Earlier, we reported former Focus on the Family Canada president Darrel Reid had been appointed Environment Minister Rona Ambrose's chief of staff. Despite that appointment, though, Mr. Reid doesn't have much of a reputation for environmental musings, being better-known as one of the country's most prominent social conservatives. But Focus on the Family Canada's big brothers south of the border are counted among the country's environmental skeptics.
In March 2005, the organization's government and public policy vice-president Tom Minnery came out against the National Association of Evangelicals "efforts to curb global warming" calling climate change an "environmental theory yet to be adequately substantiated." And Focus on the Family's founder and chairman James Dobson signed a letter in January requesting the evangelical association "not adopt any any official position on the issue of global climate change. Global warming is not a consensus issue, and our love for the Creator and respect for His creation does not require us to take a position." One wonders whether Mr. Reid shares those opinions?
Note carefully: CPcC policy does not include anything living... their talking points are clean air, water, land (just some far off futures regs mind you) but importantly, there is no concept of eco-system (hence no global environment), no wildlife management, no biology whatsoever in their thinking. They barely know about, let alone believe in, modern environmental science.
Neither does the NDP. Lots of talk from the NDP
but little else.
It was after all the BC NDP that said "no" to logging off the first timber infected with pine beetles back in the 1990's in the forested areas around Tweedsmuir and Nechako Lake.
That could have prevented or at least significantly slowed down the spread.
As for the federal NDP, they're all talk.
After all it was the home of "White Swan" Robinson who did little else than seek publicity at logging road blockades.
Canadians are stewards of about 1/10 the planet's land mass; and, there are no more "New Worlds" to move to. We get it right here or nowhere... this is it.
Eugene Parks
"It was after all the BC NDP that said "no" to logging off the first timber infected with pine beetles back in the 1990's in the forested areas around Tweedsmuir and Nechako Lake."
That could have prevented or at least significantly slowed down the spread."
Posted by Tom Tory on October 4, 2006
Tom, I have heard this claim before. It's usually made by a BC Liberal Forests Minister, either Mike de Jong or Richy Coleman. Do you work for one of them? Is there any document you can link us to that would provide some support for this claim? Or is it just beer parlour politics, unsubstantiated rumour designed to manipulate voters?
Posted by Tom Tory on October 4, 2006
Eugene says: "Tom, I have heard this claim before. It's usually made by a BC Liberal Forests Minister, either Mike de Jong or Richy Coleman. Do you work for one of them? Is there any document you can link us to that would provide some support for this claim? Or is it just beer parlour politics, unsubstantiated rumour designed to manipulate voters?"
It was actually said before DeJong was Forest Minister, by several forest companies up there
in the Prince George region.
The forest companies were ready to go in there to take the wood out while it had value and marketability.
But the NDP true to their "environmental
causes" said no way.
If the NDP was smart they would have granted the cutting licences and allowed the companies to get
the beetled wood out.
It was also said in the local papers up there
as well, but this was about 10 years ago. It
was also on BCTV.
and no Eugene I don't work for them Liberal Ministers or anywhere within the Liberal government or party.
Tom Tory writes, "and no Eugene I don't work for them Liberal Ministers or anywhere within the Liberal government or party."
Eugene Parks responds, Tom your comment above is misdirected. I do not comment on Provincial politics and neither did I comment on your post. The comment attributed to me above from me to you was not made by me.
"It was actually said before DeJong was Forest Minister, by several forest companies up there in the Prince George region.
...
It was also said in the local papers up there as well, but this was about 10 years ago. It was also on BCTV.
and no Eugene I don't work for them Liberal Ministers or anywhere within the Liberal government or party.
Posted by Tom Tory on October 4, 2006
IOWs, Tom, the answer is no, there is no source you can point to. I thought as much. Given your statement that you don't work for these Ministers, I wonder what your connection to this issue might be. Are you a Liberal party supporter? Do you work for one of the logging companies who wanted to go into the Park to get the infected wood.
If those trees had been logged, do you have any reason to believe that the infestation today would be any smaller. I doubt that, for once the tree is dead, and ready to be logged as beetle kill, the bugs have already moved on to new trees.
tom tory writes, "and no Eugene I don't work for them Liberal Ministers or anywhere within the Liberal government or party."
Eugene Parks responds: I never said you did. I never implied you did. You are addressing your comments to the wrong person.
"IOWs, Tom, the answer is no, there is no source you can point to. I thought as much. Given your statement that you don't work for these Ministers, I wonder what your connection to this issue might be. "
I have had an interest in forestry as I've followed the forest industry for a long time, friends worked in it, my dad was a supplier within it, just as anyone else would follow fisheries or other subjects. I did work in the forestry, but that was on the periphery, managing transportation and logistics of finished lumber products. But so what?
"Are you a Liberal party supporter? Do you work for one of the logging companies who wanted to go into the Park to get the infected wood."
Budd, no and no. Are you a lawyer? You sure seem to do the acting of one, as bad as that is.
"If those trees had been logged, do you have any reason to believe that the infestation today would be any smaller. I doubt that, for once the tree is dead, and ready to be logged as beetle kill, the bugs have already moved on to new trees."
It wasn't so much as logging those trees, but also those which were not infected but on the periphery. There was discussion done, but it wasn't lengthy.
Are you a supporter of the NDP?
"It wasn't so much as logging those trees, but also those which were not infected but on the periphery. There was discussion done, but it wasn't lengthy.
Are you a supporter of the NDP?"
Posted by Tom Tory on October 4, 2006 12:57 PM
Yes, I am a New Democrat, since 1968 actually.
Are you seriously suggesting that in Tweedsmuir Park the BC Govt should have authorized the logging of apparently healthy trees around the infested area? Even if that were done, would that have stopped the pine beetles without a -40C cold spell? How large an area would one have had to log in order to stop the infestation?
Again, can you point to any source on this?
Budd sez: "Yes, I am a New Democrat, since 1968 actually.
Figures.
Are you seriously suggesting that in Tweedsmuir Park the BC Govt should have authorized the logging of apparently healthy trees around the infested area?
Did I say Tweedsmuir Park specifically within
its boundaries? No I said the periphery area.
Depending on where the southern to southwestern
limits of the Nechako infestion was at the time,
it may not have included the north to northwestern reaches of Tweedsmuir Park.
"Even if that were done, would that have stopped the pine beetles without a -40C cold spell? How large an area would one have had to log in order to stop the infestation?"
Ask a silviculturist or forester. But basic biology says, cut the food off and the animal dies.
"Again, can you point to any source on this?"
Sorry, you'll have to do your own research.
It's out there. Find it.