It’s April 23rd, nearly four months since the government and major medical institutions knew (or should have known) about the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. Canada responded much like other countries, we don’t have the highest numbers of confirmed cases or deaths, but we are affected, nevertheless. Living in Dundas as a senior citizen with heart condition and diabetes, I would like to share with you some of my observations and suggestions.
A baby resident of Dundas Valley – (click on image to see its full size) – photo: author
As the winter approaches and soon we will see, again, closed trails and native hunters roaming our conservation area based on a fraudulent “treaty rights” claim, here is a reminder of the work that was done on this topic by a group of researchers who oppose the annual hunt:
Related articles:
Related video:
Yesterday, I walked along one of my favourite hiking trails that begins at the entrance to the Dundas Valley Conservation Area (DVCA) located at the end of Lions Club Road. I have done this for at least three decades.
Last year’s Google Earth picture
The official justification for the annual deer hunt in Dundas Valley Conservation Area (DVCA) has been eliminated and compromised. The alleged deer overpopulation no longer exists and the so called “Nanfan Treaty” turned out to be a historical and legal hoax. But the hunt continues. Unacceptable changes are happening all around us – in the protection of our conservation areas and wildlife, in public access and use of recreational areas, and in the city.
Click on picture to enlarge it
It’s time to stop the killing and to address the real problem – corruption. All the reasons for the annual deer hunt in Dundas Valley, all the stories to justify it, turned out to be either false or no longer valid and yet, the annual deer hunt continues.
In case you’ve missed it:
This 2012 video was created and published in response to ridiculous and outrageous statements made to me by one of the top Hamilton Conservation Authority’s officials. I had asked for a meeting to let him know that a large part of our local population in Dundas strongly opposed the annual deer hunt conducted by the natives in our conservation area.
Dear CPAWS Supporters,
On Monday, we released our 7th annual Parks Report assessing Canada’s progress towards its international commitment to protect at least 17% of our land and fresh water by 2020, and to improve the quality of our protected areas. This is an important next step towards CPAWS’ long term goal of protecting at least half of our public land and water. The bottom line is that Canada is falling behind most other countries, and urgently needs a plan to catch up!
Only 10% of Canada’s landscape is protected, compared with the global average of over 15%. If Canada continues at its current pace, it will take over 50 years, not five, to achieve 17% protection! With 90% of our landscape in the public domain, action by all levels of government is key to achieving these targets.
June 26: Young buck west of the Trail Centre. Photo: L. Biegalski (Click to enlarge)
It’s July 2nd and I have not yet received any meaningful replies from my MPP Ted McMeekin, Mayor of Hamilton Fred Eisenberger, or Ward 13 Councillor Arlene VanderBeek regarding construction projects in environmentally sensitive areas of Dundas Valley, violation of construction permit limits, lack of law enforcement, and possible corruption in issuing and implementing building permits. These issues should be investigated and taken care of but, unfortunately, officials responsible for enforcing rules and policies are not willing to help. Why? Are they part of the corrupted system?
June 14: Newborn fawn near Merrick Line, DVCA. Photo: L. Biegalski. (Click to enlarge)
Deer in Dundas Valley Conservation Area. Photo: Lech Biegalski. (Click to enlarge)
In response to my post, Protection of Dundas Valley Deer and Ecosystem Neglected by Officials, I have received an email from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Guelph District – (posted below). In particular, the MNRF confirms that responsibility for planning and enforcement “on matters of provincial interest related to land use planning and development” lies with the City of Hamilton and with the Niagara Escarpment Commission. I am, therefore, asking the Mayor of Hamilton Fred Eisenberger, the Ward 13 Councillor Arlene VanderBeek, our local MPP Ted McMeekin, and the Niagara Escarpment Commission for their substantive opinion and information on what they can and will do:
A previous reply from the Office of Mayor Eisenberger – (See HERE) – was both misleading and unsatisfactory. I have sent additional inquiry but have not received any further correspondence from the Mayor. Until today, I have also not received a substantive reply from our Councillor Arlene VanderBeek, or any replies at all from the Niagara Escarpment Commission and from Ted McMeekin, our local MPP and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing responsible for the Land Use Planning and for overseeing the implementation of both the Provincial Policy Statement [Link 2] and the Planning Act.
Dundas Valley Deer in the Spring. Pixel bending technique. Photo: Lech Biegalski
(Click on the picture to see the 1200 x 800 pixels version. Click HERE to see the 2400 x 1600 pixels version.)
The white-tailed deer, a unique feature of Dundas Valley, deserve our help, consideration, and compassion. The peak in their population has been recorded in 2009-2011. After 2011, their numbers have been consistently declining. Today, you can hardly spot them. They are not present in places, where they could be seen every night, just a few years ago.
Photo: Lech Biegalski
You are welcome to keep and use this picture:
By Faisal Moola,
Director General, Ontario and Northern Canada
In early September, some of Canada’s leading writers, conservationists and scientists, including some from the David Suzuki Foundation, met near Wells Gray Provincial Park two hours north of Kamloops, B.C., to discuss whether it’s time for Canada to enshrine a land ethic in Canadian laws and policies.
The conference, Speak to the Wild, was co-hosted by Thompson Rivers University and the Wells Gray World Heritage Committee. Those attending included notable writers Robert Bringhurst, Sharon Butala, Ted Chamberlin, Lorna Crozier, Trevor Herriot, Patrick Lane, Tim Lilburn, Candace Savage, and former Canadian Poet Laureate John Steffler, as well as ethnobotanist Nancy Turner and philosopher Jan Zwicky.
Participants considered two questions.
The first concerned the possibility of legal reform around the rights of wilderness: Is it time to move Canada’s Constitution toward a formalized land ethic, and if so, what would that look like?
The second question pertained to our personal connection to wild places: How can we strengthen this connection in ourselves and encourage it in others? In particular, what is the role of narrative and the poetic experience in developing a meaningful relationship with wild Canada?
KML and GPX files with a selection of Dundas Valley Trails, Single Tracks and bike rides around Dundas, for Google Earth and suitable GPS devices can now be downloaded through this blog.
Links, instructions, and a disclaimer are included on the Downloads page.
(Updated: April 19, 2015)
