Part of the Conservative Election Platform

[Bogger]

I commend the effort that being said I have about as much faith in the Canadian Govt as I doo in that snowball makin it back from hell. The less the Govt has to doo with sledding the better off we will be. I wish they had a no confidence box on the ballots it would better reflect the best choice come vote day. Like I said before Lawyers and politicians should be used for fill where poor trail conditions are present. IMHO :d

I feel much the same..... problem is the government hands out money to the loudest special interest groups... and history has shown that we sit back quietly while the evironmental extremists and a slew of other minority special interest groups collect funds and direct a portion of those funds to shut us down......

Not saying it will work, but speaking out can't hurt...

 

[riffrraffing]

Funny thing...I didn't see anywhere in the letter the issues of the Valemont RCMP targeting AB plates. LOL

 

[Summiteer]

Funny thing...I didn't see anywhere in the letter the issues of the Valemont RCMP targeting AB plates. LOL

That there is funny.....

 

[OOC ZigZag]

I feel much the same..... problem is the government hands out money to the loudest special interest groups... and history has shown that we sit back quietly while the evironmental extremists and a slew of other minority special interest groups collect funds and direct a portion of those funds to shut us down......

Not saying it will work, but speaking out can't hurt...

I know Bogger sorry for being a downer but really I don't have faith in our Govt. I have signed it and forwarded to my mla and MP. I doo support your effort however I am a realist and the failings of our Govt is nothing new. Any monies they give will come with a price EG non motorized trail. Actions speak loud how about a protest ride demonstrating how little area we have to ride for backcountry in SW AB. How about encircle the provincial bldg in Edmonton with nothing but sled trailers trucks with decks and sleds on. Point out to the AB peeps how badly we have been screwed over and how the Govt dictates where and when we ride and the poor excuse for areas we have. I have said it since I have joined snow and mud that we need to unite all the clubs and assosiations to have a voice equal to those who go against us like the Sierra Club. As long as we remain a bunch of individuals the easier it will be for them to pick us off. Ohhhh that calls for a few

 

[Bogger]

I agree with it all.......

I know Bogger sorry for being a downer but really I don't have faith in our Govt. I have signed it and forwarded to my mla and MP. I doo support your effort however I am a realist and the failings of our Govt is nothing new. Any monies they give will come with a price EG non motorized trail. Actions speak loud how about a protest ride demonstrating how little area we have to ride for backcountry in SW AB. How about encircle the provincial bldg in Edmonton with nothing but sled trailers trucks with decks and sleds on. Point out to the AB peeps how badly we have been screwed over and how the Govt dictates where and when we ride and the poor excuse for areas we have. I have said it since I have joined snow and mud that we need to unite all the clubs and assosiations to have a voice equal to those who go against us like the Sierra Club. As long as we remain a bunch of individuals the easier it will be for them to pick us off. Ohhhh that calls for a few

 

[Bogger]

Here is a better worded letter, I did not know the Trans Canada Trail was largely restricted to non-motorized as it was touched on many times at the ASA AGM by fred..... Hmmmmmmm... so I took that part out. I left out the helmet point frankly because I'm still on the fence, I see both sides and realistically that is not my concern here.... watch any alberta highway on a long weekend, what do you see????? campers, trailers, Quads, Quads & more Quads....and in the winter every weekend sleds everywhere.... yet we are portrayed as "an evil few".... and that is because we have allowed ourselves to be ignored, we whine online and to each other but we don't make a stand, given the response to this thread maybe Bart is right maybe it's a lost cause and complacency will reign, maybe our sport is dying.... but WTF heres another letter anyhow....

To Whom It May Concern:


I am writing to you today as an average Canadian voter who, like many others, enjoys the variety of outdoor activities this great country has to offer in all seasons. I am one of many citizens who choose to live and play outside the growing urban centres and I feel that my basic rights to access of public lands is being taken away piece by piece. Snowmobiling is a truly Canadian form of recreation, it originated here as a means of winter transportation which has now evolved into a widely practiced pastime and multi-billion dollar industry. OHV’s allow users access to public lands otherwise out of reach. I have not researched the numbers but common sense and observation tell me I am not alone in my values and beliefs. OHV dealerships, parts providers and outdoor suppliers are flourishing and enthusiasts supply small towns throughout the country with much needed economic stimulation. Many Canadians spend their weekends camping, ATV-ing, sledding, boating, fishing and a magnitude of other activities which this great country of ours has to offer. I pose a challenge to our political representatives;

 To acknowledge the rights and liberties of the “average Canadian outdoors enthusiasts” and provide increased funding to the development and maintenance of multiuse infrastructure for Canadian families to enjoy.
 To increase funding for non profit provincial associations such as the ASA and the AOHVA in Alberta who represent OHV users and have achieved great things despite the sea of red tape that pollutes the current bureaucratic landscape, and very little financial funding.

I strongly believe that OHV registration fees should be re-invested into the funding options identified above, for these fees to enter general revenue used to develop and maintain infrastructure which we are not permitted to operate our OHV’s on is an obvious mismanagement of revenue, a tax grab if you will. I want a representative who will promote my right to lifestyle and recreation and the associations which represent me with the same vigour and tenacity as the many minority groups who vocally demand their rights be met. OHV users are of all ages and walks of life, however the vast majority of us fall into the upper middle class who work too hard and value our recreation time too much to mount vocal public protests to further our cause. I challenge you to recognize the silent majority who for years have been overshadowed by the vocal minorities.

Thank you,

 

[Trax 2 Treadz]

Every time a election comes around whether it be municipal, provincial or federal I always urge the guys in my shop to get out and vote as there is a lot of apathy out there. The common retort is usually along the lines it will not make a difference anyways so why should I. But the right to vote is a right earned for us by previous generations that allows us to have our say and you never know, your vote may make a difference. At the very least the way I view it is that by casting my vote I have earned the right till the next election comes along to complain about the government.

 

[Bogger]

TTT....

I'd hoped to see a lot more people respond saying they have or intend to send off a few letters, whether they be a copy of mine or one of your own creation...I've sent 3 out so far...

I gave copies to all the AB Beach snowmobile club executive at the meeting and would like to think that we can collectively at least be noticed...

I think everyone should join a club too but this takes 5 mins and costs $0.59 or email is free if you have access to one of them there computer thingies....

 

[Summiteer]

TTT....

I'd hoped to see a lot more people respond saying they have or intend to send off a few letters, whether they be a copy of mine or one of your own creation...I've sent 3 out so far...

I gave copies to all the AB Beach snowmobile club executive at the meeting and would like to think that we can collectively at least be noticed...

I think everyone should join a club too but this takes 5 mins and costs $0.59 or email is free if you have access to one of them there computer thingies....

This is a good initiative Bogger. Speaking as a quadder and a sledder one problem I have is that you are lumping all OHV users into one group. The fact is that The snowmobiling community have been active as a group for thirty odd years building and maintaining trail systems, many of which are not suitable for wheeled ohv use as is evident from the time and money that the snowmobile club has to invest every year to repair the damage caused by quads. If the government sees all motorized recreational users as one group we will be expected to share the money and the trails. Until the quadding community organizes and reaches the same level of responsibility and participation, the two user groups should remain distinct.

 

[mallard d69]

i have printed off the letter and fully intend to sign and sent it off just not 100% sure where to send it. i am also sending it to family members asking them if they will do the same.

the more people we can get to send it the better.

 

[sumsupport]

Personalized a bit and Done! Thanks Bogger for the letter.

 

[Bogger]

This is a good initiative Bogger. Speaking as a quadder and a sledder one problem I have is that you are lumping all OHV users into one group. The fact is that The snowmobiling community have been active as a group for thirty odd years building and maintaining trail systems, many of which are not suitable for wheeled ohv use as is evident from the time and money that the snowmobile club has to invest every year to repair the damage caused by quads. If the government sees all motorized recreational users as one group we will be expected to share the money and the trails. Until the quadding community organizes and reaches the same level of responsibility and participation, the two user groups should remain distinct.

I totally agree... but my theory is stregnth in numbers and unfortunately to most politicians OHV's are OHV's period. The letter is fully editable for those who are passionate about the divide which by the way I feel is full substanciated after seeing the work of the sled club as opposed to the quad club in our area. Whitecourt is in my voting district so a copy was sent to your MLA by me as well, I must commend the Whitecourt area volunteers and supporters because seeing the eagle ridge area was one of my motivators for deciding to stir things up....

 

[sumsupport]

Can I say WOW!! Please do not take any of the following as a direct quote from Mr. Lund, it is just my take on our conversation.

I included my phone number in my e-mail, and just got a call from Ty Lund, our MLA. He reported that he appreciates the letter, but felt he should warn me it is an uphill battle. One he wants to fight, but it's going to be tough. Said they are hearing more and more, particularly from urban areas, about all the damage we are doing to the high country/west country. He feels that less than 5% are causing the damage, and does not want to see everyone punished for what they are doing, but it sounds like an intense fight.

He said when he was Environment Minister, they charged someone who had been caught ripping up and down a valley along a waterway, and once the sod was broken through, had made quite a mess of things. When it went to court, the judge threw it out because they couldn't prove it was them that had done all the damage. The case never had been about them doing all the damage, just that they were doing damage.

This lack of accountability is what makes it easy for the urbanites to shut us all down. We can't charge any one specific for the damage, so let's cancel all random camping and shut down the west country to motorized vehicles, is their mentality. And so, he says that while he is VERY opposed to shutting areas down, this is the battle we are facing.

Ty Lund is also in favor of a fee that we pay to maintain trails etc. out there, but he is against a fee that all ATV registrants would pay, as he is concerned about charging those who use their machine for work, for a service they don't need and don't want to pay for. I think he's wrong, but I can see his point. It would be interesting to know how many registered ATV's are used for work and how many for recreation. He also said that the money taken in currently from registrations is peanuts compared to what is already spent out there, but I didn't ask what that money is currently spent on, or where.

Sorry for the length here, but I was super impressed to get a response at all, never mind such a fast response, and wanted to share.

 

[Bogger]

Thats awesome, regardless of the negativity, you still got a response and a general indication that he is willing to support an "uphill fight"

I strongly feel that the more discussion and supporters of the cause political figures hear from the harder it is for them to ignore the fact that our collective numbers are strong.... we need to publicly show that 95% of OHV users are responsible family orientated folks...

good deal..... :d:d

 

[OOC ZigZag]

Sleds don't chew up chit and we are being put in the same catagory as ATV's. The less we are associated with equipment that has enviro impact the better our chances of opening terrain to sled use only like Catteract Etherington area. People are complaining about huge bush parties a bunch of mess and ATV's and 4x4 trucks rutting and creating erosion courses( Indian Graves ring a bell). I belive thats what peeps are complaining about. We are a backcountry recreational group that have little to no enviro impact so we should have our own set of rules that apply. We are a group that leaves no physical marks on the actual ground surface no erosion paths so there should be alot more terrain available than there presently is. We need to point out to the public that we are very enviro friendly cause we are and to say sledders aren't is a false statement. This winter most tracks were covered the following day with all the new snowfall so you would never know the area had been rode the day before. We are the lightest treading motorized component of all the backcountry users we need to promote ourselves this way. I would say I like the sustaining our Canadian heritage and that it was a big part of this countries development and is a big part of our winter enjoyment today as Canadians. So give us some more areas back:d

ps

Sorry about the spelling but ever since I read Overkill1313's signature I don't give a chit.:d

 

[Bogger]

I don't dispute what you are saying, but I figure grouping all OHV's together to garner as much support as possible is a good start...once recognized we can work out details....

53K registered sleds in AB VS 120+K registered quads......

53K should be enough... but we are too quiet....

 

[OOC ZigZag]

I don't dispute what you are saying, but I figure grouping all OHV's together to garner as much support as possible is a good start...once recognized we can work out details....

53K registered sleds in AB VS 120+K registered quads......

53K should be enough... but we are too quiet....

I don't think we want to group the sledders with the rest of the OHV's we are a breed apart and our impact is as well. There is nothing but bitchin and bad attitudes about ATV's in Southern AB so why lump ourselves in with an uphill battle. Promote how much we are not like them and how little we impact and we will end up further ahead at the end of the day and we might have alot smaller hill to deal with.:d

 

[Bogger]

I don't think we want to group the sledders with the rest of the OHV's we are a breed apart and our impact is as well. There is nothing but bitchin and bad attitudes about ATV's in Southern AB so why lump ourselves in with an uphill battle. Promote how much we are not like them and how little we impact and we will end up further ahead at the end of the day and we might have alot smaller hill to deal with.:d

I would wager that 75% of sledders are quadders in the offseason so the battle for responsible use and access to all OHV's is the cause I have chosen.. if you choose to represent just sledders than I respect that and unfortunately can understand why... regardless no matter what your belief noise gets recognized and silent complacancy gets ignored....

 

[OOC ZigZag]

I would wager that 75% of sledders are quadders in the offseason so the battle for responsible use and access to all OHV's is the cause I have chosen.. if you choose to represent just sledders than I respect that and unfortunately can understand why... regardless no matter what your belief noise gets recognized and silent complacancy gets ignored....

Bogs your not gettin me. I ride 08 kxf 250 so I know that alot of sledders ride quads bikes ect however that sport has a bad rep for enviro damage. That being the case for ATV's is not the case for sleds. In the summer I climb a steep hill on my bike chances are the back tire is spinning and leaves a mark that will remain there and when it rains is a point of least resistance for water to travel and so an errosion area is created. In the winter I can climb a steep hill with the track spinning and the tracks I leave depending on area and snow conditions will last only a short time. That is the destinction I am making and that is how I stand behind the statement that we are the least impactive ussers of backcountry areas.JMHO Not into pizzin anybody associated with ATV's I love all outdoor motorized activities how ever if we can point out to enviro groups and Govt that we are as stated above we have grounds to request more access to the backcountry.:d

 

[Bogger]

your right...but I'm not just looking at backcountry access... I'm looking for our representitives to understand that our numbers are stong and that some of us want to be able to continue to ride from home without having to trailer everywhere, that money I pay for OHV registration should be put back into OHV infastructure, that for every land owner crying foul there are 10 OHV users who have rights and freedoms as well. Like I said I'm not opposed to what you are saying just focusing on a bigger picture, where you make your stand is a personal choice, just voice it....

Bogs your not gettin me. I ride 08 kxf 250 so I know that alot of sledders ride quads bikes ect however that sport has a bad rep for enviro damage. That being the case for ATV's is not the case for sleds. In the summer I climb a steep hill on my bike chances are the back tire is spinning and leaves a mark that will remain there and when it rains is a point of least resistance for water to travel and so an errosion area is created. In the winter I can climb a steep hill with the track spinning and the tracks I leave depending on area and snow conditions will last only a short time. That is the destinction I am making and that is how I stand behind the statement that we are the least impactive ussers of backcountry areas.JMHO Not into pizzin anybody associated with ATV's I love all outdoor motorized activities how ever if we can point out to enviro groups and Govt that we are as stated above we have grounds to request more access to the backcountry.:d