Hunting guide lowers age limit prematurely

It was premature to include a lower age limit in the new fall hunting guide, according to a Department of Natural Resources spokesman.

The government asked for public input this summer on the idea of lowering the age to 12, but the results of that consultation are still before government for a final decision.

A political scientist from Mount Allison University agrees the publication was premature.

Mario Levesque says it gives the impression government is not listening.

"This is crucial for peoplebeing able to participate on issues that are of interest to them. So what it does is itjust makes them more cynical about government and makes them disengage from the whole governing process, which is exactly the opposite of what we want with any democratic society."

Levesque says if DNR was under a tight deadline to print the guides,the departmentshould have used the existing regulations.