The VOICE of Anglers and Hunters since 1928

Group misleads public on Kawartha Highlands

OFAH FILE: 842
November 4, 2008

For immediate release

Group misleads public on Kawartha Highlands

The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.) is speaking out in rebuttal to a recent release by a group that misleads the public about the intent of the proposed changes to the Kawartha Highlands Signature Site Park regulations.

“Ontarians deserve the truth regarding the proposed regulations changes to the Kawartha Highlands Signature Site Park,” says Dr. Terry Quinney, O.F.A.H. Provincial Manager of Fish and Wildlife Services.

The O.F.A.H. is stepping forward to correct several misleading statements contained in the November 3, 2008 release by the Wildlands League. “In fact, the Ministry of Natural Resources proposal does nothing more than restore the integrity of the Kawartha Charter, for which Natural Resources Minister Donna Cansfield deserves congratulations,” Quinney adds.

Contrary to the November 3, 2008 release, the restoration of traditional hunting activities is not a “veiled attempt” to get more ATV use in the park because their use will be highly regulated, including the following stipulations:

  • ATV use by Ministry of Natural Resources (M.N.R.) Permit only
  • ATV access on existing M.N.R. approved road and trail system only
  • ATV access restricted to areas for hunting, private property and tenured land only

The M.N.R. proposal does not permit any hunting whatsoever, from preceding the Victoria Day weekend in May, until September 1, and no new species can be hunted, compared to a few years ago, except wild turkeys for about four weeks. So, the M.N.R. proposal, consistent with the Kawartha Highlands Signature Site Park Act, re-establishes that which was already highly regulated by the M.N.R. under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act for Wildlife Management Unit (W.M.U.) 60, within which the Kawartha Highlands Signature Site Park lies.

“In truth, hunters (and cottagers, campers, boaters, etc) asked the Ontario government not to evict us from the public lands that we’ve shared with others sustainably and safely for many generations. In the proposal for Kawartha Highlands, Minister Cansfield, on behalf of the Ontario government has demonstrated respect for all those who would wisely use and conserve our natural environment,” says Quinney.

With 83,000 members and 655 member clubs, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters is the leading fishing, hunting and conservation organization in Ontario. For more information visit www.ofah.org.

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Contact

Terry Quinney PhD
O.F.A.H. Provincial Manager of
Fish and Wildlife Services
705-748-6324 ext 242

Lezlie Goodwin
Communications Coordinator
705-748-6324 ext 270

Click here to download the PDF version of this release


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