A local animal rights group is asking Capital Regional District board members to remove one of the appointed members of the deer management advisory committee.

Representatives of DeerSafe Victoria sent a letter to the CRD on Monday, formally asking for the removal of Richard Christiansen, a representative from the United Bowhunters of British Columbia, from the CitizenB次元官网网址檚 Advisory Group.

They are also requesting that a DeerSafe member be appointed to the CAG in his place.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e taken it on ourselves to complain directly to the CRD because there is no other way to communicate with them,B次元官网网址� Kelly Carson, one of the founding members of DeerSafe, said.

Members of DeerSafe, who attended the CAGB次元官网网址檚 first meeting last Wednesday and plan to attend every meeting, feel the makeup of the committee is B次元官网网址減ro-cullB次元官网网址� and that it needs to be more balanced.

B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 our responsibility to make sure that the CRD does know thereB次元官网网址檚 opposition to a cull.B次元官网网址�

The fact that a bow hunter remains on the CAG has members of DeerSafe feeling B次元官网网址渟nubbed.B次元官网网址�

Christiansen stated at the meeting that he brings a B次元官网网址減ro-hunting slantB次元官网网址� to the committee, Carson said.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 not the words of someone who is open-minded and could listen to other options,B次元官网网址� Carson added. B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 there to shoot deer.B次元官网网址�

According to Carson, few people on the committee seem open to humane alternatives and are knowledgeable about deer.

Unless a member of the advisory group continuously misses meetings or seems unprepared to participate, the CRD board is not planning on removing anyone from the CAG, according to Geoff Young, chair of the CRD.

B次元官网网址淣ormally you wouldnB次元官网网址檛 expect to remove people because of their views. B次元官网网址� thatB次元官网网址檚 the point of the committee, is that theyB次元官网网址檙e there to express their views,B次元官网网址� Young said.

Members of the CAG were selected based on the written material provided in their applications, outlining their individual knowledge and expertise.

B次元官网网址淭he selections were made primarily on the basis of individual circumstances and individual responses (to application questions) rather than trying to select group representatives,B次元官网网址� Young said.

Given the constraints on geographic and agricultural representation required in the CAG, a range of people were chosen, he added.

While the board is aware members of the CAG may be representatives of certain groups, the hope is that some common ground can be reached in discussions, Young said.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 think we have to expect that a number of the people on the committee are going to make the decision for us,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e going to give us ideas and input and each of the directors will have to make up his or her own mind.B次元官网网址�