Fall Grizzly Hunt

Letter Sent to @DestinationBC re: Ad Showcasing Grizzly Bear just before Trophy Hunt Begins

by Barb Murray
March 26, 2016June 27, 2016
10 Comments

Disgraceful Photo and Practise of Killing Grizzlies for just their heads and photo op! — Bears Matter added: Poster fr BC Guide Outfitters materials in 2013!

Letter copied to Bears Matter and reproduced with permission:

Subject: Super, Natural British Columbia and trophy hunting
Date: March 25, 2016 at 11:14:55 AM PDT
To: shirley.bond.mla@leg.bc.ca
Cc: premier@gov.bc.ca

Dear Minister Bond,
I’ve lived and worked in British Columbia all my life and every day am grateful to have been born here. The recently launched Destination B.C. materials showcase our province’s people, the animals, the communities and pristine wild spaces and I think “yes, this is what my home looks like”.

But there is a glaring disconnect between what the material portrays of B.C. wildlife and the continued legal practice of trophy hunting in this province. It’s a serious schism. Killing wild animals for sport or trophy is a violent, disrespectful practice that certainly wouldn’t be included in tourism materials. This highlights a glaring misalignment of attitudes toward our wild species that needs to be remedied.

Pacific Wild on The Great Bear Rainforest Agreement: Unfiltered

by Barb Murray
February 4, 2016June 27, 2016

http://pacificwild.org/news-and-resources/great-bear-blog/the-great-bear-rainforest-agreement-unfiltered

Today, on behalf of Pacific Wild, and in the interest of setting our course for the miles still ahead, I offer the following reflections on the 2016 Great Bear Rainforest Agreement.

I have been asked for my opinion of the Great Bear Rainforest Agreement (GBRA) several times over the last 48 hours.

As I’m sure many people reflecting on this agreement in public and private can relate, synthesizing your thoughts for a media sound byte is challenging at the best of times – more so when you are attempting to address the complexity of a multi-stakeholder agreement many years in the making.

Before the announcement was formalized on Monday, the Heiltsuk Tribal Council released this very pragmatic statement, describing their view of the agreement. If there is one sound byte that trumps them all, I respectfully nominate this one: “We are grateful for a step down the right path. It is the first of many miles yet to walk.”

Looking forward

Guilty Plea from Clayton Stoner, $10K Fine & 3 yr Hunting Ban

by Barb Murray
November 15, 2015June 27, 2016

Protesters against illegal poaching and hunting gather outside B.C. Provincial Court before Anaheim Ducks defenceman Clayton Stoner was expected to enter a plea in Vancovuer Friday Nov. 13, 2015. Stoner is charged with five counts under the Wildlife Act after a grizzly bear was killed on the central coast in 2013. Photograph by: Darryl Dyck, CP — Protesters against illegal poaching and hunting gather outside B.C. Provincial Court before Anaheim Ducks defenceman Clayton Stoner was expected to enter a plea in Vancovuer Friday Nov. 13, 2015. Stoner is charged with five counts under the Wildlife Act after a grizzly bear was killed on the central coast in 2013.
Photograph by: Darryl Dyck, CP

Update by Bears Forever Organization on the Outcome of the Clayton Stoner Case. He was found guilty of holding a resident Limited Entry Hunt tag for a grizzly bear when he was not a resident of the province at that time …Mr. Stoner was fined $10,000 and banned from hunting in B.C. for three years. From facebook page of Bears Forever https://www.facebook.com/bearsforeverbc

As everyone celebrates Clayton Stoner being sentenced today, here are some things to bear in mind:

1) Trophy hunting is not illegal under Settler law. Stoner has simply been found guilty of hunting with the wrong kind of license. We need to make this illegal under Settler law so the activity stops completely.

2) Stoner is also guilty of contravening the Indigenous ban on trophy hunting under Indigenous law, and the Settler courts have no jurisdiction over that.

3) No one would have caught Stoner in the first place if First Nations hadn’t been investing their money and energy in monitoring hunt activity. The Province has NO capacity to effectively regulate or monitor the hunt. That burden falls to us.

4) Justice for the Grizzly shot by Stoner, is important. But what we’re fighting for with the Bears Forever campaign is justice for ALL bears. That won’t happen until the province regulates an end to the hunt. And we won’t stop our work until they do.

You can find out more about what we’re doing at bearsforever.ca

Vancouver,NHLDucks Clayton Stoner to Enter Plea in case of ‘The Trophy Killing of a Grizzly’

by Barb Murray
November 12, 2015June 27, 2016

November 12, 2015 MEDIA ADVISORY

Vancouver, B.C. – Anaheim Ducks Defenseman, Clayton Stoner (originally of Port NcNeill, B.C.) faces five charges for Illegally Killing ‘Cheeky the Grizzly’ in the Great Bear Rainforest in May 2013. After three adjournments Stoner’s lawyer is finally expected to enter a ‘guilty’ plea at Robson Square Provincial Courthouse-800 Hornby Street, Rm 101 at 9:30a.m.

NHL star’s court fight over grizzly a ‘tipping point’ for trophy hunt ban

by Barb Murray
October 10, 2015June 27, 2016

Grizzly bears in Great Bear Rainforest. Photo by Sophie Wright.

By Mychaylo Prystupa in News, Politics | October 9th 2015

For Full Story with photos and video clips go to: http://www.nationalobserver.com/2015/10/09/news/nhl-stars-court-fight-over-grizzly-tipping-point%E2%80%99-trophy-hunt-ban

On Friday, a judge postponed a court case regarding five charges that NHL hockey defencemen Clayton Stoner is facing related to an incident that has become highly symbolic in a public campaign to end the controversial grizzly bear trophy hunt in British Columbia.

During a 2013 hunting trip to his home province, the hockey star was spectacularly photographed holding a dead grizzly bear’s head and claws. The incident provoked scorn from indigenous and environmental groups, but government investigators also believe Stoner’s hunting permit was not valid.

The hearing is now delayed until Nov.13, but grizzly bear advocates are thrilled —they see it as yet another chance to shine a bright light on the B.C. Liberal government’s permitting of the controversial sport killing of grizzlies. “If Mr. Stoner wants to (delay this) for the next two years until the next provincial election be my guest.” said Barb Murray with Bears Matter outside a Vancouver court building on Friday.

“He’s an international hockey player. He’s famous, Canadian-born and bred, and held up as an example for kids. Wrong!”

Today Bears Matter asked the Public to Attend Court Case for NHL Ducks Clayton Stoner

by Barb Murray
October 9, 2015June 27, 2016
1 Comment

Stock Photo of Clayton Stoner Photo of Courtesy BearsForever.ca A couple days ago I put out an invite on Facebook for this court appearance ( or postponement it turns out- third one). I was relieved and happy to see a dozen… Read More »Today Bears Matter asked the Public to Attend Court Case for NHL Ducks Clayton Stoner