Federcaccia Piemonte on the question of hunting in the Region, "Add a seat at the table ... ??"
"Add a seat at the table ... ?? ... that there is an extra friend" ... this is how the famous song by maestro Armando Trovajoli, written for the musical of the same name, should continue. For those unfamiliar with the nice musical comedy written over forty years ago by Garinei and Giovannini, or have forgotten it by now, this tells us of the Creator's will to send a second universal flood to earth to wash away the sins of humanity, and of the task assigned to a mountain pastor to build a second ark to save all the inhabitants and animals of the country. The story continues between thrilling twists until the miracle: God's decision to stop the rains with the inevitable ending that sees everyone sitting around the table celebrating for the narrow escape. The extra seat at the table is for ... Him! For a few days here, too, we have been talking about a "table", but there is no divine punishment or a heroic and willing Don Silvestro who tries to save his parishioners, here there is only a Region in difficulty , Piedmont, and its important representative, the Councilor for Agriculture Hunting and Pesca, who has to correct a mistake. Let me be clear from the outset, Giorgio Ferrero is a decent person and we write him with conviction, and we also like him; no one thinks of making him wear the cassock or dispense sacraments, but we would just like to remind him that hunting is a lawful and legitimate activity and he has it in delegation.
And right around a table the former regional president Coldiretti would now like to bring together many diners, to talk about hunting: representatives of environmental associations, friends of agricultural ones, exponents of the scientific world, of ATC and CA and, of course, of hunting associations. About twenty people in all, many, perhaps too many, and in any case summoned quite late, when things have already been done; some of these, just us hunters, disappointed and ready to do battle; others who, on the contrary, have already toasted, and maybe on April 13 when they read the 2015/16 hunting calendar they immediately understood how the Region had mistreated some of its devotees ... parishioners, those Piedmontese hunters who continue undeterred to pay taxes and heavy taxes in the hope of one day witnessing the little miracle they care about: being considered on a par with other Italian colleagues!
The invitations have now been delivered and the guests will arrive soon; we, the hunting associations, have chosen three of ours to send to defend the provisions of the rules and laws in force, with the ... mission (almost) impossible to assemble in a few days what the Region has not been able to do in two months: a calendar… just, just decent! A complicated undertaking, almost as if it were to build the saving ark of the famous comedy. The table, baptized with a certain emphasis "of concertation", and from which changes and improvements should arise for Piedmontese hunters, is therefore ready to be set: with high hopes (perhaps), or maybe even just intentions, but there there will be many around, noisy and all ready to demand that only one plate be filled. One's!
The diligent helpers of our councilor, as if now he were called to wear the clothes of a great Parisian maître d 'dining room, to pour drinks to the banqueters. The guests will sit at the table and we will begin. We will be polite, we will respect the rules of bon ton and we will use cutlery. We will examine the new menu, and if it does not convince us we will get up from the table, not continuing the lunch with the others. We will sit elsewhere.
Therefore, the Councilor does not want it, but we cannot wait for the comforts of others, and the hopes of Piedmontese hunters must not remain tied to the vagaries of the weather or to the moods of politics.
At our table, however, there will always be a place for everyone, even for a new friend if the Councilor really wants to show us that he is too. Time is still there, very little… but there is!
(May 27, 2015)
Hunting Federation