Quinte Fishing

Last night I got a call to help some folks collect spawn for the Springside Fish Hatchery in Napanee. We live in the area where the spawn was to be collected, so off to the park we go. My 13 year old was excited by the chance to learn this process, and watch the eggs hatch, etc....The excitement was short lived, as we were met at the lauch by several OPSEU picketers made up of atleast a few MNR employees. It was my understanding that as a fisherperson it would be in my best interest to help the walleye popluation in any way I can. Apparently I was wrong. Today I was expected to support a group of people that were preventing myself and others from doing what should have been a positive thing. When we asked why they weren't stopping the over-spearing taking place in that same spot, the response was "we're on strike". Well guys, I hope you live a long time on strike pay, cause without the fish, you won't be working anyway. This is one place you will get no support.

Wished I would have known, I would like to help out.

_________________
LG Mckeown ,Bacon&Eggs-- A lifes commitment for a pig and only a days work for a chicken!

This situation leaves me puzzled as to what and why OPSEU elected to protest an all volunteer, pro community activity. It does little to garner public support. I hope that someone comes clean from their org. and explains the rationale.

Questions are being asked rather quickly in the outdoor and regional community.

Someone from OPSEU... please explain this collective bargaining wisdom that befuddles..... and now thwarts the outdoor community? This tactic will errode your support, given that all 2 volunteer groups were picketed.
Tight Lines
Don Stokes

Yet another way the OPSEU protesting crew has prevented the community hatcheries and might very well be a couple of layoffs to its members.........

White Lake Fish Hatchery- no eggs, no fish, no jobs....very simple to understand

Tight Lines
Don Stokes

It kind of makes you wonder who the real problem is here doesn't it. The other thing I have to wonder about is why the picketers are happy collecting strike pay while the organization - OPSUE - and it's elective union reps are collecting their full pay. Really, what does the union care if these guys ever go back to work, no sweat off their pocket books. And like you said Don, who would support a group that thwarts the efforts of community volunteers trying to do what the MNR should have been doing in the first place. And, if there are no walleye in the B of Q, why do they keep taking spawn from here to stock lakes everywhere but here??? - Mad as the Devil

Everyone

On the morning of Sunday, April 14th, I was among the group of MNR fisheries technicians, conservation officers and biologists who established an OPSEU picket line at the Northport boat ramp. As you are probably aware, we have been without a contract since December 31, 2001, and a legal strike has been in effect since March 13th.

Please be assured that this action was not directed at you or your efforts to improve local walleye fisheries. Like you, we have a keen interest and a lifelong dedication to the conservation and wise use of our natural resources. Under normal circumstances, we are on the water at this time of year working in partnership with your group and many others collecting walleye eggs, monitoring spawning runs, and enforcing a multitude of regulations.

Unfortunately, instead of moving to negotiate a reasonable settlement with OPSEU workers long before the walleye spawning season started, the Ontario government chose to pay someone else to collect the eggs this year. Our picket line was established simply to protest this provocative move by the Ministry, and the MNR manager who arrived that day to supervise the operation advised everyone of his decision to terminate the egg collection. I also noted that most of the volunteer leaders who arrived that morning withdrew voluntarily the instant that they became aware of our concerns.

Netter, I'm sorry that your son was disappointed on Sunday. I understand your concern because I'm trying to provide for my kids' future, too. If Premier Eves takes action to settle this strike in the next couple of days, we can all get back to work before the spawn is over, and we'd love to have your son come out and get involved. Perhaps it will even lead him to a career in the outdoors. It did for me.

Your continued patience and understanding is appreciated, and we do apologize for this temporary inconvenience. I'm sure Premier Eves will do the same.

Vince Ewing

Not acceptable.

All of the regional community and its guests have been hurt. With growing cooperation amongst users, this action was a step out of line.

I would suggest that OPSEU gather eggs for the volunteer groups selected (And yes I believe a permit can be arranged within 24 hrs.). The window of opportunity here is very small for spawning walleye.

For the second request OPSEU.... "Will you help correct this situation" (first request was verbal via union employee in Kingston). This would require the collection of 10 male and 10 female walleye. Make it a media event if you would so desire. The groups would like to assist the community. How about you? (No pay like all of us)

For every wrong there can be a right, if it is done with the right intentions.

No long winded talk please.

Regards
Don Stokes

You guys are falling for the oldest trick in the book. When right wing governments cut spending, cut jobs and cut services, the first thing they do is get all the little people pointing fingers at each other to take attention away from the real culprit. They create the crisis and laugh all the way to the bank. So blame the powerless union member who doesn't make any of these decisions anyway, blame the Mohawks, and blame the little girls who fish off docks with their dads on Saturday monrnings. Keep those blinders on tight because thats exactly what the politicians that are destroying our way of life are counting on.

Ignorance is not acceptable

Opseu People may have a reason to protest where ever they like but they don't gain any support when they stop people from using the glenora ferry for example or impede people from renewing a license. Go ahead and protest but don't stop the other people from their every day activities.

I understand the brunt of the load of blame needs to be directly one gov't decision makers, but ultimately it was the picketers that chose to interfere. I also believe that we all know that more co's are needed in the field, that is something we have been telling the minister for months now. I don't even mind lending my support in that area by making phonecalls and writing letters, but I would have expected a show of support for local volunteers also. Hopefully things will settle soon and we can all direct our energies in a more positive direction.

Your son could have learned much more than how to squeeze a fish that day. He could have learned that there are people in this area that care about his future. People that dont want to see him forced to work for 60hrs a week earning $5 an hour. You boy not only deserves a stable fishery, he deserves a quality education, universal health care and a future to look forward to. For weeks now, those people have put their lives on hold for all of us, and our fishery. It is shameful to make your petty personal complaints in light of their sacrifice. Their cause is your cause. Maybe you should focus your energy on the person that volunteered you to work for free for a private company that had been contracted to do union work. Stick to the fishin stories, your politics aint got the jam.

Dear guest
Maybe you didn't read the reply above yours. I do realize where the real blame lies, in gov't, don't need to be a rocket scientist here. We know that MNR staff are overworked and that more co's are needed. It's not the strike action I have a problem with, I realize it is sometimes a necessary evil. It's the location of the action that I had a problem with. When there are so many other locations that the MNR folks could have chosen to stage their demonstration I felt they made a poor choice if they wanted to gain support. This only my opion, petty as it may be to you, it is still mine. I'll leave the political teachings to you, as I don't have the stomach for politics, and my fishing stories don't have much jam either.

The Springside Hatchery was able to get surplus spawn from the hatchery in Cloyne, so hopefully things we be able to run as planned. Will keep you posted when I know more. Great day to all...

I choose this monicker as a pun.

It seems like a distinct possibility that "guest" is likley a pro union person that is either known or from their office.

It is a shame that this person or persons feel it necessary to use this forum to twist things around. Leave the union stuff with your union card.....lol

Both posters before sound reasonable as does Vince Ewing in presenting their arguements. The "guest" seems intent on nothing less than spinning information around.

Sorry to other posters to use this name but.....lol....it seems so right given the "guests" not so obvious intent.


Guest 2 (A regular)....lol

I choose this monicker as a pun.

It seems like a distinct possibility that "guest" is likley a pro union person that is either known or from their office.

It is a shame that this person or persons feel it necessary to use this forum to twist things around. Leave the union stuff with your union card.....lol

Both posters before sound reasonable as does Vince Ewing in presenting their arguements. The "guest" seems intent on nothing less than spinning information around.

Sorry to other posters to use this name but.....lol....it seems so right given the "guests" not so obvious intent.


Guest 2 (A regular)....lol