The Tahltan First Nation has joined guide outfitters in B.C. in a class action lawsuit against the provincial government’s ban on grizzly bear hunting.
In 2017, the NDP government banned trophy hunting for grizzly bears, and then followed that up with a ban on hunting grizzlies for food as well.
In a class action lawsuit filed in BC Supreme Court Wednesday, December 20, guide outfitters say the ban was implemented without consultation, and are now seeking compensation from the provincial government.
The class action suit is being led by Ron Fleming, owner of Love Bros & Lee outfitters.
“The government has pulled the rug out from under guide outfitters – without any consultation,” he said in a news release. “To suggest we can just retrain to other businesses or move to the city is absurd and disrespectful of rural communities.”
The ban has had an impact on 245 outfitters in B.C., the outfitters in the class action suit say.
As for the Tahltan, it says the ban was not based on sound wildlife conservation principles.
“The Grizzly Bear hunting ban decision by the province was made without consulting the Tahltan Nation and many other important stakeholders,” Chad Norman Day, president of the Tahltan Central Government, said in a press release. “It has hurt our people culturally, economically and put many of British Columbia's communities and dwindling ungulate and salmon populations at further risk.
“We support the efforts taken to hold the province accountable for this very irresponsible, counter-productive and dangerous decision. Wildlife management decisions in British Columbia need to be based on science and best wildlife and conservation practices."
