Found this in my inbox this morning, I've yet to walk over to their store, only 13 blocks or so away, to verify. The message doesn't specify if it's the Calgary or the Edmonton store or both. If true, a few e-mails won't hurt. Of course I won't be contacting any MLA's or I'll get what's his name breathing down my neck again, but any of you *real* Canadians, by import or by birth, please look into this.

Frans

++++++++++++++++++

Ladies and Gents,

Well, Mountain Equipment Coop (MEC) has done it again. A couple years back when discussion started about possibly turning Spray Valley into a Provincial Park, MEC supported an environmental group (antis) who petitioned the push to turn the area into a Provincial Park. Many of us fought against this proposal (proposing a Wildland Park) and in the end, lost the area to a Provincial Park and saw the end of hunting in that area.
MEC has once again supported an Anti-hunting group that is asking Albertans to write letters to Ralph Klein to stop the Grizzly hunt in Alberta. Many of us have seen these adds already.
I stopped by MEC today to see firsthand what this group is doing. By 1:00 pm they had hundreds of people stop by their booth ( which is set up at the entrance of MEC) and agree to write letters to Klein in opposition to the Alberta Grizzly Hunt. There were posters all over the store supporting this group. It was depressing and made me sick to my stomach. I asked to speak to the manager of MEC. I told the manager that I was very disappointed in the stores decision to support this anti-hunting group and told him that this was the last time I would step foot in a MEC Store. I've also written a letter to Ralph Klein, Mike Cardinal and my MLA congratulating them on their decision to continue the grizzly hunt in Alberta, I've written MEC to let them know I would no longer be shopping in their stores as long as they continue to support the Antis, I'm sending this e-mail to every person on my e-mail list and asking them to do the same.

I encourage, no I urge you to send e-mails and/or write letters to our government representatives and let them know they are doing the right thing. Let stores like MEC know that you won't support their business if they continue to support Anti-hunting groups. I'm not telling you where you should or shouldn't shop, but this is something we can do to make a difference.

I know I've sat on my hands long enough, let's show these Antis how strong the hunting community in Alberta really is! Pass this e-mail on to everyone on your list, spread it on website chat rooms and at the hunting stores, get the word out. E-mail can be a powerful thing.

This spring Grizzly season may be the last one in Alberta, if we don't make a stand now for what we believe in.


Yves Ouellette


e-mails
Mike Cardinal - donna.ballard@gov.ab.ca
Ralph Klein - premier@gov.ab.ca
www.mec.ca

They should stick to selling supplies!!Hunters need to use their collective voices on issues like these,as the more battles that are lost to granola eaters the easier it becomes to lose.They seem to feel the views are the only ones.Shame on M.E.C for supporting something that a big chunk of paying customers would not support,It's not only tree huggers that buy things from there store but maybe it should be from now on!!I would take my buissiness elsewhere,but let them know why!!

Hello;
What we really need is a few more of those granola crunching yuppies that support banning the Hunt, to get chawed up by the object of their affection. I always say YES, every time one of these stories hits the papers. My favorite is still the mountain biker who came tearing around a corner on a trail near Canmore, to surprise a Griz in a berry patch. The bear totalled the bike and put a few scratches on the rider. Way to go!!!
Griz

Hello;
What we really need is a few more of those granola crunching yuppies that support banning the Hunt, to get chawed up by the object of their affection. I always say YES, every time one of these stories hits the papers. My favorite is still the mountain biker who came tearing around a corner on a trail near Canmore, to surprise a Griz in a berry patch. The bear totalled the bike and put a few scratches on the rider. Way to go!!!
Grizz

this makes me so mad. i just emailed MEC to let them know thay would not see any more of my business. if we all do the same it will send a strong message.

FYI - for those of you who are e-mailing, they're sending out a form letter response that will not directly answer any of your questions. I'm now in the process of drafting a hard copy letter that I will be sending in.
Best of luck to us all. We do need to ensure that our collective voice is heard.
I hate things like this as MEC does a lot of great things. They support our Canadian made products, they strive to create envio-friendly products, they support camps for kids without access to the outdoors and they pay out a LOT of money in form of bursaries and scholarships.
Don't get me wrong, this does not excuse their support of the anti-bear hunting, but I think it is only fair that we acknowledge their strengths when we point out a flaw.
Hunters all too often remain quiet (me included) where the antis are loud and proud. What I want to know is: What would the management of MEC say if we proposed a pro-griz hunting ralley at their location? hee hee hee If they refuse to permit fair vocalization to both sides of this arguement - then we've got a real battle on our hands!

Thanks to everyone who is becoming involved by taking a stand against this.

Erika.

I think that most of MEC's gear comes from Korea or China these days...

I have been a member of M.E.C. since shortly after the co-op was formed, more than 30 yrs. It was once a place for outdoorspersons, real ones, but, it started going down hill about 20 yrs. ago and is now a joke among serious climbers, trekkers and people working in the industry.

Some of the "old guard" are still there, I had a nice talk about sleeping bag design withh Anders Ourom a bit more than a year ago and he agreed with me about the place of hunting in society. Most of the 18-35 yr. olds who work there are city kids who have little or no real outdoor experience, but, are hip, trendy and "cool". This is the market that "the Coop" serves as does "Coast Mountain Sports".

I seriously doubt that any action taken within the Co-op membership will succeed in changing the policies that M.E.C. now espouses, the "antis" are both too numerous and too politically savvy.I think that deliberately refusing to shop there and advising them of why will only strengthen the determination of the enemy.

I will not shop there unless I absolutely have no choice, for those interested in quality, lighweight gear from a hunting friendly retailer, I strongly recommend "Mountain Meadows" in Surrey-White Rock, they are from South Africa and are pro-gun, knowledgable and their prices are better than M.E.C. They stock "Integral Designs" tents, sleeping bags and other gear and this stuff is made in Canada and is absolutely fabulous.

They already shut down the Grizzly hunt in the Willmore Wilderness Park.I agree with Grizzly Adams that a few more granola crunchers and tree huggers need to be thanked for their efforts by these "poor,cute, teddy bears",while they are out becoming one with nature.I don't know who decided that there isn't enough bears around,but whoever did the counting should come hunting with us here on the Alberta/BC border.I haven't ever seen a Grizzly in downtown Calgary or Edmonton either and I'm pretty sure that is where these stupid decisions are made.