I present this as a case we can use as a model. Please feel free to copy any sentence or paragraph to use in your own letters or arguments.
The following is a chain of events leading up to and beyond an Open letter to Gilles Bisson, Ont. MPP, Cochrane South. This letter, with some editing, was published in the Timmins Daily Press, on January 26, 1999.
(I had FAXed and e-mailed the contents below to his offices, and snail-mailed hard copies to both his Queens Park and Constituency offices. I also delivered a hard-copy to the Timmins Daily Press, all on January 21. As well, I copied various groups and individuals on the net, including the content of the letter.
I believe that my argument could be grounds for a legal challenge based on the Canadian Charter of Rights. Know a good 'pro-bono' constitutional lawyer? Send him my way...
The Daily Press, a few days later, broke a story based on Snobelen's letter to Green Wilderness Camp (See 'How A Politician Writes Two letters in One'- I had posted the contents of Snobelen's letter at this site and Bowsite.com January 21. The medium of the net is pretty slick. The Daily Press Story was picked up 'on the wire' by Canadian Press, and distributed coast to coast., with the Daily Press given 'liberal credit' for breaking the story.
|
Lark Ritchie,
January 20, 1999.
Gilles Bisson, M.P.P. (Cochrane South)
Copy To Queens Park Office
Dear Mr. Bisson:
Please be my voice in the legislature. I am a Status Indian, of the Chapleau Cree Band, living in the Timmins area. I maintain a bear management area within your riding. I have been guiding since I was 12 years old. Since the Bear Management Program was established in some 12 years ago, I have given more than $39,000.00 directly to the Minister of Finance in good faith for the purposes of hunting. I pay my creditors.
I have lived in the tourist business economy. For over forty-two years, our family, has brought new dollars to Canada; to Ontario. The Harris government has caused me and other Northern business people pain.
Since 1980, I have guided 192 non-resident hunters and contributed close to $173,000 New American dollars to our economy. Their additional expenses while in Ontario have added an estimated 20,000.00 in souvenirs, meals, and incidentals. My clients have purchased Native artwork and carvings from my friends; some pieces purchased at two and three hundred dollars each. I pay others to help me on the hunt. All together my business has brought the Canadian economy roughly $200,000.00 and allowed local people to heat their houses and eat better meals.
For the last ten years I have been following a long term plan to increase my business, and finance my 2 kids education. I have managed my bear population like a farmer manages his herd. I have maintained a harvest rate at least half of what MNR guidelines suggested. I demonstrate and profess an honourable and ethical hunting philosophy to my clients. I believe I am a good citizen of Canada, and my First Nation.
Mr. Harris and Mr. Snobelen have endangered many northern businesses with extinction. They are negligent and irresponsible. I no longer look at them as leaders.
They have allowed political pressure that places trees and animals high above the welfare of their compatriots. If they were a member of a band, they would be shunned, and outcast.
They very nearly take a true profession from me; that of teaching Canadian Native philosophy through the case-study of a hunt. They threaten the expression of a hunting philosophy by the common Ontario citizen. They have allowed the expression to be seen as aberrant and evil. I can no longer trust my government system.
Beyond myself, they have done the same to other Northern non-native businessmen. Not only the guides and outfitters, but the grocery store owners where we buy food to feed our clients, hardware stores and other service outlets. A quick calculation brings me to a million dollars being injected into the Timmins area economy in just two weeks during the spring of each year. I can substantiate this figure easily.
The figure jumps to more than the 40 or 50 million they claim when we consider all of Northern Ontario. I would guess the real number is close to half a billion dollars per spring season. - HALF A BILLION NEW DOLLARS! They have endangered that economy, and the people who generate it.
I charge the premier and his ministers with negligence. I charge them with eliminating a philosophical profession and expression of my personal culture, and the collective culture of all hunters.
I appeal to you to argue that the hunter philosophy is, in fact, an unorganized creed. I believe their actions have violated the Canadian Charter of Rights. They have allowed themselves to erode hunting creeds. Be they native or non-native, hunters are a sub-culture within Canada and other countries.
Many of the Northern Ontario outfitters are laying awake in the night, struggling with how to survive the largest proportional rip-off of cash-flow ever experienced by an industry.
I ask you to be my voice both in the legislature and in the land, and lead a legal action against the present Ontario Government.
I ask you to represent me and my fellow business owners to the population. We are a minority. We are unorganized, and we are being targeted.
The Culture Exorcists who call themselves lovers of nature deny our creed and refuse our equality in society. These exorcists have influenced Mr. Harris and Mr. Snobelen to believe an unsubstantiated non-factual set of lies.
I consider it hate-mongering. They belittle our beliefs. They have demonstrated that we are of no consequence. Our country is not based on such principles.
I ask you to charge them with both negligence and hate against an unorganized creed that has existed in North America for thousands of years.
They have been manipulated, or they are accomplices. Either way, they are the decision makers and are ultimately responsible for the people they represent. They have hurt and tormented real people who have chosen a way of life, and have contributed to our society.
Such radical and lightning quick action by the Government demonstrates no understanding of the hurt they cause. The political process that allows such arbitrary decision making must be changed, and the Friday Decision of January 15th must be legally rescinded.
What will you do as my representative?
|
I waited five days.
The letter hit the paper on the fifth day. No response.
I called his office. Mr. Bisson was not available. That evening, I received an e-mail from him indirectly. It appears he used other than his own e-mail address, or or a generic message was copy/pasted to me by a staff member. I really do NOT like generic messages from politicians...
|
Subject: Responding to your concerns re Bear Hunt Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 14:23:15 -0500 From: Tina Chartrand To: "'lritchie@oocities.com'"
Mr. Ritchie, Natalie of my office told me you called today regarding the Harris governments decision to cancel the spring bear hunt. Specificaly you would like to know what my position is, and what I plan to do. First off, let me say that I think the Harris' decision to cancel the Spring Bear hunt is a stupid decision. It shows just how out of touch his government is with Northern Ontario and our concerns. It would appear that he made this decision on his own while on holiday's in Florida and took his Minister of Natural Resources by suprise. I say so for two reasons. I had been in contact with the ministry about the spring bear hunt last fall as I had been hearing from individuals like yourself that the government was going to try to start limiting the amount of bears that could be taken off each BMU. They had assured me last fall that they would not make any changes to the 1999 hunt, but would instead take their time to work with hunters and outfiters and look at what could be done for the year 2000 hunt if anything. In a follow up discussion with the minister last fall he had confirmed to me that nothing would be done this year. It would appear given the above facts, that Harris on his own while on holiday's decided to do this on his own. Like you, I am upset with his decision as it demonstrates to me the total lack of understanding Harris has for people in Northern Ontario. Rest assured that I will continue pressing the government on this issue and will make sure that your concerns as well as other Northern residents are heard on this issue once the house resumes. Gilles Bisson
|
Typical of a politician.
Throw some caramel words out, hope it all goes away. Not satisfied with a promise to 'make sure that your concerns... are heard on this issue once the house resumes,' (until March) I e-mailed the reply shown below back to his correspondent. I also copied several organizations and individuals in the same e-mail.I also posted on the Bowsite as follows.
|
(Posted at Bowsite.com)
From: Lark In Ontario
TBow and all.. elsewhere I had posted a letter I sent to Gilles Bisson, my local representative. It called for him to take action... Yesterday, he responded.. (and then I responded once more) My response is below, followed by his response to my call for his help... (Copy Pasted from my e-mail) ============================
Gilles: (and copies to others... Please e-mail/foreward to all outfitters, guides, hunters, and fishermen, and those that know you well, as people of character. Gilles Bisson's Response is below mine... For those of you that have e-mailed your respective representatives, follow-up and broadcast your results back to all of us. Report your responses to the media.)
Gilles.... This is NOT an acceptable response. I expect you to get IN the media AGAINST this. I expect you to lead the argument that this is irresponsible. That this is most likely against our Charter. I have talked with outfitters and guides over the north. I need to see you in action NOW! If you are truly a representative, then you must know that your people are hurting, and think that this is ludicrous. SAY SO! PUBLICLY! Show Us YOU Should Be Re-Elected.Timmins, Northern Ontario, and the American Sportsman are waiting for a BETTER ANSWER! Lark Ritchie, Porcupine.
|
I waited...
Two days later, Bisson was expressing his 'outrage' in the 'Press; a 6" X 6" message, complete with a one-inch, smiling portrait of himself. The headline read 'Cancellation of berhunt shows arrogance of Harris'
He called 'on the government to halt this policy change and proceed with a democratic debate on this issue.'
He also announced that he would be entertaining radio call-ins at CKOY AM in Timmins, at 5:00 pm. Monday, Februray 1, 1999. The phone number there is (705) 267-6070.
|
|
On January 29, 1999, Shelly Martel MPP, wife of Howard Hamton, Ontario's NDP Leader, stated on CBC's 7:00 a.m. news, that the NDP would not support a return to spring hunting if elected. The same news report told us that Lynne McCleod, MPP - Fort William,(Liberal) had made a similar statement.
I truly feel abandoned.
Maybe we have to run and support riding candidates, of a new party, in the upcoming provincial election. - Someone who values a hunting culture. Who else will preserve a sub-culture that is endangered across all of northern Canada?
Watcha T'ink?
Lark.
Back To Project Friday Central...
Back To Hunting Themes
Lark's Home Page (c) 1999 Lark Ritchie. All Rights Reserved. Contact me at this address..