I am strongly opposed to the…

I am strongly opposed to the continued trapping of wildlife and oppose any amendments that allow for coyotes to be more easily trapped or hunted. I believe that hunting coyotes is causing an imbalance to our (already struggling) ecosystems and indeed have seen first hand evidence in my own rural community (southern/eastern Ontario) of the effects of over-hunting (including trapping and so called 'livestock protection measures') with the drastically increased number of rabbits and rodents this season.

I strongly believe that for our ecosystems to function we must let coyotes and other wildlife be left to their own devices. We have the technology and the tools to protect farm-based livestock and if we fail to secure their enclosures and subsequently have coyotes (or others) hunt them then that is our (human) failure, and the solution is not increased hunting, easier trapping, or culling.

I believe that the provincial government has an obligation to create policies and procedures that serve the natural environment that we as humans are so dependent on - and to discontinue practices that are outdated, that are rooted in century old practices, that no longer serve our farmer's or our community's needs.

I will be monitoring the decisions made on this issue and other issues concerning hunting very closely and am asking the ministry to make decisions based on scientific evidence concerning what the natural environment and the species within it need to thrive - not the sport of hunting. My vote in the next election will depend largely on actions taken by the ministry on these environmental protection issues.