ISKWEO, okay this is where i am going to suggest that if you are going to make statements like that, that you take the time to educate yourself on what Ontario Parks is all about, what their directives are and what my rights are. I will make it easy and provide you with the tools to do this. Please note, it's some heavy reading but i'll give you some shortcuts along the way.
First, i have spent 6 years as the most active advocate for WCPP. In doing so, I myself have become educated on what is and what is not allowed. I do not speak out of turn, rather i investigate facts, and then respond accordingly. If you believe that locals are so fed up with "me" or "this", please state your sources and specific examples. Failure to do so just stirs the pot even more and i'm sure that's not what anyone wants.
Second, if you think Ontario Parks and WCPP was never intended to be a business opportunity, you are sadly mistaken. Please have a look at this document. It provides everything you will ever want to know about WCPP, how it operates, it's guidelines and what policies it's' bound by.
http://files.ontario.ca/environment-and-energy/parks-and-protected-areas/mnr_bpp0407.pdf
There are 4 principles that guide WCPP, tourism and recreation and tourism is one of them. You can read more about that in the document. I've provided some specific quotes as well....
11.13 - Tourism and Recreation - "Two of the four objectives set out in Ontario’s Living Legacy Land Use Strategy are: to recognize the land use needs of the tourism industry; and, to enhance angling, hunting and other Crown land recreation opportunities. Further, the land use strategy recognizes the signature site as having extremely significant tourism and recreation potential that merits increased planning, management and promotion. "
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5.0 - Woodland Caribou Provincial Park Management Plan (page 5 of the plan)
"The four objectives of the Ontario Provincial Parks system are: protection, heritage appreciation, recreation and tourism. As a wilderness class park, Woodland Caribou Provincial Park will contribute to these through the following park objectives:
- Protect the wilderness values for which the park was created
- Support or enhance ecological health
- Protect and support a healthy population of forest-dwelling woodland caribou
- Protect provincially significant natural features I Protect cultural heritage features
- Provide a range of backcountry tourism andrecreation opportunities where it is consistent with wilderness values and resource capacities
- Support existing facility-based tourism where it is compatible with protection objectives. "
This is just the beginning. Further reading will provide everyone with a clear understanding that tourism, is indeed a large part of what Ontario Parks is all about. I sit as a director for Sunset Country tourism. We represent hundreds of lodges and fishing camps across Northwestern Ontario. Hundreds of Thousands of Provincial dollars are spent annually to market to North America and Europe to showcase what we have and bring people over. Do you think that money is spent because there is not an agenda to generate business and $$$?
Lastly, some people in that office have acted in a "rogue" manner with proven, consistent bias and operating in bad faith. It's not hearsay, rather it's a fact. It's been proven, steps have needed to be taken against it. All of this is on file with the District office in Thunder Bay so please, unless you are privy to the same information as all those involved in this situation, do not state that I am in the wrong. I am not. Voicing an opinion is obviously healthy, and encouraged, but I speak from fact.
I hope some take the time to read this document.
