Al4 Terrace Revizgw — Wednesday, March 6, 1991

En vironmental strategy a challenge for everyone

by Tod Strachan
"We'll be back... This is a chal-
lenge for everyone to get
involved.” This was the message
of Vicki Husband, a member of
. the B.C, Round Table on the En-

‘- vironment and the Economy, as

she spoke during a Terrace and
District Chamber of Commerce
luncheon recently. —

Husband says a firm date hasn’t
been set, but members of the
Round Tabie will be in Terrace in
late April or early May to begin a
process of public consultation that
will help to develop a regional
"sustainable development strategy".

Taking part, she says, will be
representatives from labour, indus-
try, business, the general public
and the native community.

An overall provincial strategy has
already been sketched by the
Round Table, explains Husband,
and regional strategies will help to
fill in pieces of the puzzle. At the
provincial level, published papers
include "Sustainable Development
and Energy" and "Sustainable

’ Communities". In the process of
‘ being published is another paper
on land and water use.

Husband says a regional group is

Vicky Husband: We have to
change our ways.

already working on a northwest
strategy, the Skeena Round Table
on the Environment based in
Smithers, but she suggests local
residents might want to consider
forming a group in Terrace. The
Skeena Round Table covers the
area from the Queen Charlotte
Islands to Houston, and north to
the Yukon border, and Husband
says this might be too large an
area for dealing with site-specific
concemis effectively.

In‘ dealing with environmental
issues, Husband offers a few sug-

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gestions. First, our environment
and economy are linked; they can’t
be treated as separate issues. At
the same time, however, our
approach towards solutions must
be balanced, We can’t create jobs
and economic stability with total
disregatd for environmental secur-

f ity, nor can we become obsessed

with environmental protection at
the cost of jobs and economic
security. In other words, the eco-
nomy and environment must co-
exist, not compete.

Linked with this thought is the
Canada-US Free Trade Agreement.
Will our lands be raped and pil-
laged by foreign interests? Hus-
band says the Round Table has
discussed this issue, but not in
great depth. In general, Free Trade
is a "mire" we "have to live with",
says Husband. But she also sug-
gests, “I think people are watching
quite carefully".

The challenge of the day, says
Husband, is finding solutions as
we contemplate the depletion of
our natural resources, and at the
Same time maintain our economy
and current standard of living. The
depletion of resources such as our
foresis and minerals may look
good of the Gross National Pro-
duct, she explains, but not for
much longer. It’s a form of
accounting we have used too long
and must now find ways to
balance. Or, in Husband’s words:
"We have to change our ways."

But untike many other countries,
we still have options. We still have
sufficient resources and may be
able to maintain the best of both
worlds. As an example, Husband
says the Minister of Forests can’t

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reduce the Annual Allowable Cut
in ihe province, that would destroy
jobs. He can, though, introduce
better management policies that
would maintain a "sustainable"
forest, and that would protect jobs.
The end result of such policy
changes, suggests Husband, would
be an end to bitter confrontation
over environmental concerns. But
before solutions are found, she
_ says, a lot of questions have to be
answered, and “that’s going to take
all of our best efforts".
And this brings Husband back to
her opening remark. A challenge

ite
we

for "everybody to get involved". If %
they do, she says, "We can make a -
difference." .

Following the provincial consul- 35M

tation process, the B.C. Round -
Table on the Environment and -
Economy will draft a provincial
Strategy that is scheduled to be .
presented to cabinet early in 1992

‘Vicki Husband, one of 28 mem-

bers on the Round Table, is the

conservation chairperson of the

Sierra Club of Western Canada and
a director of the Friends of Eco-
logical Reserves.

Cen en ce SRE PR
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is housetrained but prefers to be outdoors, likes adults and is very

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By
R Az