I'm a senior and have been…

I'm a senior and have been an Ontario resident my entire life. I've also spent many decades enjoying Ontario's forests, and canoeing, hiking and camping in wilderness areas. The people I've camped with have always been vigilant about storing food properly to avoid any negative encounters with bears. Several times I've seen adult black bears as well as cubs in the forests. Those moments were memorable and left me with a feeling of awe. The few times I've seen a bear in the wild, they have always wandered off in a different direction and seemed anxious to avoid contact with people. On a hike a few years ago, I saw a mother bear with two cubs. She quickly guided her cubs over a hill far away from us, and I never felt in danger. On the contrary, I felt so fortunate to experience a brief glimpse of Ontario's amazing wildlife.

I cannot emphasize enough how angry and extremely distressed I am about the Ontario government's plan to reinstate the Spring Bear Hunt. To hold a bear hunt in the early spring when mother bears and their newborn cubs are just emerging from their dens, seems particularly cruel. Hunters are unable to identify if a bear is a nursing mother, until after she has been killed. That leaves vulnerable young cubs, unable to fend for themselves, to die a slow lingering death. There is no way to say this gently -- anyone who thinks that this is acceptable, is not a human with a conscience, but a monster! That this is sanctioned by a government is unbelievable, and proof that politicians ONLY care about money.

Please convince me that this is not true -- PLEASE DO NOT REINSTATE THE SPRING BEAR HUNT!!!!