ANIMAL RIGHTS CAMPAIGN BY IFAW
(International Fund for Animal Welfare)
This article was originally printed in the October / November 1999 issue of Tracking The Industry. . .
For those of you who have been following the movement of Animals Rights groups and those of you who didn't believe it could happen here, we are now in for the fight of our lifetime to preserve some of the most basic rights we have to ranch, farm and hunt. These groups are against everything that involves animals; pet ownership, circus, rodeo, horseback riding, catch and release fishing, the beef and meat industry in general and they certainly are vocal and visible against hunting as it is an easy emotional flash-point for them to use when lying to the general public.
Animal rights groups have been active in Saskatchewan for some time. Groups such as P.E.T.A. which have budgets of about $12 million have been protesting the fur trapping and circus industries here for several years. They have also been advertising on billboards in Regina and Saskatoon against the beef industry. The organization, Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan Inc., a group of agriculture animal producers has been successful in keeping further billboards out of Saskatchewan.
Our immediate danger lies from the work of the IFAW. In July IFAW began running ads on the radio stations CKOM102FM, C95FM and 650NTR. All three stations are owned by the Rawlinsons. These ads were directed at stopping the Hunt Farm industry and the Bear hunting season. This group has a budget of $55 million dollars. IFAW was successful in banning the spring bear hunt in Ontario, even though the provincial resources dept. could not justify stopping it. IFAW was successful by political campaigning in weak ridings during the recent election there and convinced MLA's to support them.
Some of us individually and groups like the SOA (Saskatchewan Outfitters Association) were expecting this intrusion into our way of life and quickly began to build a lobby against the IFAW. Several phone calls were placed to the program manager of 650NTR to express total disgust that locally owned radio stations would allow mis-leading and economically destructive activism to be heard in this great province. Also they were questioned about how local businesses that pay to advertise on their station would feel about a group that was trying to shut down enterprises that spend a great deal of money purchasing goods and services from them. Government Ministers were phoned and during a 650NTR call in show with Rob Sinclair from IFAW, the calls in support of game farming and the protection of our Saskatchewan way of life and right to our own destiny was overwhelming, mainly from Deer farmers. One of your directors, Dean Schill and a COHA member met with the Regina Humane society and successfully convinced them to withdraw their support of IFAW and work within our industry to address their concerns. This is a very significant development.
One of the strongest initiatives to come from this is the formation of the COHA Sask (Canadian Outdoor Heritage Alliance). COHA Sask is branch of a national organization representing a cross section of society, including business, farm, ranch, aboriginal, outfitters and the hunting and fishing community. COHA Sask is dedicated to providing residents of Sask. in these industries with the support and public voice required to balance the playing field. A number of Saskatchewan organizations have banded together to ensure that our rights are preserved. Seven organizations including the Saskatchewan Outfitters Association, Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation, Trappers Assoc., Black Power Assoc., Saskatchewan Association of Firearms Education, Sask. Bowhunters Assoc. and the Sask. Stock Growers Assoc. have initially committed their organizations. All groups have pledged to set aside any differences among each other to fight and win for a common goal, to preserve our rights.
We need your help! Firstly we need more groups to join COHA. If you are member of any other group such as SEBA or have ties to businesses that deal with our industry, i.e. feed, equipment, etc. they should also take an interest in COHA. This is essential for political lobbying. Secondly we need individual financial support is required. An initial public relations campaign is being planned. This campaign, to be effective, must be broad in scope. This requires money: $100,000 to be exact. Any one group cannot afford this: united we can.
I would ask that all deer farmers support this initiative with a $20.00 to $50.00 donation. It may be hard to believe that a group of radical activists could influence a rural based population like Saskatchewan, but the general public and the politicians will decide on whether our industry and hunting will continue. Please send your checks to COHA - Saskatchewan, C/O Saskatchewan Outfitters Association, 3700 2nd Ave. West, Prince Albert, SK S6W 1A2.
The next meeting of COHA is planned for next week and I will report back on what action is next, in the meantime keep up your individual efforts, the time to be proactive is lost, the time to react is today.
I can be reached at 306-663-5525 after 9:00 and fax at 306-763-4383 Mark Bencze
COHA Sask. contacts for memberships:
Mr. Hal Stupnikoff -
Saskatchewan Outfitters Assoc. 306-763-5434
Ms. Joyce Lorenz - Saskatchewan
Wildlife Federation 306-764-4313
Mr. Rick Wyatt - Saskatchewan Association
for Firearms Education 306-352-6730
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