Hello, Any change in policy,…

Hello,

Any change in policy, along the government's efforts in time and money to improvement said policy, should always be rooted in yielding a net positive impact for Canadians. However, there is no evidence to support that this proposal will achieve a net positive impact or resolve key issues, given the following issues:

- The economic argument for allowing the hunt is unfounded. While the government has said the economic impact would be neutral or positive, no evidence has been provided to support this claim. If the government wants to institute new policies that result in the harm of wildlife and promotion of firearm usage, it has a responsibility to provide supporting evidence and a case that substantiates a net benefit
- Hunting bears doesn’t improve human safety. Rather, stopping human-bear conflict is achieved by removing access to garbage, barbeques, and other attractants. If safety is the core issue, the solution / proposed policy should be a different, and already proven one
- Back in 1999, this practice was outlawed because bear cubs were being orphaned after their mothers were shot to death. Bear cubs will continue to be orphaned if the hunt becomes permanent. While it’s currently against the law to kill cubs and mother bears accompanied by cubs, mother bears often leave their cubs in trees when searching for food. If a mother is killed, her cubs will likely die slowly of starvation or be eaten by predators.
- Bears have low reproduction rates, meaning the survival of adult females is vital for the species.
The government has disclosed a need to reduce black bear hunting in Saugeen-Bruce Peninsula due to population concerns, yet it is simultaneously proposing to allow the hunting and trapping of these bears in that region for one week each spring. This is irresponsible.

After reviewing the "benefits" of this proposal, it only seems to enable activities akin to trophy hunting. This hardly seems like something the government should be focusing its time & taxpayer money to enable, certainly at the expense of other things that could be beneficial to our country.

Please highly consider denying this proposal. Thank you.