Defend Equal Access

Defend Equal Access

For generations, hunting, fishing, and enjoying Manitoba’s Crown lands have been a cornerstone of life in our province.

These lands belong to all Manitobans, they are funded and maintained by all taxpayers, and they should remain accessible to everyone - not reserved for the exclusive use of certain groups, no matter the reasoning.

Unfortunately, all across Canada, access to public lands is increasingly coming under attack, and recent events in Manitoba have made it clear that our shared resources are also at risk.

In one case, a checkstop set up on a provincial highway by the Bloodvein First Nation initially prevented licensed hunters from reaching Game Hunting Areas.

Elsewhere, the Pimicikamak Cree Nation successfully lobbied for reductions - sometimes up to 100% - in moose hunting licences in parts of northern Manitoba.

The role of government is to manage Crown lands as a public trust, ensuring fair access for all citizens equally.

When access is restricted based on identity, agreements, or selective privileges, it undermines the principles of public ownership and shared rights.

This issue goes far beyond hunting or recreation.

It reflects a broader trend in which public lands and resources are being closed to some while remaining open to others.

In British Columbia, what started as temporary closures of crown land for "cultural" purposes quickly spiralled into court cases that have put the entire concept of private property and people's homes and residences at risk.

Slowly, “public” is being redefined to mean “restricted unless you qualify” - a dangerous precedent that threatens the rights of every Manitoban.

To be clear, the owners of private land should be able to completely control the access and usage of that land.

But crown land is not private land - it belongs to all of us.

At the Manitoba Institute, we believe in:

• Equal access to Crown lands for all Manitobans, regardless of community, ancestry, or affiliation.
• No special privileges that exclude other citizens from using Crown lands.
• No closures or restrictions of Crown lands that divide Manitobans into groups with unequal rights.
  

If you believe Manitoba’s Crown lands should remain open to all, accessible to every citizen, and managed for the benefit of all the public rather than select groups, it's time to make your voice heard.

Sign the petition today to Defend Equal Access: