Daily Archives: December 16, 2019

B.C. enacted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act — the first jurisdiction in Canada to do so. Much of the debate has focused on high-level statements of principle that are not controversial. Principles related to reconciliation, the need to work together, the need to narrow the socioeconomic gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians. Described in such terms, how could anybody reasonably be concerned about the legislation? Unfortunately, it is not so simple. …the act states “the government must take all measures necessary to ensure the laws of British Columbia are consistent with the declaration.” This will require government to review all kinds of legislation, such as the Mineral Tenure Act, the Forest Act, and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Act, which give permit holders the right to extract [resources]. …it is likely that the only real winners will be the lawyers called upon to argue and litigate over this legislation for years to come.

VANCOUVER — Pinnacle Renewable Energy is pleased to announce it has entered into a three-year fibre supply agreement with Alkali Resource Management Ltd. whereby ARM will process, store and deliver biomass from harvest residuals to Pinnacle for use at its Williams Lake facility in BC. ARM is the forest management company wholly-owned by the Esk’etemc Nation, whose traditional territory is south of Williams Lake. Pinnacle and the Esk’etemc Nation have been collaborating to improve fibre utilization and to support economic development within Esk’etemc managed forests.

The families of striking mill workers on Vancouver Island are facing a hard holiday season. …Small communities across B.C. that rely on forestry are struggling, dealing with the impacts of the downturn in the forestry industry and the mill closures and curtailments that come as a result. …But the reality is, we won’t solve the challenges we face in our forestry industry by using flawed tactics from the 1990s and 2000s. …We know with the right policies and oversight, forestry can be a truly renewable industry. Finland, Sweden and others have clearly demonstrated this. …I and the BC Greens believe the only way we can rebuild a viable, healthy forest industry in this province is if we are honest about the challenges we face. …We need to restore the connection between forestry and communities. Community forests provide one way to do this.

USW 1-1937 says the rally and fundraiser tomorrow at Robert Ostler Park in support of forestry workers is actually backed by contractors. The union is asking its members to be aware.” …The rally is organized by a group calling itself “Taking A Stand” which, according to the union, “is a front for contractor owners trying to trick USW members into thinking it is a rally for them.” Michelle Downey, a member of the “Taking A Stand” group defended the rally this morning saying “This is untrue. It is offensive that this was posted to union members and told them not to attend. We are not connected to contractors.” The union says “the speakers for the rally are supposedly BC Liberal MLAs .”

While thousands of striking forestry workers wait for mediated talks to resume Monday a grassroots group says it has raised an astonishing $80,000 to help families in need. Tamara Meggitt and Rona Doucette started Loonies for Loggers in September and today as they prepare to deliver more food packages next week, Meggitt’s Royston home is full of boxes of food and toys. …All this comes as BC Premier John Horgan works on an aid package for contractors caught in the middle of this 5.5-month long strike between the United Steelworkers Union Local 1-1937 and Western Forest Products. …Many contractors say they’ll need help getting restarted when the strike does end. …“Our start-up costs will probably be close to $100,000 just to get going,” said Ron Tucker of Nimpkish Logging.

Canada’s softwood-lumber exports have been subject to five separate rounds of U.S. trade litigation. In January, 2016… the American government said it was launching investigations to determine whether softwood lumber imports from Canada were hurting American producers. …NDP leader John Horgan held that he had prospects of getting a new deal despite the harsh protectionist mood of U.S. President Donald Trump. He suggested that B.C. could retaliate by applying a “border adjustment tax” on its natural gas exports, or by playing hard-ball in the Columbia River Treaty renewal. …Imposing a “border adjustment tax” that would increase the rate charged for exported electricity from British Columbia into the U.S. …should persuade the Americans to appoint their two members, and that would bring the WTO back into operation. Given BC Hydro’s massive debts, exports of electricity into the United States from British Columbia should be set at whatever aggregate rate it costs to produce it. 

John Horgan

VICTORIA  – The province’s ongoing forestry strike has got to end. Those strong words have come from B.C.’s premier, as he addressed a bargaining impasse that’s devastating communities on Vancouver Island. The premier said the deal would be done this weekend. Since then a scheduling issue has postponed the meeting until Monday. He maintains his confidence that once the parties get to the table with mediator Vince Ready an agreement will be made. “To Port Alberni, to Campbell River, to Port McNeill — there are families that are being torn apart because they’ve had six months without a salary,” John Horgan told NEWS 1130 in a one-on-one interview. His comments come as the parties involved in the dispute sit down with mediators in a media blackout. Horgan says he hasn’t minced words, letting the parties know his expectations as they’ve returned to the bargaining table.