This page contains annotated news stories and press releases with commentary about land reform and the democratic process in British Columbia. Our comments are shown in red.
How can we expect any real change to come from a round table
where the majority of its members are the usual suspects from logging companies
who have been continuing to uphold the status quo of forestry for the last 50
years.
If Minister of Forests, Rich Coleman, was really interested in innovative change the members of the round
table would have to include a diverse group of interests with much more
representation from the value-added, community woodlot, First Nations and
environmental communities.
Forestry roundtable more of the same
Mar 20, 2008
By BRUCE STRACHAN
<brucestrachan1@shaw.ca>
The long-awaited provincial government Working Roundtable on Forestry has been appointed and at first blush I’m underwhelmed.
To be sure, some of the members have a lot to offer, but in the main it’s just more of the same old players, representing the same old stuck-in-the-past industry.
Let me start by saying I’ve never been a big fan of roundtables. By definition, the concept is an Arthurian feel-good gaggle of leaderless chatting.
In practice, roundtables usually meander along, accomplishing little until they mercifully drift off to Avalon, or wherever it is that old roundtables go.
At the roundtable rollout, forest minister Rich Coleman said, “Their ideas will put government in a position to adopt practical solutions that will to a stronger, more vibrant and sustainable forest industry in British Columbia for the future.”
Put me in the “disagree” category. All the forest companies at the table have tenure and a lock on available wood supply. Their ideas of “practical solutions” would in no way provide for the release of wood supply for new and innovative producers.
This shortcoming was not lost on NDP forest critic Bob Simpson who said, “I’ve noticed a huge absence of representation from the value-added sector at the round table.”
To be fair, one of the roundtable participants, Tolko Industries, has a finger-jointing operation and is a supplier of specialized shipping boxes for the agriculture industry.
By and large though, the forest-products members of the roundtable are all old boys and the same old boys whose products have changed little in the last 50 years. They’re also the same old boys who can’t turn a profit even with their tenured grip on our forest resource.
Look for the roundtable to circle the issues; just don’t expect direction, or results.
To be sure, some of the members have a lot to offer, but in the main it’s just more of the same old players, representing the same old stuck-in-the-past industry.
Let me start by saying I’ve never been a big fan of roundtables. By definition, the concept is an Arthurian feel-good gaggle of leaderless chatting.
In practice, roundtables usually meander along, accomplishing little until they mercifully drift off to Avalon, or wherever it is that old roundtables go.
At the roundtable rollout, forest minister Rich Coleman said, “Their ideas will put government in a position to adopt practical solutions that will to a stronger, more vibrant and sustainable forest industry in British Columbia for the future.”
Put me in the “disagree” category. All the forest companies at the table have tenure and a lock on available wood supply. Their ideas of “practical solutions” would in no way provide for the release of wood supply for new and innovative producers.
This shortcoming was not lost on NDP forest critic Bob Simpson who said, “I’ve noticed a huge absence of representation from the value-added sector at the round table.”
To be fair, one of the roundtable participants, Tolko Industries, has a finger-jointing operation and is a supplier of specialized shipping boxes for the agriculture industry.
By and large though, the forest-products members of the roundtable are all old boys and the same old boys whose products have changed little in the last 50 years. They’re also the same old boys who can’t turn a profit even with their tenured grip on our forest resource.
Look for the roundtable to circle the issues; just don’t expect direction, or results.
