798 Highway 59, RR 3
Port Rowan, Ontario
Canada, N0E 1M0
November 07, 2013
Ms. B. Abel
Associate Director
The Trumpeter Swan Society
12615 County Road 9, Suite 100
Plymouth, Minnesota
USA, 55441-1248
Re: Fifth International Swan Symposium
Dear Ms. B. Abel:
Further to our telephone conversation of yesterday afternoon I am writing to confirm my financial support towards the Fifth International Swan Symposium to be held in 2014.
I appreciated you taking the time to talk to me regarding my questions regarding this symposium as well as my goals for the charitable gift foundation that I have established to benefit waterfowl, waterfowl habitat and waterfowl hunting.
I established The Dr. Jerome Katchin Waterfowl Foundation in December of 2010 after consultation with Mr. L. Greenwald (Investment Advisor, RBC Dominion Securities), Dr. S. Petrie (Executive Director, Long Point Waterfowl) and Dr. D. Ankney (Chairperson, Scientific Advisory Committee, Long Point Waterfowl) through the Charitable Gift Funds Canada Foundation.
The primary goal of The Dr. Jerome Katchin Waterfowl Foundation is to provide financial support to the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) for the implementation and monitoring of a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan harvest in the Province of Ontario as provided for within the Management Plan for the Eastern Population of Tundra Swans.
The secondary goal of The Dr. Jerome Katchin Waterfowl Foundation is to provide financial support to any waterfowl oriented organization that supports (directly or indirectly) my Proposal for a Tundra Swan Recreational Harvest in the Province of Ontario for any waterfowl related initiative, research or training program. I currently consider the following waterfowl oriented organizations to be eligible for such financial support: Wildlife Habitat Canada (WHC), Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC), Delta Waterfowl Foundation (DFW), Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) and Long Point Waterfowl (LPW) as they are currently registered with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) as charitable organizations. The Long Point Waterfowlers' Association (LPWA) would also be considered eligible for such financial support because it is able to receive charitable gifts through the OFAH head office.
As stated during our telephone conversation of yesterday afternoon I would be willing to assist The Trumpeter Swan Society (TTSS) as requested in acquiring CRA status as a charitable organization for Canadian donations. In this way your organization would also be eligible for financial support from my charitable gift foundation.
I submitted my Proposal for a Tundra Swan Recreational Harvest in the Province of Ontario to Mr. J. Hughes (Head of Population Management, CWS) in October of 2010 to be discussed as an official agenda item at the next Ontario Waterfowl Advisory Committee (OWAC) meeting that was scheduled for November of 2010. Although my proposal did not receive the support that I had hoped for my proposal was at least discussed and that was the first step in a long process that I knew would be required to achieve such a harvest.
I subsequently provided Mr. J. Hughes with additional information early in 2011 that supported my Proposal for a Tundra Swan Recreational Harvest in the Province of Ontario as well as in the Provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. I also posted my proposal and this additional information on two (2) waterfowl hunting forums in Ontario suggesting that interested waterfowlers should submit a letter of support indicating their interest in a limited Tundra Swan harvest.
In April of 2011 the CWS announced their intention to conduct an assessment regarding the potential of a Tundra Swan harvest in Canada. At that time I was in the process of conducting a small survey among the members of the Long Point Waterfowlers' Association which provided the following results:
1) There was a 20% response rate from the members ... apparently twice the normal response rate for these types of surveys.
2) There was an unqualified 85% interest and support for my Tundra Swan proposal with the remaining 15% indicating a limited or potential interest and support for my Tundra Swan proposal.
This did not include any of the responses or comments that were posted on either of the two (2) waterfowl forums ... most of which were very supportive in nature.
The CWS completed their Tundra Swan Season Assessment this past summer which is very supportive of my initial Tundra Swan proposal. I will send the PDF version of it to you by e-mail for reference purposes.
I can assure you that Dr. J-M. DeVink (Scientist, CWS) carefully considered the Trumpeter Swan throughout his Tundra Swan Season Assessment.
In closing please process my completed Sponsorship Form supporting the Fifth International Swan Symposium to be held in 2014.
I certainly hope that I will be able to attend this symposium.
Sincerely,
J. Katchin, D.V.M.
