moved that Bill C-501, An Act respecting a National Hunting, Trapping and Fishing Heritage Day, be read the second time and referred to a committee.

Mr. Speaker, I am more than pleased to rise in the House today to address Bill C-501, which would formally designate the third Saturday in September every year as Canada's national hunting, trapping and fishing heritage day.

Formal designation of a national hunting, trapping and fishing heritage day is a federal commemoration of an important aspect of our national history and heritage. These activities are part of our country's heritage and are still enjoyed today by many Canadians. Our government is committed to supporting commemorations and celebrations recognizing that they contribute to the identify, cohesion and sense of belonging of Canadians. Commemoration does not solely deal with the past. Who and what we choose to commemorate as a country speaks volumes about who we are and who we aspire to be in the future.

In 2017, we will be celebrating Canada's 150th anniversary of Confederation. In the lead-up to that celebration it is important that Canadians know about, appreciate and celebrate our history and their traditions that help define who we are as Canadians today. Hunting, trapping and fishing were an integral part of the life of Canada's aboriginal peoples and our first settlers. Fertile soil and crystal clear streams, rivers, lakes and oceans, meant that wild game and fish were abundant across this great territory.

Hunting, trapping and the availability of fish determined where people settled. Hunting trapping and fishing were the first forms of trade and currency and formed the very backbone of Canada's financial structures. Hunting, trapping and fishing helped set the tone as well as the direction of our economic and social development. These activities allowed for the establishment of partnerships between aboriginal peoples and European settlers. From a historical perspective, fur trading played a key role in the creation and exploration of North America and formed the basis of Canada's early economy, an economy today that is one of the most stable in the world today.

I echo the Speech from Throne in stating:

Since Canada’s earliest days, our economy has been built on our abundant natural resources. Directly and indirectly, the natural resource sector employs 1.8 million Canadians, many in skilled, high-paying jobs. Resource development generates 30 billion dollars annually in revenue that supports health care, education and programs Canadians cherish.

Recreational fishing and hunting are important to the tourism and natural resource sector. Numerous jobs can be credited directly to hunting, trapping and fishing. Guides, restaurants, lodges, hotels, outfitters, recreational vehicle manufacturers and vendors and many others all rely heavily on hunters, trappers and recreational anglers for their livelihoods.

Hunting, trapping and fishing and the tourism generated by these activities are vital to sustaining some of our country's most remote areas by creating jobs for Canadians. From the Great Lakes to the mountains on Canada's west coast and to the farthest reaches of the north, these pursuits continue to draw people together and entice tourists to visit our country. These outdoor activities are vital to the livelihood of Canada's northern communities, on both cultural and economic levels. Many Canadians living in northern regions rely on hunting, trapping and fishing for their very survival and to fuel their economies by attracting more than 400,000 visitors each year as Canada's north has some of the world's best hunting and fishing opportunities.

The fur trade in Canada contributes over $800 million to Canada's gross domestic product. The fur trade in our country composes over 60,000 trappers, which includes 25,000 aboriginals, 5,000 fur farmers, manufacturers, dressers, retailers and others.

We cannot forget the people in Atlantic Canada who rely on the sealing industry. Sealing is a time honoured tradition that allows people to provide for their families. In isolated villages where people have limited opportunities for employment, sealing can provide up to 35% of their annual income. Sealing is a renewable resource that provides excellent pelts for clothing, meat for consumption and oil that is rich in Omega fatty acid, a natural supplement.

Anglers contributed a total of $8.3 billion to various local economies in Canada's provinces and territories in 2010. Recreational fishing is on the rise in our nation. More Canadian adults fish than the total who play golf and hockey combined. In 2010, almost 300,000 more anglers bought a resident fishing licence than in 2005. This amounts to more than an 11.3% increase in just five years.

By supporting Bill C-501, the Government of Canada is in line with similar provincial legislation already in place in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and British Columbia. These provincial recognition efforts provide opportunities for Canadians to come together and remind them about the recreational and economic value of these activities, as well as the importance of acting as stewards of our natural environment for the benefit of future generations.

I can mention only a few organizations, most of which I belong to.

The first one is the Safari Club International. SCI is a conservation-based organization that is frequented by hunters who travel all around this world, ensuring that the dollars they spend on hunting and fishing go toward conservation. I am also a member of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, which is again a conservation-based hunting and fishing organization. I am also a member of the Quinte elk restoration. Today, near the wonderful community of Bancroft, we now have one of the largest herds of elk in eastern Canada.

The Lake Ontario Atlantic salmon restoration efforts occur primarily because of a company called Banrock Station Wines, which has partnered with the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, the OFAH, universities and Fleming College, and we are now introducing an indigenous species of salmon to Lake Ontario: the Atlantic salmon. That is going very well.

It is worth noting that Bill C-501 would not impinge upon provincial or territorial jurisdiction for the regulation of these activities. The bill calls for a nationwide designation of a special day to commemorate the historical role of these traditional activities and to celebrate the part they play in Canada's heritage, social fabric and economy.

A national hunting, trapping and fishing heritage day would also be an occasion for Canadian hunters, trappers and anglers to raise awareness about the history of our great country and the role that these activities have played in the exploration and settlement of this country. It would be an opportunity to pass these on to future generations.

As I have already mentioned, this bill is important to me on a personal level. My grandfather, Narcisse Viens, was a trapper in northern Ontario. I vividly remember the countless trapping stories he would tell my sister, my brothers and me when we were younger. These are the stories I tell to this day when I go hunting or fishing with my friends and family in Ontario, Quebec or British Columbia.

This bill is a way for me to honour those who, like my grandfather, left their mark on Canada's history and whose memories are etched in the minds of their children and grandchildren.

Hunting, trapping and fishing are not only important to families like mine, but to countless millions of Canadians from the very beginning of this country's settlement to the present day.

I readily recall the joy my father, Ben, and I have when our children are at the hunt camp or sitting in a boat, waiting for that big one to bite. These outdoor activities are not only a time of family togetherness but are part of our DNA. It is who we really are.

The formal designation of the third Saturday in September as an official national hunting, trapping and fishing heritage day would raise awareness among Canadians about the important contribution that our hunters, trappers and anglers have made to the settlement of our country, its economy and our identity.

The designation of this day will build on the independent spirit of those Canadians who engage in active recreation. It will encourage Canadians to learn more about our country's history and to travel the trails and waterways of our ancestors.

I ask that all hon. members support the designation of this day as a federal commemoration of an important aspect of our national history and heritage. It may be emotional for some people. It certainly is for this member, whose family has been hunting, trapping, and fishing for generations.

Rick Norlock

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