MacGregor must weigh in on old growth logging
An appeal to [Cowichan-Malahat-Langford MP] Alistair MacGregor on the Fairy Creek issue.
Most of us have been watching in horror as “War in the Woods II” has apparently broken out at Fairy Creek, Caycuse, Edinborough Mountain, and the Walbran Valley, all areas within the federal riding of Cowichan-Malahat-Langford. It has not escaped notice that our MP, Alistair MacGregor, has been rather silent on this serious old-growth logging confrontation, which has attracted worldwide attention, and might even become a flashpoint in the battle to save our planet from climate change.
This is not only a provincial issue. The RCMP, a federal force, is involved and has been dutifully intimidating and arresting peaceful indigenous and other land-protectors, and setting up exclusion zones not called for in the applicable court injunction, and in so doing preventing legal press coverage. Cannot a federal MP at least speak up about this turmoil happening in his own riding? Then there is SARA, not a female name, but the federal Species At Risk Act. Paul Manly, MP in the adjacent riding of Nanaimo-Ladysmith, not only supports the growing contingent of forest protectors, but has been drawing attention to breaches of this act in logging and road-building that is disturbing endangered screech owl nesting sites. Mr. MacGregor could do the same.
I will throw another acronym at you: IPCA, Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area. The government of Canada is spending $200-300 million to protect natural areas and simultaneously further reconciliation by setting aside habitats to be managed under the stewardship of indigenous bands. Fairy Creek watershed seems to me to be a prime candidate for this designation. I appeal to Mr. MacGregor, with a federal election seemingly on the horizon, to set himself apart from the provincial NDP, who have so obviously and cynically reneged on election promises including those outlined in the old growth strategic review panel, and do himself and everyone else a favour by acting on these three fronts.
Aaron Padolsky
Mill Bay