Lawless Bandits....

[Cdamen]

Here we go again, when their found they should be charged with the full extent of the law. Im sick of their "ill do what i want" attitude. Be like every one else and support conservation, buy tags and licenses.

Fri, September 28, 2007

Metis to defy new hunting restrictions
UPDATED: 2007-09-28 01:47:47 MST


By CP


EDMONTON -- Alberta Metis will defy provincial hunting laws this fall by holding traditional community hunts outside of government-designated harvesting areas, their leader says.

Audrey Poitras, president of the Metis Nation of Alberta, said if her people are charged they will fight in court to draw attention to the province's "regressive Metis harvesting policy."

"This is about tradition. This is not about somebody deciding where we have the right to hunt," Poitras said yesterday.

"If this has to end up in court, then we are prepared to do that."

Earlier this year the government replaced an agreement that allowed Metis to hunt and fish without a licence throughout the province with new rules that restrict such harvesting to areas near eight Metis settlements and 17 communities in northern Alberta. The change was made after an Alberta judge ruled that the old agreement was not enforceable.

Alberta contends that the new policy that went into effect this summer still complies with a 2003 Supreme Court of Canada ruling that said Metis have the right to hunt and fish for food.

Since the change, the Metis have tried unsuccessfully to persuade Premier Ed Stelmach's government to negotiate a less restrictive harvesting agreement, she said.


One concern is the new policy excludes Metis in central and southern Alberta. The government says it has no records of Metis settlements in those areas.

[Scott N]

I have to admit that my blood pressure went up a bit this morning when I read this in the paper. I wish Audrey Poitras would just go away.

[MJackson]

I'm Metis. I dont wnat any freebies. I'm Proud of my Heritage, But I pay for my licence like anyone else.

I trust our Law makers to make laws that are in the best interest of the majority of our Country's Citizens.

But, Just cause I could hunt or fish when or where I want, if that was the law. I dont and I wont.

I dont understand people who think they are or should be above the law.

[WCTHEMI]

Couldn't believe what I heard either. They should be handed the stiffest penalties out there. Its a shame that people like that give good, honest hard working people a bad name.

[Silverado]

I'm Metis. I dont wnat any freebies. I'm Proud of my Heritage, But I pay for my licence like anyone else.

I trust our Law makers to make laws that are in the best interest of the majority of our Country's Citizens.

But, Just cause I could hunt or fish when or where I want, if that was the law. I dont and I wont.

I dont understand people who think they are or should be above the law.

Are you in contact with a large number of the Metis community? I would really be interested to know the number of Metis that take your position; Is all this being forwarded by a small number of individuals, or are you the exception to the rule?

Your thoughts?

[packhuntr]

Its embarrasing......These people only care about themselves, and right now......Anyone mentioned the word "conservation" to these people in talks about their supposed "rights".

keep a strain on er.

[Northern_Hunting_Mom]

I am not Metis but I am native and have the rights of a treaty indian. I also have the right to ensure my harvesting will not hurt the pops. of whatever I hunt. Hunting regs are put in place to help ensure my kids can take their kids hunting. I always check with the local COs to see if my harvest is helpful or harmful.
The metis people are being told by their leader that they are being stepped on. They should listen more to the fact that with rights come responsibilities.

[Roadhunter]

I am Metis also and will still buy tags, like always. Subsistence hunting should be just that. Around settlements only I think. The cost of the tags are only a small portion of total expenditure such as gas, rifles, etc.
My .02.

[harv3589]

I am not Metis but I am native and have the rights of a treaty indian. I also have the right to ensure my harvesting will not hurt the pops. of whatever I hunt. Hunting regs are put in place to help ensure my kids can take their kids hunting. I always check with the local COs to see if my harvest is helpful or harmful.
The metis people are being told by their leader that they are being stepped on. They should listen more to the fact that with rights come responsibilities.


The Metis could learn alot from you...I am very impressed and respect you for what you said above.

[50BMG]

The Metis could learn alot from you...I am very impressed and respect you for what you said above.

x's a big 2!!!!

[Jamie]

The responses here are just exactly what I have been looking for..
Good on all of yah!!

BTW I did say that when I was up north this year I would keep a eye out for what I had seen happen in the past.. Turns out I wasn't the only one! EVERYONE we talked to knew this gentleman by name. Though I missed last fall he did tell us last year was worth 5 Bulls to him.. Combine with what I saw.. And that makes 10 elk in 2 years..
Conservation at it's finest
Jamie

[Northern_Hunting_Mom]

Sheesh, I only want one.:mad:

[Boss442]

N Hunting Mom, I suspect so do most Metis hunters, but as everyone knows there's allways going to be people who abuse/poach af any race that give other people bad rep's.

[Grizzly Adams]

I keep asking myself, how can we manage wildlife for it's best good, if one class of society, is totally beyond our control? if somehow we don't put a stop to this crap, I fear for the future.
Grizz

[Northern_Hunting_Mom]

Yep, the way it is now, we don't even know how many are hunting or how many they are taking. Impossible to manage without that info.

[Boss442]

Regulated management is what the Metis "wanted" in a new agreement!

[packhuntr]

What the hell is regulated managment??

keep a strain on er.

[Boss442]

They wanted to regulate/manage and track the amount of game being harvested!

[gunner83]

I hate hearing that "its about tradition" argument. I got news for ya, my ancestors lived off the land before the invention of grocery stores. You wanna tell me that my great grandparents and those before them didn't also live off the land? If a deer walked through the homestead in the middle of winter, I would bet that it got turned into food and leathers etc. SO why can't I use the same claim and go hunting whenever I want?

[wollybugger]

why is it that our goverment/leaders seem to want to separate canadians in to categories ie: native,maties. Canada is one country, why are we not all equal in the eyes of our government?

[Tuc]

Audrey Poitras, president of the Metis Nation of Alberta, said if her people are charged they will fight in court to draw attention to the province's "regressive Metis harvesting policy."

Hmmm, we got rid of Pearl, wondering how we can get rid of Audrey. Maybe Audrey is Pearls' revenge???
Anyrate, I guess it's up to the Metis people to do that.

Draw attention??? What in hells creation is she talking about. The oringinal agreement is what drew attention and Alberta Sportsmen did something about it. This is the new revised one. I think she's pushing her luck.

Well let them hunt illegally and chances are they will be charged. Chances are they will use tax payers money to fight too and chances are they will lose. Audrey your not above the law, if you try to be, I hope you get everything you deserve as should any law breaker.

Do your people a favour and resign. :mad2:

[Fordman]

I am a metis myself. I have bought all my tags every year and still intend to keep on doing so. The so called Metis (hunters) I know of in this area used to buy WT tags every 2nd or 3rd year just to go out for one day and maybe get an animal. When this so-called harvesting agreement came in they were out everyday from sunup to sundown, just to KILL an animal. great white hunters. I will admit the first year this came into effect I took a Cow moose at home, But that was the only animal my wife and put down that year as that was plenty of meat for us. Since then it's been tags ever since. Hopefully when this big hunt of Audrey's happens there won't be a spineless judge doing the sentencing. JUst my two cents worth. Forman

[High_N_Wide]

Why could the government monitor this by giving them tags for their game this way not to over harvest. Same as the rest of us non natives, except no pay for tags?

Seems to me they would get to hunt and not have to pay however this could still be monitored and quotas kept realistic.

I used to hunt 338 a couple years ago and I would see 2-3 moose every trip and If not I would see 4-5 the next time.

The last 10 times through that zone. Not one moose, seems there has been an over harvest in that zone for sure. Still lots of deer though.

My 2 cents

Trev

[Lethalconnection]

:mad3: Audrey Poitras can put on as much of this stuff on as she wants but she still cant cover the truth
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c72/lethalconnection/turdpolish.gif

[hauchk]

Hi All,
Best of luck hunting this season!
My 2 cents worth is that the Governement fouled up by giving a deal which was unmanageable, then to Ted Morton's credit trying to take it away. If more up front work would have been done we wouldn't have the mess that we have now. I know a Metis fellow who used to enjoy getting his license every year, now he says some of the thrill of the hunt is missing. You cannot blame the Metis Association for their response to what the government did, If someone gave you something, then took it away you would be upset too!
In the end hopefully a wildlife management system for Metis harvesting can be put in place some day.
My 2 cents worth, in Canuck bucks worth more than Americano bucks! Yee Haw!

[Silverado]

@ hauchk:

While I sort of understand your statement, it's more like when the kid at the cashier gives you way too much change, and then you get upset when he realizes before you're out the door and wants it back...

Anybody with a dose of sense knows it shouldn't have been handed to ya in the first place.

[Bull Shooter]

@ hauchk:

While I sort of understand your statement, it's more like when the kid at the cashier gives you way too much change, and then you get upset when he realizes before you're out the door and wants it back...

Anybody with a dose of sense knows it shouldn't have been handed to ya in the first place.

Silverado, that analogy is just about perfect. The only thing that I would change/add is that the cashier is actually your sibling and that it is the rightful owner who catches the "mistake" before you walk out the door. They both got caught giving and taking something that was not theirs and now they are looking to blame anyone else for their deceit. Regards, Mike

[Boss442]

Ya and if they took your money and promised, agreed to pay it/give it back and took a 125 years to do so and then took it back again......then what!!

[bruceba]

Boss442 thats why there are going to be several test harvest cases. To shorten the 125 year wait.

[Bull Shooter]

Ya and if they took your money and promised, agreed to pay it/give it back and took a 125 years to do so and then took it back again......then what!!

Boss442, I’m not certain I understand your comparison? Are you talking about hunting rights and/or the IMHA? I would like to provide a response. Regards, Mike

[Boss442]

I don't know what I was trying to say.....lol I was just making a comment on thier analogy on give and take and taking away agian or some stupid ***** like that!!

[Tuc]

Boss, are you still whining about a 100 years ago. I thought you were over that. I suspect as a top paid provincial government employee you wouldn't need to subsistence hunt any old how, yes? :D

[Boss442]

Your right TUC I do have a good job, but for me it never was about subsistance hunting it was about hunting rights. I have never been an advid hunter, in fact had'nt hunted in years (I can take it or leave it) but I chose to exercise those rights that my previous ancestors never had.

I realise there's many other members that post on this board that have had many generations born and raised in this province that at one time indeed live off the land but the "fact" is they never had agreements made with the government as did the Metis. Those agreements were never fulfilled, and they were lied to and cheated all these's year's.

[Jamie]

Boss.. So acording to you.. These were "New" rights?

I guess I cant really blame you for useing those rights over the past few years. It would be like handing the key to the candy store to a kid.


I sure am glad things have changed though.

Jamie

[Boss442]

I won't disagree with you Jamie, I'am sure it was like a kid in a candy store for some people, but I think that there was a definate solution to meet everyones needs with a fair agreement for all. In the end will just end up costing tax payers a ***** load of money.

[Okotokian]

I won't disagree with you Jamie, I'am sure it was like a kid in a candy store for some people, but I think that there was a definate solution to meet everyones needs with a fair agreement for all. In the end will just end up costing tax payers a ***** load of money.

From the public reaction, I think it's quite a stretch to say it was a definite solution to meet everyone's needs with a fair agreement for all. It met your needs....

[Boss442]

"As it should"

[Okotokian]

"As it should"

LOL yer quite a guy Boss... not winning any friends, but quite a guy. My hat's off to you :lol: :)

[Boss442]

Thanks Okotokian, I'm a pro, I work with people everyday that won't admit when thier wrong.

[sonny]

Have been reading posts, you know the title, Lawless Bandits could be referring to the wrong people, don,t take me the wrong way, but the Metis People have have hunting and fishing rights enshrined in the Constitution under section 35. The Supreme Court Of Canada has lot more clout than the Alberta Government, as the Ontario Government has found out when they took the Metis Nation Of Ontario to court and lost the case in june of 2007.
Metis can hunt and fish anywhere in Ontario as of court ruling a lot of Lawyers made a lot money on that Court case. Seems like the same thing is going to happen in Alberta.
As a person who is not a Metis, Inuit, or Treaty Indian we don,t have these rights in the Constitution, so maybe we are the Lawless Bandits.
Don,t take this badly the Aboriginal people of Canada signed only what our Government Of Canada put before them.

[bruceba]

sonny the Metis of Alberta are going to take the Alberta Government to task
on this issue and as I've stated before the courts with decide the out come.
SRD drew a line in the sand pretty much like a bully does in the play ground and the days of bullying are gone. The out come will probably take some time but I believe the Metis will prevail in the end.

http://albertametis.ca/getdoc/ded80f7f-3559-44aa-a7a6-350a833af258/MNA-Press-Release-for-Hunts.aspx

[Jamie]

It's going to get really interesting around these parts.

This could escalate to such a extent I wouldnt be surprised to see some sort of violence involved. Not that I wish that to happen but there is a ton of bad blood here.


Jamie

[700TI]

Here we go with the I want, I want, I want again.:rolleye2: :rolleye2:

I hope they charge the metis. It will then go to court and be decided once and for all. Where is the bad blood? This is between the Alta. govt. and the metis. Why would there be bad blood? If there is violence , I am sure you will see it. First hand.

[Sporty]

I have no doubt that you are wishing for violence to erupt with the Metis being the losers. Being passionate about an issue is one thing, being boarder line passive aggressive is another and IMO that is how your comments come across as. Supporting the decimation of anything or anyone you disagree with is a really mature way of dealing with issues. Funny how everyone yells "I'm not racist" yet are quick to stereotype, which many members have done on this board over Metis harvesting. Funny how just last week I was told that "my kind" were leaches to all Canadians yet in the next breath they also said they weren't racist. I'd have more respect for those that just openly admitted they were.

At any rate, this Metis is now deleting her subscription to these boards, I have some great debates with some members here (Tuc for one) but it really isn't worth it to read comments such as the one you just posted anymore.

Ciao!

[Boss442]

Like the MNA said it's "Thier" tradition, your tradition is to buy a tag and hunt.........now STFU already!!..........Talk about whiners!!

[SakoAlberta]

Like the MNA said it's "Thier" tradition, your tradition is to buy a tag and hunt.........now STFU already!!..........Talk about whiners!!


I don't think that is true. Many decades ago, no one had to buy tags. Tags/licenses were/are used to ensure a sustainable harvest but are hardly a tradition for any racial/cultural group.

[Jamie]

OK.. Lets get a few points straight..

It seems as if the absence of a face to face discussion as lead us down this road.

When I said "Overall I want the Metis nation of Alberta decimated to a point of no return."
I meant I want that organization gone.. Not the Metis as a culture or as a race.. In my opinion they have done nothing what so ever but to bring hard feelings to the surface. They have openly defied our rightfully elected government and as a group have defied the laws of our land. And as a group have come across as having there hands out and when they don't get there way they are just going to do what ever the hell they want.
And don't give me any guff about what Powley said.. NO ONE CAN CONVINCE ME Cypress hills is traditional Metis place... Come on you guys are digging with that one.. Sure there was a small encampment there but it hardly reaches the definition of traditional....

Of course I wish no harm on the Metis as a culture.. Give your head a shake if you thought otherwise.

I have said it before and I will say it again.. I do not blame the players.. I blame the game.

As for the Violence end of things.. That sort of thing should NEVER EVER happen.. But at the same time I have heard the feelings of others in rural community's.. Its not pretty!! Perhaps Violence was to harsh of a word.. But confrontations might be the proper term.

And as for the STFU remark... Well that stands by it self.

Jamie

[bruceba]

Jamie does this help? Right off the Ab Gov web site.
http://www.teachers.ab.ca/Media+Room/Summer+Series/Summer+Series+2007/Understanding+the+wisdom.htm
http://tprc.alberta.ca/parks/cypresshills/Download/Metis.pdf

[lilsundance]

guys. I am sure this will be decided in the courts at some point. Sporty wish you would stay as your opinoin is of value here. This thead is closed.