OB FOREST AND ENVIRONMENT POLICY PERSPECTIVES BY SCOTT LUNNY The changes, introduced as legislation on March 26, were first floated out in late 2001 when the province offered up U.S. negotiators a “menu” of reforms, including: moving to a market-based stumpage system; allowing public tenure to be sub- divided and transferred without penalty; and the gutting of the “social contract” ~ elimination of cut control provisions, appurtenancy, minimum man- ufacturing requirements and the mill closure review process. Since 2001, the IWA has been talking to mem- pers, communities and lobbying. We said that we support meaningful change protecting workers and communities. We do not support B.C. giving up its responsibility to ensure those operating on public land are accountable to cut down the trees g changes and dramatic impacts — for what? THE B.C. GOVERNMENT is making the most sig- nificant changes to forest policy in five decades. Despite claims to the contrary from Minister of Forests Mike de Jong, one of the key drivers behind the change is U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC). and invest to employ B.C.’ers. Instead the govern- ment is taking back 20% of the AAC from current licence-holders for timber auctions, to satisfy First Nations obligations and create community forests and woodlots. This take back (10% plus the existing 13% in the B.C. Timber Sales Program) will end up being won by the highest bidders: most likely low- wage, non-union contractors. This will drive stumpage up, further threatening good-paying union jobs. With the elimination of the social con- tract, mills will close as majors force consolidations to lower costs. Workers will be displaced and forest communities threatened. And all of this for what? There is still no softwood deal; nothing that will eliminate or reduce tariffs. Even if changes do trig- ger a DOC review, the process could take over a year, with no certain outcome. We have proposed alternatives. With the support of industry and contract loggers on the Coast, the IWA pushed for timber pricing based on log mar- kets rather than timber auctions. We told the gov- ermment that the labour force disruption and the probable impact communities resulting from a wholesale move to timber auctions was unneces- sary, urging instead a minimal amount of timber auctions in conjunction with existing private sales, the expansion/creation of log markets and the use clause would provide companies flexibility to make business decisions and achieve efficiencies while maintaining an obligation to achieve social objec- tives like employment and community stability, in a more flexible and less prescriptive manner. The government said no, completely abdicating its responsibility and ensuring that large corporations, not British Columbians, are the benefactors of the harvest of public tenure. ers out on the street and put our communities in jeopardy. It’s time to band together in our commu- nities and demand that government design forest policy for British Columbians, not for the compa- nies and not for the DOC. of First Nations transactions to establish stumpage rates that are fair and more market-sensitive. But the government is proceeding with the most dis- ruptive alternative; the worst scenario for union loggers — wholesale standing timber auctions. The IWA proposed an alternative to the existing social contract. We suggested that instead of appur- tenancy, cut control, minimum processing require- ments and the mill closure review process, the Act could include an “accountability clause.” Such a The proposed forest policy changes throw work- Scott Lunny is the IWA’s Director of Policy and Information Services BAt this year’s Truck Loggers Association convention Brother Haggard said new prod! ucts must be developed. A time to respect each other Haggard tells Truck Loggers that all sides must work together SAYING THAT THE PAST year has been one of the “toughest yet,” on January 12 IWA national presi- dent Dave Haggard told an audience at the Truck Loggers convention that all sides - companies, contractors, communities and the union, must reach out to make changes, while respecting each others’ needs. At the base of all sides’ needs, said Brother Haggard, is the requirement for security and stability. Haggard spoke on a panel consisting of Weyerhaeuser’s Craig Neesor, Deputy Minister of Forests Don Wright and TLA chairman Ted Arkell - a panel which spoke about the future of the forest industry from different perspectives. Speaking on that future, Haggard said that “if we don’t get over our inability to get along and make nec- essary changes, our future plans to live secure lives are going to be in jeopardy.” He added that during the past year of negotiations with indus- try and with contractors, change is beginning to slowly take place on the Coast. In the Queen Charlotte Islands the IWA is working with First Nations and with Weyerhaeuser in a new partnership. In other parts of Vancouver Island, he noted, change is taking place during “slow and tedious processes — because change is never easy.” Haggard said smaller mills are popping up with a greater level of product mixes and different ways of doing business. “J think maybe that’s OK,” he said, referring to the entrepreneurial spir- it of smaller producers which pro- duce new goods for the market. He spoke of the need to ensure that new investors have access to wood to be able to run their mills — whether through timber allotment systems or open log yard systems. “If we continue to think that all we can produce is 2 x 4’s, we will continue to have the (dimension lumber) over- capacity that we have today,” he added. “Change is coming,” he added. “Can we manage change to make sure that the things we do are right for the com- munities that we live in? I think so.” One area where there must be change, said Haggard, is in the softwood lum- ber conflict with the United States. He noted that with shrinking markets and an oversupply of lumber, both coun- tries must develop new products and new markets for those products. He said “it’s better to sit down together than fight cross-border wars.” Haggard said the IWA wants to be a player. “My union plans to be around for another Go years and we plan to be part of the change that takes place.” IWA OK with Working Forest The IWA national office, after meeting twice with provincial government representatives over a proposal to create a dedicated Working Forest in British Columbia, says such plans are not an “abandonment of forest stewardship” nor a “sell-out” to forest companies as some critics have said. The Working Forest would consist of 23 million hectares of land already considered part of the operational forest land-base base and an addi- tion 22 million hectares not currently under harvest. The Ministry of Sus- tainable Resource Management will take control, with final decisions made by Cabinet. There will no longer be a Provincial Forest desig- nation. Parks are to be outside the Working Forest while special man- agement zones are to be included, subject to planning processes within = Planning will be streamlined. the Ministry of Forests. The status of the lands and forests inside the new designation will be similar to the Integrated Resource Management Areas now in place and subject to the Forest Practices Code and other applicable laws. The government says, that by cre- ating a Working Forest designation, there will be more certainty over the land-base and therefore more forest industry investment. The designa- tion would also permit commercial ranching, mining, tourism and recre- ation. Those commercial values are to receive first consideration, while the government claims environmen- tal values will be protected. APRIL 2003 THE ALLIED WORKER | 15