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Oceanside Coalition for Strong Communities

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Water is essential for all life

Bill C-9, the Budget Implementation Bill

.....Many important deregulation and privatisation changes in 880 pages
that the media is ignoring the issues!

Don't gut Enviromental Assessment Law through Budget Bill, Group say

Conservatives are attempting to gut Canada Post

Can you trust Stephen Harper?

Privatization: Local, National, International Theft - Robin Mathews

Please help save DL33 an Old growth Douglas Fir Forest with wetlands in Nanoose



Water is essential for all life

BC's water is under pressure from increasing demands while global warming means that its supply will be less certain. We must act now to protect our rivers, streams and groundwater, and to balance competing demands for this precious and limited resource.

Right now, the BC government is considering how to modernize our Water Act. Click here to let them know what's needed to manage our water in a smarter way. Your voice will count!

This alert is part of a series of action alerts from members of Organizing for Change, an effort of BC's leading conservation groups working to protect the health of the people, land, air, water and wildlife of British Columbia. Togethssuesr we identify environmental priorities that we present to government as opportunities for them to demonstrate their environmental leadership.

Please visit our our water page for more information on water issues.



Bill C-9, the Budget Implementation Bill limits debate on many issues the Conservatives want to push through.
A quote from
40:3 Hansard - 24 (2010/4/13): "Ten minutes is not long enough to address the 880 page document, a document so omnibus it makes one wonder if there could ever be enough allotted time for that debate." Please read more the concerns of one Liberal MP by clicking on title. The next two items below are included in this bill.



Don’t gut Environmental Assessment Law through Budget Bill, Groups say

May 11, 2010

OTTAWA— Ecojustice and Sierra Club Canada will tell the House of Commons Finance Committee today to remove sections from the budget bill (C-9) that gut environmental law. Again this year, the federal government is hiding changes to Canada’s environmental protection laws in the budget to avoid public scrutiny. Please read more by clicking on title.



Conservatives are attempting to gut Canada Post

May 25, 2010

Budgetary Bill C-9 is the Conservatives' third attempt to remove Canada Post's exclusive rights to handle international mail. This limit the Canada Post to make money for supplying public services. Please read more by clicking on title.




unseatharper.ca

Can you trust Stephen Harper?

Please visit the website "Canadians rallying to unseat Harper"

Stephen Harper is increasingly strengthening the powers of the PMO and eroding the democratic rights of the people of Canada.


PRIVATIZATION: LOCAL, NATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL THEFT Robin Mathews

The privatization of water (and the releasing of its control without supervision to private corporations) connects directly to the general assault on democratic structures locally and across the (Western) world. The process is local and global. It intends to remove public participation (legislative and other) from decision making and to direct all wealth held by the “commons” (water being a key component) to private control and use. The assault on water as a commonly shared resource has a history. Canada, British Columbia, Vancouver Island are a major part of that history. Robbin Mathews gave this presentation to Your Water ~ Your Future Forum in Nanaimo in May 2010. Please read more by clicking on title.




District Lot 33--60 hectares of Oceanside Crown Land in Nanoose Bay Area
LAST-DITCH CRISIS SITUATION

Please phone, fax, and email on behalf of your organization
and on your own behalf.


The provincial government can support the Capital Regional District with $2,000,000 to buy private forest land and protect it from development near Victoria.  But here along the East Coast, where we are boxed in between massive private forest land and the sea, the government is unable to protect even Crown land (the few pieces that we have) from logging devastation.
The government agencies involved in the fate of DL33, about 150 acres (60 hectares) of Crown Land in the Nanoose District, have overlooked its classification as a sensitive wetland area and an endangered CDF forest, and are within a week going to rubber stamp it for logging.
DL33 is a precious last remnant of intact forest with a marvelous trail system through it.  Although it was lightly and selectively logged perhaps 100 years ago or more, it has retained many old growth characteristics including many ancient trees and is a fine example of the Moist Maritime Coastal Douglas Fir ecosystem declared as endangered by the Forest Practices Board.  It is large enough to provide important habitat.  It is presently surrounded by development on one side, by a large gravel pit on another side, and by Island Timberlands clearcuts on most of the remaining two sides.
The extensive wetland with many streamlets and vernal pools stores water in the winter and supports stream flow during the summer months in Nanoose Creek, a fish-bearing stream.  The attachment above, DL 33 Log Plan, does not capture all of the standing water at the site.  If the DFO's 30-meter reserve were imposed on all the water pools and courses in DL33, and flagged in the field, it is likely there would be little left for industrial logging.
Have a look at the attached Google Earth map of DL33 showing clearcutting right up to the edges of the block in question.  And note there is one remaining and highly valuable 'green zone' which joins DL33 with upper Nanoose Creek to create a wildlife corridor to the sea.
You can get lots more info at www.nanoosebayforest.com .
It's time to flood the airwaves, folks. We are told today by Calvin Ross, Acting District Manager, BC Forest Service, that he is currently receiving the harvest submission documents and logging could commence at DL33 within the next week.  Please tell Mr. Ross, Mr. Zinovich and your political leaders (see contact info below) that you want this block and all remaining CDF crown forest preserved.
Demand a delay until a full public hearing is held on the fate of DL33.
Tell them you agree with your Regional District Board, who asked for preservation in their letter dated February 12, 2010, to the Minister of Forests, following a motion passed at an RDN Board Meeting which dealt with DL33 and other remnants of Coastal Douglas Fir forest:
[ ... ] the Board of Directors of the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) has additional comments with respect to the protection of Coastal Douglas Fir and other forests on the east coast of Vancouver Island.

The RDN Board supports this initiative and has an interest in preserving each of the Bowser, Little Qualicum and Nanoose Bay old growth plant communities which fall within its jurisdiction. The objective is consistent with Board direction and policy in the RDN Board’s Strategic Plan, the Regional Growth Strategy and in the electoral area official community plans to maintain rare and environmentally sensitive areas.
[ ... ]     For more, see the letter in full attached above.
Please email and phone -- BOTH please, folks -- even if the phoning is just leaving a voicemail with your concern and your name -- to all of the following -- and see the bottom of my message for a handy collection of email addresses which you can copy and paste all-in-one-string into the TO-bar of your email for your own mass mailing:
Tell them all:  "No logging without a full public hearing."
Hon. Pat Bell  
Minister of Forests and Range and

Minister Responsible for the Integrated Land Management Bureau

PO Box 9049 Stn.Prov.Gov.
Victoria, BC    V8W 9E2
Phone: 250-387-6240
Fax:  250-387-1040
pat.bell.mla@leg.bc.ca
Mr. Bill Zinovich
Integrated Land Management Bureau
Suite 142, 2080 Labieux Road
Nanaimo, BC V9T 6J9
Phone 250-751-7032
Fax 250-751-7081
bill.zinovich@gov.bc.ca
Mr. Calvin Ross
Acting District Manager
South Island Forest District
BC Forest Service
4885 Cherry Creek Road
Port Alberni, BC
Phone 250-731-3015
Fax  250-731-3010
Hon. Barry Penner     
Minister of Environment & Stewardship
PO Box 9047 Stn.Prov.Gov.
Parliament Buildings
Victoria, BC    V8W 9E2
Phone 250-387-1187
Fax:  250-387-1356
barry.penner.mla@leg.bc.ca
Honourable Steve Thomson
Minister of Agriculture and Lands 
Room 027
Parliament Buildings
Victoria, BC    V8V 1X4
Phone 250-387-1023
Fax:  250-387-1522
Mr. Ron Cantelon, MLA
Parksville-Qualicum
501 Turner Road
Nanaimo, BC    V9T 6J4
Phone 250-951-6018
Fax: (250) 951-6020
Toll Free: (250) 488-7041
Victoria office:
Phone 250-356-6171
Fax: (250) 356-6176
Mr. Scott Fraser, MLA
Alberni Pacific-Rim
3945B Johnston Rd
Port Alberni, BC  V9Y 5N4
Phone 250-720-4515
Fax: (250) 720-4511
Call Toll Free: 1-866-870-4190
E-mail: Scott.Fraser.MLA@leg.bc.ca
Association of Vancouver Island Coastal Communities
c/o Councillor Barry Avis
Copy and paste the following 'paragraph'  into the TO-box of your email message:


 

Visitors and new members welcome to our group!


Meetings are held every Thursday 5pm
at Trillium Lodge, Multipurpose Room
401 S. Moilliet
Parksville, B.C.


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