Dear Editor:
The Pioneer story Deer cull resumes, court costs compromised (February 13th Pioneer) is shocking for so many reasons.
IDPS does NOT owe money to the District of Invermere. The words used recoup, bad debt, owes the remainder, what is owed, and bad debt are not accurate. The petitioners were to pay costs at Scale B. The district submitted their bill to the Registrar Judge requesting payment of $14,656.61. The judge reduced the cost to $12,000 and IDPS paid in full.
The paper failed to read online documentation or question the mayors statements.
Now to the next topic the deer cull. The mayor said, The goal is to try and target the aggressive and problem deer… and try to make sure that the ones we do get count.
The Rod and Gun Club wrote in their letter to the district the thought of a cull does not sit well with anyone. This is especially true amongst our members.
The BC SPCA says it is opposed to the culling of deer when it cannot be performed humanely, and/or when there is no scientific justification for the cull. The head of WildsafeBC said recently in a CBC radio interview that deer are not dangerous animals.
IDPS thanks the compassionate citizens who supported, encouraged and funded us they are still with us, be it thoroughly intimidated, frustrated and heartbroken.
And now we must endure year-long killing in our town in a despicable version of an all-expense-paid canned hunt.
Gerry Warner, former councillor and journalist, apologized to Cranbrook citizens for lack of transparency: weve cowered behind closed doors and taken a bad situation and torqued it up into something infinitely worse.
If killing is humane, ethical, scientific, and effective why not publish everything? Why meet secretly and sneak around in backyards in the dark? Publish the permit, process, locations, and progress of this ongoing district operational work. We encourage citizens to step up now and express your opposition to this travesty complain FOR wildlife.
Devin Kazakoff
Invermere
