Sopuck, Leef, Calkins Organize First Conservative Hunting and Angling Caucus
Ottawa, ON, –Robert Sopuck, Member of Parliament for Dauphin-Swan River-Marquette chaired the inaugural Conservative Hunting and Angling caucus, with his vice-chairs Blaine Calkins, Member of Parliament for Wetaskiwin, and Ryan Leef, Member of Parliament for Yukon. The caucus was established for Conservative Members of Parliament to move forward conservation issues and the concerns of Canada’s hunting and angling communities.
“The Conservative Hunting and Angling caucus is a venue for Members of Parliament to discuss the common concerns of their constituents and move forward with solutions for our government,” said Sopuck, “the caucus will also have the opportunity to meet with hunters, anglers, and trappers across the country and bring the wealth of knowledge they possess on conservation to bear on environment issues.”
Thirty Conservative members and senators have now joined the Conservative Hunting and Angling caucus with more expected to join in the coming days.
“The establishment of a Conservative hunting and angling caucus is an exciting opportunity to advance the issues surrounding conservation, habitat and enhancement of fish and game while engaging the millions of Canadians who enjoy the great outdoors!” said Blain Calkins, MP for Wetaskiwin.
During the meeting the caucus set out the goals of the caucus and discussed outreach to Canada’s hunting, angling and trapping community. The Conservative government has been addressing many issues that concern hunters such as eliminating the long-gun registry and recently established the hunting and angling advisory panel to ensure the government and the Minister of the Environment are kept well informed. The panel was a 2011 campaign promise that has now been kept. The Hunting and Angling caucus is one step more on behalf of this important part of Canada’s Conservation community.
“This caucus group is another clear example that Conservative Members of Parliament are not just looking out for the interests of conservationists, Hunters, Anglers and Trappers, but we are conservationists, hunters, and trappers”, said MP Leef “Protecting Canada’s strong hunting and angling heritage is paramount to ensuring our country’s conservation regime never fades from the hearts and minds of the common people in the House of Commons. I am proud to bring Yukon’s perspective to this invaluable caucus initiative. We owe great thanks to MP Sopuck and MP Calkins for initiating this significant and long overdue group, a first in Canadian Parliament.”
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