VICTORIA B.C. – In response to the announcement by the B.C. NDP that if elected they would institute a province wide ban on trophy hunting grizzly bears, Andrew Weaver, leader of the B.C. Green Party and MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head issued the following statement:
“I am cautiously optimistic that the B.C. NDP will join the B.C. Greens and a large number of other organizations in opposing the practice of trophy hunting of grizzly bears by foreign hunters. For over two years, the B.C. Greens have been the only political party to speak out against the actions of foreign hunters who come to British Columbia to shoot a Grizzly, or any other form of wildlife, solely for the purpose of returning home with a trophy.
“It's critical that this issue is treated as more than just an election slogan and many questions still remain. Are the the B.C. NDP calling for a ban on all grizzly bear hunting? Will they allow regulated hunting for food? Will the B.C. NDP also join the B.C. Greens and call for a ban on foreign trophy hunting of other animals like moose or elk as well?
“Grizzly Bears are facing multiple threats and if we fail to also address their habitat and food supply needs - especially with climate change further threatening essential salmon and huckleberry stocks – we fail to protect bears in the long term. The issue of Grizzly Bear conservation is a far more complex situation. We could end trophy hunting and still see this iconic species disappear.
“I want to once again call on the B.C. Liberals to join what is a growing consensus in British Columbia - a consensus that now includes the BC NDP - in recognizing that it is time to take action to end the foreign trophy hunting of grizzly bears in our province."
Andrew Weaver first introduced a Bill in the B.C. Legislature in 2015 that would use the existing legislative tools to eliminate trophy hunting in B.C.. He introduced a second Bill in 2015 to ensure that foreign hunters could not gain special access to BC’s wildlife.
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Background
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Bill M208 Wildlife Amendment Act, 2015 - Ending the trophy killing of grizzly bears: http://www.andrewweavermla.ca/2015/03/02/introducing-bill-trophy-killing-grizzly-bears/
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Bill M230 Wildlife Amendment Act (No. 2), 2015 - Reducing the preferential treatment of non-resident hunters: http://www.andrewweavermla.ca/2015/11/17/hunting/
Media contact
Mat Wright, Press Secretary, Office of Andrew Weaver, MLA
+1 250-216-3382 | [email protected]