Dear North Cowichan mayor and council:
We sympathize with ongoing flooding fears recently voiced by Cowichan and Chemainus-area residents, including the Halalt Nation.
Details are found in the Sept. 25, 2024 Citizen.
While our green-savvy municipality is wisely preserving our precious six mountains from logging, the same cannot be said for profit-driven timber destruction upstream on our fish-bearing Chemainus River.
That antiquated activity, on private or public land out of North Cowichan’s control, has historically caused wood and gravel debris to wash downstream thence flood our threatened farmland.
We support council’s ongoing talks with our provincial government regarding this rapacious issue — but urge council to also take every legal action to end or reduce area logging.
It’s also encouraging pro-logging Coun. Tek Manhas seems interested in Halalt elders communicating with worried Chemainus-area residents about addressing this tragic, arguably preventable problem.
Yours in farmland and habitat protection,
Peter W. Rusland
North Cowichan
