In Fridays Toronto Star former Prime Minister John Turner wrote an Editorial that really caught my eye.  Here is the link -

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/802655--fresh-water-canada-s-lifeblood

Link to the same story posting on the WWF-Canada site

http://wwf.ca/newsroom/?7200

The Last Paragraph really caught my eye.

Quote"

I first dipped a paddle into the deep, clear water of Ontario's Temagami country at age seven, an experience that profoundly shaped the rest of my life.

Over the years, I have canoed most of our northern rivers with my wife, family and friends. Future generations should have that same opportunity, right across Canada.

John Turner is a former prime minister of Canada and a member of the board, now honourary director, of WWF-Canada. "Unquote

If a person of Mr. Turners' stature has similar concerns as us to the future ability to paddle our rivers we should embrace the opportunity to encourage Mr. Turner voice his/our concerns with the government over this issue.

I am suggesting that you write to the Toronto Star, and ask them to forward your letter to Mr. Turner.

Be polite, be short and too the point. With all political parties jockeying for position in many different issues it is a good time to try and get some more commitment.

If enough people do we could help encourage larger news coverage on our point of view that has been so lacking from the start of this.

We can not give up on our right to paddle!

I also encourage you to write to your MP (no matter what party) your Senator or those that already been selected to be Federal candidates in your area

Jeff

National Editor: Tim Harper
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Sample Letter

Dear:__________________________

It has come to my attention that in a recently written article by the Honourable former Prime Minister John  Turner in the Friday's April 30, 2010 Toronto Star

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/802655--fresh-water-canada-s-lifeblood

or http://wwf.ca/newsroom/?7200

that Mr. Turner has many of the same concerns that I do in regards to what is known as "Minor Waters" under the Navigable Waters Protection act.

I encourage you to ensure that the rights of present and future Canadians to access these minor waters for recreational purposes that include a wide variety of paddle sport, power boating, hunting or fishing like many Canadians have historically done.

I encourage you to contact Mr. Hahn and address our concerns so that these issues/rights are covered under the Ministerial Order currently under discussion under the NWPA and to be later implemented as law under the NWPA/Minor Waters.

Kenneth Hahn
Project Manager, Navigable Waters Regulatory Development 
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it     

Signed __________________________