I can understand that the promotion of canoeing should also promote safety, yet I certainly pick and choose my moments to wear my PFD. In the summer, on flat water, when the sun is shining, I'm more likely to be using my PFD as a (gasp!) knee rest than stifling in it.
November. Snow. Gonna keep this thing on even on shore.
https://canoecrew.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/img_2868.jpgAugust. 30 degrees. Can almost touch both sides of riverbank with arms outstretched. Gonna work on my tan.
https://canoecrew.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/img_0953.jpgGood grief, I'm not even wearing pants!
I would personally find it highly irritating to be mandated to wear a PFD at all times. Should a paddling school/tripping camp promote safety? Of course. Should marketers be aware of the image they project by not focusing on safety? Sure. But every outdoor sport has inherent risks, and we wouldn't force adults to wear helmets while trail-running for the off-chance they might trip and crack their head open. And the fact remains that this video is just marketing... they're trying to show how fun and beautiful it is to be outside, especially in their canoe, and if they focused on equipment (and safety and bailers and PFDs and 50 feet of floating rope and a light for night-time paddling and a whistle; add or subtract requirements based on where you live), don't you think people might decide that canoeing is mostly dangerous and shouldn't be attempted unless you're already an expert? That would do nothing to sell the product. I think the video did a great job at portraying the serenity and simplicity of wilderness travel, and most of all the freedom of being in a place where you realize you aren't in control and can choose to assess and minimize risks at your own discretion.