Selina Learns a Thing or Two from Hunters
Last night Coquitlam Council hosted an Information Meeting where those who used Coquitlam’s hunting grounds could share their thoughts with us. We heard from 10 hunters, most coming from outside our municipality like Langley, Delta, Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows. Only three local hunters addressed Council last night. We heard from 11 others (eight of whom were from Coquitlam) about their desire to have hunting activities banned in Coquitlam. We also heard from two people concerned about the future of target shooting for outdoor and indoor shooting ranges – we assured these folks that these ranges would be excluded by the by-law permitting them to operate their activities as they have for years.
The arguments on both sides were fairly consistent:
The hunters presented a solid case for respecting the environment and being ethical hunters who have a preference for wild game. They were very reassuring that their practices are very safe, that there have been no hunting accidents in our community and that people riding bikes on the dykes can easily co-exist with hunting activities along the Pitt River and Addington Marsh (a triangular spit east of Minnekada Park). Many hunters made the case for the value they bring to the city by effectively culling the goose population, without which Coquitlam would be overrun with wildlife. They argued that hunting is a population management strategy that helps to keep our parks and open space clean of goose poop.
Those in our community who would prefer a ban on these activities spoke of a changing community, one that is no longer rural. They spoke of concern for animals that are wounded with inefficient kills and the impact this has on the community. Some residents spoke of the value that wildlife brings to the community and what it contributes. For them, they could not see how hunting fit in with those community values.
All in all in was an informative evening. I was glad to hear all the arguments in one sitting – it helps to hear from all sides rather than continuing to get delegations one week after the other. So where do I sit in all of this?
I have heard and understand the value of hunting to those interested in catching their own food. One hunter spoke of the connection with nature as you sit in the wilderness, senses keenly tuned in to the noises around you as you wait for your target to get into range – for some its nostalgic, reminding them of earlier times, even likening it to baking cookies with gramma when you were a child. I get it. It is a valued activity among many throughout the lower mainland.
But there were some arguments that didn’t sit right – one commented that keeping hunting activities local would save on greenhouse gases. From what I can tell, hunters are coming to Coquitlam from Delta, Langley and Maple Ridge – hardly a reduction on greenhouse gases. Perhaps the most compelling argument for a ban came from one of the last speakers of the evening – a hunter who was seeking common ground and suggested that there was a way to maintain hunting in the remote areas of Coquitlam. … hmmmmm……remote areas. There’s the challenge – what was once remote is no longer remote. This is the part that I can’t get past. This is not whether or not hunting is an acceptable practice – this is a land use issue and for me the challenge is that there are very few remote areas in our city. Coquitlam is no longer the rural area it once was. It is no longer the back woods where Minnekhada Lodge was a hunting lodge, a place for hunters to gather and talk about the one that got away. It is now a place where people live, ride bikes, go for walks and enjoy the wildlife in a different way.
The by-law has gone through the first three readings – I will encourage Council to support 4th reading in order to act on the desires of our changing community.
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