4 Canadian conservation organizations are forming a new hunting and trapping collaborative. Here’s why that matters

It was only fitting that the announcement came last September 20, on National Hunting, Trapping and Fishing Heritage Day. That’s when four leading Canadian conservation organizations joined together to proudly unveil the creation of the country’s new hunting and trapping collaborative—the Canadian Wildlife Conservation Partners (CWCP).

A coalition of conservation-focused organizations from across Canada, the CWCP is committed to advancing science-based wildlife management, safeguarding biodiversity, and defending the rights and traditions of hunters, trappers and outdoor enthusiasts across the country. The four founding member organizations are Delta Waterfowl, Fur Institute of Canada, Safari Club International-Canada and the Wild Sheep Society of British Columbia.

Our collaborative is committed to working together on areas of common interest, including:

• Building unity among partner and affiliated organizations, and increasing collective effectiveness.
• Maintaining and communicating a vision for wildlife conservation and sustainable use across Canada.
• Developing and pursuing implementation of recommendations for governments to achieve the above vision.

The CWCP provides a great opportunity for like-minded organizations to come together to advocate for conservation, hunting, trapping and Canada’s outdoor heritage. Uniting outdoorsmen and women at a national level will provide an incredible chance to work towards expanding opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts, while responding to threats to the outdoor heritage we all value.

Within three short weeks of the CWCP’s launch last September, the organization had already grown to include an impressive 17 organizations, representing more than 200,000 voices from across Canada. To see that level of enthusiasm and participation from like-minded organizations across the land has been incredibly exciting.

The primary role of the CWCP is to advocate for hunters, trappers and conservationists as one body. As issues arise, partner organizations can submit a letter outlining their stance to the CWCP steering committee; once approved, the letter is then shared with all member organizations, with the opportunity for them to sign on in agreement. Most importantly, no group is ever pressured to sign—member support can and will vary from topic to topic. Organizational autonomy is a core tenant of the CWCP.

Among the partnership’s member organizations, we may—and sometimes do—differ in our views on policy or how best to achieve our objectives. But at the end of the day, we need to stand together to protect our way of life. That is the beauty of the CWCP: we endeavour to leave our issues at the door, and come to the table with openness and a willingness to work together on matters that impact us all.

The goal is to find that middle ground and influence change that benefits us all, because when we are focused on each other’s differences, we are not focused on others who are chipping away at our outdoor heritage and way of life, as we should be.

Providing an avenue for hunting and trapping organizations to come together under one umbrella is something Canada has been missing for a long time. We have a huge outdoor community, and all of us believe we can accomplish great things when we come together as one.

It is exciting to watch the CWCP continue to grow, which only strengthens our collective ability to affect positive outcomes. Whether you are part of a local fish and game association, trapping association, or habitat conservation group, we encourage you to consider becoming a partner of the CWCP. Strength in numbers is the key, and bringing together the millions of Canadians who hunt, trap and live the outdoor lifestyle is a key goal of our collaborative.

When we stand together, and are recognized as a reputable and reliable voice, governments across the land will take notice and listen. Canada was built on our heritage activities, and we all need to work together to ensure they continue for generations to come.

To learn more about the CWCP and how your organization can join, go to www.canadianwildlifepartners.ca.