There is a gratifying proposal by Bob Brash of the Truck Loggers Association of BC in a recent issue of the Lake Cowichan Gazette. He requests that the B.C. government organize a meeting between all stakeholders – I assume including reserves, logging-related businesses, government, Grand Chief Stewart Philip and the Union of Indian Chiefs of BC, involved advocacy organizations and forest defenders.
Following the recent federal election, Premier John Horgan said that he phoned Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about the $50 million pledge to protect old-growth forests, and told the PM that it was not enough – it ought to be $500 million. Yet when Horgan ran for re-election last fall, and committed to appropriately protecting old-growth forests, he mentioned no dollar figures.
Let’s encourage the government to organize a meeting, keeping in mind that the pledge of $50 million could go a long way towards paying off Teal Jones’ Fairy Creek area logging contract, and help with conservation financing. The loggers themselves are acknowledging shifting to second-growth harvesting, of trees planted for that purpose over the decades, and that mill owners will need to retool accordingly.
Marion Cumming
Oak Bay
