I just got off the phone with a man who along with 3 other concerned citizens met on Feb 8th with Ms. Calahasen their MLA. The meeting was about the Métis Interim Agreement. I’ve posted the entire letter below, it makes for some very good reading. The shocking revelation is in the last paragraph and it states that Ms. Calahasen twice referred to AFGA and its members as “a bunch of assholesâ€. Unbelievable!!! This has gone to far, Ms. Calahasen needs to be removed from her position immediately. We need to demand that the government address this outrage and correct a very ugly situation that is disrespectful and disgusting. Read the letter below and write letters to all the MLAs. Do we have to take this garbage from an out-of-control elected official? I don’t think so.

Feb. 25, 2005

#403 Legislature Bldg.
10800-97 Ave.
Edmonton, Alberta
T5K 2B6

Dear Ms. Calahasen

Regarding your letter dated Feb. 14/2005, I also thank you for the opportunity of the meeting and the subsequent letter with regards to the Interim Métis Harvest Agreement. I would like to take this opportunity to respond to your letter and some information gathered from that meeting.
First of all we attended the meeting as concerned resident hunters of this Province. We clearly expressed that we were not there representing Outfitters, Alberta Fish & Game Association members, or members of any other organization. Yes, Mr. Heyde and myself are Outfitters in this Province and do have concerns with the imminent effect this Agreement will have on our businesses, but we did not discuss those issues at the meeting. My foremost concern with the Interim Harvest Agreement is the detrimental effect it will ultimately have on my own and my families future hunting privileges. The other two gentlemen who attended the meeting with us are not Outfitters.
Secondly, I would like to know what some of my misconceptions were that you were able to clarify at that meeting?
Our primary concern was with the conservation issues that this Agreement clearly does not address. How did you clarify our misconceptions on that issue? You stated that Sustainable Resource Development had representatives at the negotiation stage of this Agreement but suggested that perhaps their lack of input was a result of SRD being unprepared or “assuming†this Agreement would have little or no effect on the resource. This isn’t an answer to why there are no conservation or management practices in the Agreement.
In my earlier letter I expressed concern that resource users in this Province had no input into this decision. My particular concern was with the residents hunters of this Province who are represented largely by the Alberta Fish & Game Association. I was absolutely shocked at your disregard for this Association and the comments you made about their members! I can understand your frustration in dealing with the different groups and the tactics that they may use but as I stated at our meeting this Association has long been recognized as the “voice of the Alberta resident hunter†and has to be shown some respect by yourself and the decision makers of this Province. To disregard an entire Provincial Association over comments made or actions taken by a few members is not responsible on your part. You must also remember that these people are no doubt acting out of frustrations themselves as a result of being left out of the process of implementing this Harvest Agreement. Many of us in this Province have very close ties to this resource and take any manipulation of this resource very seriously. Again, yourself and other MLA’s must listen to the concerns of the residents of this Province!
Another concern was that we understood the Powley decision granted Métis people hunting rights for subsistence purposes. We felt that subsistence hunting meant hunting for the purpose of getting a food source as needed to support an individual or family. You stated that in the Supreme Court decision subsistence meant “right, not need and not commercial.†I would like further clarification on how you can interpret what the Supreme Court meant and how the definition of subsistence from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary (below) can be interpreted as a “right or non-commercialâ€. Please pay particular attention to 2a: and 2b: “the minimum (as of food and shelter) necessary to support life; a source or means of obtaining the necessities of lifeâ€.



Main Entry: sub•sis•tence
Pronunciation: s&b-'sis-t&n(t)s
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Late Latin subsistentia, from subsistent-, subsistens, present participle of subsistere
1 a (1) : real being : EXISTENCE (2) : the condition of remaining in existence : CONTINUATION, PERSISTENCE b : an essential characteristic quality of something that exists c : the character possessed by whatever is logically conceivable
2 : means of subsisting : as a : the minimum (as of food and shelter) necessary to support life b : a source or means of obtaining the necessities of life
- sub•sis•tent /-t&nt/ adjective

I also had concerns about the number of “new†Métis this Agreement would bring forward and the effect that this unknown number of hunters would have on the resource. You offered no clarification on the numbers of what you referred to as “instant†Métis. A responsible Government should obtain clarification on all aspects of a decision before implementing such broad reaching policies. If the Métis people become eligible for health care assistance, education funding, tax exemptions, or other social programs do the politicians in this Province or Country have any inclination of the effect on our tax base? Absolutely not! Simply because no one knows how many resource or program users will come forward until the agreement or program is in place. As a rancher, that would be like buying 200 more cattle and then trying to figure out where I was going to find the grass and hay to feed them – simply irresponsible management!
I do feel there was some clarification made through the meeting and your letter of response. It appears very clear that you are not prepared to make changes to the Interim Harvest Agreement and that you were promoting the concept that this Government feels they are somehow sheltering the Natural Resources Transfer Act by whole heartedly sacrificing the wildlife resource in this Province. I also wonder if the unquestionable support for this Agreement may somehow be an attempt to create a “legacy†for which to be remembered by at the end of a political career.
It is also very clear that you have major issues with the resident hunters of this Province as represented by the Alberta Fish & Game Association. Your reference to the AFGA members, not once but twice, as “a bunch of assholes†exemplifies your lack of respect for the association that represents resident hunters of this Province. Because of this condemnation I feel you should remove yourself from further participation in any wildlife resource management decisions, including the Métis Harvest Agreement, made in the future within this Province. It is very obvious you have personal issues with the AFGA that will affect your decision making process. For your information I will be purchasing my first membership with the AFGA this week, so I guess I know what body part you classify me as.

I thank you for your time.

cc: Premier Ralph Klein

Hon. David Coutts
Minister, Sustainable Resource Development

Mr. Hector Goudreau
MLA for Dunvegan - Central Peace Don K. Lind

Mr. Kevin Taft
Leader of the Opposition

Mr. Brian Mason
Leader of the New Democrats

Mr. Randy Collins
President – Alberta Fish & Game Association

Don't get me started!!!

The idea that different groups are entitled to different privileges based on their "blood" is abhorant to me, and my son is legally able to be "status indian" whenever he choses.

When South Africa had it's race based laws in the latter part of the last century - the rest of world was justifliably appalled. Now, we in Canada have those same type of laws, and we are "enlightened"! Now everyone with an ounce of native blood in them are calling themselves "Metis" and state that they are entitled to special rights.The stupididy if it all is appalling!

Throughout history, giving special rights or privileges to one group has always resulted in one thing - racism. Now, here we are, in Canada, going down that same path! It's bad, it's devisive, and it's wrong!

Write your MP and try and stop the madness. They say Ottawa regards one phone call as representing 1000 people, and one letter representing 10,000 people. Knowing this, I say - write and phone up a storm to your MP! If you don't - You have no right to complain when they pass the next race-based law in Canada!

There are already abuses happening under the new Interim Metis Harvest Agreement in Alberta, reports of trophy bighorn rams being taken under the guise of "subsistence hunting". Anyone concerned with this agreement should write or email their MLA, Ralph Klein, David Coutts and Pearl Calahasen. There is a big push on another forum I'm on, if we can get enough letters in we can get this agreement at least changed, or at best, rescinded.

I cannot believe that Alberta can be that stupid.

Saskatchewan did this about 9 years ago (?) I heard some areas were wiped out for game. Other than the depletion of the game there were conflicts with land owners and liceinced hunters and the Metis. From the people I knew there, they were saying there was going to be a bloody war over this. The gov't finally seen the error of thier ways and put a stop to the metis sustinance hunting. I knew guys in Sask. that never before hunted in thier life and lived in the city all thier lives who started sustinance hunting because they could.
I am just spouting about what I remember, I could get the actual facts if needed.


Daryl

I can believe Ontario would be that stupid.
When it comes to game, (and anything else for that matter) all races colours, whatever, should be equal under the law.

Hey if you guys want to help, I'm sure our provinial politicians would love to hear from any Canadian, here's some email addresses:

livingstone.macleod@assembly.ab.ca (David Coutts, minister of Sustainable Resources)
lesser.slavelake@assembly.ab.ca (Pearl Calahasen, minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development)

Send emails!, we'd appreciate the help!
premier@gov.ab.ca (Premier Ralph Klein)

quote:

Anyone concerned with this agreement should write or email their MLA, Ralph Klein, David Coutts and Pearl Calahasen.

Already done. Included the oppostition leaders too. Only reply I got was from the latter.

Frans

There is hope!

I received the letter below this morning. I can't tell everyone how good Dr. Morton's reply makes me feel. While it confirms our greatest fear that Fish and Wildlife is totally helpless in this matter at least that has come out in the open. As they say on the leather couch, admitting a problem exists is the first step to fixing it. Carefully read Dr. Morton's request for information and please be accurate and diligent.
While none of the 3 I addressed the letter to took time to answer copying it to everyone in the Legislature at least found a friend to the cause.
Rich

Rich,

Thank you for the copy of your letter to Premier Klein and Ministers Calahasen and Coutts.

I want you to know that a large number of our Caucus share ALL of the concerns voiced in your letter.

At a meeting with reps from Fish and Wildlife yesterday, all of our worst fears about the inability to monitor the effects of this agreement were confirmed.

Of particular concern is the unlimited access that Métis card-holders will have to net fish on any lake that permits fishing. i.e. A lake with size and number limits or a catch-and-release rule will be wide open to Métis netting. The results are obvious.

Be assured that I and a large number of other MLAs intend to pursue this issue aggressively within Caucus. The most important thing that the Fish and Game associations can do to help us is to vigilantly monitor what is happening and report (with hard evidence) incidents of out of season trophy hunting, slaughter of multiple animals, and netting operations on lakes.

Thank you for your concerns.

Ted Morton

MLA, Foothills-Rocky View

www.sportsmenofalberta.com