Temagami Stewardship Council Discouraged with Ombudsman:

When the Temagami Stewardship Council, (TSC) felt betrayed and subverted by the Ministry of Natural Resources, (MNR) North Bay we submitted our complaint to the Ontario Ombudsman's Office. The Ombudsman's mandate, "is to ensure government accountability through effective oversight of the administration of government services." The hope of the TSC was that the Ombudsman would provide some public accountability of the way the MNR has been doing business with volunteer groups and provide for true public input in the management of our natural resources in Northern Ontario.

It was with the same belief in the integrity of the Ombudsman's Office that an initial complaint from the mayors of 5 northern communities led by the mayor of Dubreuilville was sent to the Ombudsman. The Ontario Outdoor Recreational Alliance (OntORA) as the organization from the Sault St. Marie, Sudbury area is now called has sent 6 complaints to the Ombudsman's office since February of 2006. The group continues to request an independent assessment and investigation of the Ministry of Natural Resources' (MNR) policies and practices regarding Crown land access restrictions. The OntORA complaints have to do with; the MNR's disregard for the public input process, alleged conflict of interest by MNR staff contravening the Public Lands Act and closure of roads and lands without the legal right to do so.

In both cases the initial response of the Ombudsman's Office was encouraging. The interviewer, seemed interested, took notes, asked for supporting information and left us with the feeling that the issue would be investigated. On both of our sides we went to great lengths to provide copies of emails, letters, maps, documents and the names of reputable persons who might be interviewed to corroborate our contention of wrong doing.

In both cases the Investigation of the Ombudsman's Office consisted of talking to representatives from the MNR and informing us that our concerns were unfounded. Both organizations appealed the initial decision and provided further information and again asking for the Ombudsman's office to at least talk to some of the informed persons on our side. Again appeals were rejected. Despite the reams of evidence and explanations provided to the Ombudsman's office the response to both groups was an attitude that the MNR is always right. Has "Ontario's Watchdog" become "The MNR's Pet Dog" as some are now suggesting?

On the web page for The Ombudsman of Ontario Mr. Andre Marin states that, "The Ombudsman is all about accountability and transparency, so please let us know how we're doing." Well, Mr. Martin I know at least 2 groups in Northern Ontario who are very disappointed in your office.

Gaye Smith

519-353-7275

Manitouwadge residents to lose access to  local lakes (from the Manitouwadge "Echo")

Manitouwadge residents may soon find their favourite lakes, trails, blueberry picking areas off limits.  Various crown land use strategies point to a long term goal of making the Manitouwadge area a Wilderness Remote experience for people willing to pay for the privilege of being in our backyard. Since the 1950's, this area has experienced logging development which allowed local residents the opportunity to access areas previously reserved for the avid canoeist or float plane pilots.  Having access to nature is one of, if not the main fringe benefit in living in Manitouwadge.   During the past few years, there has been a policy of limiting road access to all but paying customers of remote tourism operations. The province may decide to make part of our backyard a Remote Experience for those who can afford to pay to be flown into our backyard.  The only problem, an area cannot be a remote experience if the local human fauna keeps showing up and ruining the photo opportunities by being there.  How can Kagiano be a remote experience if Manitouwadge people go there for the weekend to fish?  The only solution is to ban locals from spoiling the remoteness of the area by being there.   If an area is not remote because local people show up there, the solution is simple; remove the local people and the area will become remote. This is the strategy at play for the past few years and it is about to accelerate  under the Crown Land Use Atlas Harmonization Project. (CLUAH)  Since November 2006, this project has been quietly building steam and one of the consequences will be the loss of access to numerous lakes in our area. We already have some of the best fishing lakes with limitations for access.  Yet, many Manitouwadge residents know very little about it despite local information meetings and numerous web sites decrying the  loss of our backyard. It is important to understand that this access is not to protect existing commercial businesses that deliver high quality remote tourism experiences.  Rather it is now designed to remove local residents from areas that may be an "opportunity" for a remote experience some day.    Manitouwadge residents, politicians, EDC staff and anyone who likes to go to such places as Kagiano, Palmquist, Klinestiver… for an outing need to get informed. Ontario residents pay taxes to the province who in turn provide funding for primary and secondary logging roads which we are permitted to use.  Municipalities are encouraged to develop tourism strategies as economic diversification and yet, the government then limits access to those same areas that were opened up with taxpayers dollars.  The worst of it is that those who can afford to pay for the "remote" experience in our backyard will do so with the blessing and protection of the province. Our region is being touted as a future area where remote experiences will be the privilege of the rich and famous who will spend time in large areas of nature owned and managed by corporations far removed from our community.  This first step to privatization happened in much of Europe and has started in Canada.  It has started, but it can be stopped.  Watch for upcoming details on a public meeting coming up soon.

Local Citizens Committees (LCCs), Do they have the capacity to represent the public and make controversial decisions concerning appropriation of Crown land?

On Feb 10^th a couple of your OntORA members attended a Local Citizens Committee open house in Sault Ste Marie and left as frustrated as we entered. While we did meet a couple well intentioned members, the whole system is flawed beyond logical comprehension.

"Local Citizens Committee" conjures up an illusion of a randomly selected group of citizens with the task of representing their peers in public matters and public property but dream on.

Of the 15 members listed only one is listed ‘specifically' as representing the public, the rest represent special interest groups. Fourteen members represent a special interest group with a singular interest in mind, the non-motorized user's representative we spoke to for instance told us he had to be interviewed for the position before being appointed by the MNR and he is focused on bicycle trails and portages, that's his job.

When one puts on the hat of a special interest group in instances like this they are no longer a member of the public; they look after the interests of the group they represent.

LCC members should be representatives of the public selected by a fair and legal selection process; they should be representing their peers on collectively owned property, shouldn't they?

A special interest group which wants consideration for something can send representatives to make a presentation; if a member of the committee has an interest or association with the group they must declare a conflict and abstain from the discussion or vote. Just like town council.

Presently almost every member is in conflict one time or another. Their duties are to reach a consensus based on the give and take method alternatively called tradeoff.

Is the public ready to stand up and challenge this and other similar structures controlling public lands?

A Heads up to our members in the Sudbury region to watch for the regular articles in the Sudbury Star by Outdoors Columnist John Vance, a real outdoors enthusiast with much knowledge to share.

OntORA reminds all those who have not signed up yet as members and have been receiving this Newsletter by e-mail as a courtesy, that this service will soon be discontinued for non-members. An application form is attached if you wish to join and help us in abolishing the present two-class system of public access to Ontario Crown lands and lakes.

Please support our corporate Members and Affiliated clubs…

Bristol Motel and Outfitting, Wawa Ont. Ph (705) 856-2385

Permanent Electric, Sault Ste Marie, Ph (705) 949-7977

Alain Labelle, Dundee Wealth, Val Caron (705) 897-3373

Chelmsford Fish and game club

Sturgeon Falls Rod & gun Club

Sign up a friend… Ontario Outdoors Recreational Alliance (OntORA)

Membership Application

Mail to:

Ontario Outdoors Recreational Alliance,

35 Amber St. , Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 6N6

ont.ora@hotmail.com

Yes, I want to become a member of the Ontario Outdoors Recreational Alliance

(United Steelworkers Union Ontario Partner) and add my support to the fight for lawful and equal public access to Ontario Crown lands and lakes.

Name: (please print)___________________________________________________

Address_____________________________________________________________

City__________________________________ Prov.______ Postal Code_________

E-mail Address_______________________________________________________

Phone ______________________________________

Membership Fees:                                                1YR 2 Yr 3Yr Amt Paid

Individual————— $ 10 per year——-         ____   ___    ___            _______

Family——————- $ 15 per year…….         ____  ____  ____           _______

Additional Family Members _________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

Corporate……………..$ 100.00 (minimum) per year ……………_______________

Lifetime Individual—–$350.00 ………………………………… _______________

Donation $____________

Director District #                                                                     Total Paid___________

New member ____ Renewal____         Date  _________________

OntORA MEMBER CLEARED OF SIX OF SEVEN M.N.R. CHARGES:

Outdoors people usually have a high regard for MNR Conservation Officers (C.O.'s) and staff who generally maintain a high degree of professionalism and work hard under tight budget restraints.  The case of new member Danny Hein is difficult to understand.

Danny is from New Liskeard but was hunting near Armstrong in 2007.  Danny says he was given an area map by an MNR employee who told him that he could drive past an open gate on Lee Lake Road to hunt on Crown land where hunting was allowed.  Danny, who was with his wife and another couple, was quickly met by a C.O. who charged all four under Sec. 10 of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, (FWCA) even though there were no signs erected at the gate under the FWCA.  Danny's group was told that they had trespassed past the gate that was erected "to protect remote tourism values".  However, Danny says there are no remote tourist outfitters on this road. Danny's group was all also later charged under the Public Lands Act Sec. 28(2), a total of seven charges.

Danny is a top tournament angler who is very successful, has won several top prizes in Ontario & Quebec and is sponsored by a popular marine company. Danny was told that the marine company had already been officially notified, apparently by the tournament competitor who gave him the map, of MNR charges against him.  It appeared to Danny that he was being set up to effectively remove him as a competitor from tournament angling.  Danny's lawyer at first wanted him to plead guilty, but Danny wanted to fight the unjust charges, especially when he learned that his hunting privileges could be revoked for two years, causing him to lose his lucrative competitive angling sponsorship.

The court case in Thunder Bay was attended by eleven Conservation Officers and heard before a Justice of the Peace, who threw out all the FWCA charges and denied the MNR's request to revoke Danny's hunting privileges. Charges against his companions were also dismissed.  However, the J.P. found Danny guilty of "disobeying a sign" and said that driving a vehicle could be counted as a "use" of Crown land, even on a public road.  OntORA Sr. V.P. Tom Brason, who worked closely with Danny's lawyer in mounting a defense, says that Sec. 28 PLA does not apply to roads; that driving a vehicle cannot constitute a "use" of public lands so the J.P. may have erred in his decision.  OntORA and Danny are considering appealing the case and are obtaining legal advice.

WHAT IS THE LATEST ON THE MOOSE ROUND TABLE TALKS?

Some members have been trying to find out where & when the proposed "moose round table talks" for the public are taking place. The internet links supplied by the government apparently haven't yielded any information and calls to MNR head office have not yet been returned.  We will let you know as soon as we obtain any information.

ARE BLUEBERRY PICKERS BEING TARGETTED?

The Magpie River Terraces Conservation Area near Wawa is a unique geological site and an area where earlier mining activity has left the land scarred with sulphur burns and acidic soil.  But, it also contains outstanding blueberry patches. Because of the condition of the land and vegetation, ATV's are required to stay on trails, except for direct retrieval of game. Our members in the area understand that and have complied while picking a bumper crop of blueberries to make a little extra cash.

Last September, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) added a new sign to the many signs already posted.  The new sign warned berry pickers that their hard work to earn a few extra dollars was no longer legal.  "Blueberry picking is for personal use only".  The only problem is that the MNR document #C1520 on the Magpie Terraces prepared by MNR's Tom Kenerknecht, the same person who posted the "personal use only" sign, states in Section 5.6 Commercial Use: "The commercial harvesting of Canada Yew (taxus canadensis) and other vegetation will not be permitted. The exception to this prohibition however, will be hand-picked blueberries. The area is a productive and popular blueberry picking area and some pickers, including children, will sell to third parties. Since it would be extremely difficult to enforce a restriction, and since hand picking is not destructive to the plants, hand picking for commercial sale will be permitted. (Emphasis added)

So what's going on?  Why are our members told not to pick blueberries for selling when it is clearly permitted by MNR policy?  And why was there no "public consultation process" or other legal avenues pursued if the policy was changed abruptly. Why are innocent, law-abiding, hard-working blueberry pickers trying to supplement their modest incomes being harassed?

OntORA's Senior V.P. Tom Brason, V.P. Mike Boudreau and Director Dino Tarini are looking into the situation and have fired off a letter to the MNR looking for answers.  Stay tuned.

WILL PRIVATE MANAGED WILD GAME FARMS BE ALLOWED?

Wawa area's top-rated family-owned Kaby & Pine Portage Lodges, which boast a private landing strip and golf course, and market their "remote" experience, are negotiating with a forestry company "to have the rights to manage the moose and bears within the private lands (81 sq. miles) of Derry Township". While the Lodges are on private property, 75% of Kaby Lake is surrounded by Crown land, but since it's designated as a "remote" lake, there is no public access.  When David Ramsay was MNR Minister, he stopped private captive game farms. Will the current Ontario government now permit a managed wild game farm on private land for paying guests?

OntORA DISTRICT DIRECTORS AT YOUR SERVICE:

The Northern Ontario Resource Alliance (NORA) took on a new identity at its November 1^st Annual Meeting when it officially partnered with the United Steelworkers Union in Ontario and then merged with the Citizens Committee for Equal Access to Crown Lands.  The new stronger organization is now called the Ontario Outdoors Recreational Alliance (OntORA).  Simon R. Guillet was elected President, Tom Brason as Sr. V.P., Mike Boudreau as V.P. and Carol Brason as Secretary-Treasurer. Also, District Directors were elected to represent various areas with more Director appointments in store as we spread out across the province.  The District Directors are setting up committees in their respective areas to concentrate on local public access and conservation issues, organize membership drives, and liaise with various outdoors clubs, associations and corporations.  If you wish to get involved in this rewarding effort, contact:

District 2 Director - Andre Blanchard bandit@astrocom-on.com (807)854-2100 (MNR Districts of Thunder Bay & Nipigon)

District 3 Director - Dino Tarini Tarini@onlink.net (807)822-2109 (MNR District of Wawa)

District 4 Director - Glen Lillie glillie@shaw.ca (705) (Randy Sullivan is on leave) (MNR District of Sault Ste. Marie)

District 6 Director - John Berardi- johnberardi@hcplasalle.com Cell (705)691-0311, (705)522-3361 (MNR District of Sudbury)

District 7 Director - Edgar Labelle edgarclabelle@hotmail.com (705)758-6262 (MNR District of North Bay and Kirkland Lake)

And don't forget to visit our blog often, & check the ads. http://crownland.org/blog/

MANITOUWADGE ACTIVISTS JOIN OntORA:

Frank Reiser of Manitouwadge and a newly formed committee have had it up to here with some of the access and conservation issues in their area.  Among their concerns: the many road closures and MNR removing culverts and building burms on unused haul roads to prevent access; the fair allocation and distribution of moose tags; deer hunting areas; the MNR setting up "no access zones" around outfitter lakes:  the number of outfitters compared to the numerous lakes closed to the public and other access issues.  The executive and District 3 Director Dino Tarini will work closely with Frank and his group.  If this is your area, contact Frank freiser@shaw.ca .

A TIP OF THE HAT AND A HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO:

As OntORA grows and spreads out across the Province, we have numerous people and organizations to thank for their support, encouragement and financial assistance:  Here are a few for this month:

The United Steelworkers Union (USW) Ontario and Director Wayne Fraser.

Tym Barker for his excellent work on our Crownland Blog.

Les Piccolo for contributing his great outdoors photos for our new membership cards.

The Chelmsford Fish and Game Association for their generous donation and support.

The Sturgeon Falls Rod & Gun Club for their support and Affiliate Membership.

The Bristol Motel & the Bristol Off-Roading Outfitters, Mission Rd., Wawa (705)856-2385 info@bristolmotel.com , www.bristolmotel.com for their corporate affiliation & support.

Permanent Electric Sault Inc. - "For all your electrical needs"- for their support and corporate affiliation -   (705)949-7977  -  Support the people who support us.

Have you renewed your 2009 membership?

OntORA has grown considerably and continues to grow.  Plans are afoot to launch a major membership drive in the spring.  We do not yet have full time staff to look after individual membership reminders, so memberships are on a calendar year basis.  The membership fee is very reasonable, as you will see on the attached membership form.

We are fighting on your behalf to leave a legacy to our children and future generations of an Ontario with pristine forests, abundant lakes and unspoiled beauty which will be as accessible to the general public as it is now to paying tourists.

Preferred hunting and fishing grounds for the upper class may have been acceptable for the Kings and Lords of medieval times, but in modern day Ontario, this antiquated elitism has to go! Join us in our battle to obtain the same rights that paying tourists have in our province.

If you haven't joined yet, or have yet to renew your membership for 2009, please do it now.

We need you, and if you value your freedom of public access, you need OntORA!

THE ONTARIO OUTDOORS RECREATIONAL ALLIANCE (OntORA)

Membership Application

Mail to:

Ontario Outdoors Recreational Alliance,

35 Amber St.,

Sault Ste. Marie, ON  P6A 6N6

Yes, I want to become a member of the Ontario Outdoors Recreational Alliance

(United Steelworkers Union Ontario Partner) and add my support to the fight for lawful and equal public access to Ontario Crown lands and lakes.

Name: (please print)————————————————————————

Address:—————————————————————————————

City:——————————————-                       Postal Code—————–

E-mail Address——————————————–Phone #————————–

Mail with cheque or money order to:

Ontario Outdoors Recreational Alliance

35 Amber St.

Sault Ste. Marie On. P6A 6N6

Membership Fees:

1YR 2 Yr 3Yr Amt Paid

Individual————— $ 10 per year——-         ____   ____  ___  _______

Family——————- $ 15 per year…….         _____  ____ ____ _______

Additional Family Members _________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

Corporate……………..$ 100.00 (minimum) per year

Lifetime Individual—–$350.00   Donation $——————-

Director District #                                                                     Total Paid___________

PUBLIC INPUT REQUESTED for ALGOMA FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN 2010-2020

TUESDAY-10 FEB./09 - 12:00 noon to 8:00 pm, SAULT STE. MARIE, ONTARIO, Holiday Inn (West Ballroom)

Please make every effort to attend today's Local Citizens Committee (LCC) meeting in Sault Ste. Marie Ontario.  This is your chance to provide input directly to the MNR about the Algoma Forest Management Plan for 2010-2020.

Let's see how much they listen to "real" citizens - not just committees that are stacked with government officials and special interest groups.

WEDNESDAY-11 FEB./09 - 12:00 noon to 8:00 pm, WAWA, ONTARIO, ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION