Mark Bonokoski's Column In The Sun Today . . . .

[Photoz]

Heres a story that should REALLY interest many on this site . . . perhaps enough to write Mr. Bonokoski or The Editor and voice an opinion. I did . . . as follows:

 

http://www.torontosun.com/News/Columnists/Bonokoski_Mark/

 

Dear Mr. Bonokoski . . . .

 

I don't feel Bryan Maude did get a raw deal at all, as he admits himself, he was ultimately responsible for what was left. Perhaps ALL the organizers should have shared the fine . . . great example to set for the kids? It would seem EVERY trash pile left out in the wilderness has an excuse, when the people get caught! Being an avid 'shore fisherman', I see the awful messes left by other anglers, campers & even people who just drive to an area like this and uncerimoniously dump their garbage. I ALWAYS carry garbage bags in my van, and often clean up an area where I'm fishing . . . but then am stuck with the garbage and where to put it? I must find a dumpster to place it in, and take a chance I could be charged for doing this! But what REALLY irks me . . . . in the past 5 years more & more areas where us 'boatless' anglers have access to the water have angry residents petitioning their local councils to put their neighbourhoods off limits to ALL of us, because of a few who poluted with garbage & noise. There are either 'NO FISHING' signs go up, or 'NO PARKING / NO STOPPING,' signs, putting more & more spots off limits to responsible people who leave 'nothing but footprints.' A lake like Simcoe is a good example . .. . it belongs to ALL of us, but only residents, cottagers & boaters can fish 99% of it . . . I know of less than several dozen shore spots from up the east side from Keswick to Washago and back down the west side through Orillia, Barrie, and Bradford and back to Keswick where you can park, without at least risking a $30.00 ticket, and walk to the shore to fish! As an afterthought . . . all the garbage fit in this groups vehicles to get it there . . . but no room to bring it out? Sorry . . . not much sympathy here!

 

Steve Herrell

[taper]

Thanks for the link photoz.

 

 

 

Mr Bonoski

 

I just finished reading your article on the garbage left behind at Eagle lake and wonder why you would take to ridicule the MNR. They are only doing there job. I believe some of your article should have focused on the other so called adults that didn't have the good sense to clean up as they left. Mr Maude himself admitted that he was the organizer of the event and in taking that role should never leave tasks such as final camp inspection to some one else, especially considering the fact that he seems to have a love of the wilderness and a knowledge of what it takes to protect it. I do believe it is not Mr. Maude that deserved the entire fine and if the others who were supposed to clean up are truly adults they would step forward and split the fine between them. I for one the MNR officers are out there doing there job. Without them there would be no place like Eagle Lake for Mr Maude or any one else to take a trip and see what mother nature truly has to offer.

[Big Cliff]

You have to admire the man for trying to do some good! In reading the article it sounds like they went around picking up others garbage and accumulating it so that it could be removed, an excellent example for his young charges. It says he took a trailer load of garbage with him and aranged for the rest to be hauled away.

 

It is too bad he put his trust in someone and they let him down. I think the fine should have been paid by the person that left the garbage behind because they were ultimatly responsible for it being left there.

 

Here is the actual link to the article: Garbage left behind

 

I agree with Steve, there is no excuse but my question is; where is the garbage now? Did MNR clean it up? Was Mr. Maude made to go back and clean it up? Did the fine go toward the cost of cleaning it up?

 

I'd like to see Mark do a follow up on it and perhaps even get a chance to see what many of us see every time we go fishing. Hey Lew, why don't you send him some pics of the stuff you run into when trying to launch your boat. Might give mark a chance to see it from our perspective.

[charlied]

I like the fact he is taking responibility, but it disgusts me that no one else is stepping up to help him out, non of the other ADULT helpers. Guess it was all kids helping out. LOL

[lew]

Hey Lew, why don't you send him some pics of the stuff you run into when trying to launch your boat. Might give mark a chance to see it from our perspective.

 

I wish I still had those pics Cliff, but it looks like I somehow deleted them.

 

I certainly agree with the others though, that the fine was most definetely deserved, although the other adults should have ponied up their fair share of the money. It appears that Mr. Maude did his best to clean up, but in the end I spose he should have hung around to be sure the job was completed, rather than depending on others........"if you want a job done right, do it yourself" sorta thing.

 

Best way to teach the younger generation, is to show them how to do something properly and explain why it's done that way.

 

As mentioned by Photoz, if fishermen / campers / hikers / hunters / outdoors folks in general, keep leaving their garbage everywhere, one of these days were gonna find ourselves with nowhere to fish from shore or a place to launch our boats or go for a hike or shoot our guns.

 

Nope, no pity for folks who leave their filth for the rest of us to pick up.

 

Cudos to the CO's that followed up on this and tracked them down.....well done boyz !!

[Grimace]

This dude is obviously a good human. He should have been the last man off the island though as the supervisor of the trip. It's tough but it was his mistake not the CO's and they should not be seen as the bad guy in this, they did there job and did it well.

[Big Cliff]

Steves post got me thinking, instead of just sitting here shaking my head in agreement, try to do something..... anything!

 

I couldn't find an email for Mark Bonoski so I sent this off to the editor. We'll see if it was worth the effort.

 

Subject: RE: Mark Bonoski's colum "Survivor Wasted" March 18/07

Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2007

 

You have to admire Bryan Maude for trying to do some good! In reading the article it sounds like they went around picking up others garbage and accumulating it so that it could be removed, an excellent example for his young charges. If we had more people like him, perhaps we'd have less kids in trouble!

 

It says he took a trailer load of garbage with him and arranged for the rest to be hauled away. It is too bad he put his trust in someone and they let him down. I think the fine should have been paid by the person that left the garbage behind because they were ultimately responsible for it being left there.

 

The article leaves a number of unanswered questions though: Where is the garbage now? Did MNR clean it up? What did it cost MNR in time & resources to prosecute this case (I'll bet it was well in excess of the $1000.00 fine that was collected). Was Mr. Maude made to go back and clean it up? Did the fine go toward the cost of cleaning it up? I'd like to know?

 

As an avid fisherman I often see the garbage left behind by a few, making it look bad for the rest of us. On many occasions I and many of my friends have taken the time to clean it up and haul it away. A week later or sometimes even the next day, there is more. In many cases there are even garbage cans right there but some people are just too lazy to use them. Is it any wonder why so many places are being posted off limits for shore fishing?

 

I am a member of the www.ofncommunity.com , a website dedicated to people who enjoy fishing and hunting but our common bond is fishing. Our membership is mainly Canadian but we do have quite a few members in the US and even a couple from outside North America. Many of our members volunteer to do clean up days on local rivers and streams, most of our members pride themselves in leaving a place cleaner than what they found it. Woe be the member who leaves a mess behind him because they would have the rest of us to contend with.

 

I would like to invite you and Mr. Bonoski to visit our website, and pose a few "where, when, why, who, and how questions". I am sure that you would find a wealth of assistance from our members. To be very honest with you, if we had some help from you and Mr. Bonoski, we just might be able to make a difference. Care to be part of the solution?

 

 

Cliff Bignell (AKA Big Cliff)

323 Snug Harbour Rd.

Lindsay, ON K9V 4R6

705-328-0750

[email protected]

Edited March 18, 2007 by Big Cliff