Gulf Islands Every Second Thursday & Online ‘24/7’ at Connecting the Islands of the Salish Sea Archipelago for 23 years islandtides.com Volume 24 Number 2 January 26, 2012 $2 at Selected Retailers Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement Nº 40020421

Photo: Terrill Welch Heading southward, a pod of Orcas passes by Georgina Point, Mayne Island on January 14. Commentary by Patrick Brown More to energy than the Northern Gateway review Innovative VI aquaculture our Vancouver Island aquaculture producers have he National Energy Board Joint Review Panel is decisions are rare. received over $925,000 in funding from Fisheries supposed to consider whether the construction of a More To It Than The Hearing Presents and Oceans Canada, including one project to thousand-kilometre pipeline to transport diluted The issue is whether Enbridge should be allowed to build developF closed-containment fish-farm technology. bitumenT from the Alberta tar sands to the port of Kitimat and operate the specific pipeline as proposed, given its With funds from the Aquaculture Innovation and on the BC coast is ‘in the national interest’. The Panel of economic and environmental impacts. Market Access Program (AIMAP), the ‘Namgis First three will hear submissions from about 276 ‘intervenors’ The choice, as presented by the Canadian government Nation near Port McNeill is developing a facility to and some 4500 ‘commenters’; it is expected that the public and the industry, is clear. If you support the increased determine the viability of producing Atlantic salmon for hearings will take close to two years. diversity of export markets, you support this pipeline. human consumption in a land-based, closed- If the Panel makes a positive recommendation, the Another view presents the question as the export of tar containment re-circulating aquaculture system. federal cabinet can then decide whether the $5.5 billion sands oil to Asia versus the environment of northern British In Union Bay, Fanny Bay Oyster Company is working project will be permitted to proceed. If the Panel Columbia and the Great Bear Rainforest. It’s economic to adopt technology that will efficiently crush large recommends against the project, the cabinet can ask it to motherhood versus environmental motherhood. volumes of oyster waste shells. This will reduce the overall reconsider, but cannot decide to approve it anyway (this Creating this ‘either/or’ choice conceals, perhaps volume of waste, ultimately producing particles of interpretation of the law comes from UBC Professor George deliberately, vital issues which require informed public different sizes that can be utilized by a variety of potential Hoberg and University of Calgary law professor Nigel discussion. Even given the Joint Review Panel’s limited markets. Bankes). However, negative National Energy Board GATEWAY PANEL, please turn to page 3 Maplestar Seafood in Nanoose Bay is developing an innovative, off-bottom, suspended net for culturing geoducks. This will address lack of bottom tenure and Ehring and Torgrimson cleared by Supreme Court create a shorter maturation period. id-January, the Supreme Court of British had received gifts, had improperly spent government funds Pfizer Animal Health, in Saanich, will continue its sea Columbia cleared two retired Salt Spring Island or had failed to declare a financial interest in contracts. The lice vaccine project. The funding will be used to take trustees of significant claims made against them petitioners also sought to have the elected officials existing research results through the regulatory steps lastM October by fifteen island residents. personally repay funds that had been allocated to Salt commonly required for this type of drug development The claims were made against then-trustees Christine Spring Island community groups working to protect project. Torgrimson and George Ehring, members of the Salt Spring drinking water and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. ‘The BC aquaculture industry currently provides an Island Local Trust Committee. Similar claims, against ‘While we knew none of us had received a financial estimated 6,000 jobs and over $224 million in wages for former CRD Electoral Area-G Director Garth Hendren, benefit of any kind from our decisions and believed we had British Columbians,’ said Minister Ashfield during the were speedily dismissed in a judgment released on acted properly, this petition raised a spectre in our announcement. ‘The industry is developing new November 18. (Hendren was running for office again in community that we were engaged in serious wrong-doing, technologies that will make our country a world leader in November’s local government elections.) including some kind of financial misdeed,’ said former aquaculture and create jobs and opportunities here at In a petition filed on October 7, the group of Islanders trustee George Ehring. ‘It is a huge relief to have had our home.’ sought to have the court declare the three elected officials names cleared so definitively by the court. And I’m very Canadian aquaculture production has increased four- disqualified from holding office and to declare their pleased that the court feels it is valid for local community fold in the past 20 years. Approximately 70% of all positions vacant for the remainder of the 2008-2011 term. groups to coordinate some of the planning work identified Canadian aquaculture products are sold to foreign It claimed that one or more of the three had failed to in our Official Community Plan.’ markets. Globally, half of all fish and seafood consumed declare financial and other conflicts of interest before voting, is now farmed. 0 COURT CASE, please turn to page 2

is available at these SERIOUS COFFEE locations — look for the ‘Island Tides’ yellow boxes or racks inside! Sidney—Beacon Avenue Nanaimo—VI Conference Centre Parksville—Heritage Centre Mall South Duncan—Sun Valley Mall Nanaimo—Crnr Island Hwy @ Hammond Bay Rd Courtenay—Southgate Centre, Cliffe Avenue Duncan—Cowichan Commons Mall Nanaimo—South Parkway Plaza Port Alberni—Shoppers Drugmart Plaza, 10th Ave Mill Bay—Island Highway @ Frayne Rd Nanaimo—Hammond Bay Rd CO-OP Campbell River—Willow Point Village Page 2, ISLAND TIDES, January 26, 2012 New executive director for Salt Spring Conservancy he Salt Spring Island Conservancy welcomed long-term responsibilities to steward species and habitats, Christine Torgrimson as their new executive director, and we must ensure that the organization will be strong and AT POINT ATKINSON beginning January 2. stable for the long-term. I’m confident that, given the island’s T‘We feel very fortunate to have someone of Christine’s demographics, the love and passion so many people have for JANUARY–FEBRUARY caliber join us at this juncture,’ said Ashley Hilliard, its beauty and integrity, and the Conservancy’s solid Day Time Ht./ft. Ht./m. Day Time Ht./ft. Ht./m. Conservancy president. ‘She has a wealth of experience with reputation, we can build a solid funding base for the future.’ 0018 3.0 0.9 0311 12.8 3.9 conservancies, non-profit boards, staff development and Torgrimson added that responsibly managing the 0720 15.7 4.8 0711 12.1 3.7 25WE 1319 8.9 2.7 TH2 1127 13.1 4.0 fundraising, and diverse citizen efforts dedicated to making Conservancy’s current land holdings, as well as encouraging 1822 13.1 4.0 1950 4.6 1.4 the world a better and healthier place.’ ongoing efforts to purchase and covenant other properties 0054 3.9 1.2 0358 13.5 4.1 ‘I am so pleased to have this opportunity to with important ecological attributes will be 0748 15.4 4.7 0837 12.1 3.7 26TH 1404 8.2 2.5 FR3 1227 13.1 4.0 dedicate my skills and experience to the priorities, while supporting other important 1914 12.5 3.8 2039 3.9 1.2 Conservancy, as well as my knowledge of Salt programs and aspects of the organization. 0128 5.2 1.6 0434 14.1 4.3 Spring’s unique natural habitats and highly Torgrimson is the recent past chair of the 0815 15.4 4.7 0932 11.8 3.6 27FR 1449 7.5 2.3 SA4 1332 13.1 4.0 engaged community,’ Torgrimson commented. Islands Trust Fund Board, a conservancy that 2012 11.8 3.6 2124 3.3 1.0 ‘My favourite work has always been with works with people to protect natural habitats 0202 6.6 2.0 0505 14.4 4.4 conservancies. They attract such positive and throughout the Islands Trust Area. 0842 15.1 4.6 1012 11.5 3.5 28SA 1535 6.9 2.1 SU5 1435 13.5 4.1 constructive people who care deeply about the ‘My four years with the Trust Fund gave 2120 11.5 3.5 2205 3.0 0.9 places in which they live.’ me a richer understanding of the incredible 0236 8.2 2.5 0532 14.8 4.5 The Salt Spring Island Conservancy has natural values of the islands in the Salish Sea, 0908 14.8 4.5 1049 10.8 3.3 TORGRIMSON 29SU 1622 6.2 1.9 MO6 1532 13.5 4.1 worked to establish five nature reserves and 13 as well as an enhanced experience with 2246 11.2 3.4 2244 2.6 0.8 covenanted properties totaling over 1,000 protected acres. It conservancy operations and policies,’ she commented. 0312 9.5 2.9 0556 14.8 4.5 holds frequent educational events, an annual Stewards in She also served from December 2008 through November 0935 14.1 4.3 1126 10.2 3.1 30MO 1711 5.9 1.8 TU7 1626 13.8 4.2 Training Program for elementary students, and a Habitat 2011 as an elected Islands trustee. 2322 3.0 0.9 Stewardship Program working with dozens of landowners to Throughout her career, Torgrimson has worked with 0026 11.5 3.5 0620 15.1 4.6 protect species at risk. dozens of conservation and community organizations. From 0358 10.8 3.3 1205 9.2 2.8 31TU 1004 13.8 4.2 WE8 1719 13.8 4.2 Torgrimson’s initial priorities will be to build on the work 1999-2007, she served as consultant, staff and strategic 1803 5.6 1.7 2359 3.3 1.0 that retiring Executive Director Linda Gilkeson accomplished advisor with the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation 0200 12.1 3.7 0645 15.4 4.7 in her four years at the Conservancy. Gilkeson, an Initiative, a Canada-US organization partnering with over 0514 11.8 3.6 1247 7.9 2.4 WE1 1040 13.5 4.1 TH9 1813 13.5 4.1 entomologist and gardening expert, will be devoting her 100 citizen organizations, businesses and governments to 1857 4.9 1.5 energy to writing and teaching about organic gardening and maintain and restore the unique natural heritage of the pest management. Yellowstone to Yukon region. She also co-founded one of the ‘Linda has helped polish the internal workings of the largest and most successful US land trusts—the Montana organization, as well as guide it through an impressive time Land Reliance—which helps farmers and ranchers protect of growth. She played a key role in acquiring the new Alvin the natural and open space values of their properties, now Indridson Reserve, which added 320 acres of prime habitat collectively totaling almost 900,000 acres. to the organization’s holdings,’ Torgrimson explained. Torgrimson, a Salt Spring resident for 15 years, holds a BA Building the Acorn Fund, the Conservancy’s endowment, in Journalism and an MS in Counseling. 0 will be a key focus for Torgrimson. ‘Conservancies assume

COURT CASE from page 1 The petition to the court arose because the three elected elected office. officials were members of community groups, but had not Torgrimson and Ehring are fully qualified to stand for declared conflicts of interest before voting to provide funds office in the future, should they choose to do so. to those groups. The groups held workshops and coordinated ‘The months since the petition was filed have been a community efforts regarding topics identified in the Salt difficult time,’ said former trustee Christine Torgrimson. ‘I Spring Island Official Community Plan, such as the protection am very relieved that this is over, and that our names have of drinking water and the reduction of greenhouse gases. been cleared. I sincerely hope our community can move on The claims were brought by Norbert Fred Schlenker, Ted from this episode and deal with issues of drinking water, Bartrim, Allan Leslie Crane, Alison Mary Cunningham, climate change and affordable housing in a constructive William Patrick Curtin, Wayne Moise Joseph Fraser, manner in the future.’ Harold Derek Hill, Malcolm George Legg, Dietrich Luth, In his written reasons for judgment, Mr Justice Victoria Linda Mihalyi, Gilbert William Mouat, Richard MacKenzie found that ‘there is no evidence that either Ms Gerald Ringrose, Mark Lyster Toole, Alan Rosson Wiggan Torgrimson or Mr Ehring had a direct personal pecuniary AT FULFORD HARBOUR and Elizabeth Susan Wood, all electors on Salt Spring interest, whether actual or potential in the funds granted… JANUARY–FEBRUARY Island. Their petition was dismissed on all grounds and nor is there any evidence that the respondents received any ‘gifts’ as alleged in the petition.’ Day Time Ht./ft. Ht./m. Day Time Ht./ft. Ht./m. none of the funds paid by the Islands Trust to community groups must be repaid. In regards to the claim of non-pecuniary conflict of 0713 11.5 3.5 0356 9.8 3.0 interest, he further stated that, ‘local government officials 1256 7.5 2.3 0606 9.5 2.9 In reasons for judgment, released on January 13, the 25WE 1727 9.2 2.8 TH2 1036 10.2 3.1 Honourable Mr Justice Brian D MacKenzie of the BC are elected because of their engagements with certain local 1917 3.0 0.9 Supreme Court declared that ‘there is no basis for issues and matters, engagements which frequently entail 0009 3.0 0.9 0421 10.2 3.1 association with community groups. In local communities, 0737 11.5 3.5 0815 9.8 3.0 disqualification’ of Ehring and Torgrimson from 26TH 1344 6.9 2.1 FR3 1128 10.2 3.1 their views on these issues are often widely known. It is 1828 8.9 2.7 2002 2.6 0.8 frequently the reason they were elected to public office in 0043 3.9 1.2 0446 10.5 3.2 the first place’. Mr Justice MacKenzie concluded, ‘a non- 0800 11.2 3.4 0918 9.5 2.9 27FR 1431 6.2 1.9 SA4 1229 9.8 3.0 pecuniary interest must go beyond that which elected 1937 8.2 2.5 2044 2.3 0.7 officials may have in common with other members of the 0117 5.2 1.6 0509 10.5 3.2 0822 11.2 3.4 0953 9.5 2.9 community; it must be a substantial interest peculiar to their 28SA 1517 5.6 1.7 SU5 1329 10.2 3.1 personal interest that will serve his or her own needs…there 2059 7.9 2.4 2123 2.0 0.6 is insufficient evidence to establish a personal interest 0150 6.2 1.9 0530 10.8 3.3 0844 10.8 3.3 1022 9.2 2.8 ‘peculiar to the councillor’ that is distinct from community 29SU 1603 4.9 1.5 MO6 1427 10.2 3.1 interests.’ 2244 7.9 2.4 2201 2.0 0.6 Yet to be decided is the matter of court costs. If parties 0221 7.2 2.2 0551 10.8 3.3 0906 10.5 3.2 1053 8.5 2.6 cannot agree, counsel for all parties will make their 30MO 1650 4.3 1.3 TU7 1524 10.2 3.1 arguments at a later date before Mr Justice MacKenzie to 2237 2.0 0.6 determine how costs should be allocated. 0 0111 8.2 2.5 0612 10.8 3.3 0250 8.2 2.5 1130 7.5 2.3 31TU 0930 10.5 3.2 WE8 1623 9.8 3.0 1740 3.9 1.2 2314 2.6 0.8 SHORELINE • SpecializingSpe in water 0958 10.2 3.1 0634 11.2 3.4 1830 3.6 1.1 1211 6.9 2.1 DESIGN accessacc over steep WE1 TH9 1726 9.5 2.9 & rugged 2350 3.3 1.0 FULL MOON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7 terrain Tide Table Courtesy of Durable dock systems for • Fully insured exposed locations • Excellent Ross Walker references 250-537-9710 Email: [email protected] On Time & On Budget Peter Christenson • 250-629-8386 www.islandmarine.ca www.shorelinedesign.ca www.islandtides.com ISLAND TIDES, January 26, 2012, Page 3

Photo: Sara Miles Looking southeast across Boundary Pass from the Mayne Queen—a mostly clear day with some cloud cover made for a spectacular dawn crossing on January 11.

GATEWAY PANEL from page 1 Planning a National Energy Strategy ship diluted bitumen to Asian customers; no alternative mandate, Prime Minister Harper has clearly indicated his The Enbridge proposal aims to pre-empt what should be a pipeline routes or shipping methods. It will also not impatience with the hearing process, by threatening national energy strategy. Since the abandonment of the consider whether it is a good idea to sell diluted bitumen to legislation to limit the time allowed (as he has with National Energy Program—the notorious NEP proposed by Asian customers, or whether we might at least upgrade it to parliamentary debate). the Trudeau government—Canada has followed a ‘market synthetic crude before we ship it. Possibly An Empty Pipeline based’ policy. Prime Minister Harper says this has ‘served Commentary What if the basic proposition is flawed? Enbridge’s proposal Canada well’. BC Premier Christy Clark has declared that the BC coast assumes a tripling of 2010 tar sands production by 2035. The policy has been buttressed by the NAFTA belongs to all of Canada. In a curious way she is right. This estimate appears to have been based on Enbridge’s clause which requires Canada to export a given Energy is a high priority interest of all Canadians. projected continuation of the 2010-2025 development proportion of its oil supply to the US, and has ‘Enbridge’s However, Canada needs to take a broad view trend, as earlier anticipated by the Canadian Association of resulted in Canada’s eastern provinces proposal assumes a of energy. Canadians, after all, are the world’s Petroleum Producers. It depends on the implementation of importing their oil from declining tripling of 2010 tar sands greatest users of fossil fuels per capita; not virtually every conceived, planned, and under construction European sources, and middle eastern production by 2035…Unless surprising when you consider a huge, cold tar sands project. Unless this production volume is realized, sources that the US characterized as this production volume is nation from sea-to-sea-to-sea. Add to that the pipeline capacity represented by the Northern Gateway ‘unethical’. Instead, the US imports tar realized, the pipeline capacity the growing natural gas consumption of the project cannot be utilized. sands oil which Canada characterizes as represented by the Enbridge tar sands production process itself. And, the An analysis by J David Hughes, last November, titled The ‘ethical’. Northern Gateway project ‘national interest’ is also the interest of Northern Gateway Pipeline: An Affront to the Public Alison Redford, the new premier of cannot be utilized.’ future generations of Canadians. Interest and Long Term Energy Security of Canadians Alberta, has proposed that Canada’s In fact, a national energy strategy is a prime states that, ‘An analysis of current Canadian oil provincial governments work together on a new responsibility of government. It’s right up there consumption, imports, exports, production and remaining national energy strategy which would include with health care, social justice, and national defence. reserves, reveals that an exponential growth in oil sands petroleum, electricity, natural gas, and coal; it is apparent It can’t be left to investors, the market, or the energy production and exports will compromise the long term that the oil companies are already working on their sector. industry. energy security interests of Canadians…’ In a national energy strategy, conservation and the It’s clear that the expectation that large quantities of Put bluntly, Hughes says Canada could run out of its own proliferation of ‘green’ energy sources would also have to unprocessed bitumen from the tar sands will be made oil by 2050 because of an emphasis on short-term export be considered. And once again, the ‘national interest’ is not available to China over the long-term is behind recent profits over the next 20 years. Such an expansion, of course, limited to a short-term view of employment and earnings massive Chinese purchases of tar sands projects ($12.43 also has dire environmental consequences, both on the for shareholders, but rather to the broader, long-term billion identifiable so far, $6.85 billion from Sinopec ground in Alberta and in terms of greenhouse gas benefits for Canadians and their country. Corporation). Ten international companies, including emissions. Sliding Past Alternatives Sinopec, contributed to a $100 million fund for Enbridge The National Energy Board (NEB), home base of two of In addition to major aspects of national policy, the terms of ‘to assist in the cost of gaining regulatory approval…’ the Joint Review Panel’s members, also published a report reference of the review process preclude any consideration All things considered, the Northern Gateway Project will last November which echoes the Enbridge estimates. The of alternatives to the pipeline. either become a massive concession to the Chinese, or it is NEB had not previously projected tar sands production The Panel will not consider any alternatives that might a highly speculative venture. Either way, its contribution to beyondThe Island 2025. Curiously, Tides 10.25" the NEB xreport 2" does not touch on accomplish the same ends—that is, to provide a means to Canada’s ‘national interest’ is questionable. 0 the issue of Canada’s long-term petroleum security. NANAIMO (Departure Bay)

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The Island Tides 10.25" x 2" Page 4, ISLAND TIDES, January 26, 2012 Readers’ Letters Tree Hugger’s Winter Rant gunk to China so they can make all the stuff themselves. Dear Editor: After all, in a world experiencing capitalist-caused bank- I’m tired of being a tree-hugger. I’m tired of being called a bailing economic catastrophe, somebody has to get rich. 20,000 copies this edition Those humongous ships all headed to China won’t be Every Second Thursday radical for signing up to speak at the Enbridge hearings. I’m tired of being skinny and hungry and broke, even though coming back empty. They’ll be coming back loaded up with Strait of Georgia’s only stuff they made with our oil. Free & Mail-Delivery Newspaper Prime Minister Stephen Harper is telling everyone that I get I wonder how much I’d be worth to Enbridge? I could 14,459 print copies delivered to millions of dollars every year from American foundations. Gulf Island households I’m tired of being dragged away by police and thrown in jail, always preface my lectures with, ‘I used to be a raving tree- and then having to sit in court for years on end, just because hugger, but…’ That’s got to be worth more than a few bucks. I happen to like primaeval forests, Sandhill cranes, wild Ingmar Lee, Denny Island salmon and whales. I’m tired of climbing flagpoles, hanging Protect Our Right To Be Heard up banners, putting up tree-sits and dismantling gigantic Dear Editor: seismic blasts. After all these years, I’ve never made a single The Harper government is branding groups and individuals buck out of environmental work, and for all my efforts, I’m intervening and presenting in the Enbridge Gateway not famous either. pipeline hearings. Of course, it would be nice to make $70,000+ a year like Quick to justify the invasion of foreign countries to BC’s official, professional, organized, bureaucratic, protect human rights and advance democracy, this 3,041 print copies on the Ferry Routes and in charitable-status-guarding environmentalists. It sure would government is poised to hobble our regulatory system to Victoria, Sidney, Mill Bay, Duncan Chemainus, Ladysmith, Nanaimo be fun to jet over to Copenhagen and Durban and all over protect this ‘no-brainer’ project. Bowser, Campbell River & Port Alberni the world to chat about the climate disaster, become a go- These hearings protect our democratic rights to have our 3,000 online readers each edition to corporate-media darling, drive a Prius and hobknob with voices heard and are necessary to make the best decisions Paris Hilton. It might be pretty boring, hanging out in secret for the greater good. While the Arab spring continues into ISLAND TIDES PUBLISHING Ltd backrooms cutting deals with Gordon Campbell and ilk, but its winter, the Harper government steps up its efforts to Box 55, Pender Island, BC, V0N 2M0 Owner & Publisher: Christa Grace-Warrick it would be worth it. muzzle Canadian opposition and its ‘radical ideological Editor & Production Manager: Sara Miles I’m starting to think that perhaps it would be nice to have agendas’. Contributors: Patrick Brown, Elizabeth May a great big beer-and beef-fed belly, just like our Prime Leslie Goresky, Texada Island Priscilla Ewbank, Brian Crumblehulme, Lindsay Williams Minister and his media adviser, Ezra Levant, do. I think Concern Is Not The Same As Ideology Terrill Welch, Anita McCamley, Harry Lipetz, Mike Yip Ezra Levant is making a whole lot more money than I am, Derek Holzapfel, Jack Noddin, Nancy Angermeyer Dear Editor: Richard Blagborne, Jan Slakov, Toby Snelgrove and just imagine all the fun he must be having, living there It is a sad day for Canada when people concerned about the Torsten Hranchuk, Jane Petch in Calgary. The only thing that’s holding Ezra Levant back environment, the fate of our planet, drastic social inequality Tel: 250-629-3660• Fax: 250-629-3838 from the really big bucks is that he can’t preface every single and other major problems affecting our future existence are Email: [email protected]• [email protected] thing he says with ‘I was a co- Photo: Anita McCamley regarded as politically or Deadline: Wednesday Between Publications founder of Greenpeace, but then I ideologically motivated. Off-Island Canadian Print Subscription: $44.80 saw the light about corporate Voluntary Mail & Box Pick-up Subscription: $28.00 The accelerating destruction International Subs: $60.00 • Online PDF: free logging, the nuclear business, of global resources in the name www.islandtides.com DDT and Big Oil.’ Being able to of economic progress only say that at big corporate AGM profits the minuscule financial events catapults a reformed tree- élite in the short-term. In the Butler Gravel & hugger into a world of glamour. long-term it undermines our Concrete…Better I’m just starting to see the light global well-being and future, from the ground up! here about Enbridge. I mean, just regardless of financial status, look how well they are looking ideological views, etc. Reliable Service, Quality Products after former Prince George If there is any political or & Competitive Prices mayor—and Gordon Campbell ideological content in the Serving All The Gulf Islands shill—Colin Kinsley. And after a LIFE IN LOTUS LAND Gateway pipeline, then it is on Phone 250-652-4484 very long difficult search all across the side of our prominent BC, Enbridge was finally able to find a single First Nation Fax 250-652-4486 members who stubbornly cling to the failing concepts of supporter, Mr Elmer Derrick. I believe that he got some $7 constant economic growth, commercialism and affluence, 6700 Butler Crescent, Saanichton, B.C. million for selling out the Gitxsan people to Enbridge. And and who fight for the continuation of their political and what about all those very comfortable regular Vancouver financial supremacy. Independent Sun Enbridge stumpers like Barbara Yaffe, Peter O’Neil and Frank S Tompa, Pender Island Dental Hygiene Gordon Hoekstra. All they have to do is write several It’s A Small World, After All in a relaxed setting columns a week extolling the virtues of Enbridge, the Tar Dear Editor: Sands and gigantic Big Oil projects. And then of course, Ten months ago, I wrote to several political leaders asking Registered Dental Hygienists there’s the ubiquitous Patrick Moore, who is right in there, offering: why our government (and media) were ignoring the cashing in. If Enbridge is so eager to hand out truckloads of • scaling • root planing seriousness of the Fukushima radiation situation. I • polishing • whitening cash to such uninspired folks like these, why not me? requested more service and information on the matter. No • other services I’m starting to think a whole new way of Green—actually, information arrived. Enbridge really can guarantee the people of BC that it will In December, the Journal of Environmental Celebrating 9 years of service in beautiful Sidney-by-the-Sea be impossible for them to ever have an accident with their Radioactivity confirmed that radioactive fallout from 250-655-4884 pipelines. It really isn’t a problem to coordinate hundreds Fukushima, containing plutonium, the most deadly of giga-tankers the size of the Empire State Building, loaded manmade element in existence, reached completely around JK

Photo: Toby Snelgrove Miner’s Bay, Mayne Island—calm and quiet in the snow.

Books: Windows to the Past, Present and Future — Lindsay Williams ebruary’s 3rd Annual Galiano Literary Festival is a Bowering, or fight Charlie Demers for the last cranberry Saturday starts with the keynote presentation by Bob ray of light as the dark days of winter ebb slowly muffin. Robertson of ‘Double Exposure’ fame, followed by an in- toward spring. This weekend of reading, writing, Whether you’re a writer beginning to hone your skills, a depth panel discussion about the nature of story. Readings, networking,F and brainstorming may be the best one yet! seasoned wordsmith looking to meet old friends, or a presentations and workshops run all day with writers like With twenty-four of BC’s most eclectic and talented voracious reader wanting to meet your favourite authors, Grant Lawrence, Susan Juby and Zsuzsi Gartner. writers participating, staff at Galiano Island Books couldn’t the Festival has a session for you. You can ask the writers Once night falls, the food and fun flow again with the be more excited. Organizers Lee Trentadue and Jim hard questions, and enjoy all of those wonderful tiny details Authors’ Dinner at the Inn. Stay around for Sunday, with Schmidt started Galiano Island Books 13 years ago. It is now about their craft—so much sweeter over canapés and more sessions through the morning, including a workshop one of the province’s last remaining independent Prosecco. with Claudia Cornwall, and a very special afternoon event bookstores. The Festival will kick off with a short fiction workshop at the Galiano Community Hall. There we’ll celebrate the Set at the elegant Galiano Oceanfront Inn & Spa, the with Canadian icon Audrey Thomas, and a ‘by donation’ music of Bruce Springsteen via the new book by Victoria’s festival is about bringing readers—the page-turners and reading by the timeless Kit Pearson. The evening brings the Robert J Wiersema entitled ‘Walk Like A Man’, which spine crackers—together with the hands that typed or fabulous Welcome Reception at the Galiano Inn with music chronicles his coming-of-age as seen through a Boss ‘mix scrawled the words in an intimate and interactive by Galiano’s own Brad Prevedoros. Stop by for a cocktail tape’. With live music and merriment, it’s a perfect way to environment. Maybe you’ll split a sandwich with George and nibbly! end the festival. (See What’s On?, page 6 for details.) 0

LETTERS from previous page government has stated that ‘not wanting the mine’ is $320,000 to North Island College to start a mine training irrelevant. Is this fair and objective? Photo: Derek Holzapfel program. Talk about getting Smell Test of Raven Review Process In December, Compliance all your ducks in a row. If you Dear Editor: Energy produced its tracking table. were in the legislative We have been told that the Environmental Review Process It dumped 1100 pages of responses Cabinet would you approve is objective and fair. Not true. It’s a great big ‘pants-on-fire’ on the public indicating those this kind of expenditure fib. Here’s why: concerns the company would unless you were assured that Premier Christy Clark has put her credibility on the line. address. The responses were the Raven Project would ace She bragged that in her new Jobs package her government difficult to review and contained the environmental review is supporting the development of eight new mines and the many errors and inaccuracies. The process? expansion of nine others. It is a key plank in her Jobs public’s comments about the errors After their review of strategy. Will the civil servants conducting the Review and deficiencies remain Compliance’s documents remain objective in the face of this political decision? unanswered. But the public had and comments from the In November, Premier Clark introduced new legislation only 15 days to comment on the public—and before any tracking table. environmental assessment— that enables some new mines to develop without any ARCTIC OUTFLOW IS FOR THE BIRDS environmental review. Who needs a review process Look at the Clark government’s the joint federal and anyway? track record. The Taseko Corporation filed a new and provincial review bodies stated that ‘The Agency and other At an industry conference in Fort Nelson in October, revised plan for its highly controversial Prosperity (Fish) federal departments are not able to identify any residual Premier Clark said, ‘I’m tired of hearing people say, ‘No, I Lake Mine. Even before the federal government reversed its significant adverse environmental effects that may result don’t want that development. No, I don’t want those trees previous decision and announced a new environmental from the proposed Project.’ Why even pretend to be cut down. No, I don’t want that mine. No, I don’t want that review process, the provincial government gave the conducting an objective and fair environmental process? well drilled.’ Will that statement have any influence on the company permission to make 59 test pits, drill 18 holes and The current process discriminates against the home objectivity of civil servants conducting the review process? develop 23.5 kms of roads. If you were on Taseko’s Board owners in Fanny Bay and the Comox Valley. It discriminates Of the more than 100 projects that have gone through would you spend millions of dollars in capital projects if you against the shellfish growers in Baynes Sound. It ignores the the process, only one has ever been turned down by did not know the project would sail through any review opposition of the K’omoks First Nation. It obviously provincial officials. What are the chances this one will be process? discriminates against a fair and objective approach to turned down? On October 11, Premier Clark gave the Order of BC award preserving our environment. It is hypocritical. More than 5,000 people spoke at public meetings in the to James C O’Rourke, the Chairman of the Board of Bottom line: This environmental review process just Comox Valley and Port Alberni or sent written submissions. Compliance Energy. won’t pass the smell test. The vast majority said they don’t want the mine. But In December, the government announced a grant of Mike Bell, Comox www.islandtides.com Page 6, ISLAND TIDES, January 26, 2012 Round the Islands What’s On? Sara Miles & Co. VANCOUVER ISLAND & THE GULF ISLANDS $33.60/$39.20 with image • Multi-venue: $44.80/$50.04 She is offering workshops and presentations on organic Sat & Sun, Jan 28 & 29, Wed & Fri, Feb 1 & 3 gardening, pollination, fertilization, resiliency, adaptation ‘The Pesky Alders’ CD Release Concert Tour—five- to climate change, year-round harvest and more. For a piece bluegrass band • SAT: Quadra Island Aroma complete, easy-to-read schedule, see www.lindagilkeson.ca. Café, 8pm; SUN: Café Zo, Island Tides Trip to the Big Island Those Dreaded Telemarketers Courtenay, 2pm; Campbell Telemarketers will soon be able to access cell phone River Island Style Creative numbers. To keep them from calling you and using up your Studio, 8pm; WED: Duncan minutes, go to www.lnnte-dncl.gc.ca. Click on English and Garage Showroom, 7pm; then ‘Register My Number’. This will put your number on FRI: Solstice Café, Victoria, 7pm • Info: thepeskyalders.bandcamp.com • QUADRA ISLAND, the national Do Not Call List for five years. COURTENAY, CAMPBELL RIVER, DUNCAN & Creating Jobs in Campbell River VICTORIA A forum for the Regional Economic Investment Pilot is Friday, February 3 scheduled in Campbell River on Monday, January 30. It is a way for people to generate and communicate ideas about ‘Let’s Get Real about the Climate’—potluck and discussion: ‘Moving Past the Harper Government’ attracting investment and job creation in the area. with Emma Pullman of Representatives from local government, business, Desmogblog and Leadnow, industry, First Nations and education will work to develop and Jan Slakov of Citizens an inventory of potential projects, as well as an action plan Climate Lobby and VOWPeace detailing how the provincial government will assist • All Saints Anglican Church, Campbell River in capitalizing on opportunities. Photo: Sara Miles Sara Photo: Ganges • 4:30-8:30pm • Info: Campbell River Mayor Walter Jakeway says the 250-537-5251 • ON SALT SPRING ISLAND On January 11, Island Tides’ publisher Christa and I drove up community welcomes this economic development pilot. Friday thru Sunday, February 10, 11, 12 Vancouver Island to check on the Island Tides yellow ‘Together, we’ll find the ways to reinvigorate the local Seedy Saturday Weekend! Island Natural Growers distribution boxes. You’ve probably seen them at a ferry economy, to boost investment and to promote our region presents ‘Tools to Occupy your Garden’—FRI, 7PM: terminal or coffee shop. They make it easy for those who don’t as a great place to live, work and raise a family.’ To find out Film: Fresh, by donation, discussion to follow • SAT, get the paper in their mailbox to pick up the good news. Up more about the project, visit www.bcjobsplan.ca. 10AM–3PM, $4: a hall full of seeds, plants, food, before the dawn on the first ferry off Pender Island, we made More Opportunities groups, and CFSI 107.9 radio broadcasting live, a dozen stops to visit our advertisers and supporters. Here are Need some help running your business this summer? Check BRING YOUR SAVED SEEDS to trade/donate, some highlights of our trip! out the Canada Summer Jobs program. It provides funding attend workshops on pruning, permaculture, We replaced the box at the Sun Valley Serious Coffee in to not-for-profit, public-sector and small businesses with community seed systems • SUN, 10AM-2PM, FREE: South Duncan, where Jacqueline told us they are getting a good Produce Storage & Distribution Centre discussion for less than 50 employees to create summer job opportunities pick-up rate. Then we enjoyed an excellent cup of coffee with local growers • Farmers Institute, 351 Rainbow Road for students aged 15-30 intending to return to school in the • Info: Erinanne, [email protected] • ON Candace and Sue at the Serious Coffee headquarters down the next year. The application period is February 1-29. SALT SPRING ISLAND street. Another development experience for youth is the Forum The Cowichan Commons Serious Coffee also got a new Saturday, February 11 for Young Canadians, a national student Parliament for yellow box outside. We enjoyed meeting Assistant Manager youth aged 15-19. The Forum runs in two sessions: February Ocean of Plenty II Gala Dinner—Coalwatch fundraiser Megan. The new shopping centre there is impressive, with all 26-March 2, and March 25-30. The 125 students in each featuring local shellfish, oyster bar, silent auction • the big box stores, and a massive parking lot which we hiked Fanny Bay Community Hall • 6:30pm • Tickets $50 session are required to pay a fee, but they get to go to Ottawa across on a quest for Future Shop. @ Laughing Oyster Books, The Freakin’ Coffee Shop and see what ‘running the country’ looks like up close. The (Courtenay); Blue Heron Books (Comox); Fanny Bay Next we met Gayleen and Shawn at the Ocean Soul Book application deadlines are coming up, so check out Oysters Seafood Shop (Buckley Bay); Salish Sea Caffe in Crofton. Gayleen makes the best muffins I’ve had in a www.forum.ca soon for details. Market (Bowser); Abraxas Books & Gifts (Denman long time! (And I don’t even like muffins, so that tells you how Marvelous Montague Island); Heaven on Earth Natural Foods (Qualicum good they were.) Light and fluffy, but with a wholesome Beach) • Info: www.coalwatch.ca • IN FANNY BAY density. My carrot-pineapple muffin was moist—nothing Friday thru Sunday, February 24-26 worse than a dry muffin—and had a pleasing blend of flavours. Shawn was helpful in noticing that Lasqueti Island is missing Galiano Island Books presents the 3rd Annual Galiano Literary Festival—writing workshops, from our promotional map! readings, and panel discussions with We checked the yellow box at the Chemainus ferry terminal, fiction, nonfiction and poetry writers but what with cleaning up boxes, it was already 2pm, so we from all over BC including: George didn’t have time to check the Haidaway Restaurant on the Bowering, Marie Clements, Claudia Island Highway. Cornwall, Charles Demers, Ann Sadly, at the Gabriola ferry terminal the Lunch Box snack Eriksson, Patrick Friesen, Zsuzsi shack is still closed so things look a bit forlorn there. Gartner, Gary Geddes, Kim Goldberg, At our Coronation Square box in Ladysmith, we met Sharon Genni Gunn, Eve Joseph, Susan Juby, Grant Barron, the BMO branch manager. Lawrence • Galiano Oceanfront Inn • Tickets & info: Susan Jimmo, manager at Serious Coffee’s Nanaimo www.galianoliteraryfestival.wordpress.com or Galiano Conference Centre location, was very helpful. The box has a Island Books at 250-539-3340 or 1-877-795-2665 • ON GALIANO ISLAND very good pick-up rate, she told us, so we upped the number of copies. I wish we had more time at that stop, because the Week of March 19 to 26 Museum Shop there looked like an interesting store to browse. Photo: Harry Lipetz Journey to Teotihuacan, Mexico—experience Toltec One more stop at Nanaimo Hammond Serious Coffee and the & Aztec ceremonies at the Harry Lipetz took this photo of Montague Harbour, Galiano dark was closing in so we hit the highway again, heading south. Island, on January 15. Except for the snow-dusted sacred Teotihuacan pyramid We reached Sidney just in time to get takeaway halibut and site during Spring Equinox, beachfront, it almost looks tropical! salad from Fish on Fifth and ate it at the Swartz Bay ferry with the Toltec Medicine Men terminal line-up. A takeaway from one of Sidney’s eating ‘Three Worlds’ Concert Review and Women of Teotihuacan, Listening to a live acoustic performance of ‘Three Worlds’ and Toltec teachers Gloria establishments is a typical evening meal for Islanders after their town trips! was a magical way to spend an evening. This new album by Valencia and Liz Forrest of The Kiva on Saltspring • accomplished musicians Brad Prevedoros, Niel Golden and Info & registration: www.mexicopyramidtours.com • It was a beautiful day, sunny, and even warm in Duncan on Greg Joy is a flowing blend of musical styles that is at once IN MEXICO the way up. Driving the Malahat home in the dark was a little intimidating, but Christa is a confident driver and there was soothing and inspiring. The performance featured two not much traffic. I’m looking forward to doing it again and guitars, a hammer dulcimer, a flute, and tabla and ‘hang’ 20,000 copies of Island Tides meeting more of the wonderful people who provide services drums that made for a variety of moods and sounds. Each and keep our community employed. song transports you to a unique world, and although it’s $39.20 for a What’s On listing w/image tough to pick a favourite, I have to say I love the animation That’s less than $2 per thousand! Seedy February and humour expressed in ‘A Rastafarian Goes to Dublin’. What does one do upon retiring? Start another job! At least There is a part of me that wanted the show to be ten times •••••• that’s what garden guru Linda Gilkeson of Salt Spring Island louder and have vocal accompaniment, but in actual fact the is doing. Now that Christine Torgrimson has taken over her in your community? songs are not missing a thing and the levels were just right, What’s On position at the SSI Conservancy, Linda has a full year of with each instrument coming across clearly. Full, complete email [email protected] speaking engagements planned on Vancouver Island and the and masterfully played in front of a live audience, don’t miss or call 250-629-3660 Gulf Islands. She will be at several Seedy Saturday events in ‘Three Worlds’ if you have a chance to see them. February, including the ones in Qualicum Beach and Victoria. RTI, please turn to next page www.islandtides.com ISLAND TIDES, January 26, 2012, Page 7 - Priscilla Ewbank Saturnaaturna has been skittering aroundNotes the edge of ice long after the snow has melted. On the east end, a The presentation was detailed, an architect’s view of how snowstorms. We have had some overnight showers bubbling spring keeps a small circle open for the eagles to to forge a bond between the demands of the land and the of pearly snow and, during the day, flakes have wafted bathe and the buffleheads, mergansers and mallards to bob needs of the project. People were fascinated to see the andS drifted down from black clouds in brilliant sunshine. around in. creation from drawings, through governmental guidance This morning—kapow! Haggis Farm is right behind Do I love the snow less now? I have responsibilities— and constraints, and funding, all laced with commentary Mount Warburton Pike, the highest mountain in the chickens to keep warm, watered and fed, firewood to haul about what moved Richard to put in two years of effort. Southern Gulf Islands. If there’s snow, we get the best, the in, driving, plumbing and gardens to fret about. But I love Richard listed Trust and Courage as two of the longest-lasting, and the deepest! Our house has definition looking at Mount Baker and the Three Sisters! And a couple foundation building blocks of the entire project. For and illumination from reflected snow and sunshine. of days of winter wonderland is delightful for contrast. Richard, retaining our school and children in the Today is blowing snow with twirls and dust-devils of Rain—frozen—is such a wonder! community was pivotal to his involvement in the project. snow blasting off the roof and the trees. Islanders are so Saturna Ecological Education Centre The energy and enthusiasm of young lives evolving in used to existing in a liquid medium that white instead of Saturna’s community is a richness that we can’t afford to Photo: Richard Blagborne clear, and solid instead of dripping is weird and wondrous! lose. Snow is always a buzz word on the Island—a little shot Richard’s commitment to mentoring—giving back to our of anxiety if you are an adult and have responsibilities, or a young the love and encouragement that many of us received ray of hope if you are in highschool and the schoolboat and in our life’s journey from our elders—is obviously a deep schoolbus might not run. part of his motivation. Questions jump into your mind. Is all of the outside Mentoring at SEEC plumbing drained—yours and your summer neighbour’s? Are the hoses drained and in? Are ceramic pots clear of Photo: Priscilla Ewbank rainwater? Are all the loved plants which thrive only down to zero degrees, cozy inside? How about more straw around the kale and leek plants so that they might survive and keep producing until spring? Just how cold is this going to be and for how long? Will the road be ploughed, should we leave the car down at the store in order to be sure to get on the ferry? If you live where SOLAR-POWERED ARCHITECTURE AT SEEC it is gol-danged cold for months on end, you just do Richard Blagborne has been the builder and main energy everything and don’t wonder. wellspring for the creation of the physical plant of the When I first came to Saturna, I couldn’t wait for it to Saturna Ecological Education Centre (SEEC). This week, the snow. I had come to the true north strong and free—let the main buildings and infrastructure are in place for this off- snowflakes fall and the fun begin! I have cross-country skied the-grid educational centre—home to 12 students for each with the barest whiff of snow, racing to get on the road semester—and Richard has packed up his tools and taken before roads foreman Pat ploughed it. them home! A ‘FOWL’ CLASS PROJECT The whole family has sledded down our tallest incline In honour of this milestone, Richard and the Saturna which is exciting due to maniacally excited dogs racing after Community Club made a presentation to the community Nine Saturna community members are mentoring students the spumes of snow, and the skill needed to dodge rocks, outlining the project, so far. Many people lent willing hands from the SEEC Program on their Independent Projects, one feral roses, and frozen horse-poop for a successful run to the project: Islanders, School District Nº64, our school- of many areas of study that they take on. Each student almost down to the house. This summer, as a family project, trustee, Susanne Middleditch, our teachers, other builders, identified a project they wanted to accomplish and we cleared the trajectory path for dogs and people. and many tradespeople, local and from afar. All put in Teacher/Principal Steve Dunsmuir helped them find a The farm pond backs up onto a south-facing hill, so it is efforts that lowered prices and went above-and-beyond a community member who would work with them. mostly in the dark in winter, freezing easily and retaining straight monetary exchange. SATURNA, please turn to page 9

RTI from previous page Ottawa Trip Follow-up ~ Jan Slakov Town Hall Meetings - Sara Miles On Wikipedia, a map of the world shows countries that have signed the anada, we have a problem. Our country has These are just some examples of the ways in Kyoto Protocol, the only binding international climate change treaty we become what political columnist Jim which our democracy is eroding, taking with it have. With 190 signatories, almost the entire landmass is in green, but the Travers called a ‘democracy theme park’. Canadian attributes like honesty and integrity. But US is brown, as not having signed on, and Canada is in red. CThe extent of the problem was made clear at a there is a glimmer of hope, as something unique is Canada was in green, but on December 12 our government announced series of constituency town hall meetings with happening in Ottawa. it intends to withdraw from Kyoto. This could be just another sequel to the Saanich-Gulf Islands MP Elizabeth May. Free from the restraints of a party line, MP May dismal story of Stephen Harper’s ‘Regressive’ Conservative Plan for On a freezing winter evening, almost 70 Pender bases her voting decisions in the House on ethics Canada, which Tom Joseph’s book by that title describes. Indeed, while I Islanders were glued to their seats for two hours, as and information. Hers may be only one voice, as yet, met with MPs in Ottawa on the climate issue, more than one essentially their Ottawa representative responded candidly to but many are listening. said their hands were tied until the next election. questions about her work. Through several all-party caucuses and her Canada’s lack of an energy policy which would allow us to transition Many of those in attendance expressed a determination to end heckling, Elizabeth is already towards a low carbon economy, and our undermining of international profound appreciation for May’s visit to the island. improving decorum in the House of Commons, and efforts to prevent runaway climate change could become a focal point for One woman, almost in tears, said ‘No one has ever building productive working relationships with efforts to liberate our country from the disturbing autocratic, even law- come to speak with us like this before.’ members of all parties. flaunting Harper regime. Why are people so moved by an MP’s sincere Working to ‘make democracy better’, she says But Elizabeth May reminds us that public opinion can make a real efforts to reach out and listen to them? It may have she uses the tools available to her to the fullest extent difference. For instance, Gordon Campbell was forced to resign in the something do with the following examples of how possible. This includes collaboration and co- middle of his term of office. Now is not the time to give up. our government is failing to represent Canadians: operation, values that are much-needed in the For those who cannot wait three years to reverse Canada’s slide towards • During Question Period in Ottawa, MPs must House, and well-understood by many Islanders. becoming a petro-state, an event is being organized on Salt Spring Island, respond with answers approved in advance by Look forward to regular updates at the twice- February 3 (see What’s On, page 6). the party. (Peter Kent wouldn’t define ‘ozone’ annual town hall meetings that MP May plans to A View from Mudge Island because it wasn’t on his cheat sheet.) This is hold in Saanich and on each Island within the This chummy nuthatch came to us from Jack Noddin on Mudge Island. 0 obviously the explanation for the ludicrous non- riding. sequiturs you hear on CPAC. After all, in order for us to find a solution to this Photo: Jack Noddin • MPs are also told exactly how to vote on bills, problem, we must first acknowledge it. 0 even if they personally disagree. • The business of our federal government is becoming more and more secretive. Meetings of committees, now made up of a

Conservative majority, are Miles Sara Photo: increasingly conducted in-camera, which means the public will never know what was discussed. • Amendments to Bills by the Opposition are not allowed at any stage, not even spelling corrections. • Only one MP publishes her expense reports—guess who… FIRST TOWN HALL WITH MP MAY www.islandtides.com Page 8, ISLAND TIDES, January 26, 2012 Making sense of climate agreements: a Kyoto Protocol primer Elizabeth May, MP few people have asked me to provide a basic primer the global rise in GHG emissions such that by 2015, global specific time-limited commitments while the developing on the climate agreements that Canada has ratified. emissions stop growing and begin to fall. The growing countries could actually increase their use of ozone depleters in Four years ago, I co-authored Global Warming for consensus is that emissions need to stabilize at 350 ppm, even the short term. ADummies, so this could be seen as an update, but no one who though we are now at 390 ppm. Once the industrialized world has demonstrated it’s bona fide reads Island Tides is a ‘dummy.’ So this is a ‘Kyoto Primer for As well, the UNFCCC established the ‘precautionary (and developed the alternatives), the developing world takes on Smarties.’ principle’ which sets out: firm cuts as the agreement moves forward. The protocol also 1992—The UN Framework ‘Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of committed that parties would be influenced by the scientific Convention on Climate Change full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason for advice as it changed. The story starts 20 years ago with the over-arching climate postponing such measures, taking into account that policies and The only significant difference between the Montreal treaty. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate measures to deal with climate change should be cost-effective so Protocol and the Kyoto Protocol was that the ozone agreement Change (UNFCCC) was negotiated between 1990 and 1992, and as to ensure global benefits at the lowest possible cost.’ had effective enforcement mechanisms. If any party violated the was signed at the United Nations Conference on Environment There are many other provisions within the UNFCCC, protocol, other parties could bring trade sanctions against them. and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (the ‘Earth Summit’). including calling on governments to both reduce emissions With the creation of the World Trade Organization in 1995, Canada was the first industrialized country to both sign and (‘mitigation’ in convention-speak) and adapt to those levels of and the mere questioning of whether environmental treaties ratify the UNFCCC, doing so in 1992. Signing is the easy part, climate change which are no longer avoidable (‘adaptation’). might impede trade, Canada announced we would not sign any usually done at a conference. Ratification is necessary for an What’s Missing agreement in Kyoto that included trade sanctions. And international instrument to have legal force. It is typically What the UNFCCC did not do was assign timelines we were not alone. conducted by a vote in a nation’s legislature. and deadlines to the general promise to reduce ‘…we That failure is why there are no financial In Canada, ratification can take place by a decision of the emissions. Prior to the Rio Earth Summit, need to keep penalties should Canada stay in Kyoto and fail Privy Council (Cabinet). The UNFCCC ratification in 1992 was former US President George HW Bush said to meet targets. by Cabinet. that if the UNFCCC included deadlines and Canada in Kyoto set out a combined set of firm In the United States, ratification of treaties requires not only timetables he would refuse to attend the event, Kyoto.’ emissions reductions that should have taken the a vote in the Senate, but that it pass by a two-thirds vote. This declaring, ‘The American lifestyle is not on trial.’ industrialized world to 5.2% below 1990 levels additional Constitutional hurdle is why even when the US All countries have signed and ratified the by the end of this year. In fact, of those countries Senate has a Democratic majority, the Administration has not UNFCCC, making them ‘parties’ to the agreement. that made serious efforts, they collectively did reach submitted Kyoto for ratification. However, the US did sign on Once enough countries had ratified to make the treaty enter the 5% goal. The EU, having committed to 8% reductions, to the UNFCCC under the Bush Administration, and the US into force, annual meetings called the Conference of the Parties actually hit a goal closer to 20% below. Senate ratified it. (COP) began. But the United States under George W Bush reneged and never ratified. And, as we all know, the economies of China, The Climate Change Threat— 1997—The Kyoto Protocol The third Conference of the Parties, COP3, under the UNFCCC India and Brazil grew enormously. Today, China is the world’s Assessment and Action biggest polluter, but it is still a relatively small contributor to our The UNFCCC confirms that climate change is a real threat. Its was negotiated in Kyoto, Japan. Its goal was to bring forward the timeline and deadlines that had not been possible in Rio. existing problem. It only overtook the US as largest polluter objective is ‘the stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations recently. in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous There was optimism it would be possible to come to agreement. Optimism came from two events: the replacement Looking at the atmosphere as though it were a garbage dump anthropogenic interference with the climate system.’ (which is how we treat it), the overflowing mess from the last The difficulty, of course, is the word ‘dangerous.’ When does of Bush with Clinton, and the success of a protocol to protect the ozone layer. 100 years is still there. The mess from the last few years is the additional loading of greenhouse gases from human activity certainly serious, but the industrialized world’s ‘historic’ (an amount far smaller than the beneficial natural levels) cease The Montreal Protocol on the Ozone Layer had been concluded in 1987, dealing with the Reagan Administration. (I pollution is not history. It operates every day to disrupt the to be beneficial and become dangerous? climate we used to know. The answer to that comes through the guidance of another was part of the Canadian team in Montreal. That’s another story, but I recall US Interior Secretary Don Hodell trying to block As you know from the Durban updates in the past two UN agency, one established for this purpose back in 1988. The editions of Island Tides, there is now a second commitment UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is progress by saying we didn’t need to get rid of ozone-depleters. We only needed sunscreen and broad-brimmed hats!) period under Kyoto. Without that commitment, China, India and comprised of scientists appointed by governments. Their Brazil made it clear they would not take on any hard and fast summary reports, Advice to Policy Makers, tackle this question. As early as 1995, at the first COP in Bonn, Germany, the model of the Montreal Protocol was mandated for the climate cuts down the road. Whereas the danger level was once thought to be twice the pre- We need Kyoto. And we need to keep Canada in Kyoto. Industrial Revolution concentration of carbon dioxide (going protocol. The Montreal Protocol had gotten all countries on Earth, rich and poor, to sign on. Under Article 27 (2) of the Kyoto Protocol, a party can file a from 275 parts per million to 550 ppm), the IPCC has constantly legal intention to withdraw. It takes effect one year from the date revised downward as evidence of danger comes into sharper The core principle was called ‘common but differentiated responsibilities.’ it was received. relief. Canada is in Kyoto until December 2012. And we need The head of the IPCC has confirmed we should work to halt All countries agreed that as the problem had been caused by 0 the wealthy industrialized countries, those countries would face public pressure to keep us there.

PUBLIC INPUT Water Storage for Rainwater & Proposed 2012-2013 Annual Budget Well Water Systems Visit our web site at: E-mail: [email protected] www.islandstrust.bc.ca Accredited We’d like to hear from you Rainwater Systems The Islands Trust invites input from the public on its proposed annual budget. Trust Council Professionals! will consider your input during its budget deliberations, before it makes a final decision during barrplastics.com its quarterly business meeting on March 6 - 8, 2012 on Gabriola Island. 1-800-665-4499 You can see the proposed budget on-line at www.islandstrust.bc.ca or you can get printed versions directly from the Islands Trust offices: 1-500 Lower Ganges Road 700 North Road 200-1627 Fort Street Salt Spring Island, BC Gabriola Island, BC Victoria, BC Phone: 250-537-9144 Phone: 250-247-2063 Phone: 250-405-5151

Submissions from the public regarding the proposed budget must be delivered to: Islands Trust Council Attention: Treasurer #200-1627 Fort Street Victoria, BC V8R 1H8 COMPLETE LINE OF RAINWATER FILTERS, PUMPS & ACCESSORIES OR Fax: (250) 405-5155 OR E-mail at: [email protected] If you want your submission to be considered as part of the Financial Planning Committee’s budget recommendation to Trust Council, and you want it to be in the public Trust Council meeting package and posted to the website, your submission must be received by NOON FRIDAY February 10. Later submissions will be accepted until NOON THURSDAY March 1st and be BARR Plastics – The Best Prices & Supply for Water Tanks delivered to Trust Council at its March 6th meeting. ALL BUDGET FEEDBACK WILL BE PROVIDED TO TRUST COUNCIL MEMBERS www.islandtides.com ISLAND TIDES, January 26, 2012, Page 9 Court rules on illegal fish farm bycatch n January 18, Marine Harvest Canada (MHC) pled guilty to a charge of incidental catch (bycatch) at its salmon farming operations in the Broughton OArchipelago. ‘We certainly did not intend to harm any fish during the transport of our fish, and have made significant changes to our operations and practices to prevent this type of incident from occurring again,’ said Vincent Erenst, MHC’s Managing Director in a press release. According to MHC, fish separators are now installed on their grading vessels so they can effectively separate and immediately return all non-aquaculture fish to the same waters alive. A creative fine was suggested and accepted by the courts with $5,000 going to Courtenay’s Tsolum River Restoration Society. Staff member Jack Minard says the Society will use the funds to bolster their core budget, which is made up primarily of private donations. Biologist Alexandra Morton, who originally laid the charge in 2009, said that although she is glad the court charged MHC, ‘the funds should have gone to the communities that lost the wild fish.’ 0

IS YOUR Photo: Nancy Angermeyer Saturna’s sociable feral goats are already having kids mid-January! WELLSAFE TO WATER DRINK? Contamination can occur SATURNA from page 7 Wild Goats For 13-year-old Taryn from Salt Spring, the project is all without changes in colour or Baby feral goats are arriving on Brown Ridge. The first cool about chickens! She has a flock of seven chickens and she taste. Be safe, test annually. nights of fall bring most of the females into estrous and, five wanted to know more about how to get the best out of her months later, kids are following their mothers around hens. within hours of being birthed. 250-656-1334 Twice a week for weeks, she and I have spent an hour or Nancy Angermeyer and Richard Blagborne have kept so together, feeding, collecting eggs, researching, watching tabs on the descendant herd of CBC-famous ‘Millie the chickens, talking about the pros and cons of large chicken Goat’. Nancy and Richard live on the cliff-edge of Mount factories, small flocks, marketing, regulations—the nuts and Warburton Pike and the goats have a ‘highway’ past their bolts of egg production. front door. They found orphaned Millie on New Year’s Eve fax: 250-656-0443 Website: www.mblabs.com Taryn’s final presentation led her to tour her classmates in the year 2000 and named her Millenium-Millie for short. Email: [email protected] through the chicken facilities from feed-to-egg, followed by They raised her for the first year. She was taken to Saturna 2062 Unit 4 Henry Ave. West, Sidney, B.C. V8L 5Y1 a presentation in our cosy kitchen. Taryn, wrapped in an Elementary and registered as an extra ‘kid’ when student intensely purple, chicken feather boa with matching gloves enrollment dropped too low to keep the school open. At and hair pieces, involved her fellow students in chicken puberty, off she went following her instincts but from time jokes, proverbs, art, religion, cockfighting, and chicken to time she came home and to get babied by Nancy. She was evolution. She even considered handing out a recipe on how chosen by the CBC’s Richardson’s Roundup as ‘spokesgoat’ to boil an egg! for the program. Campbells’ students, Cam and Nina, stayed at the farm After ten years, Millie died but her grown-up kids kept for two days, attended a slaughtering, took pictures, then up the memory of a ‘home’ with Nancy and Richard and with their classmates toured the slaughterhouse, and looked they hang around the place. Because they aren’t pets but are at the animals. less afraid, Millie’s Herd is a perfect ‘laboratory’ for goat This home is only $110,602 to lock up Together with Jacques Campbell they made stuffed lamb behaviour observations, as well as a great source of with a 2ft foundation on your property! hearts and beef stew at the farm for their classmates’ dinner entertainment. At Trafalgar Homes, we believe the time has come at the SEEC Haggis Hollow site. The perils of being a newborn goat on the ridge are many, for AFFORDABLE home options. Other projects included making a book, installing a especially in snowy weather. The first of twins is left to its If the home of your dreams is one that fits comfortably within hydroelectric system at Haggis Hollow, and movie and your budget, the licensed builder to choose is own devices while the next twin is being born. Sharp-eyed webpage creation! ravens or eagles can take an opportunity for a meal. A TRAFALGAR HOMES The SEEC students spend three days here on Saturna TRAFALGAR HOMES female who loses all her offspring will mate again right now, Island, from Sunday night to Wednesday afternoon. They so there is another ‘bloom’ of babies in June. Visit www.trafalgarhomes.ca/it to receive your promotional offer live together and cook together, keeping the monster Prairie 1-866-971-0239 Knowing the habits and effects of animal populations on Queen cookstove running for cooking and heating. the landscape of Saturna is informative and interesting. During the day, they work with their teacher, Steve Goats and humans are both straining the capacity of our Dunsmuir, on the land that directly adjoins SEEC and at environment and we have a lot in common. We are cute, Arrive at a Saturna Elementary School, alongside the ‘little kids’ and individually and as a group, with darling behaviours and their teacher Cam. 0 some devastating impacts to other strands in the eco-web.

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The Paradox of Good Food — Brian Crumblehulme UNITING ISLANDS BIG AND SMALL like food. I like growing it, I like preparing it, and I like two banquet dinners consumed every day provided a eating it. For many years, I have been collecting staggering 7,000 calories per person—twice the caloric Did something in this edition: historical and often esoteric information about food. intake of the average overfed North American. There was • inform you? OneI of the oddest happenings in the food industry is the an abundance of food and they ate well; Friar Tuck never • pique your interest? observation that people in the ‘developing’ nations eat better had it so good. • amuse you? food than we do in the ‘developed’ and decadent North Friar Tuck was the archetypal fat priest, and there were America. thousands of them. There was an ample supply of proteins, • make a good contact for you? Have you ever bought an agri-business grown tomato, carbohydrates and fats, but there was a critical shortage of • find you an opportunity? taken it home, cut it in half and watched the watery juice vitamins and essential acids. In short, these overfed prelates • inspire you to take action? ! run across the counter? Then you ate it and wondered why were starving on plenty, so much so that they craved ever • make a conversation topic? there was no flavour at all. The only sensation you get is that more food; they were always hungry. Fast forward to the • find you a good buy or service? something cold and wet is in your mouth. There is a reason 20th century. for this and I would like to take a few minutes of your time If medieval science suggested that a good diet was based VOLUNTARY SUBSCRIPTIONS help to explain why contemporary North American foods are on choice selections of meat, its 20th century counterpart keep all this great news coming! tasteless and less nutritious. was, and still is, premised on appearance. So what if food tastes like watery cardboard? We can Over the past 40 years, a massive engineering and If you already receive Island Tides in your mailbox, remedy that by simply adding salt, pepper, ketchup (24% marketing project has resulted in produce that recreates the pick it up from a yellow box or rack located from sugar) and engineering it with fat for tongue appeal. ideal, what the Italian philosopher Umberto Eco has called Victoria to Campbell River, or read online, you can show Today’s produce, both fresh and processed, has become the ‘hyper-real.’ Tomatoes are redder than red, broccoli is your support by mailing a voluntary subscription of a vehicle for oil, salt and sugar-flavoured additives. Is this greener and potatoes are bigger; in short, they are perfect $25 + $3 HST = $28 idealised food as nutritious as we are led to believe? Is it as representations of the ideal. I might also add that chickens, or amount of your choice to: good as it looks? The answer is no. There is a name for it. pigs, cows and turkeys are similarly idealised. Box 55, Pender Island, BC V0N 2M0 It’s called the dilution effect. Unfortunately, that perfection is superficial. I’ll come back to that in a moment, but before we If you think about it, the idea that a tomato grown under (Or call us with your VISA number, 250-629-3660) continue with the contemporary conundrum, let me relate ‘perfect’ conditions and with optimum chemical additives another food conundrum that occurred a thousand years might be tasteless or less nutritious is counter-intuitive. Thank You ago. Two decades ago, a team of French historians analysed Surely, a perfect tomato should taste perfect and be more A heartfelt ‘Thank You’ to those of you who have the kitchen and cellar records of a large number of early nutritious. sent voluntary subscriptions and extra donations. medieval monastic communities and the results were Food is not as tasty because the trace elements, minerals Keep those lovely phone calls, cards, letters and astounding. and photosynthetic by-products, such as amino acids and emails coming, too. We paste them all in our The basic medieval diet of these wealthy prelates was vitamins, that are absorbed and created in slow-growing scrapbooks! constructed around three primary components: a large plants grown in real earth require the sort of time and assortment of meat, bread and fine wine. The traditional FOOD PARADOX, please turn to next page

  It’s time for government to invest in schools,   teachers and kids again.

   

         

www.islandtides.com ISLAND TIDES, January 26, 2012, Page 11 The Islands Bulletin Board WORD ADS (up to 25 words): $16+hst, additional words 25¢ each BOXED ADS B&W: $24.50/inch+hst. COLOUR: $31.80/inch+hst • Multi-issue discounts 250-629-3660 • [email protected] • NEXT DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 1 AUTOMOTIVE MARINE HOME & PROPERTY SERVICES EDIBLES

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FOOD PARADOX from previous page of 360 women. Once again, the women with the most CLA its way into many California grown crops because of the had the lowest risk of cancer. In fact, the women with the increased salinity of that region’s soils. In fact, a lot of conditions that are not provided under much of today’s agri- most CLA had a staggering 74% lower risk of breast cancer research is underway to create new crop varieties that are business mantra of speed, volume, and consistency. They than the women with the least CLA.’ more salt resistant. are not there because the plant (or animal) simply does not • ‘The eggs from free-range hens contained significantly As Pawlick says, ‘since 1950 supermarket potatoes in have the time to absorb and create all those compounds that more [50%] folic acid and vitamin B12.’ Canada no longer contain Vitamin A, their iron quotient has we find so tasty or nutritious. I should add, this discussion • ‘Free range chickens produce eggs significantly lower been reduced by 57% along with their Vitamin C. does not address the chemical cornucopia of pesticides, in cholesterol than factory farm chickens.’ Meanwhile, tomatoes have lost 61.5% of their calcium, herbicides, fungicides, stabilisers and preservatives that are • ‘[Recent] studies show a nutrient loss of 74% for onions, 35.5% of their iron and 50% of their Vitamin A, while added to foods. I am referring only to the produce itself. 75% less calcium for broccoli, 60% less iron for spinach, and gaining 200% more sodium!’ In the late 1980s, a study carried out by a British 48% less calcium for carrots. Since 1985 there has been a Pawlick continues: the solution is undeniably simple, university discovered that the protein, mineral and vitamin 70% drop in the level of minerals and vitamins in potatoes, grow your own or purchase directly from a reputable levels in a range of vegetables seemed to show a marked a 60% drop in beans, an 80% drop in apples.’ ‘organic’ farmer and leave the food conglomerates to sink reduction from comparable levels earlier in the century. • ‘In 1900, wheat germ had a 90% protein content; in under their mountains of iceberg lettuce. In other words, Given that the yield-per-acre had increased considerably 2005 it is currently only 9% protein.’ value the traditional varieties and technologies. during this time due to the increased use of fertilizers and Oh my, the sky is falling! Well, possibly not, but it might The story however, doesn’t stop here, because the high yield varieties, a theory called the ‘dilution effect’ was be well to carry an umbrella. funding of these studies has been noticeably lacking and the postulated. In the March 2005 journal, ‘Food Technology,’ Dr media have been curiously silent about it. This dilution effect suggested that vitamins and minerals Donald Davies, Professor of Biochemistry at Texas, wrote, ‘In the midst of a national epidemic of obesity, a health- were ‘diluted’ by the increased size of the crop and larger ‘…modern crops that grow larger and faster are not care crisis and spreading concern about a wide variety of carbohydrate and water content. Potatoes have a 15% necessarily able to acquire nutrients at the same, faster rate, diseases, many of which have been linked to diet,’ increase in water content in as many years. This applies whether by synthesis or by acquisition from the soil. Thus,’ commented Sierra Club President Carl Pope in April 2006, particularly to Russet potatoes that are the principal crop he continued, ‘there can be trade-offs between yield and ‘the news that the nutritional content of food has been for commercial production. nutrient concentration… We postulate that the median significantly degraded by only 50 years of industrial Now consider the following statements taken from declines in nutrient concentration reflect primarily agriculture is not worth reporting? This may stand as the various studies carried out during 2005-2006: unintended side effects of increased yields (environmental single most under-reported story of many years.’ • ‘Cheese from grass fed cows is more than four times and genetic dilution effects).’ Again, Pawlick comments, ‘US food production lobbyists richer in conjugated linoleic acid—a cancer-fighting, fat- We now have the interesting paradox of a have fought hard against this kind of research.’ And what reducing fat—than cheese from standard, grain-fed cows.’ superabundance of food apparently containing decreasing he advocates is simply a complete rejection of the current • ‘Two new European studies link a diet high in values of nutrition. Take Thomas Pawlick’s book The End food system. His mission is to raise consumer awareness so conjugated linoleic acid with a lower risk of breast cancer. of Food. Pawlick takes the argument of the dilution effect that individuals will no longer buy foods that are produced In Finland, researchers measured conjugated linoleic acid further, by noting that while vitamin and essential minerals for the highest profit instead of nutritional content. (CLA) levels in the serum of women with and without breast are rapidly declining in the food we eat, the fat, sugar and Once again, déjà vu—the tobacco industry that for many cancer. Those women with the most CLA had a significantly sodium content has increased several-fold. years denied that their products were a health hazard. lower risk of the disease. Meanwhile, French researchers Fats and sugars, as I mentioned earlier, are a result of The ethic, as always, is dictated by profit—caveat measured conjugated linoleic acid levels in the breast tissues additives in the food processing industry. But sodium finds emptor. 0 www.islandtides.com Page 12, ISLAND TIDES, January 26, 2012

Photo: Torsten Hranchuk After having his picture taken thousands of times while fishing in Sturdies Bay, Galiano Island, this Great Blue Heron now recognizes his photographer. ‘This is the most intimate relationship of any wildlife animal on Galiano I have,’ says Torsten. ‘If this guy is around when I show up, he squawks twice and flies right towards me, circles above and then lands within 30 feet and just hangs out.’ A wildlife photographer’s patience is rewarding!

— Travel by Jane Petch Twowo recent visits,cultures, one to the pre-ice age Cave of Lasomeago—in a world withoutshock electricity, engines or fossil fuels. ‘progress’ when we arrived home from our trip at the Pileta in Southern Spain and the other to the BC In North America we have excised the past. Native Tsawwassen ferry terminal. Ferries terminal in Southern BC, have convinced Americans’ ancient spiritual connection to the earth is The terminal was jammed with over 500 hundred meT that despite all our tools, communications may not be largely seen as quaint if not irrelevant. Historical students returning from the Me to We’s ‘Make a Difference’ improving. celebrations of the seasons are deemed amusing; by some conference in Vancouver. I angled my way through the In September, I was lucky enough to visit the remarkable churches they are seen as devil-worship. In the USA, crowd to the ticket counter and asked for a ferry Cueva de la Pileta, in Andalusia. Using a hand-held lantern, Thanksgiving is simply the marker for the biggest schedule for routes to both Salt Spring and to we stood in this Jules Verne cavern of multi-coloured shopping day of the year. ‘…we were taught Victoria. stalactites and stalagmites, and marvelled at the large fish, In school, we were taught that ‘progress’ is that ‘progress’ is a ‘We don’t have written schedules. We and a smaller figure inside it, painted on the rock wall. a straight arrow pointing to the future and straight arrow pointing don’t carry them any more. You have to The presence of the people who used this cave twenty that civilization rides on the arrow head. We, to the future and that download a schedule from your the most recent humans, are necessarily the computer,’ said the harassed attendant. thousand years ago struck me in an almost physical way. civilization rides on most civilized. Those in the past, we ‘We don’t have a computer. We’ve just My schooling dismissed these ‘cavemen’ as barbaric, the arrow dehumanize. come back from a six-week vacation. We’ve primitive, of limited intellect and spiritual dimension, men head…’ with bones and clubs. How well has this linear paradigm, this way been travelling 16 hours and our trip was My older self found a connection with a community we measure progress as a function of time, served delayed,’ I replied. culture, a remarkable ingenuity for survival, and a us? Are we truly more civilized than those who came ‘Sorry, that’s the new policy, no written before us? schedules,’ the attendant informed us. humanness that reached out to communicate to those who Our technologies are destroying our means of living. I looked around. There were no signs on the walls either. would pass by here later. Could I, in those circumstances, Climate change is killing off the ability of many species, A centre for thousands of travellers every day and no have managed to feed and clothe myself, and raise a family? including humans, to survive. Our children have been information on departures? Despite Spain’s gruesome periods of history, my respect captured by the electronic meta-world. Our media is I walked up to the stairs, past the renovations and the for its human communities and creativity grew as we controlled by corporations that have little interest in earth large signs that announced words to the effect: ‘Please traveled through small villages and large cities reaching cycles or human well-being. And ‘the malice of capitalism’, forgive the inconvenience. We are working to make your back in time. I admired the way that the steep, narrow, as Stephen Lewis put it on a visit to Salt Spring, has hijacked ferry terminal a better place to be.’ pedestrian streets of Montejaque, a little pueblo blanco our democracy. This is progress? This is how BC Ferry Services is going where we stayed for over a week, were designed over a But there is change, as evidenced by last year’s ‘Occupy to save a few dollars? thousand years ago to protect us from the blistering sun. Movement’ in the world’s capitals. There is a call for a more As I sat in one of the signless waiting rooms upstairs, I The Great Mosque of Cordoba, twelve centuries old, human-centered world, for community with responsibility thought back to la Cueva de la Pileta. Twenty thousand years where over thirty thousand Moslems worshipped at one to ensure that each of us has a decent life. And I think this later and I’m sitting in a million-dollar terminal, staring at time, still stands as a cool and beautiful icon of spiritual new paradigm will include a renewed respect for our human a wall with no information on how to get home, and no space. forebears and their negligible carbon footprint. message for me, the passenger, not even a fish. 0 In Madrid’s Prado we examined works by the world’s By the way, we had our own encounter with out-dated A version of this article ran in ‘Kamloops Friday AM’. most celebrated masters. They painted hundreds of years

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