Welcome to Week CLXXVI of ‘Fishing Parkland Shorelines’. Like most of us I am a novice fisherman, loving to fish, but far from an expert. In the following weeks I’ll attempt to give those anglers who love to fish but just don’t have access to a boat, a look at some of the options in the Yorkton area where you can fish from shore, and hopefully catch some fish.
On the off chance someone out there, perhaps a fisherman in a secluded cabin for the past six weeks without internet, cellphone or television, I will start by noting we are in the midst of a federal election.
It is a ridiculously long, and tedious affair, one which was frankly made to drag on for a host of bad reasons when it was called.
But such is politics, politicians love to use election calls, the timing of such events, and now the length of them for what they hope will be an advantage at the polls. Such grandstanding could be eliminated of course by established election dates, and a legislated standard length.
But this is a fishing column, so the election length is not the focus.
What is the focus is that those of us who love to fish should have that as an issue of interest in this election.
The environment is an issue we all should care about, but for sport fisherman, and those who hunt, birdwatch, or just love hiking in natural surroundings, it is something very close to our hearts.
While sometimes the impact the federal government has on our lives seems distant, international affairs, the military, and such ‘big picture’ areas they are involved in, the feds play a role in establishing legislation and laws to protect our natural environment to.
It makes sense for the federal government to play a role in the protection of rivers as they flow across provincial borders.
What happens in British Columbia at the head of a river system can ultimately have an impact across several provinces as it flows.
The area of river and water protection has come up before on the federal level.
As recently as this February www.ecojustice.ca was noting legislation changes they had issues with.
“When the federal government tabled Bill C-45, its second omnibus bill of the year, it took aim at another long standing environmental law: the Navigable Waters Protection Act,” wrote Kimberly Shearon.
“While the law has, on occasion, delayed minor projects like small docks or footbridges, the tabled amendments go far beyond reducing red tape for efficiency’s sake.
Proposed changes include changing the name of the law to the Navigable Protection Act (NPA), dropping “Waters” from the title altogether. And indeed, under the proposed changes, Canada’s waterways will have significantly less protection: The proposed schedule includes three oceans, 97 lakes, and portions of 62 rivers.
“By comparison, Canada is estimated to contain nearly 32,000 major lakes and more than 2.25 million rivers: The NPA would exclude 99.7 per cent of Canada’s lakes and more than 99.9 per cent of Canada’s rivers from federal oversight.”
It is change like that fisherfolk need to at least be aware of.
Water is not the only area the feds play a role.
Migratory birds cross not just provincial borders but international ones.
Air quality is a national issue.
As too is the obvious climate change taking place. People might fairly argue the cause of such change, and there might even be questions surrounding the eventual impact, but change is taking place.
It is the federal government which must take the lead in funding and supporting research into the area of climate change, not hide from it in the shadow of denial. It will only be through science we come to fully understand climate change, the impact civilization has on that change, and how we can best adapt to deal with the change.
So what does this have to do with a fishing article?
Simply put, as voting fisherfolk, (and everyone eligible to do so should vote, to do less is to shirk a duty many have fought hard to acquire and preserve), we should be asking candidates about their policies on wildlife, water, the environment, the areas which directly impact those things we so enjoy.
There is a need for protections to be in place for the environment. To think business and individuals will naturally care for our country is folly.
You only need to drive a street or highway to see the garbage people toss out the car window to know many just don’t care.
There is a need to regulation, rules and laws.
And there is a need for us as those using our wild natural resources to let candidates know what we expect in terms of such protections.
We need to ask questions, read policy and use what we find as part of the decision making process we each should go through in deciding which candidate and which party we will support on Oct. 19.
