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`Bears are nature's most efficient killing machines' Continued from page 1 7 · Friday, May 25, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com The discussion regarding the bear arose at the Halton Police Board when Burlington Councillor Rick Craven asked if staff should be requested to write a report on how to handle similar incidents in the future. Oakville Mayor Rob Burton said rather than have staff write a report police should be commended for their actions stating the situation was handled perfectly. Other board members said police were in a lose-lose situation as the options at the time were to bring down the bear or do nothing and risk the possibility of the animal hurting someone. Crowell produced a map of Mountainside Park and the surrounding area to show the board just how close the bear was to residences. "This is Mountainside Park and you can see that all around it is nothing but homes. These are running paths, these are walking paths, this is the arena, this is the skateboard park, this "We have a bear hunt in this province. It goes from August to November when I don't know how many bears are killed. I have never heard a negative comment or the outrage against that and that is done with purpose, that is done with intent, and that is done with the authority of this province, which licences hunters to go out there and kill bears." Chief Gary Crowell, Halton Regional Police Service to understand bears are not cute and cuddly and cautioned people against feeding potentially-dangerous wildlife. "A bear is one of nature's most efficient killing machines. It is an apex predator. Top of the food chain," he said. "They are dangerous and we live in an area full of people who think it is okay to feed wildlife. Once you do that you've basically taken that creature out of the wild and turned it into a very dangerous urban pet. "We've got to get people's heads around the news that you don't feed wildlife and you've got to have respect for nature's killing machines." In the end, Craven said he had no problem with the way police handled the bear situation and did not ask staff to write a report on other options for dealing with similar situations. is another park where I have actually taken my grandson within the last two months, here are two schools close by, there's a church here, there's a respite home," said Crowell. "This is an urban/suburban area. This is not north Halton Hills, north Burlington or north Oakville where there's lots of forested area. This is very much an urban area. How did that bear get there? We've had some suggestion it might have come down the hydro laneway. We had very few options at that particular time." Crowell said shooting the bear was not an easy thing for the officers involved to do. He also said the shooting needs to be kept in perspective. "We have a bear hunt in this province. It goes from August to November when I don't know how many bears are killed," said Crowell. "I have never heard a negative comment or the outrage against that and that is done with purpose, that is done with intent, and that is done with the authority of this province, which licences hunters to go out there and kill bears." Burton called on residents · ROHDE · MEPHISTO · BIRKENSTOCK · RIEKER FAMOUS BRAND NAMES AT WAREHOUSE PRICES · ROHDE · MEPHISTO · BIRKENSTOCK · RIEKER · ARA · ROHDE · MEPHISTO · BIRKENSTOCK · RIEKER · ARA UP TO 50 % * ALL CLOTHING BY LIMITED TIME OFFER! *With Purchase of Prescription Lenses ALL FRAMES OFF 50% OFF $ UP TO 59.95 LARGE SELECTION OF JACKETS, SWEATERS AND SHIRTS REDUCED TO CLEAR INGEBORG'S WAREHOUSE LOOK FOR US ON 1681 FINFAR COURT, MISSISSAUGA Hours: Mon.-Fri. 9 to 5 - Sat. 10-5 - Sun. 11 to 4 125 Cross Avenue, Oakville (Across from Home Depot) (905) 823-7415 905-842-2821