For immediate release - Wednesday, February 21, 2001
PUBLIC ONLY GIVEN TWO WEEKS TO INPUT ON MASSIVE NDP PUBLIC FOREST LAND GIVEAWAY
WCWC Condemns Forest Minister After Finding Out That Public Consultation Will Only Be Conducted Via Internet and Only Until March 2nd, 2001.
Vancouver, BC
- WCWC Director Joe Foy was shocked to discover that public input into the NDP's "Working Forest" legislation is being limited to just 15 days and even that input is only being encouraged via a web-based comment form."The people of this province have spent literally millions of person hours in land use planning meetings over the past ten years. The results of this phemonenal investment of time is the NDP protecting just 3% more of the province's forests for a grand total of 5% of provincial forests set aside in provincial parks. Now the NDP is trying to give away 95% of the public's forest lands to private corporations with just 15 days of public input!", said Foy.
WCWC has spent several days attempting to determine the deadline and scope of process for public input. After reading the press release on the government's web site, WCWC followed links to find an online comment form (http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/pab/pc/wf/wfcommentform.htm) and a government bureacrat's contact information at the Ministry of Forests (MoF). A call to the office originally got an answer of a February 28, 2001 deadline. A subsequent call from the MoF indicated that they would be willing to take input until March 1, 2001.
Although the government web site also states that 'Information sessions will also be held with people and groups with special interests in forest management' the government representative could not provide any information on when, where, or how these information sessions would occur outside of private meetings being scheduled with "stakeholder" groups by a private consultant.
Foy responded to the news with astonishment and dismay. "This is the biggest corporate land grab in B.C. history -- involving almost half the province. Yet the B.C. public is not being given a fair chance to have their say. It's a disgrace!"
WCWC representatives will be travelling to the Association of British Columbia Professional Foresters' meeting in Kamloops at the Best Western Hotel in Kamloops on Friday, February 23, 2001 with hopes of speaking with Forest Minister Gordon Wilson about the proposed legislation. It will be Minister Wilson's first public appearance since making the announcement. He is speaking from 12:30 - 2:00 pm.
For more information please contact:
WCWC Campaigners Joe Foy or Paul George at (604) 683-8220