MWF files for judicial review of reduced moose-hunting licences in northern Manitoba

Wanting the Manitoba government to reverse its controversial decision to reduce the number of moose-hunting licences in four northern Game Harvesting Areas, the Manitoba Wildlife Federation has filed for a judicial review. The move follows July’s announcement that the number of available licences would be cut from 400 down to 100, which the MWF contends is unlawful and not based on science.

Instead, the move was politically motivated to appease the Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) coalition of First Nations, says the MWF’s managing director, Carly Deacon. She points to a June 26 statement, in which the MKO asks the Manitoba government “to uphold the constitutional law of Canada and ensure that First Nations can exercise our right of top priority to hunt and fish for food and to feed our families and communities.”

One MKO member, Pimicikamak Cree Nation, subsequently filed for an injunction in August to ask the government not to issue any moose tags at all to non-Indigenous hunters in its territory. Pimicikamak’s chief, David Monias, says the local moose population is in “a state of crisis,” with community members reporting fewer moose sightings in the area.

For its part, the MWF says the decision to withhold tags was rushed, without first updating the area’s last moose population survey, conducted roughly 10 years ago. While the MWF is fully supportive of First Nations exercising their constitutional and treaty rights, Deacon says the federation is opposed to the way the province made the decision.

Instead, she says the MWF wants a shared management plan that would involve all stakeholders, and require all hunters to report their harvest to get an accurate picture of the moose population. Currently, indigenous hunters are not compelled to report their harvest.

Given the way the decision was made to cut licences, Deacon says the MWF is also concerned there could be further such actions affecting licensed hunters and anglers. “If the government can make that kind of political decision, it just sets a terrible precedent for all decisions going forward in terms of conservation,” she says. “Hopefully, this is corrected, and the floodgates don’t open to all other resources and areas in Manitoba, which is essentially what would be on the line if this goes through.”

Manitoba’s superior court has set aside November 12 and 13 to hear the Pimicikamak Cree Nation’s request for an injunction, as well as the MWF’s application for judicial review, with both matters being heard back-to-back. While the hearings come too late for any possible changes before the September 16 to October 13 moose hunt gets underway, it could impact the December 2 to 15 season.

Learn more about the MWF’s programs and positions at www.mwf.mb.ca.