Well instead of asking to hunt rabbits try asking to hunt coyotes - you may have better luck and it's a good way to introduce yourself to the land owner.
I don't officially know this but I've been told that shooting yotes isn't legal in the Ottawa area because there are also incursions of red and grey wolves from in and around Algonquin Park and killing one of them would of course bring down the wrath of of all the gods on you.