2008 OWC Conference Wrap-Up

2008 OWC Conference Wrap-up

By Len Rich, Site Chair

Thanks to a small but dedicated and hard-working committee, the 2008 OWC Conference in Elora, Ontario, is now history. By every possible measurement and in the opinion of those who attended, it was one of the best conferences in living memory.

That is an amazing observation considering that in late January there was no convention planned at all for 2008! My conscience would not let me accept that option when I knew, from past experience in coordinating such events, that it could be achieved.

It was only through my limited knowledge of the Elora area, having covered it for the Canadian Fly Fishing Championships in 2006 that I proposed to the BOD that I could investigate the possibility of pulling it together on short notice.

Thanks to Jack Bramm, a good friend I made at the 2006 event, I was provided with names of people I should contact. That’s when I met Deb Dalziel of the Elora-Fergus Tourism office. During a quick trip around town it became obvious that we would have to break the mold of past conferences and throw the book out the window. What’s Inside: 2008 Conference W rap-Up Snapshots from Elora From the President’s Desk Executive Director’s Report Central Region Report Midwest Region Report Eastern Region Report Western Region Report New Member Profiles Annual Communications Awards Winners 2008 CSIA National Fishing Week Writers Award Canada’s 2009 By thinking outside the box, I put together a proposal for the Recreational Fisheries Awards BOD which included staying at local B&Bs and Inns, holding The Business of Communicating our dinner events at a racetrack, and offering a variety of new New Member Profiles activities that included fly fishing on the world-famous Grand Market News River, spin fishing at Belwood Lake, hiking, canoeing, Corporate News educational tours, taking a zipline across the Elora Gorge, and learning what it felt like to be in a 1racing sulky at the racetrack. Continued at Page 3

OOWWCC Executive, Board of Directors and Committee Chairs

President Midwest Region Director Don Meredith Duane Radford Telephone: 780-892-2870 Telephone: 780-487-4931 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: radford@telusplanet.net

Inside Outdoors is the Chairman of the Board / Central Region Director official newsletter of the Treasurer Daniel Kennaley Outdoor Writers of Canada, Susan Kane-Doyle Telephone: 519- 856-0375 a non-profit professional Telephone: 905-987-5813 E-mail: dan.kennaley@cogeco.ca and educational E-mail: [email protected] organization. Vice President Eastern Region Director Executive Director Brad Fenson Perry Munro T.J. Schwanky Telephone: 780-450-3970 Telephone: 902-542-2658 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Editor Vanessa Harrop 2nd Vice President Corporate Director Chris Hockley Peter Wood National Headquarters Telephone: 705-357-9919 Telephone: 519-220-0223 P.O. Box 934 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Cochrane, Alberta T4C 1B1 Executive Director Awards Chair 403-932-3585 T.J. Schwanky Shirley Teasdale [email protected] Telephone: 403-932-3585 Telephone: 519-795-7991

[email protected] E-mail: [email protected]

Mentor Program Chair Western Region Director James Murray Len Rich Telephone: 250-833-1976 Telephone: 519-943-0692

E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]

2008 OWC Conference Wrap-up (Continued from Page 1)

By Len Rich, Site Chair

That’s when our committee was formed. Jack Bramm and John Dadds accepted the job of pulling together the fishing activities, which they achieved with professionalism and panache. Lloyd Fridenburg, who at the time was our acting ED, and Peter Wood, the newly appointed Corporate Director, came on board with no hesitation whatsoever. Of course, Deb Dalziel was a key player, as was staff of her office, and we could never thank them enough for their huge involvement.

President Don Meredith gave us carte blanche to proceed, and I kept him informed on our progress with periodic reports as the conference materialized. The committee kept in touch electronically through emails and met every two weeks leading up to the final week.

The rest is history. The conference proceeded as planned and went off without a snag.

I believe we proved that a small town with sufficient points of interest and activities could (and did) hold a conference for a group of our size. We enjoyed the small town atmosphere, learned that we didn’t all have to stay under one roof, found that events could be held successfully in non-traditional venues (the raceway), and that a small but dedicated committee could make it all happen on short notice if given the flexibility and confidence of the BOD to work unimpeded.

From the President’s Desk

By Don H. Meredith

It was a beautiful day to be canoeing. It wasn’t too hot or cold and the water on the Speed River was tranquil, betraying the stream’s name. My wife Betty and I, along with Adrienne and Duane Radford, were in Guelph on the Sunday morning after the OWC conference. We were on the “Poppies and Paddles” FAM tour, sponsored by Grand River Country, a tourism partnership of the municipalities along the Grand River. The tour started in Guelph on the shore of the Speed River—a tributary of the Grand—where we boarded two canoes provided by Speed River Paddling, a small canoe and kayak rental business. The student owner of the business, Gregory Mungall, gave us the requisite lecture about being safe in a canoe, wearing the provided flotation devices and being aware that canoes can easily tip, so don’t stand up or make quick movements. All good advice Betty and I had heard many times since we each learned how to paddle canoes in scout camps, many eons ago.

Splash We paddled up the gentle river, stopping along the way to view the sites listed in the self-guided tour. The Radfords stayed well ahead of Betty and I, which worked out well, as I was able to get some photos of them on the river. We followed them around the course, enjoying the scenery and occasional wildlife sightings. On the return leg the Radfords were about 200 metres ahead of us when we traversed a shallow portion of the river. Betty was in the forward seat trying to steer us through the narrow channel when she saw we were about to collide with a large rock sticking out of the water. She swung out her paddle to push us away when suddenly I found myself in the water, splashing about to get my footing and watching water pour into the suddenly swamped canoe. Standing up in the calf-deep water, I saw Betty was all right as she stood up while holding onto the gunwale of the canoe and laughing, saying, “I can’t believe I did that!” After confirming we had not lost anything (and my turning the air blue with my comments on the situation), we proceeded to drag the waterlogged craft to shore, where we dumped out the water, repacked our drenched gear, and re-boarded.

We speedily made our way back to the canoe rental where we were late for lunch. By this time Hugh Best had joined our group, and everyone had a good chuckle after learning no real harm had been done in our accident (well, there was a point-and-shoot digital camera that didn’t completely survive). Lessons re- learned: 1) don’t make sudden moves in a canoe; 2) pack the gear you don’t want to get wet in a dry bag; and 3) stuff happens, especially in a canoe, even on a tranquil stream in beautiful weather!

After changing into dry clothes, we continued our tour to McCrae House, the historic home of Colonel John McCrae, author of the famous Remembrance Day poem, "In Flanders Fields". The home is a well looked after museum of the time and worth a visit. All-in-all an interesting day to be sure—not to mention the story opportunities.

Thanks to Deb Dalziel, Coordinator for Elora and Fergus Tourism, for putting this and other FAM tours together for the conference with the help from people like Sue Trerise, Senior Business Development Specialist for Tourism for the City of Guelph.

Board Meeting The Elora conference will go down as a turning point in OWC history. The Board of Directors met face-to- face for the first time in 17 months on May 29 and had a frank discussion about what had happened over the last nine months, as well as the last ten years, and where we should be going in the future. A draft revised bylaws document was presented, debated and amended. That amended document will be presented to the membership for ratification (as required by the present bylaws) via e-mail and postal mail in the fall. If ratified by a simple majority of votes cast, the bylaws will come into effect in the New Year. These bylaws will ensure the Board does its due diligence in looking after OWC business and protecting the confidence members must have in the organization.

AGM The Annual General Meeting on Saturday, May 31, was also a success. The members present ratified what the board has been doing and its approach for the future. Some concern was expressed for recruiting new members, especially those outside the traditional outdoor writing genres of fishing and hunting. I made it clear that that was indeed the approach I had hoped to follow a year ago. Now that we once again have our feet under us (or is it our canoe re-righted?), the Board is going to proceed to revisit the strategic plan and develop a marketing plan that will attract all outdoor writers. If you have ideas in these areas, do not hesitate to contact your regional director or myself.

Awards Like the rest of the conference, our awards banquet was a triumph. We once again honoured the best in outdoor writing for 2007. Congratulations to all the winners, and a big thank you to all the sponsors, without whom these awards would not be possible. Also, over 30 volunteer judges participated this year in the competition. I wasn’t aware we used that many different people—many of whom are not OWC members—until I wrote them thank you letters after the conference. That’s a lot of people who care about quality writing. Hats off to Shirley Teasdale who puts this program together, year-after-year.

Thanks again to Len Rich and the conference committee for making the conference so successful! It took a lot of work to get all the pieces together in a short period of time; but it was done with panache. Elora and Fergus are in a very unique part of Ontario where Deb Dalziel’s idea of “boutique conferencing”— people staying in a variety of accommodations and gathering in one place—made for a memorable experience for all.

Did you know?

For members that cover hunting and shooting, you may be interested in a story idea about the mayor of Toronto moving to not only ban all handguns in the city but to cancel the leases of several gun clubs. For more information: http://www.ofah.org/News/index.cfm?ID=3&A=GetDoc&DID=411

Executive Director’s Report

By T.J. Schwanky

It was Bob Dylan in his 1964 classic, The Times They Are A-Changin’, that warned people that the times were indeed changing and how it was important to recognize and accept that change. Well, I’m not sure a warning is in order here but a promise most definitely is and that promise is that times are changing within the OWC. At the Board of Directors Meeting held in Elora, Ontario on May 28, the Board was finally able to switch from damage-control mode to looking at the future of the organization and how the OWC can better serve its members. As part of my commitment to that future, count on this organization being run like a business and count on this organization offering great value for your membership dues. Our members are all professionals in the world of communications and they deserve an organization that reflects that professionalism.

One of the first orders of business will be to revisit the OWC’s strategic plan and see where we have fallen off track and to see if the document needs updating to better provide for the needs of our members. Over the ensuing months you’ll also be seeing many changes and improvements to the newsletter, website and membership services. Our goal is to have members look at their membership dues as a business expense that helps them earn money. You’ll also notice that the Market News section is back in this edition of Inside Outdoors and you’ll find a new section titled, The Business of Communications. Both of these sections are tangible ways for you make money as part of your membership in the organization.

For those of you that didn’t make it to conference in Elora, you missed a good one. Len, Lloyd and Peter did a great job of putting this event together at the last minute and special thanks go to local Tourism Coordinator, Deb Dalziel, for her effort in making the event a success. In addition to the regular conference activities, members were treated to a variety of activities before and after the convention and during the Friday breakout day. One of my highlights was fishing with Canadian Flyfishing Team member, Aaron Varga. The few hours I spent nymphing with him on the Grand River were worth the price of conference alone. I also received some much-needed casting lessons from casting instructor, Al Newsome and his patience and quick wit made for a day I’ll never forget.

Putting some faces to names was another thrill for me at conference, including that of Doreen Fawcett. For those of you that don’t know Doreen, she was the first woman president of the organization and she broke new ground as a journalist during a time that the industry was definitely male dominated. After meeting her, I suspect she ruffled a few feathers as well. This organization has a long history and people like Doreen have done much to shape the OWC into what it is today. It was a thrill to meet her and to have a chance to share a brief conversation.

I also want to thank Bill and Kath Troubridge from Excalibur Crossbows for all their hospitality. They opened their home to many of us to socialize in and they organized a tour of their plant for OWC members. While this was my first visit to the Elora/Fergus area, I know it won’t be my last.

Central Region Report

by Dan Kennaley

As I write this, I am lucky to be alive.

When our Chairman of the Board and Treasurer, Sue Kane, sent out an email soliciting someone to replace Chris Hockley as Central Region Director, I carefully, and perhaps a little obliquely, broached the idea with my wonderful, understanding, and long-suffering wife, Jan. And I am prepared to swear an affidavit that she did not say no. I will admit that she was not enthusiastic about me taking on yet another responsibility, but damn it, she didn’t say no. However, when she found out that I had actually taken on the job, she was even less enthusiastic, to the point where I thought she was going to strangle me. I did try to reassure her that it wouldn’t be too much more work, and she did eventually calm down, but, like I said, I am lucky to be alive.

Thought I should start off by introducing myself to those of you who I haven’t met yet. Probably like most of you, I have always loved nature and the outdoors, something that I think my father passed on to me. I am an avid fly angler and have been the Fly Fishing Editor with Ontario OUT OF DOORS magazine since 1998. I also hunt ducks and small game, although family responsibilities have meant less hunting for a lot of years now. However, my son Ian is sixteen and my daughter Erin is fourteen and they are both great kids, so Jan may allow me some additional hunting soon. I also enjoy a lot of other things connected to the outdoors, like canoe tripping, birding, fossil hunting, hiking, wildflowers, art history, oh, and books. Growing up, I liked reading about nature and the outdoors almost as much as I liked being in the outdoors. This interest in the literary side of things led to me to start writing about it, and in 2001 I joined the Outdoor Writers of Canada.

When I’m not in the outdoors or writing or reading about the outdoors, I work with the Township of Woolwich where I’m the Director of Engineering and Planning Services. I have an undergraduate degree in Recreation from the University of Waterloo and a Masters degree in Planning from the University of Guelph.

And probably like most of you, I’m concerned with the declining rate of participation of Canadians in hunting and fishing. This declining rate of participation is well documented in the Survey of Recreational Fishing in Canada 2005, which actually was published in 2007. The survey is a project of Fisheries and Oceans Canada with lots of co-operation from provincial and territorial fisheries licensing agencies. They have been conducting the survey at five year intervals since 1995 and the results are discouraging. In ten years overall participation rates in Canada have fallen from almost 3.3 million people to under 2.5 million, a decline of 24% in ten years. In Ontario, the numbers are just as much a concern with participation rates falling from just over 1 million down to about 764,000, a decline of, again, about 24%.

The 50 page report concerning the survey is available on-line through the Fisheries and Oceans Canada website. The good news is that many other people, including the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, are concerned about declining fishing participation rates and are doing something about it. More about those efforts in my next report.

Also wanted to thank Chris Hockley who I am taking over from, for doing an excellent job as Central Region Director. I hope I can continue to keep you as well informed as Chris did about issues that affect outdoor communicators in this Region.

Finally, I wanted to invite you to help me do my job by keeping me abreast of noteworthy items you come across or are involved in. From winning awards to writing books to perspectives on issues, I’d love to hear from you.

Dan Kennaley Wins 2008 Gregory Clark Award

OWC member and Central Region Director, Dan Kennaley, has won the annual Gregory Clark Award for outstanding contributions to the arts of fly fishing at the recent Canadian Fly Fishing Forum in Burlington, Ontario.

In accepting the award Dan said that he was particularly pleased and honoured because the award was named after one of his heroes, Greg Clark. Greg was a journalist with a long and distinguished career that stretched from the 1920’s through the 1970’s. His great stories about fly fishing inspired Dan to not only try fly fishing, but also to write about it.

Dan has been fly fishing for 23 years and has been the Fly Fishing Editor with Ontario OUT OF DOORS magazine since 1998. He has fished extensively throughout Ontario and across Canada and the United States. Dan has lectured on fly tying and fly fishing in numerous venues including the Canadian Fly Fishing Forum, the Winter Hatches Fly Tying Symposium, and the Grand Opportunities Fly Fishing Show. He is also a frequent presenter at a number of Ontario’s fly fishing clubs.

Did you know?

For our boating writers, did you know that the Canadian Government is considering passing a law that will require the mandatory use of Personal Floatation Devices ("PFDs") on small recreational vessels under six metres in length? The Canadian Power & Sail Squadrons is currently conducting a survey at: http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/survey-intro.zgi?p=WEB227UXU7V5YX

Midwest Region Report

By Duane Radford

Regrettably, some members of the Midwest region did not receive invitations to the Calgary and Edmonton Boat and Sportsmen Shows, for unknown reasons. T.J. Schwanky, OWC Executive Director, is working to put everyone on a database so each director will be able to get a list of the members in his or her region without too much trouble in the future. Hopefully, this will help correct previous distribution mailing shortfalls.

Sports Scene Publications Inc. initiated the “Outdoorsmen Forum Digest” in March (http://www.albertaoutdoorsmen.ca/digest/index.html) with the following stated purpose: The purpose of this Digest is to help keep Alberta's outdoorsmen and women up-to-date on issues and events as they happen in Alberta related to our outdoor pursuits. From breaking news to press releases from Sustainable Resource Development, Alberta's outdoor stakeholders, and special events, special deals and a regular forum update, we hope you enjoy this first issue of the Outdoorsmen Forum Digest.

SHAW TV ran video of Brad Fenson, Neil Waugh and I on April 14 (several times) based on interviews with Tim Dancy, SHAW TV Sports Host/Producer regarding fisheries issues in Alberta. The coverage was arranged through Rob Miskosky, Sports Scene Publications Inc., to draw attention to issues of concern to Alberta’s outdoorsmen.

There was an article in the Edmonton Journal on April 17 about a regulatory requirement for commercial photographers to have a permit from the provincial Department of Tourism, Parks and Recreation to take photographs in Kananaskis Country if they’re sold commercially. The same article ran in the Calgary Herald (http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=445a6724-5b17-4b6d-ac08-b7c2d110946d). When questioned about this requirement, a photographer was told he needed a permit to take photographs in the park and while he later did get a free one-year permit, he apparently had to obtain $2 million in liability insurance at a cost of $600. This seems like a rather heavy-handed approach for freelance writers and photographers; the requirement is apparently under review by government officials.

The St. Albert and District Fish and Game Association received a national recreational fishing award from Fisheries and Oceans Canada as long-standing sponsors of their Fun Fishing Day for disabled people at Camp He Ho Ha on Lake Isle, west of Edmonton – the award was presented to Randy Collins and Rene Lamoureux at a ceremony in Ottawa on May 5. The disabled fishing derby got its start in 1977 under Nestor Romaniuk - the late past president of the AFGA

– and his wife, Carole, who coordinated the event for the next 17 years, until 1994. See details elsewhere in this newsletter related to the National Recreational Fishing Awards Program and particulars regarding the nomination process and deadline for 2008 nominations.

The year 2008 marks some significant anniversaries in the outdoors community: 10th anniversary of the Alberta Conservation Association and The Canadian Fly Fisher magazine, 15th anniversary of Outdoor Women’s Program delivered over a five-day period by Alberta’s Hunting For Tomorrow Foundation, 25th anniversary of the Alberta Fish and Game Association (AFGA) Wildlife Trust Fund, 40th anniversary of the Western Sportsman Magazine, 70th anniversary for Ducks Unlimited Canada, 100th anniversary of the AFGA. There’s got to be an article just waiting to be written regarding each of these events. Hats off to these organizations on reaching these important milestones!!

While not breaking news, last year Grande Prairie’s Peace Country Flyfishers Association published The Guide to Flyfishing in the South Peace Country which is available from any club member, The Tackle Shack, Barton’s Big Country Outdoors Superstore, Canadian Tire (all in Grande Prairie) and the Grande Prairie Regional Tourism Association. For more information call Jim Epp, club president at (780) 402-7850 or e- mail: [email protected].

I attended the OWC board of directors meeting and annual conference in Elora, Ontario May 29-30, 2008 and would like to congratulate the conference organizers – Len Rich, Lloyd Fridenburg and Peter Wood – for planning and hosting an excellent conference, and Deb Delzeil, Tourism Coordinator for Elora & Fergus Tourism. More on this conference in a later Inside Outdoors newsletter as space does not permit further details at this time.

In a June 2, 2008 news release Alberta’s “New hunting and fishing community website launched” details were provided regarding “Alberta's best hunting and fishing info now found at My Wild Alberta. The Government of Alberta has launched My Wild Alberta (http://www.mywildalberta.com), a new website bringing together the best information for and from Alberta’s hunting and fishing community.”

Also, the Alberta Conservation Association (ACA) just published a magazine: Guide to Outdoor Adventure Discover Alberta's Wild Side 2008/2009 in June on recreational opportunities in Alberta which is a must- have booklet for outdoorsmen; more detailed maps and aerial photos of each site are available online (http://www.ab-conservation.com/properties/downloadguide.htm).

In a release, Western Sportsman magazine, Western Canada’s oldest and most widely read hunting and fishing publication, announced it is making itself known on every media source: print, Internet, and soon — radio and television. Beginning in July, Western Sportsman magazine will be airing 30-second commercials on Canada’s premier hunting and fishing TV network, Wild TV. Viewers can get a special sneak preview of the commercial on YouTube.com by clicking: http://youtube.com/watch?v=R8om9rqWWT4. Also in July, Western Sportsman editor David Webb, as well as several of the magazine’s writers, will be making appearances on Let’s Go Outdoors Radio with Michael Short.

Eastern Region Report

By Perry Munro

It seems now that the Conference in Elora was months ago but in reality it was but a couple weeks. It was a great conference and Len Rich and his committee pulled it together under trying circumstances. My belief that the BOD meeting would put in place safeguards that would ensure past mistakes could not be repeated was well placed and it was time to move on. Everyone agreed and that is my intention for the next year.

I have been looking at old and current membership lists and making inquiries on why membership has lapsed with some members. I have found some members who found themselves in a situation that they believed they were members but were not. This is being taken care of by TJ, the new Executive Director and in short order this will be remedied and all will be back on track. There are a lot of things to get done but in the end changes are easier after a crisis.

We have had a late spring this year in Eastern Canada which made for good trout fishing but made timing of other species which spawn in the spring later. The shad run was late but made up for it in numbers. The smallmouth bass are post-spawn in my area and hard to come by, looking forward to great fishing in a couple weeks. The stripers are finished spawning as well this week and are now dispensing themselves into the Bay of Fundy. Fishing for them will pick up in the near future.

The late spring made the breeding of upland birds and waterfowl later as well but the nesting was not cold and wet so broods by my observation were very successful. The deer herd is still down but definitely improving in Nova Scotia. New Brunswick had a lot of snow but when I was fishing the Miramichi this spring there seemed to be lot of deer but the biologists are concerned so a reduction in harvest will be in order this fall. Newfoundland and Labrador was late as well and it wasn’t till the end of May before ice out in Labrador. As I write this I realize there are a variety of activities to take part in and put pen to paper.

In believing there is a new direction and opportunity for members in the future as a Director the more advantages members have make my job in the Outdoor Writers easier with more chance for success. I have a desire to increase membership and will work towards that objective as the changes take effect. Corporate membership I think can increase but it is the same for them as it is for active members, there has to be advantages in belonging so I would encourage members to read the list of corporate members and support them whenever it is in your ability to do so. I think an improved web site can also help in this regard.

In closing it was a pleasure to see old and meet new members at the Conference and hope all members have a great spring with lots of opportunity in the world of outdoor communications.

Western Region Report

By James Murray

Time certainly seems to have flown by since I sat down to write the last Western report. It would seem that time and the process of writing are the key to this particular report.

Several years ago OWC member Roger Brunt interviewed a lady by the name of Vi Lillos for an article on the BC Sportfishing Hall of Fame. "Vi was just as enthusiastic about fishing then as she was when she hooked her first steelhead almost 50 years ago, wrote Brunt. What's so unusual about that, one might ask ... Canada is full of lady anglers who are passionate about fishing. Well, on December 8, Vi will turn 90 years old." Roger informs me that Vi Lillos has since passed away, but how many of us can only hope to be casting a line to a bright shiny steelhead when we are in our 90's.

Brunt is currently awaiting delivery of his new book Salt Spring Chronicles. It is a collection of 30 vignettes written over the past ten years about people who have lived on Salt Spring Island ... with a couple of surprises thrown in he says. List price is $22.95 but I have it on good authority that OWC members will receive a discount.

Congratulation to OWC member Lyn Hancock, who's book Tabasco the Saucy Raccoon (her 19th book to be precise) recently passed the 5000 mark in sales - which, if I'm not mistaken makes it a Canadian bestseller. It has also been nominated for the Saskatchewan Readers' Choice Diamond Willow Book Award. Hancock is currently doing Books Begin in Backyards presentations and writing workshops on the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island. "Sometimes one makes more income talking about writing than writing," says Hancock.

While on the subject of OWC members who have written books, 79 year old world traveler, scuba diver, white water kayaker, and author Betty Pratt-Johnson was recently in the interior of the province signing copies of her most recent book 151 Dives in the protected waters of British Columbia and Washington State.

And, while on the subject of 'people who are of a certain age', young at heart Mr. Bill Otway, who is President of the BC Family Fishing Society, says that the BC Family Fishing Weekend, held June 13 to 15 throughout the province, was a huge success.

From Abbotsford to Alexis Creek, Castlegar to Clinton, and Smithers to Salmon Arm there are a whole whack of family fishing events. I'm sure that many would have provided any number of opportunities for articles and photographs. Here at home we held the 12th Annual Salmon Arm Kids Fishing Derby which drew 275 participants, handed out some $5,000 in prizes and scholarships, and attracted close to 1,000 people.

On a related matter, well known BC fishing lure manufacturer Gibbs/Nortac is celebrating its 100th Anniversary. The company, started by Rufus Gibbs in 1908, was originally known as the Gibbs Tool and Stamping Works. The fishing tackle era began in 1946 when Stan Gibbs whittled his first wooden plug. The rest, as they say, is history. Gibbs recently had a big shindig for past employees and invited guests. Mr Otway attended the function ...he was the only person in attendance that was actually older than the company.

I had an editor once who said that if you are desperate to fill space and have absolutely nothing newsworthy to write about, talk about yourself. So for what it's worth I am just finishing up the first leg of the 2008 Tim Hortons Senior's Entertainment Tour. I have had the privilege of sharing my stories with audiences throughout the interior (38 shows) and will be taking a bit of time off in August before heading out on the northern leg of the tour in September. Sometimes it seems like having a full time job at the newspaper gets in the way of what has become my other full time job performing on stage. This year I've shared the stage with the likes of Valdy, Gary Fjellgaard, Garnet Rogers, Ted Crouch, and Siri Hermanski. Not bad for a 'storyteller' I guess.

I regret to have to end this report with the news that past OWC member and friend to many, Bob Jones is in the hospital. I know I speak for many, when I say that we all wish him a speedy recovery.

Just a reminder to western OWC members, let me know what it happening so that I can put it in the next Western report ... that way you won't have to read about me.

Did you know?

There’s a great story idea at: http://www.eftta.com/english/news_indepth.html?cart=12138514 522004061&SKU=2047259523 regarding the Swiss Government banning catch and release fishing in the upcoming year. The new legislation states that fish caught should be killed immediately following their capture, with a sharp blow to the head from a blunt instrument. Under the new regulations, the use of livebait and barbed hooks is also prohibited except in certain situations.

With Germany already banning catch and release fishing and competitive fishing, and the Swiss now introducing their new laws, the bloggers are saying Australia will follow suit within the next 5 years.

New-Member Profiles

Harold Ball

An avid fisherman and photographer I have travelled extensively throughout Alaska, Ontario, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, and currently hold 2 International Game Fish Association World Records.

I am a freelance writer whose writings focus on the places, people and characters that have shaped and defined my outdoor experiences.

Together with several magazine and web based articles my recently self published book of short stories and pictures “Tales from Cabin 14…..and other exotic places”, feature stories and images that reflect my passion for people and the outdoors.

Leslie Ballentine

Leslie Ballentine has over 25 years experience in communications.

Ballentine Communication Group, started in 2004, specializes in strategic communications and information services for animal-based sectors. Clients include those in the farming, research, entertainment and wildlife communities. Leslie also serves as communications officer for the Fur Institute of Canada.

For 16 years Leslie was executive director of the Ontario Farm Animal Council, an organization she helped form in 1988. She has partnered with the outdoors community for nearly 20 years. Her written editorials and presentations to hunting, fishing and trapping groups focus on animal use issues and activists.

Karlin Creed

Karlin Creed lives in Duncan on Vancouver Island. She is a student of the North American School of Outdoor Writing and is keenly interested in people's reconnection with the environment through recreation and restoration projects. She has hiked the West Coast Trail, Nootka Trail, and Cape Scott. In July 2006, she paddled 165 km through Glacier Bay, Alaska on a two-person kayak expedition.

She works in a hunting/archery/fishing/outdoor store, shoots traditional-style archery, and is learning to fly fish the Cowichan River. In April she published a Character piece in Outdoor Canada magazine.

Wes David

I was born and raised in Alberta on the family cattle farm. I started as a young boy steer riding and worked my way up to become a professional bull rider. This was my profession for over 10 years. Hunting and fishing has always been a big part of my life and hope to pass this on to my son who has already shown a keen interest for it. I love to hunt all big game and fish all species. I'm continuously working to better my skills and spend even more time in the outdoors. If I'm not hunting or fishing I may be out hiking, camping, or scouting for the next hunting season

Tony Scavo

I have been hunting and fishing for 24 years since the age of 16 but I have taken up both sports much more seriously the past 7 years. I was born and raised in Niagara Falls and I have been taking advantage of the world-class hunting and fishing I have right in my own backyard.

From fishing for the giant muskellunge on the mighty Niagara River to hunting for enormous bull moose in northern Ontario, I have had the opportunity to hunt and fish for a variety of game all across Ontario. I have a passion for the outdoors and I want to become a freelance outdoor writer/photographer. I enjoy writing about my experiences and focusing on various outdoor topics on hunting and fishing.

I am currently enrolled in the North American School of Outdoor writing and I am a proud member of Outdoor Writers Association of America, Outdoor Writers of Canada, North American fishing Club, North American Hunting Club, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters. This is all part of my latest labour of love showing others just how exciting and rewarding hunting, fishing, and writing can be.

Jessica Simon

Jessica Simon [email protected] is a wilderness guide and author of the Log Cabin Adventure crime series to debut November 2009. She won the 2007 Dawson City Authors on Eighth short story competition with “Washed Out” and contributes to the Outdoor Edge, Yukon: North of Ordinary, Yukon News, San Francisco Chronicle, ultraRUNNING Magazine, as well as police publications Blueline and 24/Seven. She's a web columnist for www.arcticultra.de , www.copperhaultwister.blogspot.com and a member of Alaska Sisters in Crime www.aksinc.ning.com . In summer she guides the Klondike Writers Tour, www.naturetoursyukon.com on the trail of Yukon literary giants Jack London, Pierre Berton and Robert Service.

Judie Steeves

I’ve been writing a weekly outdoors column called Trail Mix for the Kelowna Capital News for the past 14 years and I co-authored Okanagan Trips and Trails with Murphy Shewchuk in 1997, then an expanded version of the book was published by Fitzhenry and Whiteside in 2006.

This year I was presented with the Art Downs award by the B.C. Wildlife Federation for a piece titled Gender Bender on the introduction of pharmaceuticals to Okanagan Lake through sewage treatment plants, and their possible impact on aquatic life. I also received a gold award from the B.C. Community Newspapers Association for that piece and came second in a competition for outdoor recreation writing from the BCYCNA for a piece on hunting and poaching.

I’ve also received awards for my outdoors writing from the Federation of B.C. Naturalists and the Kelowna Mayor’s Environmental Awards, as well as the provincial environment minister.

I’ve always enjoyed the outdoors and began writing about it with a series about the degradation of the Coquitlam River for the Columbian Daily Newspaper in 1973 (in which I interviewed Bill Otway, perhaps a familiar name to my fellow members...)

Mickey Wright

I am an Environmental Consultant and Taxidermist. I enjoy hunting, fishing, scuba diving and boating. I prefer using traditional equipment such as longbows and split bamboo fly rods. I started my outdoor journey as a youngster in the woods and mountains of New York State and continue this journey now throughout the world. I am passing the journey on to my children as well. Until a few years ago most of my writing has been in the children's genre. I am hoping that my experience writing for children will allow me to write to that audience and motivate them to spend more time enjoying the outdoors.

David Chong

David Chong is one of Canada’s most successful and well-known tournament anglers who has been featured in many major magazines and is also a freelance writer/photographer who contributes to several publications. He is one of the organizers and a lecturer on the very popular Bass Talk seminar circuit. Throughout the off-season David makes numerous appearances and speaks at various Outdoor, Boat and Sportsman Shows. Though his schedule is extremely busy he still manages to find time to organize and host the highly successful “Catch a Dream!” Kids Fishing Derby for the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of York!

Hendrik Breuer

Hendrik joined the OWC in 2006 shortly after moving to Toronto from Germany.

Currently, he is taking journalism classes at George Brown College and works as free-lance outdoor and travel writer. Hendrik’s main interests are fly fishing, canoeing, hiking, and related outdoor activities, which he pursues in Southern Ontario as well as in farther destinations all over North America.

Hendrik mainly writes in German for European outdoor magazines such as Fliegenfischen, the largest German fly fishing magazine, and the travel sections of newspapers including Tages-Anzeiger (Switzerland), Berliner Morgenpost and Welt am Sonntag (Germany). He has been published in Eastern Fly Fishing and has an article forthcoming in Northwest Fly Fishing.

Hendrik hopes to continue to travel Canada and the United States with a focus on writing feature stories for North American and Europen outdoor magazines.

Outdoor Writers of Canada Annual Communications Awards Award Winners 2008

NEWSPAPER COLUMN 1st Robert Scammell Title: The Courts Have it All Wrong Publication: The Red Deer Advocate

2nd Robert Scammell Title: Deer Holocaust Can’t Work Publication: The Red Deer Advocate

3rd Ken Bailey Title: The Bear Necessities Publication: Grain News

MAGAZINE COLUMN 1st Gord Ellis Title: Trout in Turmoil Publication: Ontario Out of Doors

2nd Don Meredith Title: No Child Inside Publication: Alberta Outdoorsmen

3rd Gord Pyzer Title: The Japanese Invasion Publication: Outdoor Canada

NEWSPAPER FEATURE 1st John Kaplanis Title: Tracking the Wolf Publication: Thunder Bay Chronicle Journal

2nd John Kaplanis Title: Bears at Eye Level Publication: Thunder Bay Chronicle Journal

3rd Gord Ellis Title: On The Trail of Wild Mushrooms Publication: Thunder Bay Chronicle Journal

MAGAZINE FEATURE “OTHER” 1st James Smedley Title: Wabakimi Experience: Closing a Family Paddling Chapter Publication: Kanawa Magazine

2nd Duane Radford Title: Andy Russell: Canada’s Conservation Icon Publication: Outdoor Edge Magazine

3rd James Smedley Title: Honing Skills and Hooking Steelhead Publication: Lake Superior Angler

MAGAZINE FEATURE FISHING 1st Ken Bailey Title: Confessions of a George River Junkie Publication: Outdoor Canada Magazine

2nd James Smedley Title: Don’t Blame the Walleye Publication: Ontario Out of Doors

3rd Bob Sexton Title: Making History in Mexico Publication: Outdoor Canada

MAGAZINE FEATURE HUNTING 1st T.J. Schwanky Title: Quite a First Day Publication: Western Sportsman

2nd Al Voth Title: Coyote School: Missed Shots are OK Publication: The Varmint Hunter Magazine

3rd Jeff Helsdon Title: A Sneaky Approach Publication: Ontario Out of Doors

PHOTOGRAPHY 1st James Smedley Title: Winter Walleye Publication: Ontario Out of Doors

2nd TJ Schwanky Title: Bugles in the High Country Publication: Alberta Outdoorsmen

3rd James Smedley Title: Smiling Walleye Boy Publication: Canadian Sportsfishing Industry Association

DUCKS UNLIMITED WETLANDS APPRECIATION 1 st T.J. Schwanky Title: Wetland Safari Publication: Alberta Outdoorsman

2nd Don MacLean Title: Wetlands and Trout Publication: Cape Breton Post

3rd Ron Montgomery Title: DUC Committed to Science and Education Publication: MacLeod Gazette

THE BROCK MACRITCHIE AWARD 1st Don Meredith Title: No Child Inside Publication: Alberta Outdoorsmen

2nd Gord Ellis Title: A Great Day Afield Publication: Thunder Bay Chronicle Journal

3rd James Smedley Title: Family Fishing at Lodge 88/The Family That Fishes Together… Publication: The Sault Star

BOOKS 1st Betty Pratt-Johnson Title: 151 Dives in the Protected Waters of British Columbia and Washington State Publisher: Betty Pratt-Johnson/Adventure Publishing

2nd Len Rich Title: Memoirs of a Fly Fisher Publisher: Jesperson Publishing

3rd Dennis Reid Title: Maximum Salmon Publisher: Harbour Publishing

Presentation of CSIA National Fishing Week Writers Award on behalf of the CSIA Judging Committee

The Canadian Sportfishing Industry Association’s National Fishing Week Writers Award comes along every year at this time while you are probably in the middle of writing about this year’s National Fishing Week. The awards about to be presented today say, "What you're doing right NOW for this year is important. So please finish it!” You could be next year’s winner and reap the financial rewards and recognition.

The theme for this year and for 2009, the 10th anniversary of National Fishing Week, is “Catch a Memory – Take someone special fishing!” We hope that all the members of the Outdoor Writers of Canada will share some of their old photos and write about their nostalgic moments while encouraging the creation of new fishing memories.

This year’s winners were chosen based on the quality of the writing and the clarity of the message. In keeping with the basic requirement that the piece promotes the benefits of sport fishing in Canada and/or National Fishing Week, the submissions by the winners reflect excellence in these areas. Choosing the winners was made difficult by the many very well written articles CSIA received from OWC members.

The winning articles cover a range of positive messages about fishing: the simplest outdoor activity for a family, the value of a lifetime of fond memories, and the recognition that fishing is a life-long sport.

THIRD PLACE - “TAKE A KID FISHING”, BY LEN RICH

Len’s article reminds us that fishing is the ultimate tool for teaching a child about natural resources and conservation. The best way to do this is to keep things simple and enjoy the moments. Len also reminds us that National Fishing Week is a special time to introduce a child to this “life sport” – enjoyment from childhood to old age. What other sport can boast that?

SECOND PLACE – “HOW TO GET HOOKED ON A LIFETIME OF FOND MEMORIES” BY PETER WOOD

Most of you in this room know how fishing is the catalyst to lifelong friendships and treasured memories. Peter shares his memories by taking you on a journey with some of his friends. He skillfully recreates in the reader’s mind his fond memories – it makes you just want to be there as his friend! He encourages everyone to take a special friend fishing and create more “Fish On” time together.

FIRST PLACE – “FAMILY FISHING IS CHILD’S PLAY” BY GORD ELLIS

In this article, Gord simply breaks down the steps to help a family successfully enjoy fishing From using the KISS principle, to introducing the Tackleshare program, to capturing those special moments, to safety and license issues, his formula ensures that every kid should and can try fishing. After all, it’s healthier than playing video- games. This article was well written, concise and to the point. We found it very well deserving of the first place award.

"I'm really pleased and honoured to win this award. Family fishing, and the promotion of fishing among youth, is something I strongly believe in. I'd not be doing what I do if my parents hadn't introduced me to angling at an early age. The fact the fishing industry is so strongly behind getting families outdoors is a real sign of leadership on this issue. Getting kids outdoors is not only important for the fishing industry, it is critical to our waters and environment. We need more young people to experience the outdoors, and to see firsthand why it's worth saving. I'd like to acknowledge the editorial team at Ontario Out of Doors, particularly Matt Nicholls and John Kerr, and publisher Alison de Groot, for making the sharing of family fishing experiences a priority at the magazine."

The CSIA Judging Committee wants to thank everyone who submitted articles and the OWC for their participation on behalf of promoting fishing across Canada. They look forward to seeing your old photos and the “you should have been there” moments that you will be writing about in the future.

Now it’s your turn to Catch a Memory and Take someone special fishing now and during National Fishing Week. Will you be next year’s winners?

National Fishing Week TV Commercial - Watch it on You Tube and on TV stations across the country. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_Nj3BEttuc

Canada’s 2009 Recreational Fisheries Awards

The Recreational Fisheries Awards Program was created in 1989 by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) to honour individuals and organizations that have contributed to the conservation, restoration or enhancement of Canada's recreational fisheries and fish habitat through activities such as community leadership, restoring and enhancing fisheries and fish habitat, and the promotion of conservation and sustainable recreational fishing.

During the past 19 years, individuals and organizations have been recognized from coast to coast for their outstanding contributions to the nation’s recreational fisheries. Information on some of the previous award winners, and a brief description of their work, can be found at http://www.dfo- mpo.gc.ca/rfa-ppr/recipients-laureats_e.htm.

DFO invites you to help honour those individuals and organizations that uphold these ideals. If you know of an individual or organization that deserves recognition, please consider nominating them for Canada’s 2009 Recreational Fisheries Awards. Nominees must meet the following criteria:

• be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident • not be affiliated with the government of Canada • have undertaken a fishery-related activity or project in Canada that has made an outstanding contribution in areas such as recreational community leadership, restoring and enhancing fisheries and fish habitat or promoting conservation and sustainable recreational fishing. These activities and projects must be separate from those undertaken by government organizations and employees

Any individual, group, business or association is eligible to receive the award and can be nominated at any time during the year by an individual or organization, and a co-sponsor. Details about the nomination process can be found at: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/rfa-ppr/process-processus_e.htm. For additional information, please contact the Recreational Fisheries Awards program at (613) 990-0091.

Completed nomination forms can be emailed: [email protected], faxed: (613) 954-1407 or mailed: Canada’s Recreational Fisheries Awards Resource Management – National Programs Fisheries and Oceans Canada 200 Kent Street 13SO29 Ottawa, ON K1A 0E6

Thank you for assisting in making Canada’s 2009 Recreational Fisheries Awards a success. Nominations received after August 1st will be considered for the following year’s Recreational Fisheries Awards.

The Business of Communicating

“One-Time Serial Rights in English” How to Write a Fish and Game Recipe Column by Duane Radford

I’m only aware of a handful of writers who pen a regular fish and wild game recipe or outdoor cooking column in Canadian publications so perhaps there’s a market for one in your neck of the woods.

I’ve been writing a monthly recipe column in Sports Scene Publications Ltd. Alberta Outdoorsmen magazine since it was launched in April, 1999 and now have more than 100 recipes under my belt – my first recipe was “Tasty Trout.” I was a bit apprehensive about this assignment when the publisher, Rob Miskosky, first approached me and must admit I’ve faced many challenges over the years.

Miskosky had earlier asked me to write some columns on the care, handling and cooking of fish and wild game but those were my only real qualifications. And I enjoy cooking. Plus my wife, Adrienne, had dozens of cookbooks from around the world to resource for recipes that could be adapted for fish, wild fowl and game. This was back in the days when the internet was still in its infancy. As the story goes, the rest is history and my column, From the Field to the Table – Fish and Wild Game recipes was spawned.

I’ve since parlayed 84 of my recipes into a 2007 award winning cookbook: From the Field to the Table – Fish and Wild Game, Volume I, Sports Scene Publications Ltd. (2006), (http://www.albertaoutdoorsmen.ca/ao- gear-can.html) which is now in its third printing and still selling well.

Today it’s an easier task coming up with recipes because the internet is an unending source, although cookbooks, as well as newspapers and magazines, are still very reliable and popular sources.

One thing I’ve discovered is that not all recipes are genuine – some are bogus so keep your guard up and learn to recognize errors whatever your source might be. Common mistakes in recipes centre on cooking temperatures and times, ratios of various ingredients in marinades, overloaded ingredient lists or incompatible ingredients, inflated quantities of wine and beef/chicken broth, and the

like. And remember, wild fowl and game are lean compared with beef and pork so care must be taken not to overcook game birds and venison. “Fish”, on the other hand, are basically “fish” and there’s usually no special care necessary in this regard, except for some farmed products.

The key to writing a recipe column is to get ahead of the game – fast – and bank some recipes that fit the various seasons well ahead of time. You want BBQ recipes in the summer, for example. This is much easier to do nowadays as compared with when I first started because digital cameras have revolutionized photo support requirements. When I began writing recipes, I used film and until the roll was shot you couldn’t move a recipe – now, you can take a digital photo of a recipe, check it out on the LCD screen (re- shoot it if necessary), download it on your hard drive and you’re in business because the recipe is in the bag.

Photos are fundamentally important to a good recipe column, and especially so for cookbooks. Get up close and personal when shooting the final dish for pleasing results.

I use my judgment regarding which recipes might be suitable for fish and wild game which only comes with experience. I test all of my recipes at least once, some several times, to get them right. Of late, I’ve received many recipes from chefs, relatives, friends and acquaintances that I’ve worked into my column. I still use cookbooks as a primary source for ideas, with the internet a close second. I have some favorite cookbooks and internet sites.

It’s important to provide a list of all the ingredients in bullet form under an “ingredients” list, and then provide simple, easy steps on how to prepare the recipe. I always suggest side dishes, salads, breads, perhaps beverages and wines to round off my column – I find this helps readers get off on the right foot and takes a bit of the guess work out of a full meal deal. Some people simply don’t have much knowledge or experience about cooking so I like to keep things simple. I’m pleased when my fans rave about recipes such as a Caesar salad dressing, for example, so it’s not just about cooking fish and wild game.

Product availability isn’t really an issue for me because I both hunt and fish but don’t be discouraged if you’re not a hunter or don’t fish either. My guess is that with a little persuasion you’ll be able to obtain whatever you need for a recipe column. It’s all part of the sport to share in the catch and harvest of wild game; most anglers and hunters will not hesitate to provide you with some of their fish and game bounty.

While fish and wild game recipe columns might be a niche market don’t underestimate their popularity and potential earning power – secondly, with the greening of society my guess is they will continue to grow in popularity in the future, as a trend to eat lots of fish and venison is well underway.

iCopyright

by Don H. Meredith

If you post content on the World Wide Web, either through online magazines, web sites or blogs, you should be interested in a new service that Access Copyright is investigating. It’s called iCopyright (www.icopyright.com) and it just could provide you with some additional revenue. The Washington State company has been around since 1998 helping publishers and other corporations (e.g., Toronto Star, Associated Press, Reuters) protect their copyrights and collect licence fees for use of their work. Recently, it has launched a beta version of a new free service for web content providers, and Access Copyright is considering recommending the service to its members.

The system is designed to simplify the licensing process and protect both the content creator and licensee. Copyright holders register an account on the iCopyright web site (http://creators.icopyright.com/signup.html) and select licence services to offer customers. These could be certain free uses, such as printing single copies of a posted article for personal use; or paid services, such as making classroom sets of articles or distributing the article in a newsletter. You then place a copyright notice on the articles or pieces you wish to protect, which includes an iCopyright logo and a link to your account on their web site. Viewers click on the link and are offered the services. If payment is involved, then you have a choice of offering PayPal or having the customer mail you a cheque or money order. iCopyright does not see the money. They plan to make their money from advertisements on the service web site.

I’ve registered with iCopyright and it was painless. There are still a few bugs that need to be worked out, including some flexibility in what services to offer, but I’m sure that will come. If you are interested, give them a try. If you register and then decide not to use the service until improvements are made, you just don’t put the links on your material. However, registering early can ensure you are able to protect the name you use in the link to your iCopyright account.

Did you know?

Did you know that there are several internet news services that keep outdoor communicators up to date on industry news? Subscribing is a simple matter of sending them an e-mail and asking to get on their list. While much of the news is U.S. based, there are enough tidbits to give you plenty of story ideas. Here are a few you may want to check out: https://www.nssf.org/BP/subscribe/index.asp http://www.theoutdoorwire.com:80/ http://www.shootingwire.com:80/subscribe_shooting.php http://www.thefishingwire.com:80/subscribe.html

Competition Judges Toil Away in Obscurity

By Shirley Teasdale

Now that the 2008 OWC Communications Awards program has been put to bed, I am fulfilling an undertaking I made to our judges. In the past couple of years, judges have asked if I am able to provide feedback to the entrants so that writers may benefit by some objective criticism, consequently upgrading their skills. Our judges are a group who toil away in obscurity, but without whom we’d have no program. Their credentials range from newspaper and magazine editors to highly qualified professional writers. We are also fortunate to have five members of the Editors Association of Canada on the team. All of them can provide valuable advice. This story is in response to their request to provide feedback, and what follows is a précis of some of their comments and advice.

As we all know, the lead is probably the most important part of your story. If you don’t grab the reader up front the valuable prose that follows is very often irrelevant. Many judges stressed how important the lead is. Note what one judge, who has judged in both newspaper and magazine categories, said:

“There were a couple of good leads but generally, this group, like last year’s, seems to have difficulty with leads. They need to know what a good lead is and how important it is to pulling a reader into a story. When it comes to the way I judge, five points out of 20 in the first judging criteria goes towards the lead. What a writer gets out of five points for the lead can mean the difference between winning this category, or ranking second or lower when two or more articles are running neck and neck.”

One judge commented that writers fall down on the simplest things. “I look at the submissions as an editor of a magazine and reflect how much work I would have to do to bring the submissions up to standard for publication—the more work, the lower the mark awarded. I don’t know any of the writers, but from four years of judging I now recognize the writing and can almost predict the same mistakes. For example, one writer perennially leaves verbs out of sentences. I’m not such a stickler as to say that every sentence needs a verb but if the practice is over-used it begins to grate.”

Perhaps these are harsh words, but maybe we can learn from them.

Writing style also came in for some criticism. As one judge said, “I would really love to see writers focus on writing clear, comprehensible sentences. It is not always that the grammar is wrong, but that it is not pleasing. In several cases I docked considerable marks for simply un-pleasing sentences. Sometimes the sentences were fragmented. Sometimes the sentences were long, rambling affairs with far too much use of semi-colons, colons, and other punctuation. The writers get so tangled up in their long sentences that then, in fact, they do make grammatical errors that are difficult to find and

fix. True, in Chaucer’s time, sentences were an average of 80 to 82 words long, but in this decade, the average is eight words per sentence. Writers aren’t doing their readers any favours by throwing convoluted language at them. Simple, clear language is so valuable! I cringed on behalf of the editors who had to put some of the stories into shape for publishing.”

Again, tough words, but the same judge had some good things to say too. For example, she gave the story that took first place in the Magazine Feature Other category a mark of 99 out of 100, saying, “…a wonderful story that kept me reading and left me with a warm afterglow…beautifully written, organized, expressed, and polished. I will remember that story for a long time.”

At the other end of the scale, a story about ice fishing brought these comments: “I loved the story,” said the judge, “but felt that the sentence structure wasn’t polished enough to make a clear and easy read. Frankly, it was hard slogging. The language was like the snow the writer describes—deep and hard to navigate. The writer was clearly a talented verbal storyteller, but in writing should work harder on proper sentence structure for ease of reading.”

That editor also criticized another story for too much repetition. “I liked the article topic very much but would have loved more meat to it and that could have been done with the same word count if it had not been so repetitive.”

Comments from the same judge included a plea for more commas in one story, which, he said, would have made a better experience for the reader. Another story was criticized for unclear writing and not being focused on the reader’s experience because of lots of name-dropping and in-jokes, even though the topic was of interest.

Another story lacked, well, writing, as the judge put it. “It was mostly verbatim quotes. I felt the writer could have done a much better job with transitions, introduction, and conclusion.”

A story with a scientific base rated fairly highly with judges. However, one said that they believed the writer could write even more compelling stories in the future by interspersing scientific details with dramatic spice and narrative sentences. “The writer began just beautifully—could they carry that energy through the article next time?” asked the judge.

Ending on a more positive note, a story entitled “My Brother’s House” gained kudos from one judge. He said: “It was well written and very personal. The piece featured plenty of great description, which provided some powerful imagery. Most of all, it was a good story with a real twist, a narrative told in an understated fashion. The punch line had a powerful impact.”

So there we have it. Feedback directly from the judges. All of these critiques are designed to assist our writers in polishing their craft, and were not intended to be disparaging. Hopefully, we can all learn from them.

- end –

Market News

Alberta Professional Outfitters Society (APOS) Red Willow Outdoors is seeking Alberta photographers for photos to use for marketing the Alberta Professional Outfitters Society. Wildlife photos of species hunted in Alberta for non- resident hunters needed (no grizzly bear, turkey or goat). Use photos in marketing programs developed by Red Willow throughout the year and in the annual outfitters directory produced in December.

For more information or submissions please contact: Laurette LaPlante 1028 10th Ave SE High River, AB T1V 1L3 ph: 403-601-2334 email: [email protected]

Great Lakes Angler Great Lakes Angler would like to receive some queries on hot fishing holes in the Canadian waters of the Great Lakes for 2009. All of the lakes (well, other than Lake Michigan) could use some Canadian contributions, even Lake St. Clair. We're looking for 600-word "port of calls" that focus on one port, talking about the fishing as well as amenities such as places to launch and dock the boat, nice places for anglers to stay and good, fisherman-type restaurants. These pay $150 with a small assortment of supporting photos that show something unique about the port and a fish caught there. We accept manuscript packages from first time writers on specification--we don't change our mind about the topic, only if the contribution didn't meet our requirements.

Send queries to Editor Dave Mull at [email protected]

Did you know?

Did you know that non-profit groups have communication personnel that post regular news about the outdoors on their websites? Many also send out regular e-mails about important outdoor issues. Check out the news section on their website often or get on their e-mail list and you’ll receive a wealth of story ideas.

Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, http://www.ofah.org/ Contact: Lezie Goodwin, [email protected]

Canadian Sportfishing Industry Association, http://csia.ca/ Contact: Tina Deutsch, [email protected]

Alberta Fish and Game Association, http://www.afga.org/ Contact: Sandie Buwalda, [email protected]

Safari Club International, http://www.safariclub.org/ Contact: Nelson Freeman, [email protected]

Corporate News

WFN: World Fishing Network Casts Annual Adopt an Angler Contest

WFN to award a grand prize of a fully rigged Stratos 176XT boat to a “deprived angler”

TORONTO, June 11, 2008 – WFN: World Fishing Network and Insight Sports announced today the details of the channel’s annual Adopt an Angler promotion. Set to launch on Thursday, June 12, WFN’s Adopt an Angler contest will award a grand prize of a fully rigged Stratos 176XT boat, valued at $15,000, to a “deprived angler”.

Canadian anglers are encouraged to enter the Adopt an Angler contest by submitting a demonstrative video, or a photo and written description, to www.wfn.tv/adopt to illustrate why they suffer from “D.A.D. – Deprived Angler Disorder” and need to be “adopted” by the channel.

“D.A.D. – Deprived Angler Disorder” is a term created by WFN to help identify those individuals who need the most help in improving their fishing performance. Some of the more common symptoms of D.A.D. include: 1. Empty Net Syndrome 2. Tired Fishing Equipment 3. Poor Hand Eye Coordination 4. Floatation Malfunction 5. Casting Elbow 6. Impoverished Tackle Box 7. Scavenger Impulse Phenomenon 8. Fishing Challenged 9. Worm-O-Phobia 10. Urban-itis

All contest submissions can be viewed and voted on by visiting www.wfn.tv/adopt.

The three Adopt an Angler submissions which receive the highest number of online votes as of July 31, 2008 will each be awarded a $250 gift card to a fishing retailer of their choice along with a WFN prize pack. Following the contest deadline, a select panel of WFN judges will choose the grand prize winner.

The Adopt an Angler contest was created in 2007 as a fun and engaging way to help anglers achieve a greater amount of fishing success. Among the cable providers who are partners of WFN’s Adopt An Angler promotion are Access Communications, Amtelecom, Cogeco Cable, CRTV, EastLink, Mountain

Cablevision, Persona, Rogers PersonalTV, Shaw Cable, Source Cable, Westman Communications and YourLink.

About WFN: World Fishing Network Get hooked on the only channel dedicated 24-hours a day, seven days a week to every single aspect of fishing. WFN provides a daily escape for North America’s 50 million recreational and sport fishing enthusiasts with an entertaining and comprehensive line-up that covers a wide range of programming including Canadian and American angling, saltwater and freshwater fishing, professional competitions, expert advice, international tournaments, travel destinations and conservation. WFN’s programming schedule features some of fishing’s most popular anglers and personalities including Al Lindner, Roland Martin, Scott Martin, Babe Winkleman, Flip Pallot, George Poveromo and Bob Izumi. Get hooked on-line at www.wfn.tv.

About Insight Sports Ltd. Insight Sports Ltd. is a leading North American sports media and entertainment company which owns, creates, aggregates and distributes sports and entertainment content across multiple platforms, including broadcast television, events, on-line, mobile, in-arena and video on-demand.

Among its traditional media assets, Insight Sports operates three specialty television networks: GolTV Canada (www.goltv.ca), a 24-hour soccer network; WFN: World Fishing Network (www.wfn.tv), North America's only network devoted entirely to fishing, and; GameTV (www.igametv.com). The company also owns Aquila Productions Inc., a leader in sports television and event production, and holds a significant interest in the NHL Network (www.nhlnetwork.ca), a 24-hour hockey channel.

Among its event assets, Insight Sports owns and operates the Grand Slam of Curling (www.worldcurlingtour.com), a series of eight high-profile men’s and women’s events that feature Canada’s deepest and strongest curling fields, and Major League Gaming Canada (www.mlgcanada.com), an affiliate of Major League Gaming, Inc., and the largest organized league and international sanctioning body for professional video gaming.

Among its other businesses, Insight Sports is the exclusive sponsorship agency of the Buffalo Bills’ eight-game NFL series at Rogers Centre in Toronto (www.billsintoronto.com) and also manages Wayne Gretzky’s official website, www.gretzky.com.

Based in Toronto, the principal shareholders of Insight Sports include Larry Tanenbaum (Kilmer Enterprises Inc., a subsidiary of Kilmer Van Nostrand Co. Limited) and MWI & Partners. For more information see www.insightsports.com.

For further information contact:

Eric Michalko Communications Manager Insight Sports Ltd. Phone: 416.593.0915, ext. 253 Cell: 647.669.0900 Email: [email protected]

WFN: World Fishing Network Sarnia to Host Inaugural Canadian Open of Fishing

TORONTO – Insight Sports and WFN: World Fishing Network announced today that Sarnia, Ont. will host the inaugural Canadian Open of Fishing from July 25-27.

As part of the new format of the 2008 WFN Tour Bass Championships, the Canadian Open of Fishing will be the exclusive event of WFN’s summer tournament schedule. The focus on one major competitive fishing event provides the industry with a marquee weekend to showcase the sport in 2008.

The Canadian Open of Fishing will include top professional anglers including Bob Izumi, Wayne Izumi, Dave Mercer and J.P. DeRose and as well as many international competitors from the United States and Japan.

The Canadian Open of Fishing remains open to both amateurs and professionals. Amateurs will battle for a variety of fishing related prizes, while professionals will compete exclusively for prize money. Coverage of the Canadian Open of Fishing will be broadcast on WFN.

A complete overview of the updated event, purse and registration information for the 2008 WFN Tour Bass Championships is available at www.wfn.tv/2008basstour.

About Insight Sports Ltd. Insight Sports Ltd. is a leading sports media and entertainment company which creates and distributes sports and entertainment content across multiple platforms, including broadcast television, events, on-line, mobile, in-arena and video on-demand. In addition to WFN: World Fishing Network in the U.S. and Canada, Insight Sports also operates GolTV, a 24-hour soccer channel and GameTV. The company also holds a significant interest in the NHL Network, a 24- hour hockey channel. Principal shareholders in Insight Sports are Larry Tanenbaum (Kilmer Enterprises, Inc.) and MWI Partners. For more information see www.insightsports.com.

For further information contact:

Eric Michalko Communications Manager Insight Sports Ltd. Phone: 416.593.0915, ext. 253 Cell: 647.669.0900 Email: [email protected]

A proud tradition since 1948

Canadian National Sportsmen’s Shows is a non-profit Corporation and the largest producer of boat, fishing, sportsmen’s, ski and outdoor shows in Canada. Through its family of shows, the Corporation raises funds to ensure that generations of young Canadians can benefit from Canada’s outdoors. Since the first show held in 1948, more than $30,000,000 has been committed to these causes.

22000088//99 SSHHOOWW//EEVVEENNTT CCAALLEENNDDAARR www.sportshows.ca

Show/Event Date Facility

• Great Ontario Salmon Derby July 5 - Aug. 23, 2008 Lake Ontario, Canada

^ OFSC Go Snowmobiling Show Sept. 26 - 28, 2008 Toronto Congress Centre

♣ Toronto Ski, Snowboard & Travel Show Oct. 16 - 19, 2008 Better Living Centre Exhibition Place, Toronto, ON

♥ Toronto Motorcycle Show Dec. 12 - 14, 2008 Metro Toronto, Convention Centre, South Bldg. Toronto, ON

♠ Calgary Motorcycle Show Jan. 9 - 11, 2009 Roundup Centre, Stampede Park, Calgary, AB

♠ Edmonton Motorcycle Show Jan. 16 - 18, 2009 Northlands, Agricom Edmonton, AB

4 Vancouver International Motorcycle Show Jan. 22 - 25, 2009 Tradex, Abbotsford, BC

♠ Calgary Boat & Sportsmen’s Show Feb. 12 - 15, 2009 Roundup Centre, Stampede Park, Calgary, AB

* Ottawa Boat & Sportsmen’s Show Feb. 26 - Mar. 1, 2009 Lansdowne Park, Ottawa, ON

♦ Salon EXPERT CHASSE, PÊCHE Feb 26 - Mar. 1, 2009 Place Bonaventure, et Camping de Montréal Montréal, QC Montréal Hunting, Fishing & Camping Show

♠ Edmonton Boat & Sportsmen’s Show Mar. 12 - 15, 2009 Northlands, Agricom, Edmonton, AB

♣ Toronto Sportsmen’s Show Mar. 18 – 22, 2009 Direct Energy Centre Exhibition Place, Toronto, ON

♦ Salon EXPERT, CHASSE, PÊCHE Mar. 12 - 15, 2009 Centre de Foires, et Camping de Québec City Québec City, QC Québec City Hunting, Fishing & Camping Show

♣ Harley Austin ♥ Darryl Bond * Heather Macrae ^ Denise Hayward • Walter Oster ♦ Luce Beland ♠ Laurie Paetz 4 Nanette Jacques

CORPORATE OFFICE MONTREAL OFFICE CALGARY OFFICE VANCOUVER OFFICE 30 Village Centre Place, 330-8150 Metropolitain Blvd.East, 340, 1032 -17th Avenue S.W. #800-15355 24th Avenue, Ste 178 Mississauga, ON L4Z1V9 Anjou, QU H1K 1A1 Calgary, AB T2T 0A5 Surrey, BC V4A 2H9 Tel: (905)361-2677 Tel: (514) 866-5409 Tel: (403) 245-9008 Tel: 604-535-7584 Fax: (905)361-2679 Fax: (514) 866-4092 Fax: (403) 245-5100 Fax: 604-535-1463 1-888-695-2677 1-866-704-4412 1-800-663-8815

Canadian National Sportsmen’s Shows (1989) Limited (Schedule subject to change – April 21, 2008) Replaces all others.

The first Canadian National Sportsmen's Show took place in Toronto in 1948. A group of sporting enthusiasts under the leadership of world-famous outdoorsman, author and dedicated conservationist, Frank Kortright, were responsible for an event that would eventually evolve into the Toronto Sportsmen's Show. He saw the approaching environmental crisis and resolved to do something about it, long before it became a worldwide issue. Kortright devoted the latter part of his life, his full attention and abundant energies toward the cause of protecting wild animals of the fields, the forests, the waters and the skies. In so doing, he created for all Canadians a legacy that will be appreciated by many generations to come.

Canadian National Sportsmen's Shows grew from Frank Kortright's vision. Today, it is a non-profit corporation and Canada's largest producer of outdoor events. In addition to the Toronto Sportsmen's Show, Canadian National Sportsmen's Shows produce the Toronto Ski, Snowboard & Travel Show and shows in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City. The company also produces the Great Ontario Salmon Derby.

For more than 50 years, Canadian National Sportsmen's Shows have helped protect Canada's outdoors with grants exceeding $30 million. We distributed these funds in the form of grants to organizations and institutions including the Ringwood Fish Culture Station, Association de Conservation de la Vallee du Gouffre, Orillia Perch Festival, Camp Winston, Kid's Fishing Days, Credit Valley Conservation Foundation, the Pacific Salmon Foundation, the Ontario Snow Resorts Association, Friends of Toronto Parks & Trees, the Credit River Anglers' Association, Parkview Hatchery, Project C.A.N.O.E., and Alberta Hunter Education Instructors' Association.

News Release

BASS PRO SHOPS TO OPEN 3rd CANADIAN STORE AS SIGNATURE ANCHOR AT LAC MIRABEL

Montreal, Canada—April 1, 2008--Bass Pro Shops, ranked the #1 Outdoor Retailer in America by Sporting Goods Business Magazine, today announced that it is continuing its retail growth with the opening of an outdoor superstore at Lac Mirabel. The store is scheduled to open in fall 2009. Lac Mirabel is a joint development between Gordon Group Holdings, LLC and Morgan Stanley Real Estate.

The approximately 150,000 square foot store will be the signature anchor for the state-of-the-art 1.4- million square foot Lac Mirabel retail entertainment complex located along Highway 15 outside Montreal.

“With the project now well under way, many leading retailers, like Bass Pro Shops, are considering Lac Mirabel as one of North America's most unique retail shopping environments,” commented Sheldon Gordon, Chairman of Gordon Group Holdings. “We are excited to welcome Bass Pro Shops to Lac Mirabel- -they are a retail experience like no other and their addition will attract many other world class retailers and shoppers from around the world.”

In January of 2008 Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris was recognized as the “Innovator of the Year” by the National Retail Federation for the companies unique store concepts and designs.

Unique exterior and interior motifs have branded Bass Pro Shops as visually appealing, high quality outdoor stores. The outdoors is brought indoors with massive log and rock work, large aquariums and water features stocked with native fish species, along with an extensive collection of museum quality fish and wildlife exhibits, historic photos, artifacts, and memorabilia. They also feature free outdoor skills workshops for adults, kids, and families, as well as conservation education.

“Canada has long been known for its great sporting tradition and outdoor heritage and this opportunity at LacMirabel allows us to further extend our destination retail stores as well as our full line-up of Tracker boats into this tremendous outdoor market,” said Bass Pro Shops President Jim Hagale. “This store will be designed and themed as a tribute to the Canadian outdoors and a celebration of the sporting men and women of the region.”

The Lac Mirabel store will offer outdoor enthusiasts 3 acres of shopping excitement with the area’s largest selection of equipment and clothing for hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, backpacking, wildlife viewing, camping, outdoor cooking and more. A gift and nature center will also serve up a wide variety of outdoor-related items from lamps and dishes to bird feeders and furniture.

An expansive boat showroom will feature Tracker, Nitro, SunTracker, Grizzly, and Tahoe boats built by Tracker Marine Group--the world’s largest manufacturer of fishing boats. A boat service center will also be available.

“Bass Pro Shops is a trend-setting, major destination retailer whom we are very pleased to be associated with at Lac Mirabel,” said Mark Bratt of Morgan Stanley Real Estate. “With its Vaughn, Ontario location serving as one of Bass Pro Shops’ top performing stores, we look forward to the impact its anchor presence will have on both retailers and visitors alike as we continue to move ahead to develop Lac Mirabel as one of Canada’s most distinctive attractions for shopping and entertainment.”

Bass Pro Shops retail stores are rated as top tourist destinations. Over 90 million people visit their stores annually. Their stores are the top tourist attractions in Maryland, North Carolina, and Missouri.

Bass Pro Shops, known for hiring associates that have a passion for the outdoors, is expected to employ approximately 300 people at Lac Mirabel, many of whom will come from the local region. Employment information is available in the career opportunities section of www.basspro.com.

News Release BASS PRO SHOPS CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY IN ROCKY VIEW

Rocky View, Alberta - May 22, 2008 – Construction is underway on the new Bass Pro Shops 150,000 square foot outdoor superstore in the new CrossIron Mills being developed by Ivanhoe Cambridge. The development is located just north of Calgary in the Municipal District of Rocky View at the intersection of Queen Elizabeth Highway II and Highway #566. This will be Bass Pro Shops 57th store and is tentatively scheduled to open in June 2009.

Bass Pro Shops, named the #1 outdoor retailer in America by Sporting Goods Business Magazine, is known for combining retail with entertainment, conservation and outdoor education. In January of 2008 Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris was recognized as the “Retail Innovator of the Year” by the National Retail Federation for the companies unique store concepts and designs.

“Bass Pro Shops is a dynamic outdoor retailer that will significantly enhance the retail and entertainment offering in the western Canadian marketplace and we welcome them to CrossIron Mills,” commented René Tremblay, president and chief executive officer of Ivanhoe Cambridge.

Bass Pro Shops first Canadian store is located at Vaughan Mills another Ivanhoe Cambridge destination located in Toronto, Ontario.

“We look forward to becoming a part of the greater Calgary community and the Alberta region,” stated Bass Pro Shops President Jim Hagale. “This highly visible and accessible location will enable us to better serve our many customers and all outdoor enthusiasts that visit and live in this beautiful area of Canada.”

Starting with just eight feet of retail space in a small store in Springfield, Missouri back in 1971, Bass Pro Shops began by offering a selection of the latest gear from the fledgling bass tournament fishing trail. Today, the name Bass Pro Shops is world renowned.

Bass Pro Shops stores are much more than just retail stores. The sights and sounds of the outdoors are brought indoors through museum-quality wildlife dioramas, huge murals and chandeliers depicting outdoor scenes, massive log and rock work, waterfalls, and other water features, and aquariums stocked with native fish species. The attention to the finest detail from wildlife tracks in the concrete, to wildlife carvings on logs and rafters is what helps add to the uniqueness of a Bass Pro Shops store.

A local theme can be felt throughout all Bass Pro Shops stores with use of artifacts and memorabilia from the area as well as historic photos of local outdoor enthusiast that pay tribute to the great outdoor

heritage of the region. Laser galleries, climbing walls, archery ranges, and more add to the family entertainment.

The Rocky View store will be themed to reflect Alberta’s world class river systems, the Central Flyway waterfowl migration area, rolling prairies, Alberta’s Badlands, and of course the Rocky Mountains. Huge murals and museum quality wildlife dioramas will feature moose, mountain lions, elk, black bears, grizzly bears, mule deer, whitetail deer, goats, sheep, and pronghorn. The stores aquarium will be stocked with numerous native fish species.

The store will also include an expansive boat showroom featuring a complete selection of Tracker, Nitro, Grizzly and Tahoe boats as well as SunTracker pontoons built by Tracker Marine Group- the world’s largest manufacturer of fishing boats.

Known as a very conservation-minded company, Bass Pro Shops provides major support to national and local organizations for their conservation projects and has received more awards for their conservation efforts than any other outdoor retailer in America.

Outdoor education is also a key component to Bass Pro Shops strong commitment to our natural resources and the sportsmen and sportswomen who enjoy them. Weekly free outdoor skills workshops are offered at all stores for kids, women, novice adults and families. It is also not unusual to see various groups, including Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, as well as school and church groups, and others on field trips to Bass Pro Shops stores to learn about the great outdoors in the comfort of the great indoors of Bass Pro Shops.

More than just a fishing and hunting store, Bass Pro Shops will also offer equipment and clothing for hiking, backpacking, wildlife viewing, camping, outdoor cooking and more. A gift and nature center will also serve up a wide variety of outdoor-related items from lamps and dishes to bird feeders and furniture. Known for their great customer service, Bass Pro Shops is expected to hire approximately 300 passionate outdoor enthusiasts from the area. Employment information is available in the career opportunity’s section of www.basspro.com.

About Bass Pro Shops Bass Pro Shops, an international catalog and internet retailer, is also America’s most popular outdoor store, offering shoppers the largest selection of quality outdoor gear, clothing and accessories from top industry names and at value prices.

Bass Pro Shops retail stores are rated high as tourist-destination picks. Almost 100 million people visit the stores annually. Headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, Bass Pro Shops currently has 49 retail locations in 26 states and Canada. In addition, Bass Pro Shops, also provides products and services for thousands of independent dealers world wide through its subsidiary company, American Rod & Gun. For more information regarding Bass Pro Shops store locations, products or special events, please visit www.basspro.com. To request a free catalog call 1-800-BASS PRO.

Contact Larry Whiteley, 417-873-5022. Email: [email protected]. Website www.basspro.com

NEWS RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT Ann Walden (316) 219-7535 [email protected]

COLEMAN CANADA OFFERS NEW DEVICE TO FACILITATE DIVERSION, RECYCLING OF NON-REFILLABLE PROPANE CYLINDERS New Green Key Tool Is First Step in Making Empties Recyclable

WICHITA, Kan. (June 4, 2008) – Rolling off the production line this spring is the patent-pending Coleman® Green Key® tool, the first step in facilitating the recycling of used single-trip, non-refillable propane cylinders.

The ubiquitous green cylinders are familiar to campers all over North America and to almost anyone else who has used a portable, propane-powered cooking, heating or lighting device outside. However, unlike their large bulk tank cousins, these small single-trip cylinders are not refillable, and when disposed of, most have found their way to landfill waste sites. With the Green Key tool, Coleman Canada, a Division of Sunbeam Corporation (Canada) Ltd., provides consumers with the opportunity to assist in the recycling of every cylinder.

In Canada sealed propane cylinders are classified as a hazardous waste, no matter how much or how little fuel they contain. However, after the user has purged a cylinder by using it on an appliance until the fuel supply is exhausted, and after a Green Key tool is inserted into the cylinder valve, the interior of the cylinder is permanently opened to the atmosphere and – after a short period of time – there is no longer any pressure or flammable vapour remaining.

“By educating consumers, parks, municipalities and the recycling industry, we want to make the Green Key tool an easily recognized symbol that a propane cylinder is open, has no propane left in it and, therefore, provides the opportunity for it to be transported, handled and recycled as scrap metal,” said Darrell Neugebauer, Coleman’s director of burning appliances and fuels.

Expanding Recycling Programs for More Waste Diversion Because cylinders without Green Key tools are hazardous waste, municipalities will require the ability to separate vented cylinders from other cylinders before they can accept them in curbside collection. Until these concerns are

42 addressed, municipalities may use other methods of collection that will allow them to divert vented cylinders for immediate sale so that they can benefit from their value as scrap metal.

Green Key Canada – ADD ONE Coleman is offering technical and other assistance to municipalities in Canada to assist them in developing curbside collection programs that will accept the vented cylinders.

“Coleman and other manufacturers combined produce millions of single-trip propane cylinders annually, creating a tremendous opportunity for a new source of recycled steel,” Neugebauer said. “With the Green Key tool, we hope that propane cylinder recycling eventually will become as routine as steel can recycling. In the meantime, consumers may be interested to know that Coleman’s propane cylinders – like many other steel products on the market today – are made with an average minimum of 25 percent recycled content.”

Beginning in June 2008, the Green Key tool will be packaged inside the cap of most Coleman-branded propane cylinders and soon after will be available at select sporting goods and camping equipment retailers in Canada. Cylinders with the Green Key tool included will be clearly marked, so consumers will know which propane cylinders come with the tool. The Green Key tools also will be sold separately, in packages of six. Consumers can find participating retailers at www.colemancanada.ca.

For more information, see the separate Green Key Tool Q&A Fact Sheet.

Coleman® and Green Key® are registered trademarks of The Coleman Company, Inc. As an international leader in the innovation and marketing of outdoor products, The Coleman Company, Inc., helps people have fun and make memories by providing the gear integral to their favorite outdoor experiences. The company’s products include its legendary lanterns and stoves, as well as coolers, tents, sleeping bags, airbeds, backpacks, furniture, and grills under its Coleman®, Exponent® and Campingaz® brands. The company also provides flotation devices, towables, rainwear, waders, hunting and fishing gear, and safety and survival equipment under its Stearns®, Sevylor®, Sospenders®, Hodgman®, Nevin®, Helium® and Mad Dog Gear® brands. Founded in 1900 and based in Wichita, Kan., Coleman is a wholly owned subsidiary of Jarden Corporation and can be found online at www.coleman.com. Consumers in Canada can call 800-387-6161 or contact us online at www.colemancanada.ca/contactus. Note to Media: News releases and images are available upon request or can be downloaded at www.coleman.com/newsroom. Jarden Corporation is a leading provider of niche consumer products used in and around the home. Jarden operates in three primary business segments through a number of well recognized brands, including: Branded Consumables: Ball®, Bee®, Bicycle®, Crawford®, Diamond®, Dicon®, First Alert®, Forster®, Hoyle®, Java Log®, Kerr®, Lehigh®, Leslie-Locke®, Loew- Cornell® and Pine Mountain®; Consumer Solutions: Bionaire®, Crock-Pot®, FoodSaver®, Harmony®, Health o meter®, Holmes®, Mr. Coffee®, Oster®, Patton®, Rival®, Seal-a-Meal®, Sunbeam®, VillaWare® and White Mountain™; and Outdoor Solutions: Abu Garcia®, Berkley®, Campingaz®, Coleman®, Fenwick®, Gulp®, JT®, K2®, Marker®, Marmot®, Mitchell®, Penn®, Rawlings®, Shakespeare®, Stearns®, Stren®, Trilene®, and Volkl®. Headquartered in Rye, N.Y., Jarden has over 25,000 employees worldwide. For more information, please visit www.jarden.com.

Q&A FACT SHEET (Canada)

Coleman® Green Key® Tool for Disposal of Non-Refillable Propane Cylinders

The Green Key® tool is a simple plastic device that, when inserted into an empty non-refillable Coleman® propane cylinder, will open the cylinder to the atmosphere, rendering the cylinder depressurized, so it no longer contains flammable material and can be diverted from the waste stream. After insertion into an empty propane cylinder, the Green Key® tool is permanently locked into the top of the cylinder and becomes a visible indicator that the cylinder no longer requires the special handling associated with hazardous waste.

Why is the Green Key® tool necessary? After all fuel is exhausted from a cylinder in use on an appliance, less than 1 gram of fuel remains. The Coleman® Green Key® tool allows this small amount of fuel to dissipate into the atmosphere, so that the cylinder can be diverted, recycled or otherwise handled outside the hazardous waste stream. How does the Green Key® tool work? The Green Key® tool is manually inserted into the outlet valve of the empty cylinder, opening it to the atmosphere so that all pressure and vapour is released. The following warning and instructions will be on Coleman® propane cylinder labels produced as of June 2008, and can be found online at www.colemancanada.ca/recycle.

WARNING: The Coleman® Green Key® tool must be used on an empty propane cylinder in a clear and open outdoor area. Keep away from open flames or other sources of ignition, tents, buildings and other structures. Failure to follow all instructions and warnings could result in fire, burns, property damage, serious injury or death. INSTRUCTIONS: Ensure the cylinder is empty by operating with an appliance until the flame is extinguished. Use the appliance cylinder probe (fig. 1) to push the tool from the cap. Place empty cylinder upright onto level outdoor surface and push tool into valve (fig. 2). Allow two minutes before recycling or disposal. Do not reinstall black cap on propane cylinder. Recycle cap separately. When the cylinder is empty, use of the Green Key® tool is unlikely to produce the sound or smell of vapor. If the cylinder warms, you may hear or smell vapor escaping for a brief moment. The Green Key® tool is permanently locked into the top of the cylinder and indicates the cylinder is empty, depressurized and ready for proper disposal or steel recycling.

– more –

PAGE 2 – GREEN KEY® TOOL Q&A (CANADA)hat if the Green Key® tool falls off the cylinder? After proper insertion, the tool will be permanently locked into the cylinder valve. If it comes out, it was not inserted properly, and should be inserted again, following the instructions on the label. What if the tool is accidentally inserted into a non-empty cylinder? The propane will be released into the surrounding air at a controlled rate, with a full cylinder becoming empty after approximately 45 minutes. That is why it is important that a propane cylinder be used with a propane appliance first to ensure it is empty before inserting the Green Key® tool. It is also why the Coleman label says to use the tool in a clear and open outdoor area, away from open flames or other sources of ignition, tents, buildings and other structures. Can an empty propane cylinder be thrown into the trash? In Canada, any non-refillable propane cylinder that remains sealed (has not been vented with a Green Key® tool) is considered to be hazardous waste, whether it contains fuel or not. All non-vented cylinders must be disposed of using the available hazardous waste facilities. Municipalities may choose to accept cylinders vented with Green Key® tools in their recycling programs, or may collect them by other means and divert them for sale as scrap metal. Can a vented (empty and open) propane cylinder be recycled? A cylinder with a Green Key® tool inserted in the valve can be considered to be scrap metal. However, because most municipalities do not yet have the ability to segregate vented cylinders from sealed cylinders, they may not accept them in their blue box programs at this time. All municipalities have the objective of diverting used cylinders from the landfill stream and may use other methods to collect the cylinders with Green Key® tools and recover the value of the scrap metal. Coleman Canada, a Division of Sunbeam Corporation (Canada) Ltd., is cooperating with municipalities to facilitate the collection of vented cylinders in curbside programs. Coleman Canada also is working with the scrap metal industry by providing technical information and data to assist in the diversion of the maximum number of empty cylinders from landfill to recovery and recycling. When and where will the Green Key® tool be available? Coleman will begin supplying the new Coleman® propane cylinders with the Green Key® tools in the caps in June 2008. By late July or early August, these new cylinders will be available on the shelves of select Canadian retailers. Propane cylinders with Green Key® tools will be clearly labeled for easy identification. For existing cylinders, consumers will be able to purchase Green Key® tools separately. For participating retailers, go to www.colemancanada.ca. What does it cost? The Green Key® tool will come with every Coleman® propane cylinder at no additional cost. Purchased separately, the Green Key® tools come in packages of six at a nominal retail price. Why is Coleman doing this? As a result of its long association with the outdoors, Coleman shares the passion of today’s outdoor enthusiasts to be responsible stewards of the environment, to keep the outdoors great for future generations. Like many other steel products, Coleman’s non-refillable propane cylinders already are made with an average minimum 25 percent recycled content. The Green Key® tool is just one example of the efforts Coleman is making to reduce carbon emissions, improve its processes and practice the three R’s – reduce, reuse and recycle – in order to minimize waste and conserve our natural resources.

Coleman® and Green Key® are registered trademarks of The Coleman Company, Inc.

For more information, images or any other media assistance, send e-mail to [email protected] or call (316) 219-7537.