Quick Quip...

The More Varied the Cover, The Larger The Fish. Recent studies have proven that the greater the varity of cover offered by a trout stream, the larger the average fish will be -- up to 40 times more likely to be larger. So look for pools with at least 3 different types of cover such as boulders, laydowns, stumps, undercuts and weeds -- they'll be more productive!

What's New...

On Frday, May 23rd, I was notified by USA Today that TFN was selected as one of their Hot Sites! Thanks for your support in helping us get this far!

Slowly but surely, we're getting uploading all of the tournaments that have been requested - as well as the new clubs pages, and are also continuing to expand the Fishing Travel Directory (now over 2000 listings strong). Remember that if you operate a fishing lodge, camp, charter or guide service, a one line listing in the directory is free, but with the 10,000 we expect to have just for North America, we strongly suggest that to maximise your advertising dollar and Net presence, you upgrade your listing to a "Linked Listing" that puts you at the top of the appropriate list and costs about the equivalent of $10 per month! Otherwise your listing may get lost with all the rest.

We're pleased to introduce Captain "Z" to our growing list of contributors. Captain "Z" is not only one of the top guides on the Florida Salt Water Flats, he's also an expert fly-fisherman (and a qualified instructor), taught by that guru of the sport, Lefty Kreh!

This Issue...

Well, Spring is springing, and we're getting in the mood. Check out the new issue for timely articles!

Comment...

was going to go deeply into a discussion of the Canadian Federal Election (June 2) here, but the article provided by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters in this issue certainly does a great job of isolating the concerns of those of us who have a special place in our hearts for the outdoors. But for our non-Canadian readers, it is also particularly important for you to read the OFAH article. These are the types of concerns that are cropping up throughout much or the world, and I feel it's important that get acquainted with those issues important to us so that all can respond when the same questions occur in each political jurisdiction.

For those unfamiliar with the Canadian political system, here it is in a nutshell.

Canada was originally a group of colonies owned by England (Quebec was originally French, but was ceded to Great Britain by the Treaty of Paris 1763 after General James Wolfe who commanded the British force, captured Quebec from the French in 1759, defeating Gen. Louis Joseph Montcolm on the Plains of Abraham, southwest of the city).

Canada is a self-governing federal union of ten provinces (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Saskatchewan) and two territories (Northwest Territories and Yukon Territory) within the British Commonwealth of Nations. The core of the constitution is derived, with modifications, from the BRITISH NORTH AMERICA ACT of 1867, which was patriated (brought under direct Canadian control) and renamed the Constitution Act in 1982. Queen Elizabeth II is head of state and is represented in the federal government by the governor-general and in the provinces by lieutenant governors.

Legislative power is vested in Parliament, which comprises the queen; the Senate, with 104 members appointed to age 75 (or for life before 1965); and the House of Commons, with 295 elected members (as of the 1988 elections). National elections are held at least once every five years or whenever the majority party is voted down or calls an election. The leader of the political party with the largest number of seats in the House of Commons usually serves as prime minister.

Provincial legislative power, which extends to education, municipal affairs, direct taxation, and civil law, is vested in unicameral, elected legislatures known as legislative assemblies except in Newfoundland, where it is the House of Assembly, and Quebec, where it is the National Assembly. The legislatures of the provinces are headed by premiers, who are usually the leaders of the majority party. The provincial legislatures are elected every five years or less.

The principal political parties are:

• the New Democratic Party, led by Alexa McDonnagh; Definitely Left
• the Liberal Party (the current governing party), led by Jean Chretien; Center - Left
• the Progressive Conservative Party, led by Jean Charest; Center - Right
• the Reform Party led by Preston Manning; A bit more to the Right, and,
• the Bloc Quebecois, led by Gilles Duceppe - strictly wants Quebec to separate.

Canadian Governments are either based on a majority or a minority. A Majority Government can pretty well do whatever it pleases because it has a clear majority of the votes in Parliament. A Minority Government is usually made up of the party with the most seats forming some sort of a deal with another to garner the majority of votes - but that coalition can break down at any time, to government has a tendency to be more responsible.

So that's the system in a nutshell.

For you Canadians, MAKE SURE YOUR VOTE COUNTS! If there is no party or candidate in your riding you wish to vote for, then vote for the party you think would make the best opposition, but VOTE!

And for the other 85% of you who have hopefully read this and perhaps learned more than you really needed to know, Canada provides some of the best freshwater and saltwater fishing in the world, and unfortunately our governments have the jurisdictional power to ruin it. So follow what happens, and in May, I'll discuss the potential repercussions.

As for my vote, I've been a member of the Liberal Party for much of my life, but I'll not be voting for them this time due to their lack of concern for the outdoors and those citizens who use them. I'm not left leaning at all, so that rules out the social agenda (including higher taxes and more government spending) of the NDP. Je ne suis pas un sÉparatist (I'm not a separatist), and besides, the BQ only runs campaings in la belle province, QuÉbec which means its definitiely not going to be the Bloc. So it seems I'm left with a choice between the Tories (an age-old nickname for the Progressive Conservatives) and Reform. Well at least I still have another week to decide.

Until next issue...
(tight lines, get it wet, good fishin', see you on the water (if I ever get there), etc., etc.).

Scott M. Binnie, Managing Editor (with some files from Groliers Encyclopedia)