B次元官网网址淎t this stage, it is time to call for Forest Minister Doug DonaldsonB次元官网网址檚 resignation as he has proven to be inept and negligent in the management of B.C.B次元官网网址檚 forests,B次元官网网址� said Quadra IslandB次元官网网址檚 Geraldine Kenny while protesting outside North Island MLA Claire TrevenaB次元官网网址檚 Campbell River office.
More than 20 masked protesters from Campbell River and Quadra gathered outside the MLAB次元官网网址檚 office on the Island Highway Wednesday afternoon with placards and slogans that call out the provincial government to stop old-growth logging. Passers by honked and expressed their support from cars as they zoomed past the group.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e educated people who have piles of research on this subject and are here to counteract the people who think that protesters are naive and unaware when they ask for cessation of old-growth forests,B次元官网网址� said another protester, Rob Burns.
According to Kenny, forestry workers being out of jobs, massive clear cuts in the forests and devastation of the ecosystem prove the provincial government has not managed resources properly.
B次元官网网址淐urrent practices have nothing to do with ecological forestry, itB次元官网网址檚 just devastation and the government has to be taken to task for its negligence,B次元官网网址� said Kenny and added, B次元官网网址済ood ecology will give us good economics, so we have to completely rethink forestry in B.C.B次元官网网址�
Kenny said that she has communicated these concerns to the premierB次元官网网址檚 office along with the forest and environment ministersB次元官网网址� office as well. But there has been no response from the ministers. Kenny said Trevena has not respond either.
When the Mirror asked Trevena about the protest, she responded in an email.
B次元官网网址淚 respect peopleB次元官网网址檚 right to peaceful protest. Our government is committed to protecting old growth and biodiversity while supporting workers and communities. We are confident we can find a balanced approach. ThatB次元官网网址檚 why we commissioned the Old Growth Strategic Review,B次元官网网址� said Trevena.
Forest minister Donaldson told the Mirror that his office will be releasing the recommendations of the Old Growth Strategic Review prepared by Al Gorely and Gary Merkel by the end of summer or the beginning of fall.
Former Green Party candidate Sue Moen, a resident of Campbell River who joined the protest said the NDP government has not done any of the B次元官网网址渘ice thingsB次元官网网址� they said during their last campaign when they made statements indicating they take this issue seriously.
B次元官网网址淚n many ways the forestry practices have speeded up degradation,B次元官网网址� said Moen. B次元官网网址淚t almost feels like they are raping the land while they can.B次元官网网址�
The protesters expressed solidarity with B次元官网网址渇ellow British ColumbiansB次元官网网址� who are protesting around the province to stop old-growth logging. Acknowledging ongoing protests in Port Renfrew, where a group of people have launched a blockade to protect Fairy Creek watershed from logging, Kenny expressed solidarity.
B次元官网网址淔airy Creek is an issue that must be dealt with immediately,B次元官网网址� she said.
On Vancouver Island, clusters of protests against old-growth logging have taken place during the past couple of months. In Nanaimo, James Darling and Robert Fuller ended a 14-day hunger strike on Aug. 8.
Kenny said that although the government did not respond to the hunger strike, authorities are B次元官网网址渓istening B次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址渁wareB次元官网网址� that people are getting very serious about the demand to end old-growth logging.
B次元官网网址淭here is a growing momentum as more people are aware and concerned about the fact that as their children grow up they might never see an old-growth tree.B次元官网网址�
