Recently, a foolish anti-hunting protester in Australia was
injured after wading into the water in front of duck hunters in the middle of an active hunt. Curiously, despite the Darwinian nature of the incident, it made international news. Along with a large number of fellow anti-duck hunting protestors, this woman wanted to “save” the downed ducks in the water. She felt that placing herself into the middle of a duck hunt was a smart thing to do.
It wasn’t. A young hunter going after a low-flying bird took a shot and some of the pellets hit the individual in the face, drawing blood – but thankfully, not seriously wounding the woman.
While this incident happened in Australia, the same interference with lawful hunting activities has happened here in Canada as well.
This past October Rob Seal and Kyle Dittmer were hunting geese on private property in Ontario. A woman confronted the two hunters and scared off all the geese by honking her vehicle’s horn and yelling at the two men. That wasn’t enough, however. When the men didn’t leave the private land where they were hunting legally, she came back and photographed them and their vehicle licence plates – even grabbed the cell phone Rob Seal was using to video record her antics.
In Ontario this harassment is a crime.
The
Ontario Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act section 13.1 states:
13.(1) A person shall not interfere with lawful hunting, trapping or fishing by,
(a) tampering with traps, nets, bait, firearms or any other thing used for hunting, trapping or fishing;
(b) placing himself or herself in a position, for the purpose of interfering, that hinders or prevents hunting, trapping or fishing; or
(c) engaging in an activity, for the purpose of interfering, that disturbs or is likely to disturb wildlife or fish.
Fines for violating this section of provincial law range from a warning up to $25,000 and a year in jail.
A news report stated a resident had been charged with violating this Act, saying:
“
Hunting is a legal activity and it’s highly regulated, more than a lot of activities, in the province of Ontario and people should be aware of that. The reason it’s highly regulated is to make it safe and humane for those animals and I don’t believe that’s always fully understood,” said Russell Brandon, the Aylmer-area enforcement manager for the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR).
While interfering with lawful hunting is a provincial crime in Ontario, it is not against the law in many other parts of Canada.
Interfering with Hunting, Trapping, Fishing or Sport Shooting
Garry Breitkreuz, federal M.P. for Yorkton-Melville, Saskatchewan, aims to change that with his Private Member’s
Bill C-655, An Act to Amend the Criminal Code (Interfering with Hunting, Trapping, Fishing or Sport Shooting). If passed into law, it would be a federal crime to interfere with these lawful activities, essentially taking the Ontario provincial statute and making it federal law under the Criminal Code of Canada.
Penalties under this proposed law would include a maximum fine of $25,000 and/ or a prison term of up to one year.
Please contact your elected representatives and urge them to vote
YES on Bill C-655. Canada's heritage activities deserve the dignity of legal protection.
