On June 2, Parliamentarians from across Canada and spanning all parties gathered in Stittsville, Ontario for the 4th Annual Parliamentary Outdoor Caucus Shooting Day. With approximately 60 Members of the Parliament (MP) in attendance, along with many of their senior staffers, the event served as a forum for MPs to discuss conservation and economic benefits derived from Canada’s hunting and recreational shooting community. Numerous firearm importers, wholesalers and expert firearms instructors joined the MPs and their staffers for a day of sport shooting.
Instrumental in the founding of the Parliamentary Outdoor Caucus and the establishment of the Shooting Day was Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) Board of Directors member Phil Morlock of Shimano American Corporation. MP Garry Breitkreuz, who was also in attendance, played a pivotal role in the formation of the Caucus, and served as the first ever Caucus Co-Chair in 2006. MP Breitkreuz has not only championed pro-sportsmen’s legislation in the Parliament, but he has also helped grow the Caucus into a successful group of pro-sportsmen MPs.
Along with Morlock and the Outdoor Caucus Association of Canada, the shoot was hosted by Tony Bernardo, the Canadian Shooting Sports Association, and the Canadian Sporting Arms and Ammunition Association.
Studies conducted at both the state and federal level have found that the number of hunters and trappers have been on a generally declining trend over the past several decades. To increase recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) of hunters and trappers, which initiative do you think would have the greatest impact?
