I like Canada

In response to a bit of an uproar (from at least two readers, that is) regarding last week’s post about the Pebble Mine, I wanted to go on record as stating that I have issues with neither Canada nor it’s fine citizens. In fact, Canada has always been very good to me.

When I was a kid traveled to BC to play in a youth soccer game, and I remember the host family to have been the kindest of folks. When I was about 9 years old I endured a family trip to Victoria to visit Butchart Gardens. It wasn’t what I would exactly call an enjoyable time, but it was a forced family vacation to see decorative foliage so how what do you expect? Certainly it was no fault of Canada that I didn’t enjoy myself. That unfortunate trip was offset by another youthful trip on which I visited Bowron Lake Provincial Park to partake of a 10 day canoe trip with the Boy Scouts. That trip left me with fond and permanent fly fishing memories and was largely responsible for my current obsession. On at least two other occasions since then I’ve enjoyed the hospitality of Canada’s good people, most recently a year ago when I fished Nootka Sound. And I hope to be allowed back across the border for a trip or two to fish again in the future.

Canada is a great country with good people, and one needn’t look very far before it becomes readily apparent that Canada has greatly contributed to the world. In addition to this list of well known Canadians, I’d also like to add April Vokey.

I like Canada. I like Canadians. And I’d like to go fishing with April Vokey.

But for the record I do not like the Pebble Mine.

16 Comments

  1. Kirk Giloth

    I agree, kurt, Canada is a great country with gracious and friendly people. I have fisher on the Dean and the Skeena system many times over the last 25 years and have enjoyed the experience every time. However there is a group of investor /development folks in BC that love targeting the US and its resources for their profit with no regard for the consequences to the environment. That is an American problem due to our antiquated laws. That still does not make it right; to destroy a pristine environment and its fisheries, to say nothing of the devastation to the population dependent on it for their livelihood is a travesty. To those who would do this, be aware there is a rising storm against this project and in the end you will lose all you have invested.

    • Kirk Werner

      Who you callin’ Kurt, Kurt? 😉

      Thanks for the comment- I couldn’t agree more with you. We as people, in general, without regard to national affiliations, need to wake up and quit putting the almighty dollar before Mother Earth.

  2. cofisher

    I heart April Vokey…

    • Kirk Werner

      Get in line, Howard. Get in line.

  3. Rob

    Hi Kirk, not Kurt…
    Well first off, thanks for reaching out with this blog post. Civility can be so important it is worth fighting about it. You know, when I re-read my first post it was more terse than I probably intended. But the points do stand in context, it is about the mine and choosing not to make it there.

    If you do get way up north here in the Lower Mainland of B.C. use that email on this blog comment, perhaps we can wet a line togethers sometime. You probably have a few rivers with all 5 salmon species running, but perhaps in the fall we can try to collect the whole set up here. But you do know it takes us a few tries if you call the pinks “humpies”. Yes April is a prize. And yes she really can cast a spey line 100 feet too . No Pebble mine.

    • Kirk Werner

      Rob,
      First, thanks for not calling me Kurt. Secondly, I agree that the most important thing here is unity in opposition to the mine. Thirdly, if I ever get a chance I’d love to come up and fish for all 5 salmon species with you. Let’s just hope that salmon virus discovered by Canadian biologists in the Atlantic Salmon Farms in BC doesn’t spread to our wild fish. If it did, there might be some strong language for Canada…but not from me. 😉

  4. Rob

    It is only a coincidence that pink salmon and April appeared in close proximity;-)

  5. Sanders

    I am glad to see that you apologized for such reckless journalism in regards to your implied comments about the fine people of Canada…very accomplished of you.

    …now, if only the Canadian people will forgive us for trying to ruin their sporting landscape by introducing them to NBA basketball…sorry Steve Nash.

    • Kirk Werner

      I rarely use acronyms, but LOL! 🙂

  6. jeff woods

    Thanks for the clarification. Most Canadian fly fishers aren’t in favor of the Pebble Mine either. – and let’s be honest, wouldn’t we ALL like to go fishing with Ms. Vokey? 🙂

    • Kirk Werner

      Glad to clarify, and yes- honesty is the best policy. And I’m pretty sure April would love to go fishing with all of us…think of the guide fees she’d amass!

  7. Steve Z

    Curt:

    I must wholehurtedly disaggregate with you perspicacious commentary re: the state and people’s of the sovereign nation of Canada. In 1812 their philanderin’ and goins on with the Redcoats and their alliances with peoples who were so mean to Natty Bumpo and the lass Sackajaweea have just put my peoples off them since the time of my pappy’s, pappy’s great grand pappy.

    Though they do have loverly Brook Trout which really ain’t a trout atall but in fact a char. Whatever that is.

    Bygones.

    • Kirk Werner

      Yeah, what you said, Steev. Right on! (I think)

  8. O'fieldstream

    OH WHAT THE ….??? Have you been creating havoc on the virtual plane again Cu-Ku-Ki-rt-irk … ??? Oh – when will you learn that an unaccomplished angler will only get in the way of your more accomplish prose..! When – for the love of dirt and all things earthy – will you …. Oh .. now you’ve got me so rilled that my frills are fripped. Besides … who could possibly care about a mine that only pulls out pebbles any way. You’d think they was lookin’ fer gold or something.

    Now you straighten up and write right .. and don’t blame them poor folks to the north for you’re not getting enough pebbles in your life. Ain’t their fault you’re pebbleless. Now ’tis it? Damp strait!

    OK. So you said you’re apologies. Good thing. Someone up there my be dangerously good with a sling-shot. Don’t forget what happen’ to that there Goliath fella! Sling-shots ‘n pebbles – dang dangerous combo – iff’n ‘ya ask me!

    Maybe you should just ask some of those nice Canada folks – specially the ones who like flinging’ flies at salmon fish – to take their sling-shots and head up to that there pebble mine and fling a few pebbles at those confounded groundhogs making all the mess up there in that north woods, like you were barkin’ ’bout. Maybe they could drive ’em out and every-body’d be all Sappy-Happy again.

    Yep. Sappy-Happy. That’s what we all needs more of. And that way you’d get in a whole lot trouble yerself, too. Be Sappy-Happy, K-boy. That’s what we all needs. More Sappy-Happy. Forget the pebbles and the mines and ’em mean-old-groundhogs … just get Sappy and be Happy.

    Just Say NO to Pebbles!!

    (apologies to Bam Bam)

    • Kirk Werner

      Arthur O, good to see you haven’t forgotten about me and from your ramblings it sounds like you need to get out and wet a line, man! 😉 I’m not sure, but I think in all this you’ve managed in a round-about way to call me a sap? Canada would likely agree. Oh, and I’m old enough to appreciate the Flintstones reference.

      • O'fieldstream

        Oh .. YOU have NO idea! I am in such serious need .. I mean SERIOUS need of wetting a line – that any longer delay might make me eligible for a Post Office Pension! Pent up would not even describe the half…. but I banter off in the wrong corner as I digress ..

        Nay, my dear friend of the Northwest Corridor of Fishingdom! I shall not, would not and did not infer to your Sappiness… merely pointed out the need for all to seek the higher-ground of giddy slapp-silliness of Sappy-Happiness! The state of cool. The plaza of chill. The way of ease.

        No .. I was but referring to the need for a lightening up among the warriors amid the touchy issue of Pebbles and Mining and all things not yet golden. But not for a moment should anyone misconscrew that the issue of Pebbles and Mining is NOT a serious matter. It is. And it must not be left unchecked. All those loose pebbles could get in the way of salmon migrating up the river – endangering the future of such ichthyological swims – and to think of the potential disaster all those moose, out for a matrimonial stroll, could find themselves with broken limbs all due to those loose pebbles. Dangerous for sure!

        So, Sir Kirk of Itch – you are a man in no danger of awkward sap leakage. And I have no intention of spreading such impudent rumors! As well, how could one ever forget you! Nay not me…. Not an old man, with a mind like a steel trap, lost in a tidal flat last year! Nebber!

        Good thing or Barney might be rubbling your pebble yard!

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