Strait of Georgia Every Second Thursday & Online ‘24/7’ at Coastal Currents ~ Bridging The Gulf Since 1989 islandtides.com Canadian Publications Mail Product Volume 19 Number 23 November 15—29, 2007 50¢ at Selected Retailers Sales Agreement Nº 40020421 Tide tables 2 Saturna notes 3 Letters 4 Shrooming 5 What’s on? 5 Bulletin board 11 Timbers case barely underway An article in Island Tides last edition about an long-running, North Pender land-use dispute reported one incident Photo: Derek Holzapfel, wwwnaturediver.com from a lengthy confrontation. While the information was factual, the context of Cormorants enjoy fall sunshine and a view of Mount Baker from the Belle Chain Islets. the case was not covered. For the record, the article might have been better titled, Bylaw #197 goes to trust executive ‘North Pender is not granted an A day to honour stewards interlocutory injunction in STVR case.’ At the November 7 Galiano Local Trust opposing bylaw #197. Three hundred The following facts will supply a context. Committee (LTC) meeting, the committee people had attended the Public Hearing on Three Islands Trust community stewardship awards went to ‘The Timbers’ case opened as a bylaw gave Second and Third Readings to bylaw Oct 27 at which 60 people spoke against the Pender Island this year and the Island is holding its infraction claim in 2001. The Islands #197, amending the Galiano OCP in bylaws and 24 spoke in favour. Stewardship Day on Nov 29. The public is invited to attend the Trust says that Robert Conconi is relation to Forest Lands. LTC Chair Gisele Rudischer vote was consistent with her event (for details see ‘What’s On?’ page 5). operating his Rural zoned property as a Rudischer voted against the motion, while earlier vote not to give either bylaw First Each year two individuals and two groups from those resort in contravention of the The North local trustees Michael Sharp and Roy Reading. nominated are recognized by Islands Trust Council in the Pender Land Use Bylaw. Smith voted in favour. A second bylaw Bylaw # 197 will now be referred to Community Stewardship Award contest. ‘The award program Discussion with the owner continued #198, amending the LUB, was tabled. Islands Trust Executive for consideration of is designed to honour dedicated individuals and groups who until 2003 when the Islands Trust Bylaw LTC Chair Rudischer, who is a member Fourth Reading. The bylaw has wider have donated countless hours to the stewardship of the islands Enforcement division initiated a legal of Island Trust Executive, spoke at length implications for the Islands Trust Area and in the Trust Area,’ said council member Ken Hancock, North case concerning operating a resort on a about how the bylaw fail to meet Trust for provincial forested lands in general (see Pender Island Trustee. ‘These awards acknowledge the Rural zoned property. Policy directives and on the quality of also related editorial p. 4 and ‘Back Issues contributions of groups and individuals towards improving the While the case was awaiting a court ✐ arguments and comments in the 300 letters and Reprints’ at www.islandtides.com.) AWARDS, please turn to page 6 date, discussion continued and in 2004, as a potential solution, Mr Conconi Commentary by BC Mary applied for a rezoning of his property, which was later turned down. This Riding the rails: tracking the BC Rail deal rezoning process was conducted ‘without The months and years roll by, and the ‘Basi, Virk’ trial —the BC Rail case—still hasn’t begun. The next pre-trial hearing in BC Supreme Court is November 16. Visit prejudice’ to Conconi, which meant that ‘The Legislature Raids’ http://bctrialofbasi-virk.blogspot.com for background. it could not subsequently be mentioned During the provincial election of 2001, Gordon accepting bribes, and money laundering. Basi, Dejá Vu in court, either in detail or in name. Campbell promised BC that he would never sell Virk, and to a lesser extent Aneal Basi, may not Basi and Virk are not the first to be arrested and The issue has continued to dragged on BC Rail. Then he sold it in a deal which remains have been angels. charged with allegedly accepting bribes to help without a court date. This summer’s secret and tainted. As Dave Basi, Bob Virk, and They entered the BC Legislature as part of the sell off British Columbia’s public assets. Consider interlocutory injunction, based on STVR Aneal Basi await their trial date (postponed many Gordon Campbell regime and from day one, they Robert E Sommers, a popular BC Cabinet use, was an attempt on the part of bylaw times), do they dream, perhaps impossible knew every political detail worth knowing: Minister (1952-1956) under Social Credit premier enforcement to speed up action in the dreams, of a ‘Not Guilty’ verdict? Are they everything about the Gordon Campbell WAC Bennett. Of course, Sommers made no case; either the injunction would succeed expecting to be protected by powerful politicians? government, every decision, every important small error. As Minister of Lands & Forests, he and the resort use would cease or it would Or ... are they living in fear of becoming discussion, every going-out and coming-in. accepted bribes for granting a perpetually clarify the parameters of the primary scapegoats who must carry the full load of blame Presumably, Dave Basi and Bob Virk knew that renewable Timber Sale Licence for half of the court case and speed up a court date. The for others who profited from things that went not all of their associates may not have been largest temperate old-growth rain forest on earth, second proved to be the case. wrong when government abandoned BC Rail? angels either. to a major BC forestry company, MacMillan Island Trust Bylaw Enforcement It can’t be an easy time for Basi and Virk or Their on-the-spot knowledge extended far Bloedel. Again, in 1956, he granted logging rights Officer Miles Drew comments, ‘The Trust their families. So what are their options? beyond their Ministries of Finance and to BC Forest Products for the other half of this took the extraordinary step of seeking an Their primary option, of course, was the Transportation, beyond the BC Legislature, into prized region known as Clayoquot Sound. interlocutory injunction because it honourable one: no deals, no hanky panky, no the electoral process, right up into the Prime These licences alone were extremely valuable. believed that normal court processes problems. But they allegedly became convinced Minister’s office. Top-rank aides like these are The forest companies made huge profits on the were simply taking too long. … If the that the road to political success was paved with walking encyclopedias. But are they unique? No, COURT CASE, please turn to page 7 fraud, influence peddling, breach of trust, they are not. BC RAIL, please turn to page 7 Ladies’ Christmas Shopping Excursion! ~ brought to you by Mouat’s Trading Co Ltd Saturday November th Plan to Spend the Day Shopping on Salt Spring Island Be sure to be onboard — reserve your $ seat on Mouat’s chartered water taxi today Leave the Outer Islands around : am Enjoy hours of fantastic shopping in Ganges and return around pm In addition to good fun great shopping and complimentary instore snacks you will receive $ in gift certificates from Mouat’s: (a $ gift certificate from each of our five fullystocked stores valid for purchases of $ or more) Call for Reservations Page 2, ISLAND TIDES, Nov 15, 2007 Commentary by Murray Dobbin Taxes are the price of a civilized society:—why tax cuts make us weak o here we go again, another round of huge tax cuts as the think will solve the labour shortage? Tens of thousands of country continues down the road to a neo-con dystopia. Canadians have long since given up even looking for work Over the next five years the revenue that pays for the things because child care is so expensive it would absorb most of their AT FULFORD HARBOUR S Canadians say they want will drop by $60 billion. There are cuts take home pay. A major Health Canada study revealed that NOVEMBER to the GST, to personal income taxes and corporate taxes—with deteriorating conditions in work/life balance was the key factor the latter dropping by 2012 to 15% (from 21% today), an in Canada’s plummeting birth rate. No wonder there’s a labour Day Time Ht./ft. Ht./m. Day Time Ht./ft. Ht./m. outrageous corporate giveaway, giving us third-world status in shortage—we aren’t making workers any more. 0041 1.6 0.5 0358 9.5 2.9 the ‘attract investment’ race to the bottom. What about a pharmacare program? The lack of such a 14 0937 11.2 3.4 22 0759 8.2 2.5 It is the continuation of a 20-year process of diminishing the universal program costs large companies hundreds of millions WE TH 1336 11.2 3.4 country—a conscious plan implemented by three prime each year—both in terms of the costs of drugs within medicare and 2104 1.3 0.4 ministers from both the Liberal and Conservative parties. the cost of the health plans they provide their employees. Tuition 0121 2.0 0.6 0502 10.5 3.2 15 1019 11.2 3.4 23 0858 9.2 2.8 Between 1984 and 2006 the federal government, which is fees? How is it good for competitiveness if fewer and fewer young TH FR 1402 11.5 3.5 supposed to be looking after the interests of the country, people can actually go to university—and those that do are saddled 2142 0.3 0.1 voluntarily gave up over $250 billion in revenue—an amount with $30,000-80,000 debts? Social housing? Ask the Vancouver 0206 2.6 0.8 0558 11.5 3.5 that would have made a huge difference in the quality of life in Olympic Organizing Committee if they think having thousands of 16 1058 11.2 3.4 24 0958 9.8 3.0 FR SA 1434 11.5 3.5 Canada.