page 4 Over the Edge Dec 6, 1995 Editorial

EDITORIAL

bY pauL berarD

I would like to open this week
by letting you know the results we
received from the survey that we
placed in our last issue. We had
hoped that your answers would pro-
vide us with where we should head
with the paper. While response was
minimal, we did receive some re-
sponse from the student body,
which I would like to thank you for
up front.

Most of the replies that
came in noted a marked improve-
ment in the quality of the paper, but
also stated that there was room for
improvement. Most people ex-
pressed an interest in more News
and Human Interest articles. Some
concerns that were expressed to us
were that there was a “gratuitous
use of the F-word.”,and we repre-
sented a very “unprofessional” and
“unintelligent” light of the student

body at UNBC.

Other people felt that the
letters to the Editor dealt with is-
sues that were inappropriate, giv-
ing us an ability to defend Over
The Edge from the onslaught of
“Morons” writing poor articles.

Well, I feel that we have a
chance to express your opinions
this month, as submissions from
the student body have increased
substantially. Hopefully this is a
trend which will continue and we
will be able to produce a better
paper, as well as address your
concerns more fully.

Also, a great many events
took place on campus this week.
There was the Student Services
dinner which was designed to rise
a sense of unity, which the presi-
dent, Mister Jago himself, re-
quested that faculty members try

to attend. Attendance by faculty
members was very poor. Jago was
unable to make it himself, but his
wife did attend in his stead.

Score one point for Jago,
faculty zero.

I hope that you will enjoy
this edition of Over The Edge.
We’ve worked extra hard to pro-
duce a quality paper for you this
Christmas complete with our mas-
cot, the Mad Tree, in his first full
length cartoon, a review of several
local bands, various views of
Christmas, a look at a controversial
document “a la Internet” and many,
many, many other issues.

So, have yourself a very
merry,(and safe), Christmas, from
all of us here at the Over The Edge
office!

POISON PEN

by Ian Lorenz

It was sometime last year when I
met two guys in a local bar.

From their accent I quickly
surmised they were from the United
States and bought them a beer as I
will often so with tourists coming
to our country. I asked them that
brought them to Canada, and in a
drawl that would make any Texan
proud, they said, “We came up here
to shoot one of those them bears
yall got.” My eyes widened.

“Gonna put his head on
my wall,” said the other.

I took the beers I had
bought them back. In measured
tones, I explained them that shoot-
ing bears for any reason is wrong. I
said that now that the Americans
had killed all their own bears they
were now coming to Canada to take
our wildlife. I finished the conver-
sation by saying we didn’t need that
kind of tourism and they were not
welcome here.

‘Bears aré beautiful and
awesome creatures. I have been
within six feet of a bear and it is an
experience that will stay with me
for the rest of my life. I find it
shameful that people would hunt
these animals, especially for sport.
There is no glory in hunting such a
powerful and sacred animal. The
government should not be issuing
licenses to hunt bears to anyone,
especially foreigners. B. C.’s wild-
life belongs to us all and should be
left where all can enjoy it.

Although it angers me to
see bears killed legally in this prov-
ince, what gets me the most is those

so contemptible, so wicked, and
so uncaring that they would
slaughter bears by the most cruel
methods for profit. Poaching is
big business in B. C. and it must
stop before we lose our bears.
Those of you who do not believe
we may lose our bears forever to
unscrupulous poachers are delud-
ing yourselves.

Consider that at the turn
of the century there were over 100
000 tigers in India. Today they are
on the endangered species list as
there are under 5 000 left in the
wild. Consider the fact that the
black bears once roamed from
Canada to Mexico (Yes, I said
Mexico). Today, the only bears
that exist south of Canada are in
National Parks because they were
hunted out of existence every-
where else. Poaching is a serious
threat to our wildlife and our en-
vironment.

The demand for bear
parts originates in Asia where the
local population believe that the
gall bladder, genitals, and paws
have medicinal properties. In
Asia, gall bladders can sell for up
to $20 000 and paws for as much
as $17 000. Trade in bear parts
was made illegal under a Wild-
life Act amendment in 1993.
However, fines are still far too
low (and considered by many
poachers as simply a cost of do-
ing business) and enforcement far
too lax. British Columbia has only
130 conservation officers to cover
the whole province. Obviously

they can’t be everywhere at once.

Poachers use the most in-
humane methods possible to kill
bears and care nothing about the
balance of nature or the conse-
quences of their actions. Fines are
low and poachers rarely get jail
time. This is a crime against all the
citizens of Canada and should be
dealt with much more harshly than
it presently is. I would like to see
all poachers that are caught be given
a minimum 500 000 dollar fine,
minimum six months in jail, and at
least 2 000 community service
hours to be completed exclusively
for the wildlife service. :

It is up to us all to save a
part of B. C.’s heritage. Every year
it is estimated that 3 500 bears are
killed illegally in B. C. Alone. Then
add to this the 100’s that are taken
legally. Tell the government that
you will not stand for the squander-
ing of YOUR wildlife.

It is illegal to possess, traf-
fic in or export bear parts whether
the animal was killed legally or not.
This is a goad step but it is far too
small. Bears need better enforce-
ment of existing laws and harsher
penalties for those who rape our
forest and wildlife.

If you know of anyone
hunting bears legally, tell them to
stop.

If you know of someone
hunting bears illegally, turn them
in...and then go trash their house.

Over The Edge presents

A Christmas Raffle

Ist Prize:
Image in White Limo Ride
&
Rosel's Gift Certificate
(Approx. Value: $140)

2nd Prize:
McDonald's Gift Certificate
& |
Hollywood Movie Vouchers
(Approx. Value: $35 x 2)

3rd Prize:
Nu-Tech Gift Basket
(Approx. Value: $30)

Draw Date: January 26, 1996
Cost: $5 each
Only 400 tickets will be sold!

Buy yours today
at the Over The Edge Office!

Please note:
Tickets #121-130
Were stolen,
So do NOT buy those Tickets.

SUB-CON

ENTERPRI
LTD.

ALR. #6, Ske 12, Comp. 44
Prince Georges, B.C. V2N 46