Ralph Klien did the right thing 

     First of all, let me remind the white man where Métis people came from. Years ago when the white man first came over to this country, and if the white man would have left the Indian woman alone, there would be no Métis people. Métis people are white man’s children, but the white man wouldn’t acknowledge the Métis people as their children because they were ashamed to admit it. Instead, they turned their backs on them. Back in 1887, when the Treaty was signed, the aboriginal people included the Métis, Inuit and the Indian people. The white man granted hunting and fishing rights year round (as long as the rivers flow) to the Inuit and Indian people, and turned their backs on the Métis people. They should have been granted hunting and fishing rights also. Today, the white man is still turning his back on his own children, the Métis people. The only white man that did not turn his back is Ralph Klein, and now you’re all running Ralph Klein down for doing so. Ralph just ensured hunting and fishing rights to the Métis that should have been done back in 1887 when the Treaty was signed. In your letters section of the Spring 2005 edition of the Alberta Game Warden magazine, Skip Selk says that the Indian people had to prove their status, but the Métis people do not. You’re wrong there Skip, because I am a Métis person and had to trace my ancestors back to before the Treaty was signed in 1887. I traced my ancestors back to 1842 before I was recognized as a Métis person. I also agree with Terry Vachon about the Métis people taking more than their limit. If they are reported, they should be barred from the Métis nation and not recognized as a member. If I see any Métis people abusing the system, I will report them myself. I do not hunt ducks or geese or wild chickens. I do not fish. I only hunt deer in the fall when hunting season is opened. I only take the limit that is set out in the regulations. When hunting season closes, I hang up my rifle until the next fall when it opens again. Métis people are only to harvest to support their families, not support the whole settlement. Like I said, I will report any Métis person that is abusing the system.   

Edward Dunkin
Glendon

Think about conservation 

     Dear Premier Klein: 
     I was reading in the Edmonton Sun on March 29, 2005 a column saying that poaching in Alberta is becoming unbearable. With access to every nook and cranny, the buzz of oil and gas activity, the limited number of enforcement officers and the lack of funds to the Alberta department of Sustainable Resource Development, it makes it a walk in the park for poachers. On the same day in the Edmonton Journal, an article caught my attention as well: “Alberta judge quashes convictions of Whitefish Band members.” It goes on to say Treaty Indians and other aboriginals can disregard conservation. On March 31, 2005 the Edmonton Journal ran a story about wildlife officers who “culled” 486 deer along our eastern boundary (of course, a cull in March means that number will be much higher with unborn fawns). This was to prevent the spread of diseases thought to originate in game farms that threaten to decimate our wild herds. Every magazine has been running stories lately about the “Interim Métis Harvesting Agreement”. This ruling allows over 65,000 more Albertans to harvest fish and wildlife stocks at will with no management or conservation in mind. These four different scenarios (all depleting our wildlife) got me to thinking along a different line. Our conservation groups, and in particular the Alberta Fish and Game Association, have been fighting for conservation, proper ethics, management and harvest of our fish and wildlife resource. Some equal rights between all wouldn't be a bad result either. We spend countless hours, thousands of dollars and take a great deal of pride in our love for nature. It just came to me that maybe we've been going about it all wrong. Since it seems our never ending battle continually comes up against a brick wall, it now makes sense to make equal rights among all in a different manner. We could remove all conservation and management restraints now in place. They only affect the law abiding, Second Nations people who are mostly tax paying Albertans anyway. Now we can eliminate this reverse discrimination we've been facing more and more. The way it is now, it looks like our wildlife and fish are doomed anyway, with maybe eight to 10 years (max.) left. If we all join in, remove all the seasons, limits, restrictions, etc., we could move these extinctions up to three to five years, plus you could state “equal rights for all” and treat all Albertans the same. Now Ralph, you wouldn't save all that much money initially by laying off all the Fish and Wildlife officers, as we don't have many anyway, but when you eliminate the entire Fish and Wildlife Division, and eventually the whole Sustainable Resource Development portfolio, then you'd really be King Ralph. A monarch with all the money you'd save! Now Ralph, since sarcasm isn't something I want to go on about, I'll stop there and offer another solution that really should be in place and would resolve the four scenarios described at the start of this letter. First Nations people must be required to adhere to some sort of conservation measures, limits and closures. The Interim Métis Harvesting Agreement must be overturned (“subsistence” must be defined as the minimum required to sustain life). Game farms must be eliminated to keep our wild stock disease free. Funding for the Fish and Wildlife Division must be increased and a high priority placed on enforcement to stop this poaching free for all. You must recognize the efforts of the province's conservation groups. Thousands of sportsmen dedicate much of their lives to the conservation, management, and utilization of our wildlife and their habitat.  

Doug Butler
Lamont

The ALBERTA GAME WARDEN magazine encourages the submission of letters, articles, and photographs from anyone interested in conservation. Letters to the editor and other material submitted for publication should be mailed to:

THE ALBERTA GAME WARDEN
Jason Hanson
5201-50 Avenue
Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Canada T9A 0S7
or
THE ALBERTA GAME WARDEN
Sharie Cousins
WPM Place, 530-8 Street South
Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada T1J 2J8

Articles or correspondence may be submitted directly to the editor's desk by FAX: (780) 352-7220 OR E-MAIL: sales@gamewarden.ab.ca

Deadlines for all submissions: December 1st, March 1st, June 1st and September 1st for inclusion in subsequent issue.

The magazine shall not be responsible for unsolicited materials.