We are British Columbians, and we represent thousands of people. We want the world to know that the ruling political party is not living up to its claims of environmental protection. It has betrayed its own promises and the people who voted for them. British Columbia is progressive in many fine ways, but in terms of land use, there is no democracy here. We hope to get a much fairer hearing from members of government and industry in Europe.
European countries are major purchasers of Canadian pulp and timber.
The thought of BC Forest Service work being contracted out to major licensees like International Forest Products, MacMillan Bloedel, and Slocan is stunningly ominous. In November 1996, the BC government announced 250 job cuts to the Environment Ministry, part of some 3,500 positions to be chopped from the Provincial civil service. The 1997 Provincial budget made even more cuts to the Environment Ministry and introduced huge cuts to the Ministry of Forests. With fewer and fewer staff and resources, government enforcement of the Code is fast changing from unlikely to impossible, and the BC forest industry is reverting to the days of self-policing and voluntary compliance. That charge could be made of governments right across the country.