Hunters fear legislation will threaten traditional practices

Assembly of First Nations passes resolution opposing bill to strengthen gun control

By Alexandra Mehl – Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Bill C-21, gun control legislation that is currently being considered in Ottawa, was intended to address firearm violence and strengthen laws by controlling handguns and assault rifles. In late November, the Liberal party proposed amendments to the bill that would impact hunters with its broader scope of banning rifles.

At the beginning of February, the amendment that would include some long guns and rifles used for hunting had been withdrawn, though it has been speculated that is only temporary.

For Moy Sutherland Sr. of Ahousaht, he understands the hurt that is associated with gun violence. However, he explains that this legislation impacts people who are honorable with firearms.

“[The] main priority in our life is not for criminal activity, it’s for hunting,” said Sutherland Sr.

He’s been hunting for over 65 years to provide food for his family and community. Sutherland Sr. started out in his youth observing his father and brothers when they would hunt.

Hunting was something that always brought him and his family together, a way to connect to their culture as a family utilizing traditional fishing, hunting, and harvesting practices.

The first time Sutherland Sr. shot a deer he was hunting with his father at age 17. His father explained that this would be the last time the boy would watch him field dress a deer.

His father said to him, “from here on in, you are going to always going to work on your own animal,” explained Sutherland Sr. “Every animal you get is your responsibility to work on it that way.”

Sutherland Sr. has gone on to share his knowledge of hunting with his children. His son got his first animal when he was old enough to work on it himself, he explained. Just as Sutherland Sr. had learned, his son would learn to carry firearms and bow and arrows safely, always treating rifles as though there is ammunition in them. Safety was a priority for Sutherland Sr.

“Firearms regulations are always developed by people who automatically think of it as a necessity of criminal life to have firearms and anybody who has firearms is potentially a criminal and that’s why the laws are created the way that they do them,” said Sutherland Sr. “They forget about us people that live the way that we do hunting and fishing, what those firearms mean to us to supply food for our family and community.”

When a community member or a family member is struggling with an illness or a loss, Sutherland Sr explains that he helps by offering them traditional food that has been hunted.

Sam Haiyupis, an Ahousaht member, has been hunting since he was roughly 13 years old.

Just as Sutherland Sr., Haiyupus started his hunting journey as an observer of his father and brothers getting bigger animals such as deer or bear. To this day, Haiyupus contin-