L E T   'E R    R I P !!!

I generally regard all-candidates forums as a waste of time. I was surprised that I actually liked the all candidates forum Wednesday night at the Playhouse. Instead of the host group/s providing the questions to the candidates, all of the questions were open to the floor. In my opinion, this is the most efficient way to provide voters in attendance an opportunity to ask questions that are important to them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCyKcoDaofg

A Youtube video about cell phone privacy - or the lack of it!

Interesting video diplomat...pretty scary knowing that anyone could be listening in.

Not just cell phones. A few years ago one of my sons stayed with me for a few months while buying a house after moving from another community. He set up a wireless network to access the internet through my cable.

A few weeks later a neighbor came to me and told me she could see whatever we were doing on the internet by tapping into our wireless setup. That included e-mails. As it happens there was no problem, except for my Opinion250 rants, but I went back to a wired connection as soon as my son left.

In this day and age, do you really think we have that much privacy. Have you seen what the satelite can do these days. All the bank needs is your name and a positive ID, and they have your entire net worth on the bottom of the screen.

In this day and age, if you want privacy. you need to live underground and have money in cash and gold, if you want to disappear. No cell phones, no credit card, no interact, and no ON-Star. Seriously, no one wants to live that way. Thus we slowly accept the fact that big brother watches over us, and he decides what is morally right and wrong.

First candidates forum I went to and was impressed by the candidates that showed up. Not impressed by the no shows. For sure they will not be getting my vote. The arrogance filters down from the top.

I wonder if they are going to try to sweep Giscome School under the mat again.

So Canada bailed out Chrysler and the thanks we get...they close up shop in Canada and take our money back to the states with them.....
Now GM is working the same ploy?
I guess making multi millions of dollars a year make you bankrupt.....

Good video diplomat!
Sure makes you stop and think!
We see a simple version of things like "Google Earth"for example,but it sure show us what technology can do nowadays.
Makes you wonder what they DON'T show us they can do!

It was good to read this week that the European Union countries have banned all imports on Canadian seal fur products. The inhumane seal hunt every year has disgusted people around the world and let's hope other countries too will follow suit.
Then I read with total disbelief that a politician in Quebec wants to include seal fur in the uniforms of the Canadian 2010 athletes. Not only that, but he gets parliamentary approval just because they were ticked off at the EU.
A lot of non-Canadians feel very strongly about the seal issue so it would not be a surprise to see a threat of a boycott by athletes from some countries.

Only in Canada, eh?

Auto manufacturer bailouts are a betrayal of the taxpaying citizen and small business by the governments of Canada and the u.s. Untold sums of money given to prop up a failing entity, with no real assurance of success, just in time for them to lay off thousands of people, and still causing/allowing failure of small businesses in the supply chain to the auto business. I have not heard anything about how the governments are going to lend a hand to the other manufacturers of automobiles who have set up assembly plants in North America, and who seem to be able to manage their businesses without (expecting?) a hand out from government.
Is it fair to those who operate their business diligently, knowing that they are responsible for their own actions, and must sink or swim ? I think that the other car companies who have invested in N. America should be recognized for their apparent success, and before I forget, Kudos to the Ford motor company (so far)for not asking for a hand out, yet.
The bailouts are more than just bad decisions by governments, imho, they are further evidence of the corruption and rot that is entwined amongst the upper echelon of our societal system.
In simple terms: "the rich get richer"
metalman.

"It was good to read this week that the European Union countries have banned all imports on Canadian seal fur products"

I believe the seals are "harvested" in Canada, Greenland and Noway. The furs are mainly exported to China and Russia.

A sad note. I saw yesterday that Forest Hill
was selling off its equipment at the auction. Another good contractor bites the dust. There was also some former equipment from Joe Martin and Sons there as well, if anyone remembers them. Those were some good contractors.
"Results Based Forestry" was the term the Liberals used to throw around. Not so much anymore.

Press release –

Canfor - Interfor - West Fraser Timber - Forest Industry CEOs correct the record on forestry issues

The three signatories to this statement wish to set the record straight on what is occurring in our industry today and what we see as critical for it to survive and thrive in the future.

First, to those who are quick to blame the current B.C. government for the woes of our industry we can only say it is either a clear demonstration of their lack of understanding of BC’s core business, or that they are willing to play politics with the lives of the thousands of people who depend on forestry. Simply put, B.C.’s forest sector is blessed by having the world’s largest housing market as a neighbour. That also means we are heavily dependent upon the U.S. home-building market which has collapsed. That collapse is not something our governments can fix.

Secondly, the NDP has advocated opening up the Softwood Lumber Agreement and we cannot help but think that indicates a fundamental lack of understanding of the agreement. To renege on that deal today would be high risk in the extreme and would undoubtedly lead to costly legal wrangling and duties at the border which in turn would further jeopardize the economic stability of B.C. companies, their employees and the communities in which they live and work.

We have modern, efficient mills today that are the result of the confidence provided by our tenure system in B.C. Without that certainty, our three companies could not have invested the hundreds of millions of dollars to build and rebuild the mills we have in the last few years. The NDP have talked of blowing up the tenure system in B.C. and we can tell you that there has never been a more powerful reminder of the lack of a strong business investment climate we had during the NDP government of the 1990s. They do not seem to appreciate the link between security of tenure and the ability to encourage the investment required to remain competitive in a global business. The NDP forestry policies of the past discouraged investment in B.C. and resulted in significant costs being imposed on our industry. Those costs damaged our ability to compete. Many of the policies being put forward by the NDP of today are just as discouraging.

Finally, we would be remiss if we did not credit Premier Gordon Campbell for being a champion for our industry. The Premier has set the course in opening up Asian markets, in developing new uses for BC wood products, in expanding BC as a showcase for the use of wood products whether it be in iconic structures like the expanded convention centre or Olympic skating oval. For the first time in our history, our provincial government has aWood First policy that ensures B.C .government building projects first consider how best to use wood products and in that manner establish B.C. as a global showcase for the use of wood products.

In conclusion, our industry is in the midst of the worst crisis since the Great Depression. We are going to get through this and we believe there is a bright future for forestry in B.C. and for the tens of thousands of us who depend directly upon it. It will be a different industry with new products, new applications and new, growing markets. But realizing that future requires everyone working together and strong leadership.

Our entire industry and those who are employed within it have benefited from the leadership of Gordon Campbell and his team. We appreciate that leadership as being critically important to the future and sincerely hope that British Columbians will ensure it continues.

Duncan Davies
President & CEO Chair
Interfor

Hank Ketcham
President & CEO
West Fraser Timber

Jim Shepard
President & CEO
Canfor

I'm not in favour of including seal pelts on Olympic uniforms, since it it obviously just a petty little middle finger salute. That kind of juvenile response has no place in international relations.

That does not mean I oppose a seal hunt, however. I see no difference in killing a seal and killing a calf, or culling a rabbit, or killing and skinning a pig.

All animals have a right to live, and a seal has no more right than any other, even if it is big eyed and cuddly. We too, human animals, have the right to live, including the right to eat other animals as our evolution dictates. I see a seal hunt as no different than that.

Moderation in all things, though.

I'ts really beginning to tick me off about other countries dictating what Canadians do with these seals. That is Canadian husbandry, I'm sure other countries have their own disgusting hunts.(SPORT) Doesn't Spain have bull spearing, England still has fox hunts. Australia hunts kangaroo. These advocates should be more concerned with world wide starvation and disease. Canada get some back-bone and tell the rest of the world where to go! Why boycott Vancouver they have lots of seals.

Press release –

Canfor - Interfor - West Fraser Timber - Forest Industry CEOs correct the record on forestry issues

The three signatories to this statement wish to set the record straight on what is occurring in our industry today and what we see as critical for it to survive and thrive in the future.

First, to those who are quick to blame the current B.C. government for the woes of our industry we can only say it is either a clear demonstration of their lack of understanding of BC’s core business, or that they are willing to play politics with the lives of the thousands of people who depend on forestry. Simply put, B.C.’s forest sector is blessed by having the world’s largest housing market as a neighbour. That also means we are heavily dependent upon the U.S. home-building market which has collapsed. That collapse is not something our governments can fix.

Secondly, the NDP has advocated opening up the Softwood Lumber Agreement and we cannot help but think that indicates a fundamental lack of understanding of the agreement. To renege on that deal today would be high risk in the extreme and would undoubtedly lead to costly legal wrangling and duties at the border which in turn would further jeopardize the economic stability of B.C. companies, their employees and the communities in which they live and work.

We have modern, efficient mills today that are the result of the confidence provided by our tenure system in B.C. Without that certainty, our three companies could not have invested the hundreds of millions of dollars to build and rebuild the mills we have in the last few years. The NDP have talked of blowing up the tenure system in B.C. and we can tell you that there has never been a more powerful reminder of the lack of a strong business investment climate we had during the NDP government of the 1990s. They do not seem to appreciate the link between security of tenure and the ability to encourage the investment required to remain competitive in a global business. The NDP forestry policies of the past discouraged investment in B.C. and resulted in significant costs being imposed on our industry. Those costs damaged our ability to compete. Many of the policies being put forward by the NDP of today are just as discouraging.

Finally, we would be remiss if we did not credit Premier Gordon Campbell for being a champion for our industry. The Premier has set the course in opening up Asian markets, in developing new uses for BC wood products, in expanding BC as a showcase for the use of wood products whether it be in iconic structures like the expanded convention centre or Olympic skating oval. For the first time in our history, our provincial government has aWood First policy that ensures B.C .government building projects first consider how best to use wood products and in that manner establish B.C. as a global showcase for the use of wood products.

In conclusion, our industry is in the midst of the worst crisis since the Great Depression. We are going to get through this and we believe there is a bright future for forestry in B.C. and for the tens of thousands of us who depend directly upon it. It will be a different industry with new products, new applications and new, growing markets. But realizing that future requires everyone working together and strong leadership.

Our entire industry and those who are employed within it have benefited from the leadership of Gordon Campbell and his team. We appreciate that leadership as being critically important to the future and sincerely hope that British Columbians will ensure it continues.

Duncan Davies
President & CEO Chair
Interfor

Hank Ketcham
President & CEO
West Fraser Timber

Jim Shepard
President & CEO
Canfor

Ammonra, your son didn't set up your wireless network securely then. If you set it up securely anyone trying to access your signal will need a password. If you leave it open, then you just as well leave your front door open, with a list of your passwords sitting by your computer.

So, the world wants to boycott our country because we kill seals. Do we boycott England, because they started slavery. Do we boycott France, because of their desire to eat frog legs, leaving thousands of Frogs in little wheel chairs.
Do we boycott China, for there low level of regulatory products entering the world market place.

I'm sorry, but, if we don't deal with the seals, they will decimate the fishing industry in the Atlantic. some people say, well they survived for thousands of years before we showed up. Yep it has, but we also eat the fish, thus we unbalanced the scale. Does this mean that we extinct the seals, no its population control.

this is no different than dealing with the bears. Humans are now a part of this environment. We do need to keep populations of different predatory animals in check. We can not have too many bears out there, other wise, they all get hungry and die off in the thousands. Its easy for those people living in a concrete jungle to say all this cutie words to say its mean. Well, the real world is mean. its all these comforts you have that shields you from the real world. Seriously look at the comforts you have. Everything that you see in the big city is because you exploited the natural resources. Every time you turn on the tap, you expect water. Everytime you turn on a switch, you expect light. you turn on your computer, a turbine turns. So don't tell me that your all about being green.

The other side of the coin about the seals is, OK you don't have to bash in there heads, find a different way to kill them.

Hey Free Enterprise- we got it it the first time. And wonder why Canfor , West Fraser and Interfor are all for the Softwood Lumber Agreement? They all have made extensive investments in the U.S. Reopening the SLA would jeopardize the profitability of their southern U.S. mills. They are playing you for a fool, pretending to be concerned about the BC forest industry, as the money rolls in from their US mills.

The difference between killing seals and killing cows,pigs,chickens,turkeys etc. is no doubt the methods used to get the job done.
People don't generally get to see how livestock are killed, so it is easy to ignore that apart of it when you sit down to a good steak!
A lot of these protestors are extremely two faced!
The fur trade,while somewhat diminished,is still a viable source of income for many, and as long as there is a market for it,it is not going away.
I agree that perhaps if a different method were found to harvest these seals and the media would stop plastering it all over the airwaves every year,there might not be such an impact.
Actually I wouldn't see anything wrong with the Olympic athletes wearing seal fur,but that is not going to happen anyway.
Would the outcry be the same if they all wore beaver hats as well?
Is not buckskin and leather jackets made from cows?
Who is protesting that?

herbster

You should do your research before you make a commment like that. Here is a capacity breakdown for Canfor (publicly avaialble in the Annual Report).

Canada 4,356MMfbm
US 552MMfbm

While the US mills may have strategic importance selling out 90% of your production that is Canadian based to 'protect' the 10% of production that is US based doesnt make sense. I think that even you would agree to that.

The SLA at least presents certainty. Can anyone guarantee that we will get a better deal if we reopen?: NO!

Herbster, results-based forestry is not to blame for the downturn in the forest industry. The changes from the heavily precriptive and administratively costly Forest Practices Code to the results-based Forests and Range Practices Act allows professional foresters to fullfil their title and move towards real forest management for multiple uses. They can now implement alternative harvesting or silviculture activities to reach objectives set out in higher-level plans that are approved by government. The difference between FPC and FRPA is that there's less admin work, less reviewing of plans line-by-line, and more reliance on the "professional" part of Registered Professional Forester. This way of running things should be comforting to the public... who best to be managing forests than people who have spent years of their life studying (forestry degree), articling (2 years minimum), writing a professional exam (ethics, knowledge of legislation), and working in BC forests?

metalman offshore manufacturers do you not think their governments don,t help them out. Why does Japan restrict N.A. manufacturers from selling their vehicles in Japan.

observer, what about whales, porpoises, dogs, horses, bullfighting. Kangaroos are a pest in Australia, but what about them. Ever seen a couple of coyotes take down a moose calf, it ain't pretty. In this world something is always ripping apart and eating something. Isn't gods design just wonderful.

Born in BC- thats last years annual report. What do you think is going to happen in the future? I guarantee that the percentage of US wood will rise this year and keep on rising.

Swingline- Spoken like a true RPF. But behind the code words of "Alternative Silviculture System" why don't you explain that means "left to natural regeneration" or that it means allowing Aspen as crop trees? Pat Bell talks about the golden future of silviculture but doesn't explain that treeplanting in the Prince George District has dropped 50% in the last 2 years. "Alternate Harvesting System" is also code for BS, since there is none happening here.

I'm sure the public is very comforted by the effective work of RPF's and the forest companies to stop the Mountain Pine Beetle infestation. Yes, everything is hunky dory, and none of it is the Liberals' fault. Are you satisfied? (really?)

Good one 'He spoke'...frogs in wheel chairs. LOL. Thanks for the Friday morning chuckle.

I can't speak to the PG region, but in the Peace nothing is left to natural conifer regen, and actually since there are companies out there harvesting and milling aspen (ie: Tembec, LP) why wouldn't it be a crop tree? Conifer land is kept as is, and deciduous land is kept as is. Reforesting deciduous land to conifer is poor management and not reflective of timber supply analysis.

As for treeplanting rates dropping, maybe that's because there's less harvesting going on? With mills being shut down, there's no harvested land to reforest? Natural conifer regen works just as well as artificial regen in some places, but not all. Again, all speculation because I'm not in the PG area, but I wouldn't blame lower planting rates on people just saying F-it to cutblocks. There's still a legal obligation to reforest.

I never said everything is hunky dory, I'm aware of the situation we're in. Lots of stuff can be changed in forestry, an yes, a lot of it is on the government's end (tenure reform, stumpage, etc). But I'm not blaming FRPA for the situation the forest industry is in now. I'm not saying the Liberals should get off scot-free in regards to all things forestry. But don't talk as if the NDP will magically make mills start up and for everything to be rosy in the forest industry.

herbster

So what if the productive capacity of the US plants doubles this year (partially as a result of added capacity in the US and partially as a result of closed mills) would it make sense then to sell out your Canadian ops for your US ops. Still no. You still have a weak argument and no idea what you are talking about.

Only a fool thinks that there is any way to blame any government (with the possible exception of the US) for the current financial crisis.

If any of you Liberal haters can explain to me how the NDP policy is going to fix anything I am all ears. But blaming the current administration for the global economic slowdown is foolish.

You are correct Howrd_B_Stern, but by the time I clued in he was just about ready to leave. My wife does leave our front door open a lot of the time, back door too. Thank goodness we have always lived in safe areas, because it drives me nuts.

My thoughts, you liked that image of frofs in wheelchairs. I know its not PC.

As far as tree planting goes, We do need to increase the amount of trees being replanted. sure mother nature will do most of it, and faster than man can. But we still need to do our part.

Meaning we should concentrate our efforts in planning to start thinning out and fertilizing our trees, to make them merchantile timber in 60 years instead of 80 years.

I know to most of you 60 years is a long time. Hmmm 1949, does not seem that long ago. Better yet, thirty years ago, trees planted in 1979, could be 35 to 40 feet tall and have about a 6 inch diameter at chest height, if it was properly grown.

Wake up government..... We have all this land out there, we always get rain out there, its meant to grow trees. Lets make the most of it. We need this not for now, but for our children's children.

When WAC Bennett built the infrastructure of roads and hydro dams, he had a vision that a lot of people did not see. But now look at what we have. Cheap power and paved roadways. We need to stop being so shortsighted, we need to look into the future with balance in mind, and see what it should be. My vision is trees, with all kinds of wildlife. Trees being harvested in 60 year cycles. Wildlife population regulated by hunting under liscence and permits. Find this balance, and this province can support 10 million people and give them good paying jobs. Yes we can do it... vote Liberal.

An oil spill in Burnaby and the price of our gasoline goes up .06 cents a litre. I smell a conspiracy. My kid told me gasoline in Edmonton is .77 cents and Ottawa is .80 cents. I know. Why don't I move there? Never mind.

Born in BS:
1) Why do you think the U.S. share of Canfors lumber capacity will double next year? Could it be because they spent most of their settlement from the Softwood Lumber Agreement on mills in the southern U.S.? How much has Canfor invested in B.C. recently? How about the insurance money from Central Plywood- where did that go? Can you see a pattern yet? The writing is on the wall buddy, put on yer bifocals.

2) I didn't blame the Liberals for the financial crisis. I blame them for the SLA, for log exports, for ending the link between fibre supply and mills, for bending the taxpayer over for the forest companies and getting nothing back but the shaft.

3)The NDP would renegotiate the SLA. I'm always surprised about how fast you right wingers roll over and play dead when it comes to a challenge. We have a free trade agreement with the U.S. Lets take advantage of it. The NDP would stop log exports, and provide milling jobs here. The Russians are smart enough to have done this already. Are we?

The NDP would stop log exports? Did they change their minds in the last week? Just last week I read that Carole James was in favour of raw log exports. So are the Liberals. And to top it off so are a "Nation of Individuals" within BC. This is news to me. Let me know if it changes again.

I did not state on my post that the world wants to boycott this country because of the seal hunt. What I did say was - don't be surprised if some countries do.
There are a lot of countries out there and a lot of them are opposed to this slaughter every year. The point I am making is the inhumane method that is used. That is what gets into the press and that is what people read.

Unlike cows. chickens, dolphins etc., seals are not used for food (and please correct me if I am wrong) but strictly for the fur on their backs, and then their skinned bodies are left to rot on the ice and some of them are still alive!

By the way, thanks, He Spoke, for agreeing that there is a better way than to "bash in their heads". Also, for your information, I am not all that "green".

Harbinger, time to back off those meds. Carole James has not been in favour of log exports.Ever.
http://www.bcndp.ca/carole-james/carole-speaks-out/carole-james-restricting-raw-log-exports

" Nation of individuals"? Please explain in plain english.

The NDP announced the final component of their Energy Plan today – completing their total ban on virtually every form of energy production invented to date. So far this campaign Carole James and the NDP have announced their intention to ban or put out of business run-of-river, solar, bioenergy, geothermal, tidal, wind, oil and gas and now coalbed gas (CBG). These industries employ thousands of British Columbians and generate billions in investment – with the potential for more jobs and investment in the future – yet the NDP platform will shut them all down.

Let’s look at the consequences of the NDP’s energy policies to date:


NDP’s plan to ban CBG development - jobs destroyed and millions in investment lost.

-NDP’s plan to ban clean energy development - jobs destroyed, billions in private sector investment lost and continued reliance on dirty imported power from the U.S.

-NDP’s new taxes on energy industry - 60,000 jobs destroyed, and billions in investment lost.

The NDP Energy Plan is a plan to shut down B.C.’s energy industry. At a time when people are worried about the economy and their job, it’s simply shocking that every day Carole James and the NDP announce new policies aimed exclusively at shutting down entire industries and putting people out of work.

In fact, in 23 days of campaigning the NDP have not put forward a single positive suggestion that will create jobs in our energy industry. It appears that if the NDP get their way British Columbians will be left to freeze in the dark.

"On October 12, 2006, Canada and the United States implemented the 2006 Softwood Lumber Agreement. This agreement ends the costly litigation, secures the return to Canadian companies of the bulk of the duties paid to date, and provides some certainty for softwood lumber trade in the future."

Herbster: "3)The NDP would renegotiate the SLA."

Obviously you mean the federal NDP which stated that it wants to cancel the SLA. But since they are only a small opposition party they can say whatever they want. This has nothing to do with this provincial election and Carole James. She said that she would restrict raw log exports, not eliminate them. If she restricts them by just a percent or two she will have kept her promise. Then the exports will continue just the same as they did during the nineties.

"We have a free trade agreement with the U.S. Lets take advantage of it."

The SAL is not part of NAFTA, so good luck to those who think it has something to do with free trade.

You blame the Liberals for the SLA. The provincial Liberals are not the ones that signed it, it was Harper and the Conservatives.

Free Enterprise- a little reality check.
Coalbed methane produced what jobs? There has been some exploration, but thats it. Pretty much everyone involved has put it on the back burrner given that natural gas is selling for a song.
Run of the river hydro? Are you kidding? Are you going to step up and pay $85/kwh or 5 times the current cost of electricity? Why don't you Liberals sign up and pay for the privilege of buying overpriced electricity rather than have the rest of us subsidize these ridiculous projects.
The energy industry has always provided investment and jobs through the free market and free enterprise. It doesn't need government programs. You should change your moniker to "Corporate Welfare Bum"

RE: Seal hunt

Korea serves dog - The way they tenderize the dog is to beat it to death first.

China has a fur industry - you can find it on Youtube. I started to watch, but could not finish. An elderly Chinese man picked up a dog by the hind legs and bashed its head on the ground a few times, then proceeded to start skinning it. When he started, the dog, still alive, started convulsing in pain. That is when I quit watching.

Bull fighting in the "Spanish" countries is "Tradition".

So is fox hunting in England.

The USA still allows cock fighting in three states. It is also very popular in Southeast Asia.

And the world calls us barbaric for a centuries-old seal hunt.

Diplomat- even if James restricts log exports by 1% , wouldn't that be better than the doubling of raw log exports under the Liberals?
As far as the SLA,a gain the Liberals are not responsible for anything are they? It would have been easy for Campbell to stop the SLA. BC had to sign on or the agreement would not have gone through. If provincial NDP wanted to withdraw from the agreement, there are provisions to cancel it.
Free trade is free trade. It does not exclude lumber. The idiots that signed this SLA treaty seem to think so though.

aweful lot of campaigning on here....

aweful lot of campaigning on here....

oops typo...awful fingers got ahead of me

oops typo...awful fingers got ahead of me

seamutt, what difference does it make to us (N. America) if J.A. Pan and Co. help their auto manufacturers at home? I think that they still have to run a tight ship over here in their assembly plants, and pay fair N. American wages, and apparently they do. I do not know if Japan restricts N. American car manufacturers, do they?
I know that the big 3 N. American manufacturers have all invested in Japanese car manufacturers for decades e.g. Ford and Mazda.
metalman.

Someone that calls their self 'free enterprise' and then supports monopoly capitalism through spamming a monopoly capitalist manifesto... loses all credibility with me. A sign of someone that uses semantics to support ideological extremism IMO.

Herster you are an idiot. The decision NOT to control the mountain pine beetle was not made by RPFs as it was not theirs to make. If you dont know how an epizootic works, dont sling blame.
Please do soem research , or at least ask someone who know something before you go shhoting off your mouth about performance based forestry. It does not allow managers to shirk their silviculture responsibilities. Natural regeneration, properly used is often more effective than planting. The inclusion of Aspen as an acceptable species has less to do with performance based forestry than it does with its inclusion as a marketable species.
It has always been possible, by the way, to amend silviculure presriptions, and many prescriptions have not been followed to the letter, with the net result being a fully regenerated, sensibly managed stand. The whole issue of performance based forestry is a political red herring. It starts and ends with certain political parties trying to make hay by fueling fear and distrust in the public.
By the way, if, in fact swingline is an RPF you ought to listen to him. At least he actually might know what he is talking about.

Sorry for the idiot comment...the rest stands though

If You can't read the veilled warning in that forest exec press release there is something wrong with you.

Voting NDP will have DIRE consequences.

I call myself caranmacil, then support a whole lot of things that have nothing to do with a nonsensical word... Whats in a name Eagle? But yes, seriously cut and paste ought to be banned.

I call myself caranmacil, then support a whole lot of things that have nothing to do with a nonsensical word... Whats in a name Eagle? But yes, seriously cut and paste ought to be banned.

Herbster: "Free trade is free trade. It does not exclude lumber."

It becomes excluded when you sign a special agreement which excludes it. Then, after you sign you have to live by its terms.

Or, you can tell Harper to rip it up. He signed it.

Its a binding legal agreement between two countries, not a bunch of provinces and a bunch of states.

The Mexicans excluded their oil resources and exploitation from NAFTA, for instance.

There are other exclusions. It's a document over 800 pages long with a whole bunch of special addenda.

If a provincial politican tells you that she/he will rip it up, don't believe it.

No electioneering, but we cannot allow the private power dams to go up in this province. Governments - and this proceeded under Socreds, NDP and Liberals - have allowed over-production of power from these, and indulged tens of millions in profits from private sales.

Rafe Mair (Socred Cabinet Minister) says:

http://rafeonline.com/2009/04/river-privatization-just-produces-power-that-we-dont-need/

I am damn suspicious of the role of Don Brenner (CJ, Supreme Court) in the private-dam, theft in broad daylight. He is an administrator, yet he felt the need to serve interests close to the Libs, and against those of the people of Kitimat and BC.

http://www.canlii.org/en/bc/bcsc/doc/2007/2007bcsc429/2007bcsc429.html

Lib MLAs have gotten away with each and every land deal conversion that has reached public and police scrutiny. Ask yourselves why.

Diplomat:
A NAFTA decision on Aug. 13, 2003 was considered a partial victory for the Canadian side. A panel ruled that, while the Canadian lumber industry is subsidized, the 18 per cent tariff imposed on softwood lumber by the United States is too high. While the ruling didn’t throw out the duty imposed more than a year earlier, it ordered the U.S. Commerce Department to review its position
On Aug. 10, 2005, an "extraordinary challenge panel" under NAFTA dismissed American claims that the earlier NAFTA decision in favour of Canada violated trade rules.
In March 2006, a NAFTA panel again ruled in Canada's favour, finding that Canadian softwood lumber exports are not subsidized. At this point, the total duties collected by the U.S. had reached $5.2 billion.

"Just as Senators Clinton and Obama have indicated that they want to renegotiate NAFTA (and I hear them say we want to negotiate so that the United States gets a better deal and Canada receives a worse deal), the same may hold true for the Softwood Lumber Agreement of 2006. The United States will want to find a way to renegotiate so that they win the arbitrations."

Again, NAFTA and the SLA are not the same thing. Cancelling one does not automatically cancel the other.

Canada managed to get all the provinces on board and then signed the SLA on behalf of the whole country.

If you want to hold other countries to abide by the agreements they signed with Canada, then you must expect Canada to do the same thing and honour what we signed.

"If provincial NDP wanted to withdraw from the agreement, there are provisions to cancel it."

Go ahead, make my day.

Nation of individuals means in politically correct unoffensive terms of reference to the First Nations group otherwise known as the Nisgas. They are a nation aren't they? And they are within the confines of our BC borders. They ship out raw logs. Ben told me while I was listening to his show last week. I still stand by my claim that Carole James is in favour of raw log exports. Log exports means at least some jobs in our depressed forest economy can be kept. Surely the Dippers aren't against the last jobs standing in our forest industry are they ?

What fair is going to be held at the the Park this weekend? I met a medical assistant who's bringing her elderly client to the fair. I asked her what fair but she couldn't say what the full name of the fair is. I asked two other PG residents and they also have no idea what fair it is.
So what is that fair?

In my opinion--people who cry about animals of any type are wussys. God put them there for us to use for food and clothing. If its not your way of life or your survival method, you have no business sticking your nose in. The world is now full of Paul McCartnys' and its getting sickening. Banning rodeos and circuses was started by another bunch of animal rights freaks. Everyone is too 'Nice' to say what they're really thinking. Do you think for one minute those horses up the Bowron would have been saved if the guy would have asked for help?? Yes, providing he paid for it. Please remember that consensus doesn't mean its correct.

"In my opinion--people who cry about animals of any type are wussys"

In my opinion, people who have this type of attitude are ignorant.

ignorant of what facts? Or are you in the habit of branding people ignorant when they hold a view different to your own. You wouldnt be alone in that regard of course, most people these days confuse opinion with wisdom and/or intelligence.

I hope you're using 'ignorant' as lacking facts. You didn't grow up way up north in the forties with no money or food did you? If it wasn't for animals we would have died, because that's what we ate and wore. We stll do actually. When you grow up without food, you soon learn to kill and it becomes a very normal necessity. When your dog was sick, you put it out of its misery and got another one because your dog worked for you-he wasn't a pet. You never lose that during your lifetime. Should we ever be subjected to a war here in Canada, the wussys,the greens and the animal rights activists will be the first to die because they won't have any idea how to survive without a Wal-Mart.

that last part is wishfull thinking on your part super i think !

you read between the lines methinks. lol

No, I was using ignorant as "lacking awareness or being unsophisticated".

And to answer your question supertech, no I didn't grow up way up north in the 40's, nor have a ever worn a beaver hat or moose jacket. I have dined on moose sausage, however, and it is quite tasty. Had chicken for dinner tonight as well. I fully understand the role that animals play in our society, but I also believe that having compassion for other living things and our planet in general, isn't a bad trait to have. Ironically enough, it's those people that don't have compassion that will ultimately destroy the very earth we need to survive. Think about that for a minute . . .

Oh and when the revolution comes, I'll bet that I could catch more fish than you :)

Duncan Davies
President & CEO Chair
Interfor

Hank Ketcham
President & CEO
West Fraser Timber

Jim Shepard
President & CEO
Canfor


These guys are on the payroll...if they worked for an insurance company they'd tell you the ndp will kill the industry...if they worked at McD's they'd tell you the $10 minimum wage would shut them down....Three men three companies three liberal donations.