Northwest District OFMF
Hudson re-elected for 3rd Term as Director
by Karina Hunter
Saturday, May 8th the Northwestern District of the Ontario Fur Managers’ Federation, consisting of the area from Hwy 11 to just west of White River, held its bi-annual elections at the Manitouwadge Golden Age Centre. George Hudson, from Manitouwadge, was re-elected for his 3rd term by those in attendance including trappers from Manitouwadge, Marathon and Terrace Bay (the Longlac contingent was unable to attend). Jeff MacDonald from Terrace Bay was elected as Assistant Director.
Among the responsibilities of OFMF District Directors or Assistant Directors is to lobby the government in regards to laws and regulations set out by the Ministry of Natural Resources as they apply to fur management and trappers. For example, recently, the OFMF was successful in having regulations changed to allow for larger trapping camps, lobbying for that was an ongoing process for 9 years! Among those issues currently being brought forward by Hudson, MacDonald and other OFMF executive reps at a provincial level are the need to change the Apprentice Trappers’ Program to allow for Training of children 12 yrs of age+ as opposed to the current 15yrs + standards; also, lobbying is ongoing in regards to the laws surrounding trap line transfer policies, this being supported by Minister of Natural Resources the Hon. Linda Jeffrey who agrees with the OFMF’s position on the subject.
In attendance at the meeting were Karl Lindstrom, President of the Northwest Fur Trappers Council and Robin Thompson, Conservation Officer, Wawa District MNR.
Thompson had been invited by the host club to give a presentation to the trappers in attendance. Included in the information shared by the Thompson, himself a trapper years ago, was that of protected species which Manitouwadge Trappers should be aware of having brought with him examples of both mammals (these from more southern regions) and amphibians listed as protected species.
Next on the agenda for the OFMF Northwestern District is the OFMF’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Conference in August; this year it is being held in Sudbury.
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