This proposal is completely…

This proposal is completely misguided. It is not okay to make such changes just so that a few individuals can earn a few more bucks. You are proposing an increase in the number of killed sentient beings here, not the trade of inanimate objects.

I would like to know how many licensed fur dealers you are talking about, and how many licensed trappers there are in Ontario. Your proposal doesn’t provide any data so we can’t get a sense of scope. It seems to me the changes could have serious consequences for animal welfare for the following reasons.

Reducing reporting requirements for fur dealers: if the Ministry no longer receives reports, how can you ensure compliance with humane trapping standards and environmental protections? How can you fulfill your mandate if you don’t know what’s going on? This would remove all transparency and public accountability. This proposed change is completely unacceptable.

Expand methods for killing trapped furbearing animals: pistols are NOT accurate like rifles are, the risk of errors is greatly increased, you are turning a blind eye to the very real possibility that animals will suffer even more being shot IN THE DARK with pistols. This proposed change is completely unacceptable.

Permit trapping of beavers on Crown land during the closed season: poor beaver, our Canadian symbol, a keystone species crucial to ecosystems but completely misunderstood and disrespected by authorities, trapped and killed on the mere presumption of maybe perhaps potentially eventually inflicting property or infrastructure damage at some point. It’s a closed season, don’t make it an open season all year round, that amounts to persecution! This proposed change is completely unacceptable.

Allow the sale of raw beaver castoreum: this is highly controversial and it’s shocking to read that you are actually willing to facilitate the trade of this substance. There are many alternatives instead of castoreum for food flavoring, after much public outrage in the past. This change could reignite the whole thing. And what if an export market like China wants it? The demand could be huge and lead to lots more beavers being killed. This proposed change is completely unacceptable.

Also, you do not provide any evidence to substantiate your claim that environmental consequences of these regulatory changes are “minimal”. How can we evaluate impacts without any documentation? Where’s the transparency?

The existing regulations are good as they are, this proposal is going completely in the wrong direction. Fur has been or is being banned in many places and doesn’t have public support anymore. Fur dealers should NOT be given more economic opportunities but less, it needs to be phased out. The majority of Ontarians love all animals (not just their pets) and don’t want to see more animals lives put at risk for the sake of buzzwords like “streamlining” and “reducing admin burdens”. The majority of Ontarians do not even support trapping and hunting, except when done by Aboriginals. Please reverse course and leave things as they are.