TJQ

I hear it every day......

Ive been up there a few times... never disappointed. Its boat in so its remote.. I love it... Have them watch this ... http://www.ontariofishingreels.com/duenorthepisode3.html If that doesn't get them going nothing will...

Sweet Lew... glad you had a good time.

Welcome aboard!!

I got it.

In March 1986 (I think) I was in Toronto for the annual Prospectors convention. Me and a bunch of guys spent way way too much time in the hospitality suites and then stumbled back to the Motel. We were back at the room for a bit, when this dude just walks in and starts chatting it up with one of the guys, next thing we know theres at least 20 more people in our suite and its a huge party... lotsa strange stuff going down, and it takes us a while to figure out that its the band UB40. They were on their way back to their room after playing Massey hall.. and heard the ruckus in our room and stopped in... its gets pretty fuzzy after that.....

Ahhh thats great!!

LOL.. rick.. you beat me to it by seconds... lol

I didnt see it, but I think that thread got pulled for a couple of reasons. some uninstantiated (sp) accusations and falsehoods and general garbage. The choice was pull it or get the obligatory, "ill sue you emails" .. which none of the mods needs to deal with on a Sunday nite...

Great!!

Here: http://www.ofncommunity.com/forums/index.php?showforum=29

Great report , looks like another great event!!

im glad it went well!!!!!!

Hey.... someone gotta pay for my beer deficit...

Thanks.... I needed that LOLOLOL

An email update from Eldon Hawton, President Friends of Fur www.friends-of-fur.org --------------------------------------------- Dear Mister Minister, The context of the Sudbury Star front page article (copy below) titled "MNR unimpressed by fundraiser to help it buy fuel" begs an answer to some seriously important questions. Is somebody not telling the truth (lying)? Or is the notion true that the millions of dollars needed to deal with Ontario's increasing nuisance bear problems (largely due to another Liberal MPP"s broken election promise to reinstate the spring bear hunt) are draining MNR funding, leaving scarcely enough money for basic needs let alone other important wildlife management programs? Over the past couple of years perhaps every meeting, internal communication and most outdoor publications throughout Ontario has discussed and reported on conservationists wrestling with the question; MNR funding is in jeopardy therefore what can we do collectively or as individuals to help save the MNR? The lack of funding excuse has been repeated to nausea by MNR Wildlife Branch civil servants as a natural rejection to requests for wildlife management needs. Important moose management surveys postponed or cancelled (no funding). MNR contact offices closed and consolidated with other services leaving outdoors people with poorly informed people to speak with (hard to get accurate answers to important questions). The list goes on and on and on... The consistent message to the outdoors community; if it costs money don't even bother to ask! Conservation groups, clubs and individuals have listened to these repeated messages and want to help as much as they can, the very reason that these and other such fundraisers have spawned. Yet in this story "Kowalski said the ministry has the money it needs." Is this true? Or is this simply another lie used for convenience to save face and avoid any perceived embarrassment of accepting this well intentioned charitable donation. Wildlife Branch is saying that MNR does not have the funding for basic needs, let alone wildlife management, meanwhile your office is saying "the ministry has the money it needs? So who's lying or who is telling the truth? The story further reports, "However, Jolanta Kowalski, senior information officer with the ministry in Toronto, said the ministry can't accept money from the public." Is this true? Seems to me that all the money used to fund the government and the subsequent MNR wildlife management programs comes from the public through TAXES! We all get our pockets picked one way or another by the tax man. Therefore; I believe that we the public need a Minister of Natural Resources that cares enough about enhancing Ontario's social, economic and wildlife management benefits, to stand up in caucus on behalf of the outdoors community and fight for the needed funding to properly manage these extremely important valuable resources. We don't need any Minister of MNR who won't do that! In turn we also don't need any government who rather than listening to scientific facts, acts on questionable information at the whim of animal rights groups and refuses to grant our MNR these important, basic, necessary and reasonable requests! Until and unless we the voters elect trustworthy, knowledgeable and wise politicians to form the next provincial government willing to act accordingly to scientific facts on wildlife management decisions, Ontario's wildlife management programs may be destined to rely on the slim pickings of charitable donations as such. Sincerely, Eldon Hawton, President Friends of Fur www.friends-of-fur.org Box 23007 North Bay ON P1A 4K6 705 670 8014 weekdays 705 472 7369 weekends ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- MNR unimpressed by fundraiser to help it buy fuel Sudbury Star (ON) Thu 22 Feb 2007 Page: A1 Section: Front Byline: Harold Carmichael Source: The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources says it appreciates the gesture, but no thanks, just the same. Regardless, local hunting, fishing and conservation clubs are going ahead with plans to hold a fundraising bake sale March 3 at the Brockdan Hotel in Sudbury's south end to help pay for gasoline for trucks used by ministry conservation officers. The bake sale will be modelled after similar fundraisers held in North Bay and South Porcupine with the same goal in mind. The ministry turned down the money raised in each case, citing an attempt to embarrass the ministry publicly, said Andy Zandarin, past president of the Copper Cliff Rod and Gun Club, who is spearheading the fundraiser. Zandarin said there are far fewer conservation officers than in the past and they also are limited to spending $100 on gasoline a week per vehicle. That's not right, said Zandarin, because the public relies heavily on conservation officers to protect fish and game against poachers. "The province is depending on the general public to turn poachers in," he said. "Can you imagine if the Ontario Provincial Police depended on the general public to turn in speeders? Our highways would look like a wrecking yard." Zandarin said he learned about the predicament conservation officers face through Freedom of Information Act requests. He said that in 1992, the ministry had 257 conservation officers, but today only has 199, with 26 assigned to special investigation work. As well, conservation officers used to have a $300 weekly gasoline budget. Zandarin said he plans to take the bake sale money to the annual meeting of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters in March that Natural Resources Minister David Ramsay is expected to attend. When it's question time following the minister's speech, Zandarin said he will ask Ramsay to accept the money raised in Sudbury and forward it for gasoline purposes. However, Jolanta Kowalski, senior information officer with the ministry in Toronto, said the ministry can't accept money from the public. "We couldn't even if we wanted to," she said. "There's no mechanism to handle donations of that type." To accept such a donation, Kowalski said, money would have to be directed to the Treasurer of Ontario and go into the consolidated revenue fund. Then, the Ontario Legislature would have to pass legislation earmarking that money for the Ministry of Natural Resources. "It would be a lot more trouble than it's worth for a few hundred dollars," she said. Kowalski said the ministry has the money it needs. "We appreciate that people want to help us, but people have to understand the Ministry of Natural Resources is still out there and is heavily involved in conservation and enforcement. It's the core function of the Ministry of Natural Resources," she said. Kowalski said the ministry moved to a "risk-based model" with its conservation and enforcement work last year, targeting areas where problems historically occur as opposed to trying to be everywhere. "It's directed enforcement," she said. "People have a perception that we're not out there, but we are." Clubs expected to participate in the March 3 fundraiser include the Copper Cliff Rod and Gun Club, Trailsmen Rod and Gun Club (Valley East), Sudbury Game and Fish Protective Association, Chelmsford Fish and Game Association, a club in Sturgeon Falls and a club on the north shore. All told, some 40-45 Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters- affiliated clubs in Zone "D" could contribute to the event, said Zandarin. Zone D consists of the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts, and the North Shore. Roy Polsky, chairman of Zone D, said the federation is neither for nor against the fundraiser. "If it's to embarrass the government and make a statement, it's not the function for us," he said. "We have no intention to doing that. There's a lot of members in the clubs that are going and supporting it. We're not against it." Polsky said the question of what will happen to any money raised another concern for the federation. "Even if you raised funds, it's not going to the guys it's supposed to," he said. "It gets shipped to Peterborough. It goes into a big pot. If it would be directed strictly to the COs, we would have no problem." A member of the Trailsmen Rod and Gun Club, Polsky has been Zone D chairman for seven years. One key difference with the Sudbury fundraiser is that the public is organizing it. On Feb. 1, Ministry of Natural Resources employees who are members of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union Local 649 held a barbecue in the parking lot of the Ontario Government services complex. The union also started an online petition.

Me me oh me me !!!!

Great idea... im in for 50 bucks!

thats great news.

Heres the cover... Uhhhgggg....

Mine came in the mail yesterday, but it was too crappy out to bother going to town, so I picks up the mail this morning with the dog sled.. and what am I subjected too... Thorpe on the cover... That must have cost a bundle... LOL... and yes i do believe there was alot of photoshopping going on there... but not to the fish... lol looks like they can pretty anyone up!

Ya... were getting alot of request for meetings/sales/press release stuff, so we created a new section for stuff like that... should help keep it off the main discussion here and any one who wants to can peruse (big word..) it at their leisure..

Oh... I know what happened .. they spent all the MNR's money on CBC's special on serial rapists...

I was told tonite that some oragnization in Sudbury was holding a bake sale this weekend in Sudbury so the MNR would have gas for thier CO's... and that the MNR refused to take the $$$ that they said they cant accept funds from the public... (not like my taxes lol) Like I said this is hersay.. but apparently it was on the news... anybody else see it??

Gerritt... did ya get my pm??