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Canadian Publications Mail ProductSales Agreement Nº 40020421

Strait of Georgia

Volume 18 Number 22 Your Coastal Community Newspaper November 16–29, 2006

Tide tables 2TILMA sell-out 2Saturna notes 3Letters 4Littoral 7Halving hunger 8Bulletin board 11

Photo: Helen Elizabeth Schnare, [email protected]

An Islands’ otter enjoys a snack.

Every SecondThursday

& Online ‘24/7’ atislandtides.com The Gulf Islands & Eastern Vancouver Island ~ Bridging The Gulf Since 1989

VictoriaShipyards getsferry refitcontractBC Ferries has awarded VictoriaShipyards a $9 million contract for therefit of the MV Sonia, the recentlypurchased vessel to replace the sunkenQueen of the North. The Victoriacompany won the contract incompetition with three otherinternational yards.

The project plan and schedule wasparticularly important to BC Ferries,who plan to have the new vessel inservice on the Port Hardy–PrinceRupert–Queen Charlotte Islands routein April 2007. The vessel is expected toleave Greece, where it is being paintedand prepared for its Atlantic crossing, onNovember 15, with a BC Ferries crew.

The engines are also being convertedto permit the use of clean marine dieselfuel. The vessel will travel through thePanama Canal, and is expected to arrivein Victoria in mid-December.

The Victoria refit will includemodifications to the stern ramp to fit BCFerries’ berths. Safety and securityequipment will also be updated;electrical, heating, and lighting systemswill be upgraded; and changes will bemade to the gift shop, galley, foodamenities, and crew common areas.

The vessel will be reflagged toCanadian registry and renamed,although the new name has not yet beenannounced.

Ferry fare increases unfair, says Islands TrustThe Islands Trust Council has recommended changes to the 2003 CoastalFerry Act that would ‘keep public access to the Islands affordable for all.’

‘Half of the BC Ferry routes run within our area, and we are deeplyconcerned about the impact of the fare increases on coastal communities,which are wholly dependent upon the ferry system as other communities areupon the highway system,’ said Kim Benson, chair of the Council. ‘Thecoastal ferry system benefits not only the Islands, but also the adjacent urbancentres and the provincial economy as a whole.’

Benson pointed out that fare increases under the Act were to be capped,but in less than a year, three extraordinary price cap increases haveoccurred, due to rising fuel costs. She continued, ‘We believe the ongoingfare escalations mandated by the province are having a negative effect oncommunity members, businesses and visitors, and that amendments to theAct are critical to the social and economic well being of BC’s ferry-dependentcoastal communities.’

The recommendations are contained in a position paper presented to theMinister of Transportation at the end of October. The presentation wassupported by representatives from five of the Regional Districts in the TrustArea, and Bowen Island Municipality.

New Ferry Contract to be NegotiatedA renegotiation of the contract between the provincial government and BCFerries Services Inc. is due within the next few months. The contract setsfixed contributions (‘service fees’) to be paid by the province for theoperation of each route, with the remainder of the company’s income to bemade up from fares, food sales, and other services. The fares to be charged

are capped according to a formula, and fare increases have to be approvedby the Ferry Commissioner, Martin Crilly. The Commission is not, however,required to consult ferry users or their communities when consideringincreases.

The fare increases originally anticipated to occur in the ‘first serviceperiod’ (March 2003–March 2008) would have amounted to some 15%over five years for the main routes (between the Mainland and VancouverIsland), and some 24% for the smaller routes. Because of additionalincreases (‘fuel surcharges’) granted in July 2005, and January and June2006, the fares on the main routes will have risen 25% by March 2008, andnearly 50% on the smaller routes—that is, provided that there are no morefuel surcharges in the meantime (see Island Tides, June 29, 2006.)

In the case of the fuel surcharges, the provincial government was askedin each case whether it would contribute to the additional expenses, but itdeclined.

No studies of the effect of these fare increases on ridership have beenmade, but overall ridership has been dropping slightly, instead of increasingas might have been expected from increasing population.

The original contract anticipated that the minor routes might be put outto contract for operation by independent ferry operators, but so far therehave been no takers. With this in mind, any cross-subsidization of the minorroutes by the major routes was barred, resulting in the substantialdifferential in fare increases between the major routes and routes serving theIslands and smaller coastal communities.

Comment deadline extended for Batholiths Project - Patrick Brown

Public comment on the environmental effects of the batholiths researchproject will now be accepted by NSERC up to December 31, 2006. Thisextension appears to be a result of public concern about the effects on fishand marine mammals of seismic work along BC’s Inside Passage.

Batholiths are large masses of rock of volcanic origin that have beenextruded through the earth’s crust at some time in the past. The CoastMountain Range in BC is one of the most accessible groups of batholiths inthe world, and the history of its formation is of interest to earth scientistsworldwide. Consequently, the US National Science Foundation andCanada’s Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) havecombined in a research project to map the Coast Range to a depth of some100 kilometres or more.

In a five-year $4.8million project, the research team intends to usegeological surface mapping, geochemical sampling and age dating, andactive and natural source seismic imaging to explore the origins of themountains which lie along the coast of BC, on the Pacific ‘ring of fire.’

The ‘natural source’ seismic mapping uses the echoes of earthquakesaround the world to map underground structures of the earth’s surface. Ithas been underway for about a year now.

Active Seismic MappingBut it is the ‘active’ seismic mapping scheme which has excited the mostconcern in BC’s coastal communities. Basically, the plan involves generatingseismic pulses at locations surrounding the batholith structures and makinga three-dimensional map from the reflected and refracted echoes as thereturn from structures deep in the earth. The seismic pulses are produced byconventional explosives in drillholes at a number of locations in the interiorof the province, and by an array of compressed air guns towed by a researchvessel in eastern Hecate Strait and along a number of coastal passages, someof which run deep into the Coast Range.

Indeed, it is this very accessibility by water which has led the researchersto choose this part of the world for their exploration. The study area runsfrom Burke and Dean Channels (Bella Coola) in the south to DouglasChannel (Kitimat) in the north, and includes Princess Royal Channel, theGardner Canal, and Milbanke Sound. The seismic route has been chosen toavoid sensitive ecological areas and conservation reserves; for example, the

Hecate Strait route is well off Aristazabal Island.The study team also emphasizes that although the seismic technology

used is similar to that employed in oil and gas exploration, this researchproject has no connection to recent petroleum exploration proposals. Asevidence, they point to the location of the seismic work, well away from anyhydrocarbon-bearing strata.

Effect on Fish and Marine MammalsThe proposed time period for the seismic survey is three weeks at the end ofSeptember and beginning of October 2007. This period was chosen to avoidwinter weather (instrumentation has to be deployed using small boats) andfishing season (June to August). Nevertheless, coastal residents have alreadyexpressed concern about the possible effect of compressed air seismic pulsegenerators on sea life, including whales and other mammals.

The researchers appear to be well aware of this concern. A similarSeptember 1994 study, called ACCRETE, which involved seismic work in thePortland Canal, north of Prince Rupert, was reported to have ‘no observedeffects’ on fish or marine mammals. For the Batholiths study, theresearchers point out that the research ship, the R.V.Langseth, will betowing an array of seismic air guns at five knots, meaning that shots will befired every 50 - 200 metres, and the ship will pass each point only once. Inorder to provide an opportunity for marine life to avoid the area, shots willbe fired softly at first and then gradually be ramped up to the maximum;small boats will patrol the area to spot marine life, independent observerswill be employed, and the crews are prepared to shut down the firing shouldwhales or other marine mammals get too close.

Loudness, Sound Frequency, and DurationBut little is known about what levels of underwater sound would not beharmful to fish and marine mammals. One such standard may have been setby an environmental impact agreement for the US Navy’s long-rangeSURTASS sonar. This was suspected of causing pain to marine mammals inHaro Strait in May 2003.

The seismic shots themselves are, of course, directed verticallydownward, unlike the near-horizontal aim of the US Navy’s long-range low-

FERRIES, please turn to page 6

Race is on to electfirst Green MPElizabeth May, new leader of the GreenParty of Canada is a candidate in theLondon Centre North (Ontario) federalby-election on November 27. May hasbeen making a showing in themainstream media since her election toleadership in August. May founded theSierra Club of Canada and worked as itsexecutive director for 17 years.

The Green StrategyJoining May to work on her campaign isformer party leader Jim Harris. Heconsiders the by-election a very goodopportunity to get a Green MP intoparliament. Harris says, ‘It’s a highlysplit riding. Why is this important?Because the ideal riding in which to getelected is one with four parties—each atabout 25% of the vote. To win you need25% + 1 vote.’

According to Green Party, lastJanuary’s general election figures for theconstituency were: Conservative 17,968votes (29.9%); NDP 14,271 votes(23.74%); Liberals 24,109 votes;(40.12%) and Green Party 3,300 votes(5.5%). Clearly the Green party must

BY-ELECTION, please turn to page 2

FERRY FARES, please turn to page 5

SEISMIC MAPPING, please turn to page 5

, ISLAND TIDES, Nov 16, 2006

Tides Tables Courtesy of

Island Marine ConstructionFloats • Ramps • Moorings • Pile Driving

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attract a number of Liberal party votes from the previouselection.

By-election TimingHarris points out other factors that favour Green Party efforts,‘The Liberals are in the middle of their leadership campaign.There was a rumour of Bob Rae running here but he can’t affordto take his focus away from the Liberal leadership campaign.Neither can Gerrard Kennedy. So it’s perfect: the Liberal Party isdistracted with its leadership campaign.

‘Joe Fontana, the former Liberal MP who resigned,triggering the by-election, is running for mayor. As the longserving MP, Liberals here have a lot of personal loyalty to Joe. Sohis campaign team is busy working to get him elected as mayor.So much of the Liberal campaign ‘machinery’ is also tied up inJoe’s mayoralty campaign.’

‘Finally the political machines of all the old-line parties aretied up in municipal campaigns which culminate mid-November, concludes Harris.

Country-wide Green Party SupportJim Harris comments, ‘We are inviting people from acrossOntario, and Canada, to come to London and elect the first-everGreen MP. We’ll ask London GPC members to billet members tocampaign. People from all across Ontario—Chatham, Barrie,Guelph, Kitchener-Waterloo, Toronto—are carpooling andcoming to London on weekends.’

Green SlogansThe Green Party thinks this by-election is a tipping point.Climate Change is now an over-riding concern of Canadians,they say.

Green campaign slogans include: ‘Can’t wait 44 years for theConservatives to do anything about climate change?’ and ‘Upsetthat it was the Liberals in power for 12 years who let CO2emissions rise 24.4% rather than reduce them as required byKyoto?’

Campaign Funding: Green MoneyMost Powerful

The campaign to elect Elizabeth May in London Centre Northwill be fully funded: the maximum allowed is $88,119. In lastJanuary’s general election, $2,442 was spent on the Greencampaign, nevertheless winning 5.5% of the vote.

Using the following figures from that election, Greens pointout that they know how to make their campaign money effective.

Vote $ Spent $ per VoteGreen Party: 3,300 $2,442 $0.74NDP: 14,271 $20,817 $1.46Liberals: 24,109 $63,536 $2.64Conservatives: 17,968 $78,406 $4.36For the Green Party this by-election is a national effort.

Canada’s eyes will be on the results on election night. �

BY-ELECTION from page 1

Last April, while you were sleeping, your government sold yourdemocracy to big business. In a secret meeting in Banff,Campbell signed a document innocuously called the ‘Trade,Investment, and Labour Mobility Agreement’ (TILMA). Thisagreement gives big corporate interests the right to sue yourlocal government, even after the fact, if they make any decisionthat is seen to conflict with any individual or corporate interestin trade, investment or labour’s right to move.

It is signed and sealed and comes into effect in April nextyear, even if there was an uprising against this far-reaching andundemocratic deal and it were immediately abandoned it wouldstill take twelve months to get out of it.

This deal was completed totally under radar. There was zerocoverage in the Vancouver Sun or The Province. Macleansmagazine published an article that talked about the lack ofresistance from local labour groups. So well-buried is it thatdiscussion in the alternate press and on internet listservs is justnow beginning to heat up.

There has been no public debate in the legislature oranywhere else—and none is planned. Of course the legislaturewas not opened this session because Mr Campbell said he hadnothing to talk about. Well he certainly had nothing he wantedto talk about.

Although this deal sets ‘transition periods’ and ‘not-on-lists,’Article 22 talks about further cooperation to remove barriersboth federally and internationally. Be assured things such as

health care, social services, water, and energy will be targeted.The transition period is a ‘come on.’ It is like saying, ‘Buy thiscar. It’s zero financing’ when really that percentage only appliesto the first year—the dealer will get his money.

So with this deal in effect, there is little point having a‘conversation about health care,’ or anything else for that matter,without having the Alberta government at the table. Theagreement gives Alberta a veto on any decisions made andindustry has the right to take their complaints to an‘independent panel’ (read ‘not elected or representative of thepeople of the provinces’), empowered to issue binding rulingsand award compensation. This panel of three is composed froma list provided by the parties (read ‘business’).

So, if your local government were to decide to provide freeday care to help local business attract employees it could, as ofApril 1, 2007, be seen as an unfair subsidy by an Albertanindustry. A complaint could be filed, one presumes against thatlocal government, and compensation up to $5 million awardedby an appointed panel. How do you spell ‘slap suit’?

Squamish Regional District was asked for zoning changes toallow a battery of power projects from BC and Albertanindependent power producers. The District assessed theseapplications and found them not in the interests of the District.The provincial government, who at the time was secretly

While You Were Sleeping, Your Government Sold Your Democracy ~ John Hill

TILMA, please turn to page 5

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Saturna Notes ~ Priscilla Ewbank

This last two weeks, I’ve had to scuttlefrom one winter clothing ensemble toanother. A drop of 10ºC a couple of

Sundays ago led to a week featuringturtlenecks, sweaters and a coat for the cold,clear weather, and then a leap of 15ºC and itwas into full-on westcoast raingear for thetorrential rain.

In one day, our good-sized pond under theweeping willow filled up; the creek started toflow with vigour; and the waterfall began toshoot over the rock brim, crashing downamong the ferns. Not quite like turning on atap, but darned close!

We had leaks and pools in places I had neverimagined would fill and flow over and severalgutters were overwhelmed. At ‘downtown’Saturna, I saw lots of gumboots, not just thefashionable low rubber shoes but gum boots upto your calves and rain slickers—fashion took abackseat during these freaky fronts.

Saturna is gorgeous with vivid greens of allhues, all kinds of moss flourishing, and theferns plumped up with water. Big crumply,bright yellow maple leaves are lying all over theplace—a great contrast to black rain-slickedroads.

Hallowe’en & BabiesHalloween was a wonderful night, just barelycrisp, with a gorgeous moon. The Saturnavolunteer fire department had a plentifuldisplay of bursting, brilliantly colored fireworksfollowed by great explosions and shriekingsounds. Money’s Hereford cows didn’t havefront row seats this year as the firework displayand bonfire was held behind the Rec Centre.Every Saturna child was present, even if theywere hard to identify!

We have two new October babies—Julianand Serena. Kaleb’s new brother, Julianseemed to sleep through the show. His motherEve Walker and dad Jacques handed himaround to eager Saturna baby lovers. Kaleb isspending his first year going to school in Sidneybut came to his Saturna home for our familiarcelebration. Serena, Victoria’s new sister, wasalso at the celebration for on-show with momNicky and dad Larry Peck. Many thanks to theparents and to the fire department for creating

and organizing this event for the scary folk!

Christmas is ComingWe will be having the annual ChristmasCandlelight Dinner at the Community Hall onTuesday, December 19. All are welcome toattend this splendid meal. This dinner is aopportunity for the community to get togetherand celebrate the gifts of the season together—it is not a fundraiser. We will have traditionalseasonal fare, toasts, and end the evening witha sing-along. Tickets can be purchased at TheOne and Only Christmas Market.

Lamb BBQ Works BeginsAgain!

The Fall Lamb BBQ meeting was held at theCommunity Hall on October 29. Comments,complaints and praise regarding the last BBQ,voiced at the final July 2 workbee, wereaddressed.

And a whole host of new items weretackled—everything from wharf storage, ticketbooking, and sound system, to finding a newchairperson/secretary to replace theirreplaceable Donna Curwen and finding a newtreasurer/assistant to replace the irreplaceableDave Curwen! That is a tall order as the two ofthem have done a wonderful job directing thelast couple of BBQs. Donna is going to write abook about their experiences and promises thatas their lasting legacy she will leave acompilation of what everyone does at the BBQso it will be a snap for her replacements!

We did fabulously well at the 2006 BBQ, sowe have the funds to run the Community Halland keep it in good repair and to fundcommunity needs as they arise. A huge roundof applause was given to Donna and Dave fortheir efforts and their obvious love of the job.

Salmon SeasonThe big benefactors of all of this timely rain arethe salmon returning from the salty sea to ourrain-fed lakes, sloughs, ponds and creeks. Wehad no running water in two of the majortributaries to Lyall Creek, which did have waterin it but was down to isolated pools. It wouldhave been a staggering to lose a year’s run ofreturning salmon looking to come home and

SATURNA, please turn to page 7

Report highlights BC’slow-impact, healthyelectricity optionsA report released at the end of October by Pollution Probe andthe Pembina Institute shows that British Columbia can andmust do more to meet its future electricity needs withoutcompromising health and the environment. The report,‘Maximizing Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in BritishColumbia,’ shows that British Columbia has significantuntapped renewable energy resources and energy efficiencypotential and that stronger policies are needed to capture thoseopportunities.

‘The energy efficiency potential alone identified by BC Hydrocould meet our projected energy needs,’ says Matt Horne, asenior policy advisor from the Pembina Institute. ‘Not tomention our wealth of viable and emerging renewabletechnologies.’

BC Hydro has recently awarded two contracts to coal-firedgeneration plants which are scheduled to come online in 2009.The plants will provide approximately 2,000 GWh/year and willincrease BC’s greenhouse gas emissions from electricityproduction by almost 120%.

In contrast, the Pembina report shows that BC Hydro hasalso identified nearly 6,000 GWh/year in currently untappedpotential energy efficiency that could be achieved by 2015—almost three times the energy provided by the coal plants, withno increase in emissions.

The recommendations of the report are supported by the BCmembers of the Canadian Renewable Energy Alliance(CanREA), including: The David Suzuki Foundation, One Sky,the British Columbia Sustainable Energy Association and thePembina Institute.

The report ‘Maximizing Energy Efficiency and RenewableEnergy in British Columbia’ is available atwww.pollutionprobe.org and www.pembina.org. CanREA’srecommendations are available at www.canrea.ca. �

Exploring a New Development ModelDear Editor:The letter from Margaret Griffiths in the October 19 edition ofIsland Tides is timely, wise, and peaceworthy. For two decadesMargaret has been a mentor for many people who live on andcare for the Islands in the Salish Sea. I hope Galiano, as acommunity, will choose the model for development proposed byMargaret. I believe this will help to bring environmental andsocial stability to Galiano, and provide a model for neighbouringislands. Susan Yates, Gabriola Island

BC’s Bill 30–The Wrong DirectionDear Editor:Bill 30 is not necessary for the rapid development of RenewableEnergy (RE) projects in British Columbia. If the BC Liberals trulywant to ‘level the playing field’ for clean energy producers then itshould follow the lead of the Ontario Liberals, who have promisedto implement Standard Offer Contracts (SOCs) for projects of 10megawatts or less, thus putting small, community-basedproducers on an equal footing with the big developers.

Rather than catering to corporations (many of them foreignowned) by imposing Bill 30 or by insisting on public-private

partnerships, the best way to kick-start development of renewableenergy in BC is to encourage small, community-based projects.

Ontario Premier McGuinty has stated that SOCs have been ‘thefastest and most successful way of producing renewable energythroughout the world.’ Hundreds of small producers—co-operatives, farmers, rural landowners, community groups, FirstNations, business owners and municipalities—are expected to takeadvantage of this new program.

Community-owned RE projects bring greater economic, socialand environmental benefits than do commercial ventures, andlocal concerns about size and siting are more likely to beaddressed. Community-based endeavours are also more readilyaccepted than commercial projects.

Bill 30 is a giant step in the wrong direction. Not only shouldcommunities have a say about run-of-river and other RE projectsin their regions, but they should have the lion’s share of thebenefits through progressive programs like SOCs.

Freya Keddie, VictoriaHydrofracturing Wells a Concern

Editor’s Note: The Mayne Island Integrated Water SystemsSociety sent this letter to the Ministry of Environment andsubmitted it to ‘Island Tides’ for publication. The society ishoping that readers will make their concerns known to theMinistry of Environment at 2080-A Labieux Road, Nanaimo,BC, V9T 6J9.

Dear Ms Kenny:There is growing concern on our island about the practice ofhydrofracturing of our water wells and the endangering of our

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Premier Gordon Campbell decided not to have a fallsession of the Legislature. One of his reasons wasundoubtedly a reluctance to provide a platform from

which the NDP, the Official Opposition, could criticize theactions of his government.

His strategy, it turns out, was devastatingly effective.While Mr Campbell travels the province, making major

policy announcements about important things like outdoorsmoking, junk food, and thousand-dollar baby bonuses, andballyhooing ‘consultation’ exercises, the NDP is, unfortunately,close to invisible. Carol James and her 33 MLAs have made littlenoise about the negotiation of BC Hydro’s private powerpurchase contracts, the increasing problem of the homeless, thefailure of child protection, the weakness of the environmentalreview system, and, most significant of all, the Trade,Investment, and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) withAlberta.

This last item, briefly described in our last edition anddiscussed in ‘While You Were Sleeping, Your Government SoldYour Democracy’ on page 2, has the potential to totally destroylocal government planning and regulation and, in fact, reducegovernment at all levels to a totally futile exercise.

It is the neutron bomb for government regulation, due tocome into effect next April. And because it’s the subject of anagreement with the province of Alberta (and other provinces, ifMr Campbell can get them to sign-on) it will be difficult for anyfuture government to revoke:

TILMA, Article 3: ‘Each Party [BC and Alberta] shall ensurethat its measures do not operate to restrict or impair tradebetween or through the territory of the Parties, or investmentor labour mobility between the Parties.

What is remarkable about this sweeping agreement is that itapplies to every government body and institution, fromprovincial to local, in the province, together with the fact that ithas had minimal publicity and virtually no debate. Anypresentations which have been made, have been to businessgroups. It has been characterized as harmonization ofregulations between the provinces, but it goes far beyond that,with provisions for ‘investors’ to challenge rules and regulationsat all government levels. These challenges are to be heard by aNAFTA-like dispute panel.

There are, of course, exceptions, and some areas which donot come immediately into effect. But the framework is designedto accommodate an unprecedented level of deregulation. Bysigning this ‘trade agreement’ with a neighbouring province, MrCampbell is attempting to create, permanently, an absoluteregulatory free-for-all, from which communities, institutions,and local government have absolutely no protection.

By avoiding any attempt at legislative ratification of this‘treaty,’ the premier has successfully avoided public awarenessor any debate of its provisions and implications.

We cannot understand why the NDP has not objectedvehemently to this manifestation of ‘stealth’ government.

We note with interest the 98% vote of confidence in MrCampbell at the recent Liberal convention. Clearly, there is noroom for dissension in his party’s ranks. Movements whichdisplayed such a dangerous level of unanimity have, in the past,generated tragic consequences.

But over half of BC voters opposed the Liberals in the lastprovincial election. The NDP has let them down, badly. It is nowvirtually complicit in the ultimate corruption of our provincialgovernment.

Canadians need to get used to minority government. Withfour viable federal political parties, and a fifth (the GreenParty) in the wings, there seems to be a fair chance that

the next election, whenever it occurs, will not result in a majorityfor any of them.

The nation, after all, voted for a minority government. Thepronounced regional differences which characterize the presentHouse of Commons may be a rather crude and unsophisticatedway of accomplishing this, but they do roughly represent howthe voters voted.

The government also needs to get used to minoritygovernment. The Harper government, like the Martingovernment before it, has stated that it will govern as if it had amajority. This didn’t work for the Liberals, and it is not workingfor the Conservatives. In fact, the only significant vote in the lifeof the current government—the vote to extend Canada’sparticipation in the Afghan war—was won only through the mostcynical manipulation of time, information and loyalties.

The Prime Minister now whines that the three other parties areblocking ‘the will of the people’ in failing to support legislationintroduced by the Conservatives. What childish nonsense! Theyare reflecting the will of the people, as they voted.

The government has made much of its determination todeliver on its election promises. But Canadians are tired of beingpresented with predetermined fragments of ideology dressed upas government.

They are also tired of overtly partisan positions and empty‘debate’ including opposing for the sake of opposition and thetrading of gratuitous insults across the Commons chamber.

What they would like is initiatives which represent the bestthat can be arrived from discussion—and yes, outrightargument—between the best brains from all the parties.

The ‘dead on arrival’ status of the government’s pitiful ‘CleanAir’ legislation was a reflection of a deliberate failure to consultthe other parties before presenting it. It is unfortunate that, inorder to achieve any negotiation at all, the NDP had to corner thePrime Minister, who was then remarkably quick to agree to acommittee with some powers to make major changes. The resultmay well be compromise and improvement, but also, inevitablyand unfortunately, delay.

There is a myth that the party with the most seats is thegovernment, and all the other parties are opposition. This is nottrue. All the Members of Parliament are the government (muchas all those who have been called to the bar are ‘officers of thecourt.’ They are all responsible for ensuring the quality of thegovernment of all of Canada.

One final thought. Should Canada adopt any form ofproportional representation, we may expect continued minoritygovernments, albeit somewhat more truly representative ones.So we’d better learn how to operate them. Now would be a goodtime to start. �

LETTERS, please turn to page 11

Government by Minority


Until Sat, Dec 30Comox Valley Art Gallery 32nd Christmas Craft Fair—original designs, handmade works in pottery, jewellery, wood,glass, ornaments, specialty foods and more, Gala Opening: Nov17, 9am–5pm, 20% discount • CVAG Gift Shop, 580 DuncanAvenue • NOV: Mon to Sat, 10am–5pm; DEC: Daily 10am–5pm,except Sunday 11am–4pm • Free admission • Info: 250-338-6211,www.comoxvalleyartgallery.com • IN COURTENAY

Wed, Nov 15 to Wed, Dec 6Gulf Islands Drop-In Flu Clinics—no appointmentnecessary; eligibile public are: over 65 years, people in high-riskcategory who are 2–64 years old, infants 6–23 months, peoplecapable of transmitting influenza to those at elevated risk •PENDER: Tues, Nov 28, 10am–2pm, Parish Hall; GALIANO:Wed, Nov 15, 1:30–4:30pm & Wed, Dec 6, 2:30–4:30pm, LionsHall; MAYNE: Wed, Nov 29, 1:30–3:30pm, Community ActivityCentre; SATURNA: Wed, Nov 15, 11:15am–3pm, CommunityHall • ON PENDER, GALIANO, MAYNE & SATURNA ISLANDS

Thurs, Nov 16 to Thurs, Nov 23‘Big Trees Not Big Stumps’ Book Tour &Signing—author Paul George’s account ofcampaigning to save wilderness with theWestern Canada Wilderness Committee,which he co-founded • NOV 16: QualicumBeach, 6–9pm, Qualicum Beach Civic Centre,Info: 250-752-6585 or 250-716-9292 • NOV17: Port Alberni, 3–5pm, Curious Coho Books,Info: John: 250-724-1455 • NOV 18: DenmanIsland, 6:30pm, Potluck Dinner @Community Hall, Info: 250-335-1209 • NOV 20: Tofino,Clayoquot Field Station, 7:30pm, free (donations for food bankaccepted), Info: Dorothy, Wildside Booksellers, 250-725-4222 •NOV 22: Courtenay, Laughing Oyster Book Shop, 4-5:30pm,Info: Jenny 250-334-2511, [email protected] • NOV 23:Vancouver, MEC, 7:30pm, Info: Matt Struthers @ 604-872-7858• IN QUALICUM BEACH, PORT ALBERNI, TOFINO,COURTENAY, VANCOUVER & ON DENMAN ISLAND

Friday, November 17Galiano’s Grand Central proudly presents The GalianoReggae Fest—’Jamaica a problem? Galiano no problem!’ Whynot steal away for a day? Fest includes the world-famousKostaman Trio from Whistler with DJ Dunks & DJ Yokon, ‘It’s anisland ting man...’ • Grand Central • Dinner: 5pm on, Show: 9pm• Cover Charge: $5 • Info: 250-539-9885 • ON GALIANOISLAND

Sats, Nov 18 & 25Open House & Tea—visit this lovelyhome on a sunny three-quarter acre loton Gabriola Island; many upgrades,new fir floors, private yard, near beach.Quaint studio awaits your finishingideas. Dreaming of Island Living? Consider Gabriola, only 20min. from downtown Nanaimo! $318,900 • 1881 Garland Road •Noon–3pm • Info: Shirley-Ann Meyer, Royal LePage Nanaimo, 1-800-377-4374 • ON GABRIOLA ISLAND

Sat & Sun, November 18 & 19Pender Islands Community Hall Christmas Craft Faire—local gifts, culinary delights; healthy lunch; door prizes •Community Hall • SAT: 10am–4pm, SUN: 11am–4pm •Admission: $3, under 12 free • Info: 250-629-3669 • ONPENDER ISLAND

Sunday, November 19Galiano Island Concert Seriespresents Tiller’s Folly—thisVancouver quartet blends highenergy acoustic roots, bluegrass,Celtic music & fabulous storytellingwith Pacific Northwest flair • South Galiano Community Hall •7:30pm • Tickets: Full 5-concert series subscriptions $90, 3-concerts $60, 2-concerts $45, student tickets $12 per concert,children free • ON GALIANO ISLAND

Tuesday, November 21Victoria Secular Humanists present Educator &Humanist Theo Meijer—Meijer explores naturalist values &positive principles of modern humanism as part of the increasinglynecessary quest to understand different world views • HarbourHouse, 121 Upper Ganges • 2pm • Free • Info: 250-538-1930 orhttp://victoria.humanists.net • ON SALT SPRING ISLAND

Saturday, November 25Canada’s Rockabilly Yodler: Petunia & Band—back bypopular demand, a national treasure! What folks have said: ‘Foottapping country & western laced with rock & jazz’ (The New YorkPost), ‘Conjured up the ghost of the late Hank Williams.’ (TheGeorgia Straight) & a note from Petunia ‘Grand Central is one ofmy favorite gigs. I love the food, but mostly I love the community.’• Grand Central • Dinner: 5pm on, Show: 9pm • Cover Charge: $5• Info: 250-539-9885 • ON GALIANO ISLAND

Friday, December 1Rachelle van Zanten Concert—a high-energy, slide-guitarplaying, bluesy singer, influenced by Lester Quitzau; backed byJoby Baker on drums, Rick May on bass and Kevin Fox on cello• Community Hall • 8pm • Tickets: $15 • Info:250-629-3669,www.rachellevanzanten.com • ON PENDER ISLAND

Fri to Sun, December 1 to 3Fulford Hall Christmas Craft Fair—over 60 artisansparticipating, a great place to shop for Xmas gifts; gourmet mealsand wonderful decadent desserts • Fulford Hall • DEC 1: 5-9pm,DEC 2: 9am-5pm, DEC 4: 10am-4pm • Admission: $1 &donations to the food bank • ON SALT SPRING ISLAND

Sat & Sun, December 2 & 3Tree Frog Organics Christmas Sale—Tree Frog Organics ishopping over to Pender Island again for their Christmas Sale •Community Hall • SAT: 9am–5pm; SUN: 9am–3pm • ONPENDER ISLAND

Saturday, December 9The Lions Santa Ship—an island tradition: visit with Santa andhave fun with the ballon-animal making clowns • Hope Bay Dock• 12:15–2:15pm • ON PENDER ISLAND

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frequency sonar. The seismic pulses have a maximum soundpressure at source of 220dB, which is said to be 36dB lower thanthe level used in ACCRETE.

(Note that decibels (dB) is a logarithmic scale, so 170dB is alot lower than 220dB. Because water is denser than air, 160dBunderwater is equivalent to about 100dB in air, or about thesound of a loud radio. Normal human conversation would beabout 125dB underwater.)

The seismic pulses are calculated to result in sound pressureof 170dB at a point on the surface 100 metres away from thesource. The source level for the US Navy sonar is similar to theseismic level, at about 215dB. But the Navy has acceptedenvironmental restrictions under the US Marine MammalProtection Act which require that the sound field from its low-frequency long-range sonar must be kept below 180dB within 12nautical miles of any coastline.

The frequency range of the US Navy long range sonar hasalso been limited by regulation to below 330Hz. (Hz = Hertz =cycles per second; lower numbers indicate lower pitched sounds.Humans communicate in a range of 20Hz to 20,000Hz.) Thefrequency range for seismic pulses appears to be limited to asimilar range: below 250Hz.

If the US Navy SURTASS Environmental Impact Statementis correct, this low frequency for the seismic pulses should limit

tissue damage to marine mammals. There appears to be littleknowledge, however, of interference with animalcommunication, or nerve damage.

Some marine mammals appear to communicate usingsounds in this frequency range. Toothed whales, such as orcasand belugas, communicate using sounds ranging from 10Hz to200Hz; for baleen whales, the larger the whale, the lower thenote, the longer the range. But humpbacks may sing in a rangeof 400-600Hz, while blue whales produce sounds in the 12Hzrange, which can be heard over 1,200 miles away (which isprobably where the idea for low frequency sonar came from).

The big difference between the underwater sound of sonarand that of seismic shots lies in the duration of the sound. Along-range sonar signal averages 60 seconds, with no singlesound lasting for more than 10 seconds. A seismic shot lasts for20 milliseconds, but this does not count nearby echoes fromshore or bottom. Critics have questioned whether the deep,narrow fjords in which the seismic work will be done may havethe effect of concentrating the energy of the seismic blasts.

Before committing its funds to this project, NSERC will haveto decide whether the uncertain risks of harm to marinecreatures are worth the improvement of knowledge about thegeology of BC’s Coast Range. It’s an interesting question,involving several scientific fields that seldom meet. �

SEISMIC MAPPING, from page 1

negotiating the TILMA deal, asked them to review (read‘change’) their decision. Recently, in another extensive series ofhearings, the District made the mistake of coming to the samedecision as it had the first time. The Campbell government hadby that time signed the secret trade deal and simply did whatArticle 3 (no obstacles) required. In his role as a democraticallyelected dictator, Campbell removed zoning authority in mattersof energy from that local government knowing that the RegionalDistrict’s decision was an obstacle that restricted investment.Energy was supposedly not on the table. I can hear the

proponent of the Duke Point power plant giggling from athousand miles away. Under this deal we would have PristinePower’s power plant with out a whimper.

Article 4 requires not just equal treatment of goods, persons,and services, investors and investments from across theprovincial border, but the ‘best treatment ever given under likecircumstances.’ If it is found that some investment practice orstandard is not in either party's best interest the parties arerequired to harmonize regulations at the least restrictiveregulation. Once on-sale, always on-sale (or off-sale).

TILMA from page 2

TILMA, please turn to page 7

Farmers’ marketscontribute $118.5 millionto BC economyAt the close of the growing season, a University of Northern BCstudy shows that BC’s farmers’ markets contribute $118.5million annually to the provincial economy.

The study shows British Columbians spend $65.3 milliondirectly at farmers’ markets and another $53.2 million atneighbouring businesses. The results of the study are based onsurveys of 7,100 market customers and 446 one-on-oneinterviews.

‘These findings really are amazing,’ Agriculture and LandsMinister Pat Bell said. ‘I think everyone knows that farmers’markets are popular, but I don’t think anyone realized just howimportant a contribution they make to the economic health ofour province.’

Farmers’ markets benefit more than just a community’seconomy, said Don Parmenter, president of the BC Associationof Farmers Markets (BCAFM).

‘The study found that many people spend about half theirtime at a farmers’ market simply talking to their friends andneighbours,’ Parmenter said. ‘This social aspect helps build andstrengthen a community and will help the BCAFM in efforts togrow and expand BC’s farmers’ markets.’

To view the complete report online visitwww.unbc.ca/planning/localfood. �

‘Service Fee’ Subsidy Lower ThanOther Transportation Services

Meanwhile, ‘service fees’ paid by the provincial governmenthave remained fixed and now cover only 16% of capital andoperating expenses, according to the Islands Trust. Thegovernment has made no contribution to the unanticipatedincrease in fuel costs, but has left ferry users to shoulder thisentire burden.

The Islands Trust paper contrasts this with the provincialcontribution made to support highways and transit costs. WhileBC Ferry fares (and other revenue) cover 84% of the operatingexpenses and capital costs of BC Ferries, Translink covers only47% of its costs, and BC Transit only 37%. Only 70% (whichincludes gasoline taxes) of the cost of provincial roads is self-sustaining. The Trust suggests that ferries should be subsidizedat least to the same extent as other transportation services.

Trust Recommends Expanding FerryCommission Mandate

The Islands Trust Council is recommending that the followingchanges be made in the Coastal Ferry Act:

• eliminate the major/non-major route segregation insetting fare increases and using a system-wide approach toevaluating the financial performance of the coastal ferry serviceas a whole;

• require full and reasonable consideration of the economicand social impacts on local communities and the provincialeconomy as a whole, rather than just the provincial contribution

FERRY FARES from page 1

FERRY FARES, please turn to page 9

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MV KuperMeanwhile on the south coast, the ferry rebuilt from the piecesof the John Atlantic Burr, which were trucked from Utah, waslaunched at Allied Shipbuilders in North Vancouver onNovember 3.

It was named MV Kuper, appropriate because it is expectedto go into service on the Chemainus–Thetis Island–KuperIsland run early in the new year. It will also serve as a reliefvessel on various Gulf Island routes. Kuper Island, the home ofthe Penelakut First Nation, was named in 1851 after CaptainAugustus Leopold Kuper RN.

BC Ferries operates three other ferries of the same basic design,the Kahloke, Klitsa, and Kwuna. The Kuper has been widened by11 feet, has a new wheelhouse, navigational systems, piping andelectrical systems, rebuilt passenger and crew spaces, and newlifesaving equipment. It will carry 32 cars and a maximum of 300passengers. The cost (including the cost of the original vessel) isestimated at $7 million, a bargain in ferryland. �

Well Beyond Kyoto ~ Book Review by Patrick Brown

As I sat down to read and review George Monbiot’s newbook Heat - How to Stop the Planet from Burning, theTV news showed me images of British Prime Minister

Tony Blair telling the British (and the rest of us) that climatechange was the new threat to civilization.

‘Where has he been for the last several years?’ I asked myself—but of course we all know. His speech was obviously inspiredby the release of a new report by Sir Nicholas Stern, former chiefeconomist of the World Bank, which presented us with a starkchoice—either spend 1% of the global Gross National Product forthe next half century on reducing greenhouse gases, or face areduction of 20% of the world economy by 2050.

Certainly, then, Monbiot’s book is timely—in fact what Ireceived when I ordered it was a special ‘Canadian edition’which, in its forward, attacks the Conservative government’sposition, calling Prime Minister Harper an ‘irresolute wimp,’ andaccusing Environment Minister Rona Ambrose of sabotagingfuture climate talks ‘as effectively as Bush and John Howardhave done…. If Ambrose gets her way, the Kyoto Protocol couldcollapse as swiftly as the Larsen B ice shelf.’

‘This book,’ writes Monbiot, ‘has an overtly political purpose.It aims to encourage people not only to change the way they livebut also to encourage their governments to make such changeseasier.’ It is, if you like, a sort of textbook for Greenhouse Gases101, and it’s concentrated stuff, pulling no punches. The figuresand examples are mostly British, but they translate withoutmuch difficulty.

Don’t be led astray by the fact that it’s only 277 pages—and 60of those are references, notes, and index. Once you have read it,you will realize that the solution to global climate change is notas simple as merely allocating 1% of the GDP. You will also wantto lend it to others. But you’ll also want to keep it for reference.You may need more than one copy.

Two DegreesMonbiot starts out with an introduction, seductively entitled‘The Failure of Good Intentions.’ He poses the basic dilemma—how to reconcile the reductions in greenhouse gases withcontinuing a modern industrial society. Then suddenly, he startshitting us with numbers. Two degrees of warming above pre-industrial levels, he says, is the likely result by 2030 if carbondioxide levels remain as they are. Two degrees, he says, is alsothe point beyond which certain major ecosystems begincollapsing. ‘Beyond this point . . . climate change is out of ourhands; it will accelerate without our help.’

To avoid this threshold, this ‘tipping point’, he says that therich nations must cut their greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by2030. (That’s 90%; 94% in Canada, the US, and Australia.) Therest of the book is an attempt to show how this can be done.

In setting this target, Monbiot demonstrates both theinsignificance and the value of Kyoto. Insignificant, because theGHG reductions in the Kyoto protocol are clearly inadequate tohave much effect. Valuable, because achieving, or even trying toachieve, these reductions would demonstrate wide political will.

Faust andScience

Faust, he says, wouldrecognize the situation: aman who sold his soul tothe devil, in return for alife with miraculouspowers. An aptmetaphor, says Monbiot;but today’s Faustianbargain is beset withscience. The book is thickwith numbers, drawnfrom a wide variety ofsources, and, despitetheir contradictions anduncertainties, carryingan undeniable authority. The research is thorough, the writingauthoritative, and at the same time lively.

But why have we been so slow to react? Monbiot says, ‘Theeffort to tackle climate change suffers from the problem of splitincentives: those who are least responsible for it are the mostlikely to suffer its effects.’ But then he mounts a savage attack onthe ‘denial industry.’

‘A total absence of scientific knowledge,’ he says, ‘Is no barrierto publication.’ He gives examples. He gives sources. He tracesthe origins of misleading statements. He draws parallels with thepublic relations efforts of the tobacco industry. It’s an enjoyablechapter if it doesn’t make you too angry.

Monbiot discusses at length the necessity that the impact ofmeeting GHG reduction goals be fairly distributed and impactfreedom as little as possible. A rationing system, he says, inwhich each individual could produce an equal amount of carboneach year, would be fairest— say, in 2012, a total of 0.8 tonnes ofcarbon per person worldwide. Everything you used would haveboth a money price and a carbon price… well, how aboutsomething simpler. There are ideas here, principles, and arealization that such schemes are never as simple as they look,nor as fair as they look.

On to the detail. Monbiot devotes the next few chapters toexamining specific approaches to GHG reduction: in housing,transportation, air transport (which he finds particularlydifficult), shopping and food distribution, and the cementindustry (as an example of industrial production). He alsodevotes chapters to alternative and renewable energy sources,and to the possibilities of distributed energy production. Each ofthese topics is treated thoroughly, with figures, examination ofalternatives, and conclusions as to what would work and whatwould not. His expectations for technology are conservative.

These sections are detailed, authoritative, and at times, as headmits, discouraging. But they are also something of a catalogueof the lifestyle changes, particularly in the rich countries of theworld, that would be necessary if his 90% reduction target is tobe met. While he sees little hope of reducing the GHG results ofair travel without massive reductions in flying (and he explainsthe science behind his conclusions), most of the other areasshow promise.

His overall conclusion is yes, it could be done. It wouldimpose what he terms a form of austerity.

This austerity, he says, could be acceptable, particularlyconsidering the alternative. While he is optimistic that citizenscould achieve these goals, he is not so optimistic aboutgovernments. He feels that while we would like governments totry to reduce our GHG emissions, he also suspects that many ofus would like them to fail. In Britain, he suspects, governmentpolicy amounts to nothing more than the continuous productionof reports and reviews. Governments would prefer, he thinks,something to come along which would achieve the resultswithout their having to do the job. He compares carbon-tradingto the medieval sale of indulgences. How about some sort of amagic bullet, like a worldwide recession caused by the suddenimpact of high energy prices from peak oil? No, probably not.

These somewhat sobering conclusions are enlivened byMonbiot’s wit and brevity, qualities that make this bookeminently readable and, given its timing, very important. If itmakes you think, fine. But Monbiot’s purpose is political action.Send Rona Ambrose a copy.

Monbiot, George: ‘Heat: How to Stop the Planet FromBurning.’ 2006, Doubleday Canada. $29.95. �

FERRIES from page 1

If a local government decides, as has Qualicum, that it wantsto restrict franchise operations in order to encourage localbusiness interests, Article 5, Parts 1 and 3 disallows such newrestrictions and Qualicum must now harmonize to the leastrestrictive standard (Article 4). Democratic representative localgovernment anyone?

The deal provides lip service to regional differences andneeds by allowing a narrow list of governmental objectives aslegitimate. Conspicuously not included is the character ofneighbourhoods. That eliminates the Islands Trust ‘preserve andprotect’ mandate for land use planning as it is directly opposedto a corporate right to invest. There is a transition period that hasbeen suggested as somehow remedial but whether you get yourcaning after dinner or before, it still hurts. Not allowing rezoningcould cost the Islands Trust $5 million per ‘investor’ application.Club Med on your favourite shoreline anyone?

The procurement rules have been changed to allowcompetitive bidding to very low levels; anything over $10,000.This means local governments must, for almost any good orservice they procure, submit for tenders to anyone in Alberta orBC, or the US for that matter. That local playgroundimprovement by the school board, will only go to local buildersif they underbid a US or Alberta multinational.

There’s more. The provincial government is required by theCommunity Charter to consult with the Union of BCMunicipalities when making changes that have impact in areasof municipal authority. Not done. Not with school boards,health, or social services (both heavily affected). Yet Article 9says that from now on that ‘no measure listed in Part VI isamended or renewed in a manner that would decrease itsconsistency with this Agreement.’

Under the Transparency Article, the Parties are required toinsure that their measures are made easily accessible. This

means, near as I can tell, that at any board meeting involvingdecisions of the Islands Trust, a rep from ‘the parties’ shouldprobably be present as they are required to ‘notify the otherparty, accept comment from the other party, and take suchcomment into consideration.’

So why? This deal was not required. Economic assessmentshave repeatedly shown that there is very little in the way of traderestriction between the two provinces anyway. The negotiationswere ongoing on labour mobility. This deal reaches muchfurther and does not include many of the protections of NAFTA.

If one stops to consider how much good NAFTA protectionshave done for farmers or lumber, that should end TILMA rightthere. All it does is hand corporations a club to use against localgovernment. As to the question, ‘Why did Campbell do it?’, wellI think that it is in his questionable genes—and the more curiousand unanswered question is, ‘Where is the Opposition?’

John Hill has spent a 35-year career in bush flying and hascome to know, as a result, the rural community of Canada. Heis fascinated with the diverse and unique systems ofcooperative, largely consensus based governance displayed bythese communities and has an insatiable drive to figure outhow to defend them against the onslaught of corporategovernance. �

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TILMA from page 5

Littoral: Tales from the Big Island ~ Trysh Ashby-Rolls

Sayward Gravel Pit FightWhile the Pineapple Express deluged the Island last week—sending wannabe Noahs running for hammer and saw—it didnothing to dampen the combative spirit betweenenvironmentalists and those in favour of a proposed gravel pit inSayward. At issue is Lehigh Northwest Materials, to whom theprovince granted a 5-year exploration permit in 2005 to drill forgeological samples over some 460 hectares of Crown Land, andits opponents, who want to maintain the pristine environment ofthe area. Sayward, located between Port Hardy and CampbellRiver is a waterfront community of about 1,500 people. Itsbeauty, clean air, wide open spaces, recreational opportunitiesand inexpensive housing attracts retirees and those wantingsolitude. But some locals welcome Lehigh as a source of newlong-term employment. Tensions have been running so high,the RCMP had to be called in to a recent meeting of the twosides.

Lehigh already has a gravel operation in Sechelt on theSunshine Coast Peninsular, which residents complain is aneyesore. A spokesman for the cement company, which is basedin Portland, Oregon, says that if it does locate in Sayward it hasseveral ideas for mitigating the effect of its pit on the community.Rubber-lined chutes to lessen noise is one; another is to store thegravel in fifty-foot piles covered with roofed-over structures. Atthis point the company isn’t certain whether it wants to set upshop in Sayward until all testing is complete. Lehigh has fivedistribution terminals in BC, one located in Bamford.

Triangle Island Birds in Danger ofExtinction

A lot further north, on Triangle Island, an ecological reserve offthe northern tip of the coast, the Cassin’s auklet(Ptychoramphus aleuticus) population is fighting for survival.Thousands of chicks died this year due to a lack of small oceankrill, which has been blamed on warming sea temperatures. Theauklet breeds in a few large colonies along the western coast ofNorth America. Triangle Island is home to the world’s largestcolony, usually consisting of more than a million breeding birds.

Cowichan Valley Water BuffaloNo danger of extinction for a herd of River Water Buffalomunching happily in their new winter barn in the heart of theCowichan Valley. For most of the year these magnificent animalsgraze in a pasture where they love to stand in pools of water, orimmerse their heads in their drinking troughs. But thingsweren’t always so idyllic.

In January 2000, farmers Darrel and Anthea Archer had toquarantine this herd’s predecessors after a case of BSE wasidentified in Denmark, previous home to 10 of the 18 femalesand one bull. The Archers received a notice to kill the entire herd

plus 5 Canadian-born calves but they went to court and won.However, there were loopholes in the judge’s written decision

and once again an order to cull arrived from the government.Crowds of protestors also descended on the farm. Inevitably, theherd was put down and the Archers had to start all over again.

This time things got off to a slower start than anticipated,prompting Anthea to comment, ‘How many more things can gowrong? You just start to lose interest as you lose heart.’ However,calves have been born, their mothers have plenty of hormone-and antibiotic-free milk, and at last Canada’s only Water BuffaloDairy can get underway producing milk, yoghurt and a variety ofcheeses, especially mozzarella.

Cowichan Bay Site of Art Hero WorshipSeaside towns like Cowichan Bay are quiet in the winter monthswhen few visitors come calling. Locals gather for a steaming mugof coffee and fresh muffins at waterfront cafés with time tolinger. Within the confines of one favourite hangout is a studiodedicated to E J Hughes. Hughes is 93 years-old and a residentof Cow Bay. He received the Order of Canada in July and,previously, the Order of British Columbia. A nationally andinternationally renowned painter, a piece of his work soldrecently at auction for just under a million dollars.

Ladysmith Recycling with PrideRecycling is big in Ladysmith. So big it has won an award. TheBC Municipalities Community Excellence Award in the BestPractices category went to the town for its organic wasterecycling program. In an attempt to reduce landfill wasteresidents are separating their kitchen scraps from regulargarbage and Blue Box recycling. Fifty-nine municipalitiesapplied for the award.

Waterfront Development UpdateA group of Canadian companies, with assets exceeding $6billion, who make up The Co-operators, has joined forces with

Water Buffalo rest in the shade.

reproduce only to find no water when they needed it. (And wehumans thought we were inconvenienced by water restrictions!)

Beth Jones tells me that Saturna’s salmon enhancementteam petitioned the Lions Club which generously donated$1,000 to the Cowichan Salmon Enhancement Society toprovide a stack of egg-hatching trays. In return, the CowichanSociety agreed to provide us with 70,000 salmon fry annuallyfor the next nine years.

Mike Jack, Rick Jones, Kevin O‚Hara, Darrell Jones, GrantDickey, Rick Mayher and Brent Sohier went over to the

Cowichan Fish Hatchery on the Cowichan River to assist incatching female and male chum salmon, expelling the eggs and

Working at the Cowichan fish hatchery.

CRD appoints sewagetreatment plan teamOn November 9, the Capital Regional District announced theappointment of two consulting companies to assist the LiquidWaste Management Steering Committee in the development ofa wastewater management strategy. ‘The CRD continues toproactively move to develop our sewage treatment plan for June2007,’ said CRD Chair Allan Lowe. Speaking of AssociatedEngineering with CH2M Hill and Kerr Wood Leidel Associates,he added, ‘The engineering firms’ familiarity with the CRD andits existing systems will ensure rapid progress.’

The CRD is committed to advancing the design andimplementation of improved wastewater treatment includingresource recovery and biosolid management, while ensuringthat the project integrates environmentally within thecommunity.

Project leader Rick Corbett is a wastewater industry leaderwith 28 years experience both nationally and internationally. Hehas participated in over twelve Liquid Waste Management Plansin BC. The core team will include Rick Corbett, John Spencerand Dr. Glen Daigger. This group will be supported by a team ofindividuals in the specialty areas of liquid and solid wastemanagement, resource recovery, odour control, pipelines andpump stations, outfalls and marine pipelines, and costestimating. �

SATURNA from page 3

SATURNA, please turn to page 9

LITTORAL, please turn to page 9

Join a Conversation OnHealth in Victoria

What is it all about?Everyone has opinions on health care.The Conversation On Health is anunprecedented year-long opportunityfor you to provide your views directly to the Province, and to discuss withother British Columbians how we can improve and renew B.C.’s public healthcare system.

Your feedback will help set the direction the Province takes tostrengthen our public health caresystem for today and tomorrowwithin the Canada Health Act.

Why is it important?Our health system faces realchallenges. Our population isaging and growing, and the costs of expanded health services, newtreatments and new technologiesare rapidly rising.

These pressures are threatening the sustainability of our health care system for our kids and future generations.

How can I participate?Sign up for a regional forum in Victoria. Simply visit the Conversation On Health online or call toll-free torequest a spot. Pre-registration isrequired. To ensure a meaningfuldialogue, participation will be limitedat each forum and

registrants will be randomly selectedfor the forum within their healthservice delivery area.

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To request a spot or for a list of forum locations in each of B.C.’s 16 Health Service Delivery Areas, call toll-free 1-866-884-2055 Monday to Friday, 8 am to 8 pm, or visit www.gov.bc.ca online.


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According to the Canadian Food Grains Bank, a non-profitorganization working to end hunger in developing countries,Canada has dropped the ball on global hunger. Canadian aidofficials said they ‘couldn’t make it’ to the major UN meeting inRome during the first week of November.

This meeting was the 10-year, halfway point in the 20-yearcampaign to halve global hunger; its purpose to review progressand re-ignite efforts to reduce hunger. Canada sent only twomid-level Agriculture and Agri-food Canada staff members, notthe usually large delegation.

‘It’s disappointing,’ says Stu Clark, in Rome representingCanadian Foodgrains Bank. ‘Ten years ago, at the World FoodSummit, Canada played a major role, with hundreds ofCanadians involved. The official Canadian delegation includedtwo cabinet ministers, several other politicians and a smallcrowd of bureaucrats. We heard a passionate commitment fromCanada that year and we were hopeful that our contribution toending hunger would grow. Now, ten years later, the strongvoice has been diminished to barely a whimper. It’s hard tounderstand how we’ve come to this point.’

Canada’s weak representation is not the only disappointmentat this week’s meeting, says the Food Grains Bank. Ten yearsago, with 185 countries pledging support, cutting global hungerin half seemed feasible within 20 years. Now the marker hasmoved. The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization(FAO) reported this week that perhaps by 2050 the number ofhungry people might be halved. With the numbers increasing atthe rate of four million per year, current estimates are that 820million people are hungry in developing countries.

According to FAO’s report, a commitment to ruraldevelopment is crucial in the fight against hunger. Despite this,

the Foodbank reports that Canada and other rich countries havecontinued to largely ignore the economy of rural areas indeveloping countries where most hungry people live. Canadiantrade policy at the WTO, for example, has done little to ensurethat rural economies in developing countries thrive. Instead, ourstrong ‘right to export’ approach threatens to undermine theseeconomies.

There were bright spots at the meeting in Rome, however.While richer nations were absent, the members of hungrynations attended in full force. The direct representatives of thehungry in developing countries—small farmers, farm workerunions, indigenous peoples’ groups, artisanal fishers—are, forthe first time, being allowed to take the floor. Over the pastdecade, they have formed organizations to give themselvesvoices.

At the Rome meeting, they are now explaining, to anyonelistening, the straight-forward steps that will help them feedthemselves. In comment after comment, they call fordevelopment assistance for the activities which they identify,plan, and implement. They also call for international policiesthat don’t continue to take away the supports that are essentialfor their survival.

‘The voices of the poor are being articulated this timearound,’ says Clark, ‘but will anyone hear? Canadian decision-makers won’t because they ‘couldn’t make it’.’

For more of Canadian Foodgrains Bank’s representatives’reflections on the meeting, visit their blog atwww.canadianfoodgrainsbank.blogspot.com. For moreinformation about Canadian Foodgrains Bank, visitwww.foodgrainsbank.ca. �

Canada invisible in the campaign to halve globalhunger, says Canadian Food Grains Bank

putting them into trays for maturing andfertilizing. They will remain in the trays untilreaching the fry stage.

At that point the fry will be transferred tothe Goldstream Hatchery until they are readyto come to Saturna for our fish enhancement‘grow-op’ at the Lyall Creek facility. OurSaturna Elementary students are always a partof this process of salmon-raising. Fifteen yearsof inspired, dedicated work have gone intoreturning Lyall Creek to a functioning salmonsystem.

Somehow, if this local cycle is working I feelwe may have a chance to turn the situationaround in our oceans. Maybe the direpredictions of a dead Pacific Ocean by 2048will not come true. In 2048, my eldest, Genniwill be 77, and her eldest, my granddaughter,Grace will be 49, and I will be dead. And I do sodesire that we will all make the changes that sostarkly, evidently need to be made.

Salmon BBQParks and Recreation will be holding theirannual Salmon BBQ, at Lyall Creek Cottage onNovember 18. Last year we had live music, hotapple juice, barbequed salmon with all thefixings, and a great spread of sweets to finish offthe meal! All are welcome and donations aregratefully accepted. This is a rain or shineevent—just like the salmon!

Rick Jones and others will conduct tours ofthe creek, estuary and salmon-growing areaand answer questions. Rick gives fascinatingtalks about the salmon and all the otherecosystem factors and participants—otters,cutthroat trout, raccoons, eagles, water levels,new road conduit and the Salmon BBQ—thataffect this cycle of life.

Good-bye PartiesLast weekend, many Islanders came to the RecCentre to honour Mary and Cunliffe Barnettand Tanya Cooke. Because these dear folkshave been very active in the community, theparty had a huge mix of people.

Susie Washington-Smythe, BarbraGrasswick and Melanie Gaines, planned an

evening of wonderful food and the opportunityfor visiting and to say goodbye.

Various members of the community stoodup to honour and detail the ways in which theseIslanders have given of themselves to make thecommunity a better place to live. One of Mary’spiano students, 9-year-old Morgan Pearse,wrote a wonderful letter thanking her forbeing a special person. Amber Jensen, motherof two piano students, wrote to tell Mary that asa parent it is also her job to be sure that herchildren spend time with good people, andMary qualifies. Laura Dunsmuir also stood upto thank Mary for her gifts and talents as ateacher and as a role model. Laura pointed outthat when one’s children are with anexceptional teacher, a parent is filled withgratitude.

Tanya has been an inspiration in thecommunity with her dauntless attitude,finishing off her house and living a joyous lifeon her ‘spread.’ Tanya has also been a potter foryears and most houses on Saturna containsome of her work.

As you might expect of lively people in alively community, several very jestingcomments were made about Cunliffe after hewas complimented for his judicious worthyleadership, etc.

Sold-Out Community DinnerOn October 26, the Women’s Club held acommunity dinner to foster closeness andenjoyment within the community. For only $10the meal was fabulous—roast beef and threekinds of salads, two vegetables and every kind ofhomemade pie with fresh whipped cream. Thecommunity hall looked beautiful with thetablecloths, potted pansies wrapped in fallleaves, candles in jellybean-filled glasses (fishingthem out kept the kids entertained!), fireburning in the hearth in the lounge, andeveryone chatting away. The Women’s Club didthemselves proud. �


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The Lands File Number thathas been established for thisapplication is File # 1412865.Written comments concerningthis application should bedirected to the Section Head,Integrated Land ManagementBureau at 142 - 2080 Labieux Rd.,Nanaimo, BC, V9T 6J9.Comments will be received byILMB until Dec 7, 2006. ILMBmay not be able to considercomments received after thisdate. Please visit our website at:http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/clad/index.html under TenureOverview and ProgramInformation for moreinformation.

Be advised that any responseto this advertisement will beconsidered part of the publicrecord. For information contactthe Freedom of InformationAdvisor at Integrated LandManagement Bureau's regionaloffice.

HAVE YOUMOVED?

2007 Property Assessment Notices will be mailed to all property owners in British Columbia on December 31, 2006.

If you own a property and have recently moved, please provide BC Assessment with your new mailing address by November 21, 2006 so we can ensure you receive your assessment notice.

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SATURNA from page 7

First Principles Development Group to develop some or all ofthe 94-acre Ladysmith waterfront. As reported by Island Tides(September 21, 2006) when the original project was presentedto the community, the crowd heckled after First Principles,citing confidentiality, refused to reveal what they would pay forthe land.

The developer got nowhere, anyway. Town Council put theproposal on hold saying a number of contentious issues, such asharbour clean-up and the loss of parts of Transfer Beach Park,had to be resolved. With new financial back-up from one ofCanada’s top 100 employers (according to Macleans magazine),it remains to be seen what happens next. �

LITTORAL from page 7

New exit at Swartz BayBC Ferries has made a traffic pattern change at its Swartz Bayterminal to reduce traffic congestion and improve safety forcustomers exiting the foot passenger area. The foot passengerarea is particularly busy on Friday and Sunday afternoons.

A new west exit road has now been opened for all trafficdeparting the foot passenger pick-up and drop off area. As partof this project, BC Ferries incorporated input from localresidents. The company dedicated a portion of its property asgreen space to retain an existing treed area, and a berm wasrelocated. In addition, the existing sound barrier wall is beingraised and extended to increase its effectiveness.

The new exit road is the latest in a series of improvements inand around the Swartz Bay terminal. Last year, BC Ferries madeimprovements on the Highway 17 approach to the Swartz Bayfacility. An exit ramp was extended for easier local access and athird lane was added to the highway to better organize ferrytraffic. �

to the operation of the ferry system, before increasing fares oradjusting services;

• ensure more equitable sharing of price cap increasesbetween users and the province by increasing the service feespaid by the province (similar to other provincially-funded publictransportation systems);

• expand the mandate of the BC Ferry Commission, whichregulates rates, to consider the community impact of fare orservice changes; and,

• authorize the Commission to require the province toincrease its service fee if fare or service changes are determinedto have a harmful impact on coastal communities.

The Islands Trust Council is also recommending that theprovince should consult with coastal communities as part of itsassessment of the review of the first performance term. �

FERRY FARES from page 5

READ MORE:www.islandtides.com


Crystal meth is not an easy subject to discuss with your kids. But experts agree parents play a crucial role in preventing kids from taking meth. That’s why the provincialgovernment is introducing new tools and resources to help families fight this devastating drug. Together, we can stop meth from ruining a lifetime of memories.

The Best Place on Earth For the facts on crystal meth and tips on how to talk to kids about it, visit www.no2meth.ca

You’ve had a lifetime to talk to your kids about crystal meth.What are you waiting for?

Province launches $3-million crystal metheducation programOn October 23, the Province unveiled its latest tool in the fightagainst crystal methamphetamine use: a $3-million school-based program and public education campaign.

‘We know crystal meth use is a problem,’ said EducationMinister Shirley Bond. ‘Research shows that about five per cent ofstudents in grades 7-12 may have tried crystal meth. Ourgovernment believes that one person using crystal meth is oneperson too many. And the best way to stop someone from using itis to keep them from ever starting. That’s why education is soimportant.’

The school-based program and public education campaign,which are aimed at students, parents and teachers, include:

• Classroom lessons and resources that help youth makehealthy and informed decisions;

• Teacher resources that support the classroom lessons;• A parents’ guide to provide parents with the information

they need to talk to their kids about the drug;• A website at www.no2meth.ca that features interactive

games and activities, information on the effects and dangers ofcrystal meth, and how to help a child or friend who uses it; and

• A public awareness campaign. ‘These resources are just a few of the many ways government

is delivering on its commitment to fight crystal meth use and toinvest in BC’s children and future,’ said Bond.

In 2005-06, the Ministry of Education provided $500,000to the BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils to ensurethat teachers are fully trained in the effective use of theclassroom resources.

At last year’s Union of British Columbia Municipalitiesconvention, Premier Gordon Campbell committed $7 millionfor new initiatives to fight crystal meth use. Since then, fiveregional forums organized by the Ministry of Public Safety andthe Solicitor General have taken place in Richmond, Courtenay,Vancouver, Kamloops and Prince George. The forums informedcommunities about the dangers of crystal meth use, andthrough enhanced knowledge, help communities reduce use.

BC is on the front lines in the fight against crystal meth aspart of our commitment to safer communities,’ said SolicitorGeneral John Les. ‘We’re working with police to shut downmeth labs and bring down organized crime groups, but at thesame time we also need to reach out to students, parents andteachers, so this education campaign is the natural next step.’

In 2004, BC became the first jurisdiction in Canada toannounce an integrated crystal meth strategy. In 2005, theProvince created the Crystal Meth Secretariat within theMinistry of Public Safety and Solicitor General to implement thestrategy across government. �

A Personal Story of Crystal Meth Use

My grades in school were dropping from ‘A’ to ‘C-’. Iwanted more than anything to improve them. I was inclass one day and saw a young lady working

productively. I thought she would be a good person to hang outwith since she had a good work ethic. We got to know each otherthroughout the class. By the time the class had ended, she toldme she was on a drug that makes you ‘speedy’. I thought tomyself ‘that’s perfect, that’s what might help me with myhomework.’

I hadn’t reallythought throughwhat the effectswould be or whatdangers wereinvolved. I gave her$10 and asked if she could get me some. A few days went by and Iwas wondering what she did with my money, so I asked her if shegot the drug. She told me she hadn’t, showed me the $10 and toldme she still would. So I waited. It was Friday, February 22, 2005and I skipped the day of school because I was fed up with the guiltand pressure that I had put myself through. My mom wasn’t homeso I decided to go downtown, where I met the girl from my class,but this time she wasn’t alone. Little did I know they were dealers.They asked me if I wanted to drink that night.

I went along with it since I didn’t have anything else to do andI was down on myself. A few hours went by and I ended up at thisgirl’s house. I was intoxicated. There were a group of us. When Isat up to grab another beer I saw one of her friends taking out amirror and a straw. There were 6 lines on the mirror. Theypassed it around the circle as if it was a casual thing to do. Ianalyzed their every move. When the mirror came to me I didexactly what they did.

At first I didn’t feel a thing. My vision seemed normal, and Ididn’t feel any different so I wasn’t scared. By the next day I wasat someone else’s house and I hadn’t gone home. I wasn’t meanymore, I was an addict. I had no feeling for others that weren’tin my group and I didn’t havethe same priorities in life. Thedrug crystal meth ruined mychance to be in mainstreamschool since I skippedweeks/months at a time, notrealizing how much time hadpassed. I started to freak out onmy mom on little things. I felt distant from her. I had lost 10pounds in less than a month. Then another 10 had just fallen off.

Summer came quickly and my mom decided to move. Ihadn’t seen her in almost 2 months, and I was so mad that shewould decide to take us away from the place were I had ‘friends’.When my mom wasn’t home I ended up robbing my own housefor money. I intentionally did it to payback my mom for decidingto move. To this day I have guilt and shame for what I caused myfamily to go through.

I got to the point where I would stay up for 16 days withoutsleep or food. All I could think about is doing my next line. Mytrue self was trapped in a box, and my addictive personality tookover. I was like this for over a year. Doing this drug was likethrowing my life away piece by piece. I would watch other users

do the same thing, it was like a game. How well can you surviveif you have nothing? It was a competition with others withaccessories, clothing, looks, and dope.

I told myself ‘I have to quit’. By then I had been using for a year-and-a-half. It was difficult. I would go on binges. I would use forabout 2 months and then quit for 2 weeks. Some of the users didn’tthink you were an addict if you could quit for at least a week.

All my life my mother had a brain tumor. She ended up goingto the hospital because her tumor caused a grand-mal seizure.

On my 16th birthday I did the mostcrystal meth I had ever done. I gotextremely sick. I wanted to visit mymom but it wasn’t to see her, it wasto get money. To this day I am sosorry for the way I acted and I will

never get to say I’m sorry since she passed away on St PatricksDay. After she died I was put into foster care.

I didn’t quit using. I continued along my path of destroyingmy body. I would run away from home after home after home.It got to the point where I ‘woke up’ and I didn’t know whatmonth, day, time it was. I got so scared.

I got my ‘friend’ to drive me back to my foster home and Italked to my social worker. He suggested treatment options. Forthat split second I was willing to do anything to get me back tothe way I used to be. This thinking only lasted a few days, but afew days were all I needed. I was lucky to hold on to thosepositive thoughts long enough for me to believe them. It washard and I felt like I was losing everything I had all over again.

I decided to go to treatment with the help of my father. It wasa 5-month wait to get into treatment. He started to phone memore often. I had to get a routine in my life to help me cope withnothing to do. The shock of my mother’s passing away clicked in.I must have cried for a week straight. All I did was sleep, cry andeat. It was the worst feeling.

I saw my doctor and drug counsellor regularly to reinforcemy original (positive) decisions. Without the support I wouldn’t

be where I am today. Ijust have one thing tosay…‘You have to want togo to treatment yourselffor it to work’. If anyoneforces you to go in it, youwill probably ‘use’ again.Parents should not force

their children into treatment; you have to let the person insidethe addict do the thinking for themselves.

This is a personal story, and is not intended to scare anyone.It is a reminder that anyone can get clean, you just have to makethe decision. �

This story has been edited for clarity, and it appears courtesyof the Crystal Meth Society of BC.

‘I hhad nno ffeeling tto oothers tthat wweren’t iin mmy ggroup aand

I ddidn’t hhave tthe ssame ppriorities iin llife. II sstarted tto ffreak

out oon mmy mmom oon llittle tthings.’

‘For tthat ssplit ssecond II wwas wwilling tto ddo aanything tto gget

me bback tto tthe wway II uused tto bbe. TThis tthinking oonly

lasted aa ffew ddays, bbut aa ffew ddays wwere aall II nneeded. II wwas

lucky tto hhold oon tto tthose ppositive tthoughts llong eenough

for mme tto bbelieve iin tthem.’

The Crystal Meth Victoria Society has a helpful onlinewebsite called CrystalMeth BC. This website includes lots ofinformation about the drug as well as resources for methusers and parents of suspected meth users.

crystalmethbc.com


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on policy. As Noam Chomsky pointed out in an interviewdiscussing US politics with Vancouver’s Georgia Straight(October 2, 2006), ‘This hollowing out of democratic debate tothe point of vacuousness during election campaigns, is largelythe result of the growing prevalence and sophistication of thepublic-relations industry—the same people who are sellinglifestyle drugs and toothpaste on television.’

We are being deliberately ‘turned off’ participating in ourdemocracy. In Canada, we get promises, but we keep feelingbetrayed when those promises are not kept—or the intentchanges. We mutter to each other until the next time round,when taken up again with hope—or despair—we cast our vote.This is not the way to hear the voice of the people: to know ourthoughts and dreams for our country, or province, or region, orcity, or community, to have government by the people.

Can we change the process? Can we learn to participate fullyin decision-making for us all? I believe we can, and must, if truedemocracy is to be our method of governance.

One way to build trust and communication among differentgroups and allow democracy to work better at the communitylevel is through meetings using Open Space Technologywww.openspaceworld.org. In use for more than 20 years andpracticed in 100 countries, the Open Space approach is based onthe fact that people self-organize around passion and interest.This fosters dialogue and learning among participants, andencourages connections that lead to collaborative action.

Every event starts and ends with a circle, a symbol ofcommunity and of mutual respect for those who have gathered.A facilitator explains the basic rules before giving way to thegroup’s self-organization.

Each gathering has a bulletin board rather than a fixedagenda. This is a blank wall with specified time slots anddesignated breakout locations as a framework. The participantsthemselves, who establish a detailed agenda early in the event,determine the content of the sessions.

After the agenda is established, participants scan the bulletinboard to survey and determine which sessions they areinterested in attending. The person who proposes a given topicdecides how it will be scheduled and ensures that someonewrites a report of the main points of the session. These reportsare posted on a News Wall throughout the event and latergathered together into a book of proceedings.

Knowing all this, you can imagine my delight to be invited toa two-day community-wide Open Space event on Saturna Islandnext March! The topic is ‘Living on Saturna Island: Issues andOpportunities.’ The invitation says, ‘Encourage everyone you

know on the island to come too. Let your friends (and foes!)know that it is essential that all the different voices on Saturnahave a chance to be heard.’ Now that sounds like the practice ofdemocracy to me. Shirley Tonier, Saturna Island

Appeal for Children in VietnamDear Editor:Bruce and I are returning to Vietnam in March 2007 with Toursof Peace. TOP is a non-profit organization which enablesveterans, their spouses or widows and children to return toVietnam.

The purpose of our journey is one of healing for veterans likeBruce and for their families. A significant way for theparticipants to do that is to serve the country’s less fortunate. Wewill be visiting and offering gifts at a leprosy clinic, two homes forelders and the physically disabled, two orphanages and we willparticipate in projects for street kids.

The little fellow (pictured here withveteran Gary), and so many others like himare particularly vulnerable. His disabilitiesare likely caused by Agent Orange whichstill lingers in the soil of Vietnam and in thegenes of those exposed to the chemicalduring the war. Care facilities are woefullyunder-funded and rely heavily oncharitable donations.

This year the needs of the children have been exacerbated bythe recent typhoons which have destroyed schools, homes andplaces of work along the central coast of Vietnam. New schoolswaiting to be furnished, stand empty. More children than evercannot afford to go to school as their parents have lost theirincomes. Some school buildings have collapsed and the cost forstudents to be transported to another school is prohibitive.

We will be in the hard-hit school districts of Hue Thua Tienand Quang Tri. With the support we received before our firsttrip, we were able to contribute wheelchairs, scholarships andmedical supplies on behalf of our Canadian support group. Welook forward to doing the same next March, with specialemphasis on typhoon relief. The new needs created by thetyphoons are: 90 study stations (a desk, two chairs andbookshelf); 259 special scholarships to keep kids in school;textbooks and supplies.

Email us at [email protected] and find out more aboutTOP at www.topvietnamveterans.org. Donors will receive a taxreceipt.

Elaine Head (and Bruce Logan), Salt Spring Island �

LETTERS from page 4aquifers.

The proximity of the majority of the Island to the ocean,combined with a lack of knowledge of aquifer makeup/directioncreates a potential for disaster on an island that is 100% relianton groundwater.

While we understand and sympathize with the desire tohydrofracture a well, we have also noted that there is no pre-recording or testing of neighbouring wells prior to the practiceto allow for future damage monitoring, no bond required tocover the eventuality that this could happen, and no restrictionon the practice within a designated number of metres to theocean, or, in fact, the neighbours or community wells.

While all of the above would be a step in the right direction,it is our belief that the practice of hydrofracturing should not beallowed on the Gulf Islands, for any reason.

Over the many decades of island life, people somewhat tooktheir well for granted, and it has only been recently that anyattention has been paid to recording and history-keeping.People are, therefore, at a disadvantage when a neighbouringwell is forced into higher production levels, and their well isseriously affected. Unfairly, in the case of serious salt waterintrusion or going dry, they have no recourse but to try to drillanother well.

Danger not only lies in wait for the neighbouring wells, butpossibly for an entire aquifer.

The very fact that some drillers are requiring the signing ofreleases before they will hydrofracture, is a strong indicationthat the practice has the potential to cause problems that couldresult in liability for those in the business.

We could also introduce the fact that the Island homes are allon septic systems of varying efficiencies. There are currently nolaws that stop a well from being drilled in the area of septicsystems, and then hydrofractured. While it will be said thatseptic seepage is purified before if reaches the aquifers, this isnot an assured argument one could win on either side of theissue.

The Islands Trust, or at least our Local Trust Committee,disclaims any ability or willingness to consider this problem atthis point. We question this approach, since the proof ofadequate potable water is required before the issuance of apermit. It therefore seems possible that one further logical stepwould be that the potable water must be a natural production ofthat well, and not forced through extra measures.

As an active society, lobbying on water issues for MayneIsland, we are interested in working with whichever governingbody addresses our concerns.

Please be assured that this issue is being raised to addressthe serious concerns of our many members, including theorganized water systems, who are concerned about maintainingof our island’s aquifers and its ability to supply potable water inthe very long-term in an ever increasingly stressed area ofpopulation growth and its inherent demands.

Mary Cooper, MIIWSS, Mayne Island

Wheelchair Accessible WashroomsDear Editor:We sent a letter to the Salt Spring Island Chamber of Commerceregarding the distinct lack of wheelchair accessible washrooms weexperienced while visiting for the day in late September. We havenot heard a word back, so I thought to appeal to wider readershipin the hope of at least generating discussion.

If tourism is indeed a lifeblood for the Gulf Islands, why doesan Island such as Salt Spring have no publicly accessiblewashrooms for people in wheelchairs who are day-trippers? Ifthey exist, they were not signed clearly on the road or any map wehad (maybe we’re also blind). And while there may be accessiblepublic washrooms in hotels and motels, and the odd ferryterminal (Long Harbour had two!), there are none for peoplepassing through Ganges, for example. Indeed, the Chamber ofCommerce in Ganges couldn’t offer up anything except thewashroom in the seaside park which they were not certain wasaccessible or not. This unfortunately became a minor disaster asI, physically able, had to shoehorn my friend into the publicwashroom and then shoehorn her into the stall that will not closewith a wheelchair in it. Fortunately she managed the transferherself but I had to stay close in case of problems. As a malehovering around the ladies washroom, purely to offer assistance ifsomething were to go wrong (she couldn’t flush the toilet, plus Ihad to get her back out of the stall and the washroom), both of uswere quite uncomfortable and frustrated by the process.

The message to us was that you’re not welcome if you’re in awheelchair, and any friends we know in the same situation havebeen told accordingly about Salt Spring and its ‘accommodating’washrooms. Or perhaps we should just bring adult diapers and/ora catheter?

Don’t get me wrong—the islands are gorgeous and many otheraspects of our visit on Salt Spring were positive. But to ignore asegment of our population in such a shabby manner in 2006 andon one of the wealthiest Islands around is shameful, and untilthere are proper facilities for the visiting public we won’t be back.

Robin Krause, Victoria

Democracy from the Ground UpDear Editor:Democracy: ‘government by the people; government bymajority vote; community so governed; equal rights,opportunities, etc’ (Penguin, English Dictionary). The word isoften touted, comparing us with countries that run on differentrules, but in its political sense the word is hardly a truerepresentation of our governance practices. What voice do wereally have?

The reality is that we mark an ‘X’ once every few years in apolling booth—against a name that has been advertised more orless depending on party coffers and media hype. We may havenever seen that person at an all-party debate. We may not haveturned out to participate in such an event. We accept an electioncampaign that delivers sound bites instead of detailed plans,and is focused on personality factors of the leaders, rather than


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Photo: Erin Porter

Children gather at Peace Works! a children’s peace forum held on October 24. Theevent, held at Salt Spring Centre School, included song, art, dance, and more.

On October 23, Canadian Organic Growers,Canada’s largest national organic organizationreleased its analysis of the organic farmingsector in Canada in 2005.

According to Anne Macey, the report’sauthor, ‘This year’s results provide mixed signalsabout the health of the organic sector. Certainparts of the country, such as British Columbiacontinue to show strong growth, while growth inothers appears to be slowing down.’

The total number of certified organic farmsin Canada was 3,618; down from the 3,670 in2004. The report cites two primary reasons forthe decline: a loss in the number of certifiedmaple syrup producers in Quebec and declinesin the number of grain growers inSaskatchewan and Alberta due to continuingdrought and low commodity prices.

Not all regions reported decreases in thenumber of organic farms. Organic farms inBritish Columbia increased by 9.5% over theprevious year. This province also reported thehighest number of farms in transition toorganic agriculture (108 farms). Most of the BCgrowth was in vegetable production, with anincrease of 30% in the number of farms and a16% increase in acreage over the previous year.Organic nut acreage, though still small, grew by44%. BC now has the largest percentage offarms using organic production methods(nearly 3% of all farms).

Despite the recent dip in the number oforganic farms across the country, the numberof acres under organic production continues toclimb, suggesting that organic farms areexpanding. In 2005, there were at least 530,919hectares (1,311,929 acres) in organicproduction in Canada with an additional47,955 hectares (118,500 acres) of land intransition. These figures represent a 5%increase over 2004.

‘This is good news for the environment’,said Laura Telford, executive director ofCanadian Organic Growers. ‘Every acre underorganic management decreases the chemicalload in our soils and water systems andprovides better habitat for a wide variety of soil

and terrestrial species that make their homeson Canada’s farmlands.’

Livestock production grew significantlyrelative to 2004 figures. Beef production grewby 30%, sheep numbers were up 19%, layerchickens were up 20% and broiler chickenproduction was up 56% over 2004. Acreagedevoted to growing organic grains and oilseedswas also up relative to 2004. Hemp productionjumped by 25% over 2004, spelt was up 16%,oats were up 22% and barley production grewby 70%. In some cases, such as wheat,increased acreage did not translate intoincreased yields due to poor growingconditions in the prairies.

For the second year in a row, the organicprocessing sector rose though the increase wasnot as significant as the 48% increase observedfrom 2003 to 2004. 2005 saw a more modestincrease of 10%. The largest processing gainsoccurred in Quebec (36%) and BritishColumbia (29%).

For the first time, Canadian OrganicGrower’s organic production report looked atcommunity supported agriculture (CSA).Under this model, consumer ‘partners’ pre-purchase shares in a market garden operationand in return receive a weekly fresh-food box.Research revealed that there are at least 85certified organic CSAs in Canada. Due to gapsin the information gathered, these numbersare considered minimums.

New ‘Canada Organic Label’The federal government has just published adraft organic production regulation. Telfordsaid, ‘We think the new regulation and its‘Canada Organic’ label will make it easier forconsumers to find and purchase Canadianorganic products. Based on the US experience,we think this will translate into increaseddemand for made-in-Canada products, whichin turn will help to pull new farmers intoorganics.’

Canadian Organic Growers has tracked thegrowth in the number of certified organic farmsand processors since 1992. The full report isavailable at: www.cog.ca. �

Report on organic farming in Canada

Accountability for school businessesThe release of the Hibbins report on privatecompanies formed by BC school districts maypoint the way to greater transparency for theseentities.

Some fifteen BC school boards have formedsuch companies, which are generally in thebusiness of exporting BC’s education system,either by providing schooling in BC to studentsfrom overseas, or by actually operating schoolsin foreign countries. The enterprises wereauthorized by the School Amendment Act,legislated by the BC Government in 2002.

The Act set little in the way of standards andprocedures, and in response to concerns insome school districts, the Ministry ofEducation asked former Deputy Minister andnow consultant Doug Hibbins to review themin 2006. His report, completed in July, wasrecently released, and makes a number ofrecommendations for greater accountabilityand transparency.

In answer to the basic question—whetherthe operation of these companies was in thepublic interest, Hibbins states baldly that ‘thereis little evidence that these entities are servingthe public interest.’ However, with a bow to thegovernment aim of making education animportant BC export, he goes on to say that‘marketing of education should remain animportant provincial priority.’ (This priorityhas also led to the establishment of some 500private educational institutions in BC, mainlymarketing themselves overseas.)

Hibbins has met with officials of some 18public school districts. At the end of May, inSchool District #64 (Gulf Islands) he met withthe Directors of the School District BusinessCorporation, with trustees and officials, withthe Secretary-Treasurer, and with arepresentative of the District Parent AdvisoryCouncil (DPAC); more meetings than with anyother school district.

Annual Reporting RequiredAt the conclusion of his survey, Hibbinsrecommended that the Province ‘take steps’ to:

1. Require that a majority of the directorsappointed to the board of a school districtbusiness company be independent and arms-length from the school board and itsemployees.

2. Prescribe June 30th as the financial yearend for school district business companies.(same as financial year end for school districts.)

3. Clarify that school district business

companies must appoint auditors and mustprepare audited financial statements.

4. Require school district businesscompanies to include a schedule of transactionsbetween the business company and the schooldistrict in the audited financial statements ofthe school district business company.

5. Require school district businesscompanies to issue annual reports within threemonths of the end of each fiscal year. At aminimum, the annual reports should include:audited financial statements, a managementdiscussion and analysis section, forwardlooking statements providing generalinformation about business activities

6. Require school district businesscompanies to: hold annual general meetingswithin three months of the end of each fiscalyear, make annual general meetings open tothe public, provide notice of annual generalmeetings in the local media at least 21 days inadvance of each annual general meeting.

As a minimum, business conducted at anannual general meeting should include:presentation and consideration of the annualreport including the audited financialstatements; appointment of directors, andappointment of the auditor.

7. Bring school district business companies,and any subsidiary corporations in which aschool district business company holds acontrolling interest, under the Freedom ofInformation and Protection of Privacy Act.

8. Ensure that the Risk ManagementBranch does not provide blanket liabilitycoverage to school district business companiesor indemnify school district businesscompanies, using funds appropriated for publiceducation… .

9. Simplify how school boards can providestart-up capital for their school district businesscompanies… .

All recommendations except the final onehave been accepted by the provincialgovernment. They should go a long way toensuring that questions raised will be answered.

It would appear, however, thatimplementation will require additionallegislation. Since the provincial government haschosen not to hold a legislative session this fall,no legislation can be introduced until and unlessthere is a spring session. In the meantime,school districts are free to voluntarilyimplement the recommendations. �

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