I'm sitting watching the Nature Conservancy's funding appeal on TV. A terrific organization. Very practical. If you're an outdoors type person, check it out at, aforcefornature.ca.

1 800 463 9014.

I love that they make the point that we should be hopeful about the future, but we need to act to set aside habitat if we want to preserve plants, animals and birds.

Look, I'm a conservative and a conservationist. I'm a hiker, a birder, a fisherman and I even enjoy duck and pheasant hunting. I give them money every month because they make such a direct contribution and have such enormous credibility with governments of all stripes.

All of that and they are great people to boot. They are activists without being bitter and holier-than-thou which is an acid test for me.

Anyway, I like them enough to bet my money on them.