LE

Gov’t proceeds with plan

to protect central coast

Liberal decision to defer logging is in line with deal reached under the NDP

THE PROVINCE is mov- ing ahead with temporary

' protection of parts of the

central coast ‘that have been the focus of environ- mental campaigns in re- cent years. ~ Cabinet last week ap- proved the protection of 20 protected areas totalling 441,000 hectares where logging and mining will be banned. Tourism and tradi- tional: aboriginal uses will still be allowed.

Vietoria designated a further 17 “option” areas

_ where further research will

be needed to determine fu-

ture land-use restrictions, “In my view, the option

areas still present econo-

mic development oppor-

tunity,” sustainable re- source management mini- ster Stan Hagen told his

’ Cabinet colleagues. “They

still present opportunities from a resource-extraction point of view. Those op- portunities are yet to be determined.” The designations run until June 2003, when the central coast land-use planning group is to have completed its work, “Hagen said the protec-

“tion decisions won't affect

the province's ability to expand ‘shellfish aquacul- ture along the central coast in future years.

‘In early 2001, the pro- vince and environmental- ists reached 4 tentative agreement to boost the amount of protected land from eight per cent to 21 per ‘cent on the central coast. A further 1] per cent of the land base was listed

bo AB Ee By

AN AERIAL view of the inlets and fords of the central coast, which environ- mental groups have dubbed the Great Bear Raintorest. I's the focus of talks expected to result in permanent protection of a sizable area of the coast.

as unresolved then,

Part of Princess Royal Island - an area home to sizable concentrations of Kermode bears — is ear-

for environmental groups ending market campaigns that targeted their custo- mers.

Sustainable resource

“It ensures the continued suspension of the international market campaigns.”

marked for pretection.

A 90,000-hectare pro- tected area called Kitasoo Spirit Bear has been set aside there, while other parts of the island are cov- ered by option areas or else remain open to re- source extraction.

Forest companies had agreed to voluntary log- ging bans in much of the central coast in exchange

management minister Stan Hagen said last week's de- cisions will help resolve the issue and keep the ten- tative peace in the woods,

“It ensures the conti- nued suspension of the in- ternational market campaigns,” he said. “While these campaigns were active there was po- tential for our forest pro- ducts industry to lose mil-

lions of dollars in pulp and lumber sales to the United States and European markets.”

The protected areas would increase the total provincial land base pro- tected from 12.52 per cent to 12.98 per cent.

The biggest operator on the central coast has been Interfor, which has con- tract loggers based in Ter- race who work on Princess Royal Island.

Hagen also unveiled new principles for sustain- able resource manage- ment, Those put a sustain- able economy and sustain- abie society on an equal plane with a sustainable environment.

B.C. Unity Party leader

Stan Hagen

Chris Delaney denounced the government's decision on the central coast ag a “cowardly” retreat that leaves B.C. “held hostage to a worldwide environ- mental network,”

Hagen canceded to re- porters last week-that U.S,-

based foundations can far

outspend the B.C. govern- ment in a battle waged in the marketplace.

“The Liberals have de- cided to manage forestry based on interest group po- litics rather than science and the general interest of British: Columbians,” De- laney said,

He said Hagen’s deci- sion to “throw in the towel” sacrifices 750 jobs on the coast and more. than $10 million in annual pro- vincial revenues.

“What minister Hagen and the Liberal govern- ment have not learned from history is that appea- sement does not work with fanatics,” Delaney said. “It only whets their appe- tite for more.”

ore

¥ © By JEFF NAGEL

WEST FRASER says it will keep loggers out of conten- tious valleys south of Kitimat for another two years while

-talks continue with aboriginal _and environmental groups.

The forest company agreed

in April 2001 to defer logging _in key watersheds for at least a “year to work with the Haisla “and groups such as Greenpeace

and the Sierra Club to develop

‘anew method of forestry.

In exchange, activists who had

~ been telling the company’s custo-

mets it destroys coastal rainforests pledged to end attacks on West Fraser’s markets.

Now the company has agreed to extend the logging freeze until March 2004, said West Fraser chief forester Bruce MacNicol. Progress in the talks has been slow, he admitted, but said the company remains committed to

_ the process.

Eleven areas in Tree Farm Li-

cence 41 — which. extends from...

Kitimat south through much of the Douglas Channel — were to be de- ferred under the original agree- ment.

Three of them are now protec- ted under the new Kalum Land and Resource Management Plan. The remaining eight continue to be deferred, MacNicol said.

The goal of the talks is to de- velop a new way of logging called “ecosystem based management.”

That would better address en- vironmental issues and likely in- volve a reduced pace of logging in sensitive areas.

But it’s been a struggle to pre- cisely define the concept.

“That’s the first issue,” Mac- Nicol said. “What exactly does it mean? What is ecosystem-based management?”

About 13 per cent of the cen- tral coast’s mountains, valleys and inlets are to become park or protected area under a similar but separate deal struck a year ago. That would boost the total central

_coast,, area protected ,to 21 per

cent.

Environmental groups s had been frustrated that little was happen- ing in recent months and that the new Liberal government might back away from commitments made by the NDP.

- That eased last week with the decision by cabinet to proceed with interim protection of areas defined a year ago.

MacNicol said West Fraser in- tends to abide by its agreement on its licences regardless of what happens with talks on the ceatral coast.

And it expects environmental groups to do the same and not make West Fraser a target if mar- ket campaigns are renewed against central coast operators.

“We would hope [they} will abide by that agreemenl,” Mac- Nicol said.

The extension of the logging truce isn’t expected Io affect the amount of timber West Fraser cuts or the number of workers it or

West Fraser extends its logging truce

ils,contractors employ, he:said.

Because of poor markets, ‘the’

company hasn’t logged its full al- lowable annual cut for a number of years. Its contractors log and market much of what does get cut independently.

“We don’t really anticipate any impacts on our operations,” he said.

A decision on land-use on the central coast is slated for comple- tion by early next year.

Interfor’s Terrace based log- gers, who have been laid off since last summer, operate in the con- tested area.

Poor markets have also ham- mered Interfor’s operations.

But Scharf said more logging may be possible this year because of the province’s move to allow the export of up to 30 per cent of the logs cut in the northwest.

“We're trying to take advant- age of that,” he said. “It’s some- thing to keep us going when times are tough.”

MLAs panel gets an earful over planned results-based forest code

the transactional and operational costs to indu-

A PROPOSED results-based forest prac- tices code critics say will give industry too ‘much control over logging is generating

much debate.

“It generates a lot of critical thought,” “ said North Island MLA Rod Visser, who headed hearings on the new code across

the north this month.

“There are concerns about abdication of responsibility of government on the en- vironmental front,” he said. “The fox in

the henhouse idea.”

- Visser and other MLAs toured Prince Ru- pert and Smithers and 11 other stops to gauge reaction to a discussion paper outlining

changes that was released May 1.

It would eliminate the thick, multi-volume Forest Practices Code and its prescriptive ap- proach, which lays out in detail what forest companies must do to avoid damaging salmon

streams and other habitat.

The new results-based code would give the industry much more flexibility to deliver — at the same or better level

much reduced cost — of environmental protection.

Violators would face heavy penaltics.. Instead of companies, being tightly regula- ted and supervised by the forests ministry, ‘they’d take on more of those duties. ~The government has welcomed debate on the proposed new code through a discussion bulletin board on a web site at www-resultsba-

sedcode.ca.

“What use is punishment when the forests are already gone?” deman- 7 ded one web re- spondent,

“The gover- ment should protect the for- ests, that is one of your jobs,” says another.

Some envir- onmental groups have warned that companies i that break the J tules could go bankrupt, leav- ing unpaid fines and damaged forests.

Much criticism there focusses on fears thal with no system to prevent habitat destruction, the province will be unable to punish violators or repair damage once it’s been done.

“I don’t agree with that at all,” Visser said. “We're setting some high objectives.”

The David Suzuki Foundation’s Cheri Burda isn’t so optimistic.

She said the proposal’s first statement of principles: is that a new code should “reduce

siry.”

terest.”

ment,”

he said.

Rod Visser

tive.”

“It is clear thal this government is on the road to deregulating this industry so that com- panies monitor themselves and decide what is best for our forests,” Burda said.

“When British Columbians see what is con- tained in this proposed legislation, | think they will be shocked and will question who this government serves — industry or the public in-

Visser said the fears are unwarranted.

“We have come a long way in this province over the last 12 or 14 years in forest manage- he said.

Visser noted most forest companies are now engaged in some form of environmental certi- fication of their products and practices to meet market demand. ;

“Certification in many ways exceeds what exists in the current Forest Practices Code,”

The forests minister has said the existing code is “prescriptive, inefficient and ineffec-

Visser said a number of industry speakers at

the public hearings said they're not convinced the new results-based- code would. deliver ‘Major cost reductions. ‘People who missed the hearings can contri-. ‘bute through the web site or submit written comments by: the end of June.

The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, May 29, 2002 - AS

CORRESPONDENCE FOR THE TERRACE STANDARD

The Mail Bag

It’s not cheap to live here

An open letter to Premier Gordon Campbell:

Dear Sir:

I can only say that fam underwhelmed by your recent visit to Terrace.

Apparently you found a back door into a meeting of the converted, leaving any opposing ‘factions in the parking lot. Good on you Gordo, you ‘avoided affected constituents once again.

I can’t understand your requirement to “enter, stage left” if you are so convinced of your support.

The Terrace Standard reported. that, in a closed meeting, there were local businessmen - and could have been businesswomen, but-a closed meeting is a closed meeting — who thought that the’ minimum wage was a particular hardship.

The newspaper reported that we are different up here and for some bizarre reason, the minimum wage should be lower than-the rest of the province.

I, for one, would like ta know which local businessmen thought that living in the northwest was somehow cheaper than living in the lower mainland.

- Trust me, there is almost nothing cheaper in this town than anywhere else. People go to Prince George to save moncy, others | know have actually travelled to Vancouver to get a better deal on a big ticket item, and have come out, even after travel costs, weil ahead ‘of anything comparable here.

There is obviously some part of the quotient that is out of whack. Is it businessmen that can not make a decent buck due to provincial tariffs, or is it a club of people who want to make more profit off of the sweat of their work force?

I, for one, believe that-a lower minimum wage, is not something that fits inta what we need toa live in the northwest. :

If your government is for some reason thinking about regional minimum wages then I would suggest that regional, and lower, provincial tax rates come in to play well in advance of that queer idea.

If it was cheaper to live here, 1 could live on a lower income. ‘

Siz, If you come to my neighbourhood again, please afford the opportunity to be heard.

If, perchance you read this, thank you, if perchance you want to da lunch, you’re buying, "

Chris Spang! Terrace, B.C.

Not happy about visit

Dear Sir:

I was one of the protesters who tried to meet with Premier Campbell during his secret meeting with the chosen few at the golf course in Thornhill. He was among the missing links while we were stymied.

I only went to use the bullhorn to tell Gordo (as [ affectionately like to call him) that the RCMP had him surrounded, he should release the hostages and

. come oul with his hands up! . .

The B.C. Liberals.remind me 2 of that sociopath pipe bomber in the US who tried to put a smiley face on the map. All these hits on the health and welfare of people in B.C. are like pipe bombs.

What was I protesting about?

New legislation is forthcoming that will kick about half the disabled people onto regular welfare and will no longer recognize disability related costs when applying for benefits.

People who are trying to manage their disabilities through a treatment regiment directed by their physicians will no longer qualify for these benefits.

Even if someone meets the new criteria they will not be guaranteed disability benefits because the disabled will now be assessed for retraining and employability.

As usual the B.C. Liberals have the cart before the horse. Minister of Women’s equality Lynn Stephens has told all B.C. women if they aren't getting enough money they should make more.

Now disabled women are being told to go to college and get a job.

Fortunately, the B.C. Coalition of Women’s Centers has been busy making “women’s bucks” to ’ pay their bills with and they now have applications for better paying jobs to give to the MLA. It reads: “I shall lurch from business to business every day and every day I shall demand they hire me according to my disability.”

I watched who went into the meeting at the golf course. | guess these people want a bunch of mentally disordered people accosting them every day for jobs that aren’t available to others in B.C, eh?

Brian Gregg Terrace, B.C.

Debt not okay Dear Sir:

Helmut Giesbrechi’s latest fetter “Missed by that much” in the Terrace Standard, May 15 was, as usual quite interesting,

Helmut postulates that it was OK for the previous government to rack up unprecedented debt in order to build new infrastructure such as roads, bridges, hospitals, schools etc, ‘

Well, Helmut might be right — if in fact the NDP had built much infrastructure, which they didn’t, and if that infrastructure actually helped the economy, which it didn’t,

While Helmut's NDP friends were happily borrowing to build fast ferries, the BC economy went . from first in the country to dead last.

Methinks Helmut protesteth too much,

That’s pretty ironic considering that the interest payments we are still making on the NDP's boondoggles are lowering our standard of living today.

Lorne Sexton Terrace, B.C,

About the Mail Bag

The Terrace Standard welcomes letters. Our address is 3210 Clinton St., Terrace, B.C. V8G 5R2, You can fax us at 250-638-8432 ar e-mail us at siandard@kermode.net. No attachments, please. We need your name, address and phone number. for verification. Our deadline is noon Friday or naon Thursday if it's a long weekend.