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Events Leading to the Cancellation of the Spring Bear Hunt

Please find below a list of chronological events leading up to the cancellation of the spring bear hunt. Click here for the official press release that was released by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources on January 15, 1999.

F.W.C.A. receives Royal Assent; Spring Bear Hunt remains intact.

Regulations being considered.

Minister John Snobelen, through his Deputy Minister, promises the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.) and Northern Ontario Tourist Outfitters (N.O.T.O.) that there will be no changes to the spring bear hunt unless both O.F.A.H. and N.O.T.O. agree.

Minister Snobelen states in a letter that there is no basis to cancel the spring bear hunt and that the spring is, in many ways, the best time to hunt bears.

F.W.C.A. is proclaimed into law with the spring bear hunt intact.

Robert Schad (who in November/December 1998 launched a two million dollar public advertising campaign against the spring bear hunt by targeting vulnerable Conservative MPP's in Southern Ontario), met with Premier Harris.

On the January 8. 1999 weekend, N.O.T.O. past President Roger Liddle received a telephone call directly from Premier Harris who advised the spring bear hunt was being cancelled.

Premier received the Premier's Briefing Note entided "Implementation Plan for Closing the Spring Bear Hunt"

N.O.T.O. President writes to Premier's office expressing extreme disappointment in the Premier's decision to cancel the spring bear hunt (contrary to the position stated by the Crown, there was no response to this letter or denial that it was the Premier who made the decision).

Government publicly announces cancellation of spring bear hunt because "it will not tolerate cubs being orphaned by hunters mistakenly [and illegally] shooting mother bears in the spring."

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