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Amy Baechmann, left, and Victoria Procee used a battery, wire and a pencil to run an electric current through water and break it down into its parts (oxygen and hydrogen) at the 100 Mile House Elementary School Science Fair, which took place Feb. 27.
Forest policy politics proliferate B.C. Liberals and NDP direct blame, deflect responsibility Carole Rooney Free Press
When Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett gave a speech in legislature on Feb. 15, she touched on the differences between the province’s Liberal and NDP parties’ history of forestry management. “Our forestry industry is alive and well, despite the damage caused by the pine beetle infestation,” she said. “We are working with business groups and with First Nations to ensure that our forest policies are both economically and environmentally sustainable.” The provincial government is also working to promote a sustainable forestry policy in the region, Barnett explained.
“This is in sharp contrast to the record in forestry during the past NDP record on forestry management, decade is “surely not represented exemplified by the breach-of-con- [Cariboo],” or elsewhere in British tract court case brought by Carrier Columbia. Lumber in the Cariboo.” “In the province, underneath the She added that case – much of B.C. Liberals, there has been a loss of which took place during 30,000 well-paying, familynow-NDP Leader Adrian supporting jobs in the forest Dix’s tenure as former preindustry.” mier Glen Clark’s chief of The Forest Practices staff – cost taxpayers $150 Board and Auditor General million in compensation John Doyle have both “conwhen courts ruled the NDP demned” the affect of the government concealed eviprovincial government’s dence and manipulated policy and management Donna administrative procedures. of B.C.’s forest industry, he Barnett “With a record like this, noted. can we even say the NDP has a viable “So, there’s a little bit of a dream forestry policy?” world that the Liberals are living in However, Cariboo-Chilcotin NDP here when you look at the affect of candidate Charlie Wyse said the their government. There is an idenB.C. Liberal’s claim of a better track tified lack of known inventory for
how much fibre there is in the forest; there have been [30-40] mill closures underneath the Liberals; we have the expansion of raw log export; and [there is] the overall effect of the forest health.” If elected, Wyse said the NDP is committed to investment in skills training for all industries. “[We will make a] re-investment in the land base that sustains industry and the fibre that is used to create the jobs in [B.C.], as well as we will reduce the number of raw logs that are exported.” He added the NDP would do that by going back to look at the health of the forests and deal with replanting those hit with fire, disease and infestation. Continued on A5