The Dismantling of legislation by the British Columbia government. Cutting up the Safety Net: Environmental Deregulation in British Columbia www.wcel.org and follow the links. In British Columbia big industry and government have always been pretty cosy partners whenever the word “development” was in the air and there was a buck to be made. The Province has always put economic interests before the well-being of the land and gone riding rough shod over whatever was in the way. But with the passing of bills like The Significant Projects Streamlining Act things have gone from bad to worst. No longer is the government making any pretence of stewardship or community interest. They aren’t even partners in resource development anymore. The Province has legislated itself right out of the picture and is clearing the path for industry to have at it. The changes in the law are drastic. Environmental and social values are out the door and unfettered development is in. In its publication Cutting up the Safety Net the West Coast Environmental Law association calls the legislation “unprecedented in modern democracies.” On Haida Gwaii, the logging industry wants to get at the best of the last, now and the province plans to keep at it until all the old growth forests are gone. Nobody – no Crown agency or elected official or forest licence holder is legally responsible for the impacts of the forest industry or the well-being of threatened species, ecosystems and local communities. While the Supreme Court of Canada has directed the province to seek reconciliation of Title issues in fair and honourable dealing, the province is making up new laws to hide behind. The government is avoiding its duty to consult and accommodate with the Haida Nation and has handed everything over to industry to the point where it has weakened its own authority to act for any of its citizens. Here’s why: No public accountability: - The new act allows the BC Cabinet and ministers to overrule any law, regulation, bylaw, policy or government program that is seen to get in the way of development. - Government officials were given the power to decide on the basis of their opinion whether or not any project would need an environmental assessment. No information needed. The Forests: - Logging companies get to write their own rules. If they don’t like the new Code they can propose their own “alternatives.” - Logging plans can’t be rejected for failing to “manage and conserve” the public forest resource. - If a company professional forester says a plan is good, government officials have to approve it, even if they “believe the plans do not comply with the law.” This means if the government is forced by its own laws to approve a plan, then they cannot be prosecuted for damage to the environment. - Environmental protection can only be applied if measures do “not unduly reduce the supply timber” and do not affect the ability of logging companies to remain “vigorous, efficient and world competitive.” - Government approval is no longer required for the transfers of Crown-granted timber rights. - More log exports. - Logging on private lands has been deregulated. BC for Sale - Land and Water BC is selling off vast tracts of public land – $73.5 million each year for the next three years. Large areas of land are being privatized with sales made behind closed doors. - Lands and Water BC is leasing and licencing other large areas of land on instructions from the Premier to “optimize the financial return from the use of Crown land and water resources.” - The Crown agency becomes salesman and promoter “an advocate for economic development and revenue generation by aggressively pursuing and encouraging investment and optimal use of Crown land and water resources.” Cutting up the Safety Net: Environmental Deregulation in British Columbia www.wcel.org and follow the links.