Delta Waterfowl continues to take a leadership role

Delta Waterfowl helping to secure the future of hunting in Canada

Delta Waterfowl continues to take a leadership role in tackling the key issues facing hunters nationwide. Our work in encouraging recruitment hunts, coordinating national hunting advocacy and weighing in at the local level when waterfowl hunting is threatened, is essential to ensure that there is a bright future for hunting in Canada. While there are many organizations doing tremendous work in conserving waterfowl habitat, there is one group – Delta Waterfowl – that is uniquely focused on publicly promoting waterfowl hunting on behalf of all Canadian waterfowl hunters.

Delta Waterfowl created the first-ever youth hunting program in Canada, we started the first ladies-only waterfowl hunting program, the first program aimed at University students, the first all-inclusive national advocacy effort and the first plan and program to defend the access of waterfowl hunters at the local level. On the strength of the demonstration of these good ideas, new efforts have arisen from coast to coast, through the efforts of volunteers and partnering organizations.

All organizations doing good work on behalf of hunters deserve your support but if you are a Canadian duck or goose hunter, an upland bird hunter, in fact, a hunter of any type – Delta Waterfowl needs your support to continue our critical work on behalf of us all. If you are already part our team, please tell a friend. Get involved with our efforts at the local level through our chapter network.

Most of all – THANKS – in advance for helping us secure the future of hunting in Canada.

In 2006, the Liberal Party tabled a resolution (Resolution 42), that aimed to ban semi-automatic firearms in Canada. Like many Canadian hunters, Delta’s Dr.Bob Bailey was frustrated and concerned by the lack of a coordinated, national effort to address this kind of troublesome and misguided political policy. Dr.Bailey called a national conference call to attempt to create a campaign to stop Resolution 42 and the Canadian hunting and shooting community responded immediately. It turned out many groups were simply looking for someone to take the lead in setting up a process to coordinate efforts.

Pressure from the fledgling Outdoor Network resulted in Resolution 42 being dropped by the Liberal Party, and in the process, Canada’s first-ever coordinated national advocacy working group – The Outdoors Network – was essentially formed.

The ongoing successful defense and promotion of hunting in our increasingly urbanized Canadian society will require an effective, public and coordinated national advocacy and public relations campaign on behalf of hunters, which, until the creation of the Outdoors Network, had not existed in a substantive form in Canada. For the first time, this coalition is actively and publicly advocating on behalf of all Canadian hunters on tough issues such as gun ownership and many others.
Since 2006, Dr.Bailey and Delta Waterfowl have been recognized by outdoor organizations across the country for his groundbreaking work in creating the much needed Outdoors Network. Since inception, the Network has grown to include a combined grassroots membership of over 500,000 Canadians who are represented by the following progressive organizations:

• Alberta Fish & Game Association
• British Columbia Wildlife Federation
• BCWF Political Action Alliance
• Canadian Institute for Legislative Action
• Canadian Section of the Wildlife Society
• Canadian Shooting Sports Association
• Canadian Sporting Arms and Ammunition Association
• Delta Waterfowl Foundation
• Fédération québecoise des chasseurs et pecheurs
• Fur Institute of Canada
• Friends of Fur
• Hunting for Tomorrow
• Manitoba Wildlife Federation
• National Wild Turkey Federation
• New Brunswick Wildlife Federation
• Newfoundland and Labrador Wildlife Federation
• Nova Scotia Federation of Anglers and Hunters
• Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
• Prince Edward Island Chapter Delta Waterfowl
• Prince Edward Island Trappers Association
• Prince Edward Island Wildlife Federation
• Ruffed Grouse Society
• Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation
• Wildlife Habitat Canada

The Outdoors Network (the Network) is tackling a wide variety of issues that affect the rights of Canadian hunters, fishers, trappers and gun owners, including the following (for more information on the status of these issues please contact Dr. Bob Bailey at Delta’s Canadian Head Office):

● Dismantling of the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) – Ongoing – there are proposed changes by the current government that would drastically reduce Canada’s waterfowl management capabilities. This is a significant issue of concern for the future of waterfowl and waterfowl hunting in Canada. The Network continues to stay abreast of developments and to communicate with government on the needs of the resource and the hunting community.

● Wildlife Habitat Canada – Federal Duck Stamp – Completed and Successful – Proposed changes could have seen Federal Duck Stamp revenue’s flow into Environment Canada’s general budget or elsewhere. An active effort by the Network, lead by Delta Waterfowl, successfully contributed to the preservation of this successful waterfowl program.

● Successful Passage of Animal Rights Bill S-203. Passage of this Bill S-203, increases substantially the fines and punishments for individuals who deliberately and maliciously mistreat animals while not affecting the rights of hunters, trappers and fishermen. An alternative and dangerous version of this Bill was defeated by a coordinated effort of Network members, lead in particular by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters.

● Proposed amendments to the Navigable Waters Protection Act – Ongoing – The Network believes that proposed changes by the Conservative government to this Act could severely restrict access to traditional hunting, fishing and trapping areas. The Network and its members are actively working to ensure this Act does not stop hunters and anglers from accessing traditional areas, such as small streams and creeks.

● National Firearms Registry – Ongoing – the Network continues to work in a coordinated way in a unique campaign to ensure key MPs (especially rural Liberal and NDP MPs) understand the wishes of hunters on this issue: to dismantle the costly and ineffective gun registry. The Registry has cost Canadians billions of dollars and is seen as a roadblock to hunter recruitment and retention with little benefit to solving ongoing issues of urban crime in large centers such as Toronto and Montreal.

From this brief sub-set of issues the Outdoors Network is currently working on, it is clear that Canada’s outdoors enthusiasts need a strong voice to influence government policy that affects our lifestyles. The strength of this working group comes from the coordination of efforts of all 24 organizations and the strategic combined lobby that can now be accomplished in Canada for the first time. Delta thanks all the organizations and the individuals who actively participate from each organization for their talent and dedication.

Delta hosts the regular conference calls and coordinates letters to MPs on behalf of all Network members nationally. As part of Delta’s new business plan for our Waterfowling Initiative, we are seeking to raise new funding to expand the capabilities of the Outdoor Network.

For more information