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.
Letter to Editor: Land sale betrayed the publc's trust
Oct 25, 2007Re: "Mainland developer snaps up Jordan River waterfront," Oct 23.
Ender Ilkay, the international developer who has signed an agreement to purchase former Tree Farm License lands near Jordan River from Western Forest Products, was positioned well at the community meeting on Monday in Shirley. He played the good cop who was there to listen and to work with the community to develop his new lands in a consultative manner.
He may have even convinced some people that the development was inevitable, and that the best way to engage would be to work with him as he builds his vision for his new land; the clever fox.
Mr. Ilkay claimed that he didn’t concern himself with the context underlying how the land came up for sale; if true I doubt his investors would be pleased. The bottom line is that the provincial government betrayed the public trust by gifting the disputed land to WFP without public consultation, compensation, or assurance that public values be respected; let nobody forget that until the public is able to settle this betrayal with Minister Coleman and his government, neither WFP or Mr. Ilkay have a social license to do anything with the lands around Jordan River.
Eric Swanson
Dogwood Initiative
Victoria BC
Ender Ilkay, the international developer who has signed an agreement to purchase former Tree Farm License lands near Jordan River from Western Forest Products, was positioned well at the community meeting on Monday in Shirley. He played the good cop who was there to listen and to work with the community to develop his new lands in a consultative manner.
He may have even convinced some people that the development was inevitable, and that the best way to engage would be to work with him as he builds his vision for his new land; the clever fox.
Mr. Ilkay claimed that he didn’t concern himself with the context underlying how the land came up for sale; if true I doubt his investors would be pleased. The bottom line is that the provincial government betrayed the public trust by gifting the disputed land to WFP without public consultation, compensation, or assurance that public values be respected; let nobody forget that until the public is able to settle this betrayal with Minister Coleman and his government, neither WFP or Mr. Ilkay have a social license to do anything with the lands around Jordan River.
Eric Swanson
Dogwood Initiative
Victoria BC
