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Isn't it hypocritical that our labour party is upset with this decision? The state of the forestry industry has hurt labour tremendously. Other businesses that depend on the forestry industry are going bankrupt, mills are closing and many rural communities have been devastated. Making these lands available to log was the right decision. The only change I would like to have seen is to make WFP let some smaller operators bid on logging a % of it for a fixed stumpage rate.
Considering the vastness of the property that landed in the laps of the forestry company, and the potential long term value of that property to the the people of B.C. There's no doubt about the serious lapse of responsibility here.
Campbell's front line of ministers is getting a bit thin lately, and this will make his decision to sideline Coleman a tough one. If it must be done, and he waits too long to do it, the situation can only worsen.
I do feel badly for Campbell because as a free enterpriser I lean more to the right politically. My faith in the NDP as an alternative government is zero, but there's only so much nonsense that voters will put up with.
Darlene, I must tell you that I know a lot of people in Victoria and on the Island that are specifically most furious about the land that was sold for new land development or urban redevelopment that was basically pristine land,
especially beach front valuable land. See this CBC report link re the issues:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british...arm-
report.html
These are excerpts from the above CBC report:
"...in January 2007, Coleman agreed to remove 28,000 hectares of land from tree farm licences 6, 19 and 25 on the southwest coast of Vancouver Island to allow Western Forest Products to sell it for residential development."
"At the time, the ministry estimated the value of the land, which surrounds popular outdoor recreation areas west of Victoria, including a surf break at Jordan River and the Sooke River potholes, at $150 million if removed from the TFLs."
There is more anger about this than just releasing land for logging but they are probably still angry about that too for environmental, heritage and tourism concerns. The environmentalists & aboriginals & locals over there on the Island are apparently just hopping & have been for quite a while!
We over here in the Metro Van. area don't yet comprehend the anger that has been stirred up about this over there. Just look at the large Victoria paper coverage, angry editorial and columnist links that are on available to link to on this posting. It's a big issue there that just got way bigger with the Auditor's report.
Frankly given the anger towards the previous Minister of Forestry about this on the Island and in the Victoria area and also given the anger in the mainland interior regarding the other forestry issues that severely affected them it could make it pretty tough if Minister Coleman ever again aspires to the Premier's office. Those Island people and Inland communities will have a long memory indeed, and quite a few electoral seats too!
Come to think of it these areas are definitely fertile for political change come next spring's provincial election due to this anger there!
I agree with you completely LFP. I know a lot of people on the Island, I was born there and still have family and friends there. Unless you have the connections, it's easy to say 'what's all the fuss about'? But when you get up close, it's enough to bring on a rage.
I don't blame the people on the Island for being upset and skeptical, there's just getting to be too much nudge, nudge, wink, wink, stuff happening over there. (over here too, for that matter).
Hmmm…according to reports in the Vancouver Sun, this little hornet’s nest has been stirred up with the January 2007 release of some 28,000 hectares of Western Forest Products owned forest land from the restrictions of a publicly managed tree farms. Apparently, some 2,500 hectares of those south Vancouver Island lands have been sold to a private developer.
The Sun articles go onto report that Auditor-General John Doyle “could not even find much evidence that the Liberals had examined the benefits of the transaction to the owner of the land, Western Forest Products. Instead of proper analysis and due consultations, this appears to have been a done deal from the outset.”
The articles mention the ministry “neglected to consult adjacent communities affected by the private owner's plans to sell the land as recreational or residential property.
The most damning comment in the Sun’s article is “Doyle said that during his investigation, Coleman told him he had considered only a briefing note when making his decision -- a document Doyle described as "inadequate for the job."
"The minister, as the final check on the process and the statutory decision-maker, did not do enough to ensure that due regard was given to the public interest, given the magnitude of the decision," his report said.
Can you believe that all of this was ok’d on the basis of a “briefing note”?
Let’s not talk about the untold millions being made by the private developer as a result of this. Nor should we draw attention to the 2005 to 2007 donations of $60,470 by Western Forest Products to the BC Liberal Party.
This stinks and could end up as B.C’s Shawinigate.
Someone’s going to get stung.
What a sadsack face on Rich Coleman in the 2 pics of him in the Province today. A complete contrast to the happy face he had on for Kurt's endorsement party!
Anon-Y-Mouse, Don't forget Basigate too that you can read about all the delays in the following blog:
http://billtieleman.blogspot.com/
Curious this is about the Liberal Party Too isn't it?
I especially like his Blog headline:
"Media lawyer attacks province for attempting to impose “secrecy package” on BC Legislature raid case"
What amazes this Editor here Anon-y-mous, is the complete lack of really good follow up and political strategy from the opposition. The NDP don't seem to me to be able to properly capitalize on the multiple dropping juggling balls that the Campbell Liberals keep fumbling! Why?
LFP makes a good point. The NDP are a failure as opposition. That's a given. Think of the mess we'd be in if they were the government today !
What we need is another centre/rightwing party in B.C., but that would create an opening again for the NDP to muck up the economy again.
Campbell's best move is to give Coleman the boot, and put the best back-bencher he has in the portfolio. At the moment Campbell looks bad and if he doesn't act on this he will look worse.
As far as I'm concerned Campbell and his cronies can go down the road kicking 'horse apples' He made me furious with the Carbon Tax, and now this is just the final thrust. I'm finished with the whole rotten works of them.
Carol James will be rubbing her hands together as she waits for more foot-shooting to go on within the Campbell Cabinet. Deep Throat may yet appear!
Good heavens, what then?
Wake up Mr. Premier. Stop the bleeding.
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