today's politics, you can not separate one ideology from another for specific issues.

Stop whining, you got what exactly you voted for.

[36Drew]

Maybe it would be better if the fees were raised to be even across the board? That should de-incentivise the ministry from giving preference to non-residents. This seems to me to be a funding-driven initiative.