ISLANDS BULLETIN NO. 8 March 31, 2005 ISLANDS SPIRIT RISING GWAII SGAANAWAAY SIIGAA IIJAA To all Islands people, INTERESTING FACT The Provincial government changed it own laws to get out of having to consult with the First Nations of British Columbia regarding forestry-related decisions. WHAT DO WE WANT? We want a forest industry committed to Islands stability, our communities and sustainable logging practices. We know big corporations concern themselves only with profits and not about the Islands communities. People who do not live here make decisions and it is we who live with the consequence. This impacts each and every one of us. Our reality is that our resources are taken at an unsustainable rate and shipped off the Islands. People who live on Haida Gwaii live here because of the strong sense of community, the connection to the land and sea and because it is a great place to raise children. This is shown by the amount of food and refreshments we are receiving on a daily basis. Feel free and welcome to visit the checkpoints. Visit the Line and then chat with your family and friends to inform them on what is going on. You can also join a phone tree to get the information out. We are so grateful for the support given. All of this would not be possible without your dedication. As well, the off-Island support has been overwhelming and we would like to thank everyone who is organizing fundraising events and sending in donations. There are emails, faxes and phone calls coming in daily from around North America and we will be posting these in binders at the check points for everyone to enjoy. WHAT’S HAPPENING OUT THERE Today, two unions representing over 10,000 Weyerhaeuser workers are protesting Weyerhaeuser’s treatment of their employees across North America. According to the Steelworkers-IWA Chair, they are fighting “for fairness and dignity for working people, our families and our communities.” Yesterday a United Nations Report came out stating that humans are damaging the planet at an unprecedented rate and “the ability of the planet’s ecosystems to sustain future generations can no longer be taken for granted.” This ties to concerns about the rate of logging here and the need for communities to start to take responsibility for their own future. The issue of the wood seized has been hitting the national news. Guujaaw has stated that the money from sale of the wood will be used to support local health, education, youth and cultural programs and facilities. ON THE LINES For safety and security reasons every vehicle going through the check point will have its license plate number recorded, the drivers name and number of people in the vehicle. We would appreciate everyone’s patience during this process and please give yourself a few extra minutes to get where you are going. VOLUNTEER SIGN UP INFORMATION Call May Russ to sign on: 1-250-626-5252 or toll free 1-888-638-7778 or home 626-5037. Call Nika’s Danny at 559-8133 and leave a message if the machine comes on. Invest in your future, it’s easy. Contact Melinda Pick 559-8834 or melinda_pick@hotmail.com or cblake@haidagwaii.net. Information is also available at www.haidanation.ca