hsedin33 Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/carol-linnitt/bc-parks-bill-4-passes_b_5030406.html New Law Officially Opens B.C. Parks To Pipelines, Drilling A little-known bill that will drastically alter the management of B.C. parks became law this week, creating controversy among the province's most prominent environmental and conservation organizations. The passage of Bill 4, known as the Park Amendment Act, will make way for industrial incursions into provincial parklands including energy extraction, construction of pipelines and industry-led research. The bill, quietly introduced in mid-February, has already met significant resistance in B.C. where the environment minister received "thousands of letters" of opposition, according to Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society's Peter Wood. "There has been absolutely zero public consultation, and the pace at which this was pushed through suggests this was never a consideration," he said in a press release. "This bill undermines the very definition of what a 'park' is," Gwen Barlee from the Wilderness Committee said in the same statement, "given that our protected areas will now be open to industrial activity." "This is a black day for B.C. parks -- the provincial government is ensuring that none of our parks are now safe from industrial development," she said. According to staff lawyer Andrew Gage with the West Coast Environmental Law the bill is "difficult to square" with the sentiments underlying the B.C. Parks Service, which claims provincial parks and conservancies are a "public trust" for the "protection of natural environments for the inspiration, use and enjoyment of the public." In an overview piece, Gage wrote "Bill 4 allows for industry (and others) to carry out 'research' in provincial parks related to pipelines, transmission lines, roads and other industrial activities that might require park land. It also reduces legal protection for smaller parks." He noted that preliminary "research" carried out by mining company Taseko in preparation for an environmental assessment of the controversial Prosperity Mine included the drilling of 59 test pits, eight drill holes 50 to 75 metres in depth, and 10 holes roughly 250 metres in depth to collect metallurgical samples. The tests also required the creation of 23.5 kilometres of exploratory trails. Bill 4 claims permits for "research" will only be considered after a "thorough review of protected area values," yet, Gage writes, "this requirement is nowhere to be found in Bill 4." This amounts to a "'trust, us, we're government' approach," writes Gage. Previously, park use permits were only granted to those able to demonstrate the proposed activity was "necessary for the preservation or maintenance of the recreational values of the park involved." Bill 4 rids the Park Act of this safeguard. "The government has sent a clear signal that it is open to having pipelines cut through our globally renowned protected areas," said Al Martin of the B.C. Wildlife Federation. "The Act will now allow industrial expansion in some of B.C.'s most beloved parks, placing them at risk." Critics are also concerned the changes will open pristine landscapes to environmentally destructive oil and gas extraction processes. "This legislation opens the door to pipelines, oil and gas drilling and industrial activities that are counter to the values that created our parks system," said Darryl Walker from the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union. "If Bill 4 passes, 2014 will be the year that B.C. Parks changed forever," he said. Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society and a group of other environmental NGOs have already collected nearly 10,000 signatures and letters in an effort to stop the implementation of the bill. These groups are claiming the total lack of public consultation left local communities, park users and conservation groups out of the decision making process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caboose Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 What a disaster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostsof1915 Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 Christy Clark. Pimp of the year, for selling our province off one well and one pipeline at a time. Oh, and selling us out cheap. At the expense of parks, farmland, and our oceans. Hope she and all her cronies rot in hell. Or dumped in a tanker with nothing but natural gas to breathe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surtur Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 we have so much available land in BC and they need to focus on our parks.. someone must have a nice payday coming from this how else does it even make any sense it is not like our parks are the only sources of these resources in BC. and if they just want to use it for pipelines go around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surtur Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 Christy Clark. Pimp of the year, for selling our province off one well and one pipeline at a time. Oh, and selling us out cheap. At the expense of parks, farmland, and our oceans. Hope she and all her cronies rot in hell. Or dumped in a tanker with nothing but natural gas to breathe. cheap is an understatement basically giving this province away be it to China or the oil and gas companies. If your gonna ruin the most beautiful province in Canada (not that it should happen) it should come at a Premium Price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Aerosex Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 cheap is an understatement basically giving this province away be it to China or the oil and gas companies. If your gonna ruin the most beautiful province in Canada (not that it should happen) it should come at a Premium Price. It shouldn't fucking happen at all. Ruining our province. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etsen3 Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 I'm not much of an environmentalist but this is ridiculous. BC has tons of available land, why must they target our parks? Some of these parks have natural wonders that we can never get back, not to mention the tourist money that will be lost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lockout Casualty Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 In before "you use computer? lololol stfu hypocrite". Surprised I made it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostsof1915 Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 I've emailed the premier at my disgust. Bad enough the government this week screwed the ALR by creating two zones. So it's open season in Northern BC, you want a oil field, gun range, golf course on your farmland, Northern BC is there for you! Now she's after our parkland!??! In California they are working growing fuel from algae. They are also developing other solutions be it storage for electricity so that if you generate electricity via photovoltaics you can store it for times systems are low on input. There's wind and tidal power to be had in BC that we haven't even touched yet. We may not get the sun that California gets but I'm pretty sure we can find a strain that will grow in our climate. There's solutions that create jobs, and are sustainable, and are friendly to the environment. But she'd rather just whore us out, because it's easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J529 Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 What were voters thinking re-electing this government. 16 years of lies, corruption, scandals, selling out the province, breaking contracts, etc etc. Shame on all those who voted and rewarded these clowns with another term. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostsof1915 Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 Here's the game plan we should be following: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Heffy Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 Unbelievable. I knew that Clark would wreak havoc on the province, but this is truly embarrassing. Everyone who voted for these criminals should be ashamed of themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warhippy Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 I saw this the other day, it was so beyond disgusting. Look at the new Teck Cominco mine, or the Prosperity/ Taseko issue. This basically circumvents the rights of first nations and parks as well as the water issues that existed before the Conservatives in federal office scaled back water laws. it is indeed open season and with the new Conservative Omnibus bills hidden bit of legislation. Anyone protesting or picketing or standing in the way of energy projects is not given any leeway, immediately labeled an eco terrorist. This country has been destroyed under the Cons and BC has just sold out completely to make it more viable and profitable. Just always remember to vote, and vote with your heart, not propaganda on a radio or TV let alone what your parents tell you.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J529 Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 Unbelievable. I knew that Clark would wreak havoc on the province, but this is truly embarrassing. Everyone who voted for these criminals should be ashamed of themselves. It doesn't matter what she or this government has done for 16 years, voters continue to put them back in. Next election they'll win again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendan Gaunce Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 =/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grapefruits Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 What were voters thinking re-electing this government. 16 years of lies, corruption, scandals, selling out the province, breaking contracts, etc etc. Shame on all those who voted and rewarded these clowns with another term. Because the NDP would be doing anything different? LOL! They are all the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRussianRocket. Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 This is utter bullshiet. Way to destroy to best place on earth you selfish, greedy bastards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J529 Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 Because the NDP would be doing anything different? LOL! They are all the same. The Liberals with their record should have been booted simply for change. 16 years is way too long to be in power. I'm not disputing they're any different or better because they're all the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
key2thecup Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 Liberals are the finger, the spider represents British Columbians.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Heffy Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 Liberals are the finger, the spider represents British Columbians.... At least the spider has the sense to run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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