Canadian Outdoors Network Speaks With Unified Voice

It is late September. The country is in the middle of the long-gun registry debate. It’s the top issue for one of the most unique conference calls in the country. On the line are representatives from Canada’s major outdoors organizations. Everyone on the call possesses a wealth of experience. Everyone has strong opinions.  All have an unequalled passion for the outdoors.

This is the Canadian Outdoors Network—the country’s first and only national coalition for hunting, fishing, tapping and shooting sports. The Network is comprised of 28 outdoors groups representing 500,000 members. The National Coordinator is Dr. Robert Bailey, who doubles as Delta Waterfowl’s Vice President of Policy.  He says the Network is important because outdoors enthusiasts need a unified voice in an increasingly urbanized society.

“Everything today is under attack, from our guns and ammunition to our fishing tackle box,“ says Bailey. “We’re not just seeing boogiemen behind every bush. There are well-financed organizations with highly intelligent, professional people whose job it is to put us out of business. There’s a very significant, competing ideology out there right now.”

The controversy over the long-gun registry is a case in point. Some gun control advocates would be pleased to see all firearms removed from public hands. The Outdoors Network is collectively lobbying to make sure that doesn’t happen.

“The gun registry is the kind of issue we can address more effectively with the Network,” says Bailey. “If we’re going to preserve this heritage and life style, then we’re going to have to band together.”

The Network came together in 2007 to challenge another firearms issue—Resolution 42. This was a proposal from the federal Liberal Party to ban all semi automatic firearms in Canada. That first conference call brought the fledgling Network together. The collective lobbying pressure eventually resulted in Resolution 42 being dropped. The Outdoors Network has never looked back.

Issues successfully tackled by the Outdoors Network to date include…

● challenging a proposal to dismantle the Canadian Wildlife Service.

● challenging a proposal to redirect Federal Duck Stamp revenues into Environment Canada’s general budget, potentially diminishing financial support to waterfowl management.

● successfully supporting passage of Animal Rights Bill S-203, which substantially increases fines and punishments for individuals who deliberately and maliciously mistreat animals while not affecting the rights of hunters, trappers and fishermen.

● challenging proposed amendments to the Navigable Waters Protection Act, which could severely restrict access to traditional hunting, fishing and trapping areas.

“I am enormously pleased and proud of all members of the Network”, says Bailey, “who have really risen to the challenge. We have a legacy of winning on several issues and that’s a result of all these groups pulling together, sharing information, cooperating and strategically approaching these issues.”

A priority for the Network continues to be the long-gun registry. Bailey says the divisive registry debate underlines a lack of tolerance for a lifestyle largely misunderstood in urban centres.  Hunting, he says, is about more than taking the life of an animal. It’s about better connecting with nature, appreciating what it offers and helping make sure it’s there for the future. He believes attacks on legitimate gun owners demonstrate a lack of tolerance that is “un-Canadian”.

It is the goal of the Outdoors Network, says Bailey, to make sure all Canadians understand the concerns of outdoors enthusiasts from coast to coast to coast. An entire life style depends on it.

“United we have a future,” he says. ”Divided we have none.”