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BC’s COMING ELECTION
(voting dates: Oct 10th to 19th)
Our focus is on having the government of the day repeal or amend the Privately Managed Forest Lands Act (PMFLA). See our home page OpenTheGates.ca. The PMFLA was introduced by the Liberals in 2003 as a mechanism to support the struggling forestry industry in BC, particularly on Vancouver Island. It gave the companies that owned the former E&N lands the freedom to operate under more relaxed rules on tree cutting, stumpage fees and other taxation. For many years after the PMFLA was enacted, there were NO GATES restricting access. However, after the E&N lands were purchased by public pension funds in 2011, gates began to appear, and they have proliferated exponentially since that time.
We propose that pension fund members and the government are now the proxy owners of the former E&N lands, thus the PMFLA is no longer relevant. Citizens of BC should unite in demanding transparency and participation in terms of how these lands are managed. Restoring public access should be a key part of that conversation.
Here is our experience with and research on each party:
CONSERVATIVES: March this year (2024) Open the Gates held a public meeting in Campbell River in which the Conservative candidate for the North Island, Anna Kindy attended and showed interest in supporting our cause. We have since contacted all of the Conservative candidates of Vancouver Island. Three of them (Brennan Day, Courtenay/Comox; Dale Parker, Nanaimo; and David Busch, Saanich/NorthIslands) provided us favourable replies in terms of understanding our cause and offering their support.
NDP: On Feb 20th, 2018, Scott Fraser MLA for Mid-Island/Pacific Rim held a meeting on the Port Alberni “hump” to address recreational access on the former E&N lands. A search of the Alberni Valley News of the following year returned 5 articles on Fraser’s commitment to this. He indeed worked hard on this issue, but the gates are still up!
This spring (2024) Greg Forsythe our mid-island leader for Open the Gates wrote emails to his MLA, NDP Doug Routley, as well as the BC premier’s office. After repeated calls Greg still had no response.
Open the Gates has also contacted the office of Michelle Babchuk (NDP MLA for North-Island) and after 3 attempts, have had no response from Ms. Babchuk.
GREENS: In February 2017, after organizing a meeting on the Port Alberni “hump”, Andrew Weaver, leader of the Green Party of BC, introduced a private members bill in the BC Legislature: Bill M 223 – 2017 – Right to Roam Act. This bill applied only to non-motorized traffic. Can you imagine walking 20 kms from a locked gate in order to start your alpine hike? The bill was abandoned following the provincial election that occurred in 2017.
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OUR LATEST PROGRESS and PROJECTS:
PUSHING to OPEN DISCUSSION with GOVERNMENT
2024, May 4 – Three of us from OTG met online with government officials from the Ministry of Water, Lands and Resource Stewardship to discuss access to the E&N lands. We were promised a reply.
2024, August 15 – After pressuring them for 10 weeks, they finally responded with this letter: (link: GOV-Response-Letter_to-Open-the-Gates.pdf)
In the letter, the ministry basically stated that despite recognizing our concerns…”The provincial government has no legislated authority to direct private landowners to provide public access to their land”. This response providers further emphasis that the government of the day needs to recognize that the PMFLA no longer applies to the former E&N lands.
2024, August 22 – We wrote our response to their letter from the previous week and delivered it to Mr. Bruce Ralston (Minister for Forests) and Mr. Nathan Cullen (Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship).
here is our response: (link: 24.8.22-letter-OTG-reply-to-gov.pdf)
The 2 letters are on our website here:
https://www.openthegates.ca/otg-responds-to-gov/
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The “E & N LAND GRAB” MUSEUM PROJECT
24.9.14 cheknews.ca/feds-earmark-230k-for-travelling-exhibit-about-en-railway-from-nanaimo-museum-1210011/The federal gov promised $230k for a project called “Esquimalt & Nanaimo (E&N) Railway Land Grants: 140 Years Later”. It will cover the effects and history of the E&N Railway and associated land grants on Vancouver Island. To be done by the Nanaimo Museum Society.The museum plans to host the exhibit along the E&N Railway, in destinations from Victoria to Campbell River.
The exhibit is still under development and won’t launch until 2025. Before it hits the road, it will be on display at Vancouver Island University and the Qualicum Beach Museum.
“The E&N Railway land grab is not only a historical event, it continues to impact communities today,” said Kelly Black, board president of the Vancouver Island Local History Society.
We have contacted the society to ensure that we have a say in the story.
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VOLUNTEERS ALWAYS APPRECIATED
No requirement to be a professional; just a desire learn and teach yourself the position.
If you have a desire to help, please contact: volunteer@OpenTheGates.caWe need help with the following tasks:
TASKS for the organization as a whole:
< WEB maintenance (Word Press)
< Graphics Design (posters, etc)
TASKS for LOCAL GROUPS:
We have divided the E&N lands into 3 smaller areas:< South end (Victoria),
< Mid (Nanaimo),
< North end (Campbell R, Courtenay).
The groups have not formed yet, so your ideas are appreciated.
The local tasks are:
< South island leader< Public Information (any ideas to get the word out)
< strategy and lobby government
< secretary
< fund raising
< research
< or anything else that comes up