NEW Old-Growth Protection Act! SEND a MESSAGE to the NDP-Government-in-Waiting

**Please FORWARD far and wide!**ACTION ALERT! April 14, 2013

Proposed BC “Old-Growth Protection Act”

LETTERS NEEDED NOW to the NDP Government-in-Waiting!

There are only TWO days left until the official 28 day campaign period begins (ie. when the “writ drops”) in the lead-up to the May 14 BC Election.

NOW is the MOST important time for YOU to SPEAK UP for our Ancient Forests and Sustainable Forestry Jobs!

A proposed BC “Old-Growth Protection Act” has just been released by the Environmental Law Centre at the University of Victoria. The science-based plan would incorporate timelines to immediately end or quickly phase-out old-growth logging in endangered regions of BC. See more info on the proposed act at:

CTV News Clip:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb09Z0-4rmE

Media Release:  https://staging.ancientforestalliance.org/old-growth-protection-act-needed-to-preserve-bcs-natural-heritage/

The BC Liberals are in all likelihood going to lose power in May. This is a necessity, given their long, unapologetic, anti-environmental history of large-scale old-growth forest liquidation, massive overcutting, environmental deregulation, and overseeing the demise of tens of thousands of BC forestry jobs while tens of millions of raw logs were exported to foreign mills. It’s important to remember this while at the ballot box on May 14.

Now, with an NDP government in all likelihood about to take power, we are asking that the NDP COMMIT to the key tenets of the proposed Old-Growth Protection Act and to not continue the disastrous, unsustainable status quo in BC’s forests. [SEE “Where Do the Parties Currently Stand” down BELOW]

**** PLEASE take just a couple MINUTES to WRITE a QUICK EMAIL to the NDP! ****

Let BC NDP Leader Adrian Dix (adrian.dix@bcndp.ca), NDP Forestry Critic Norm MacDonald (norm.macdonald.mla@leg.bc.ca), NDP Environment Critic Rob Fleming (rob.fleming@bcndp.ca), and your own NDP Candidate (find at:  https://www.bcndp.ca/team) know that you expect them to:

1. Commit to the “Old-Growth Protection Act”, or a similar plan, that establishes science-based targets and timelines to quickly end old-growth logging in endangered regions of BC.
2. Ensure a sustainable, value-added second-growth forest industry to sustain BC’s forestry jobs, instead of allowing massive raw log exports to foreign mills.
3. Reduce the unsustainable rate of overcutting in BC’s forests that is causing the collapse of ecosystems and rural communities.

* Be sure to include your full mailing address so they know which riding you live in and that you’re a real person.

* Be sure to let them know if you are a member of the NDP party!!

*** NOTE:  In addition, you can SEND a MESSAGE (but also please write your own email, above, which is most effective) to the BC NDP and also Premier Christy Clark through our website:  www.BCForestMovement.com  (IMPORTANT: If you’ve used this website before, note that it sends a DIFFERENT message now with important changes, and YES, you can and should send this NEW message).

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WHERE DO THE PARTIES CURRENTLY STAND on OLD-GROWTH PROTECTION?

The BC Liberals have not changed their unscientific, anti-environmental stance that old-growth forests are not endangered and that they’ve managed them well. They will likely lose power, and deserve to, unless they radically change their stance.

The BC Green Party recently committed to the key parts of the Old-Growth Protection Act. See: [Original article no longer available]

The NDP seem to support scientific conservation assessments for our old-growth forests, as indicated by yesterday’s comments of the NDP’s Environment Critic Rob Fleming about the Old-Growth Protection Act (see: www.timescolonist.com/news/world/ancient-forest-alliance-calls-for-science-based-forest-plan-1.109973). This is a recent step forward.  However, they have not committed yet to the plan’s actual protection scheme that would end old-growth logging in endangered regions – this is the central part of the plan.

In mid-March, a Global TV piece aired about old-growth forests and the NDP’s forestry platform. Nowhere was old-growth protection mentioned as being part of the NDP’s forest policies (rather, their main policy was to “plant more trees”) and the Council Of Forest Industry (COFI) president commented that there was nothing of concern to the timber companies with the NDP’s forest policies. Let’s hope the party’s forest policies have evolved since! See: www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOz232HDx3Y

NDP Leader Adrian Dix, during his 2011 campaign to become party leader, promised to: “Develop a long term strategy for old growth forests in the Province, including protection of specific areas that are facing immediate logging plans.” While several NDP MLA’s have championed protecting specific old-growth forests while in Opposition, at this time Dix and the NDP party as a whole have not followed up, developed any specifics, re-mentioned, or even officially adopted Dix’s earlier leadership promise for a province-wide old-growth plan. DIX MUST BE MADE to KEEP HIS PROMISE. See Dix’s 2011 promise (#4 Ecosystem Management) at:  [Original article no longer available]

See the Ancient Forest Alliance’s new Youtube Clip on Saving BC’s Endangered Forests and Forestry Jobs at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6YTizBF-jE

Authorized by the Ancient Forest Alliance, registered sponsor under the Election Act
Ancient Forest, Alliance, Victoria Main PO, PO Box 8459, Victoria, BC, V8W 3S1 Canada