Imagine
Petersen, James D. Imagine. Speech to the 65th Annual TLA Convention, Vancouver B.C. Wednesday, January 16, 2008
James D. Petersen is Executive Director, The Evergreen Foundation [here] and 2007 President, Pacific Logging Congress
Full text [here]
Selected excerpts:
I have been asked to compare the timber industry/government relationship in the United States with the timber industry/government relationship in Canada, with the caveat that I can make this call as I see it, which very likely will not be how you see it.
But as they say, anyone who has traveled more than 50 miles from home is considered an expert, to be accorded all the rights, privileges and courtesies of such experts.
So imagine with me while I walk you through a comparison of the government and industry relationships in our two countries.
Imagine that you no longer have a voice in provincial forestry decision-making, none. Say what you will, but it carries no weight.
Imagine that any citizen living in British Columbia can oppose your harvest plan – and that person’s voice suddenly has more power than all of provincial voices that might be raised in support of your harvest plan.
Imagine living in a country with a “Sue the bastards” mentality. That’s the United States today. Any malcontent, any social misfit, any anarchist can go to court and stop a harvest plan in its tracks. There are environmental litigators standing on every street corner in the land who will gladly take the case for nothing. Why would a lawyer take a case for no money: because under our federal Equal Access to Justice Act, our taxpayers are forced to reimburse the lawyers for their court costs. This is how several of our most radical environmental groups fund their work. Creating and exploiting conflict has become a billion dollar industry in our country.
Imagine that your provincial government has surrendered your citizen voice to the most radical environmentalists living among you – and now says openly that those radical voices have constitutionally guaranteed rights that you don’t hold.
more »
The Egley Fire
by various authors, including
Mike
bear bait
Backcut
InciWeb
and others
Published by the Western Institute for Study of the Environment, Jan, 21, 2008
Full text [here]
Excerpt:
This whole Egley deal stinks. The biggest part of the fire is a reburn on ground roasted in 1990. I wonder if there is an agenda there.
My anger is beyond words. My estimation of the Feds fire suppression abilities is the lowest. The frigging feds are worthless.
My friend just sent pictures of his cabin and bunk house, both burned to the ground. He lost it all. He did all the right things: built a pond with a half million gallons of water storage fed by a robust spring system right next to the cabin and had thinned and limbed his timber and burned the piles. And now it all is gone to ashes.
I am sitting here with tears in my eyes. That’s my friend standing on the pavement, fire racing for his little ranch and cabin, his piece of Paradise, where he has been an outstanding steward.
……………………………………………….
