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Corrupt Governance
The ecological degradation of British Columbia (BC) over the past half century has been made
possible by the collusion of the multinational forest industry and BC politicians. Now that most of the lucrative old
growth forests are gone, the giant logging companies are consolidating at the cost of local communities who see
their future disappearing with the steady export of raw logs. Frequent protests against the government policies
that facilitate this downward spiral are held in Victoria, including a demonstration organized by the Western Canada
Wilderness Committee in 2004 (right). Cross sector representatives for unions, labour federations and environmental
groups are calling for an immediate end to raw log exports to preserve BC's vanishing old growth forests and jobs
in forest dependent communities. |
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"Ban Raw Log Exports," Victoria, BC, 2004
Photo: Jeremy Williams |
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"Ban Raw Log Exports." Port Alberni, 3 May 2006.
Photo: Save Our Valley Alliance
Port Alberni forestry workers, environmentalists, unionists, water users and
other community members have called for a ban on raw log exports: "Ships are taking these logs to Asia
while our own mills lack a secure supply. This a direct result of BC Government actions that have
taken our wealth and given it to Island Timberlands. It is a clear case of failure to govern in the public interest" Save Our
Valley Alliance.
Save Our Valley Alliance is demanding that TimberWest stop its destructive logging practices in the Beaufort Range and that the
BC government reverse the recent decision to deregulate private forest lands.
Road blockades (above and right) and "Raw Log Truck Counts" with the
Youbou TimberLess Society to
bring public attention to the problem of massive raw log exports, disappearing forestry jobs and dying communities. |
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According to
Youbou TimberLess Society member Roger Wiles, "The cunningly divisive campaigns by forest companies have pitted workers and communities against environmentalists. They have concocted and coordinated a poisonous and bogus 'jobs versus environment' debate, polarizing the issue and capitalizing on the resultant discord. This is more than a case of divide and conquer; it is divide and deregulate" Hinterland View on Ancient Forests.
Logging protest, 3 May 2006.
Photo: Save Our Valley Alliance |
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Vancouver Island: Sold Out By Government Greed (right). On 7 March 2006, a community protest took place west
of Cathedral Grove on the Port Alberni Highway in the pouring rain. Loggers, mill workers and environmentalists
formed a blockade to stop logging trucks departing from Port Alberni as a protest against the soaring rate of raw
log exports. The protesters are also demanding an end to the clearcut logging of their drinking watershed by the
"rape and run" TimberWest company which operates with no concern over the health or long term economy of
the community.
Port Alberni Blockade, 7 March 2005.
Photo: Phil Carson |
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Port Alberni Blockade, 7 March 2005.
Photos: Phil Carson |
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"Kanada-Laden," Viva Touristika Rostock, 2005.
Photo: Karen Wonders |
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Canadian flag cartoon.
Photo: anon
Selling Canada as the "Wild West" with Mounties and Indians is a lucrative
branch of the German tourism industry (left).
BC is especially valued for its primeaval coastal forests and their loss is of serious concern. Viva Touristika Rostock.
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Clearcut forest land, MacMillan Bloedel's Franklin Division, Nuu-chah-Nulth Territory, c. 1995.
Vancouver Island, British Columbia |
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