The CNTA needs your support, and Trappers need the CNTA!

The Canadian National Trappers Alliance, with a founding membership comprised of provincial and territorial trapper associations, came into being on June 12 and 13 1996. Canadian trappers have long recognized that a strong national trappers’ association with trappers speaking for trappers is necessary. This need was recognized in 1996 when the Canadian Trapper Federation and Trappers Alliance joined together to form the CNTA. 

The need for a strong voice speaking for trappers has changed since 1996. The need is even greater today than it was then; this need will only get greater in the years to come. Some of the issues affecting trappers and the industry are different than they were in 1996, but many are the same and continue to plague us as managers of a natural resource.

The CNTA has been working with the best interest of trappers in mind ever since it’s inception in 1996. The CNTA was at the table during the European Union (EU) regulation 3254/91 negotiations, which would have banned fur imports from Canada into the EU. The CNTA was part of three North American delegations to the EU to gather facts, to share information, and to REPRESENT Canadian trappers. The CNTA was in San Francisco when our support was needed for the ratification of the EU agreement. The CNTA was at the table during the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) trap standard process. The CNTA has been and still is at the table for every major issue that my affect Canadian trappers. 

Although, the CNTA has not received the support from Canadian trappers that it deserves, we have continued to represent trappers from all areas of Canada without exception. We have nickel and dimmed our way to meetings, conference calls and travel arrangements. I think it is important for trappers to be reminded that the CNTA is completely made up of volunteers. Some of these people, work countless hours, spend days away from there families, and use personal vacation on issues that my effect trappers and hunters in one way or another at home or nationally. These people deserve your support and recognition. I think it is very important for trappers to realize that most of us that continue to fight the ever growing battle to protect your way of life, do so because of our love for nature and the peace that comes with being a trapper out on the trap line. Most of us would like nothing better than to be able to go to our trap lines, check our traps, return to or cabins at night, prepare our furs for market and not have to think about what is coming next from the Animal Rights groups that keep trying to put us out of business. That being said, if we all took that approach we would be out of business in a very short time.  Changes to Ministers of Natural Resources, both provincial and federal have resulted in more and more changes to regulations than ever before, most of which are not positive for trappers. Without a united voice like the CNTA the 60,000 trappers left in Canada do not stand much of a chance in the political arena, especially in light of current public opinion. 

It is important for all trappers to realize that the fate of the CNTA, the only all trapper organization in Canada that speaks for trappers is in your hands. The time has come for trappers to make a very important decision. You need to ask your self, is $25.00 per year, or look at it another way, one raccoon too much to ask to have a national voice speaking on trapper issues.  Is it too much to ask to have a national voice fighting to keep you trapping so you can take your children or grandchildren out on the trap line and teach them the respect for nature that comes from being a trapper. Think about this for a minute, if five years from now if trapping is banned as it is in some states in the USA, would you say, “OH well $25.00 dollars per year was way to much to save trapping and the way of life I loved”! I would hope not. And don’t forget to think about the respect for the animals that would be lost if we did not have trappers looking after them and their habitat. I hate to think of the day, and it will come very quickly if we loose trapping when we as Canadians are calling all of our furbearers a nuisance. 

Please, take a minute to fill out the membership attached and send it to Stu Jansson, PO Box 49, Great Falls MB, R0E-0V0. 

I will make this promise; give the CNTA your support and you will not be disappointed.
 

Yours in Trapping,

Randy Mersereau
President CNTA