Gorilla Radio is dedicated to social justice, the environment, community, and providing a forum for people and issues not covered in the corporate media.

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April Fools Day marked the opening of British Columbia’s bi-annual Grizzly hunt in the Great Bear Rainforest. Kiff Archer and Jason Moody both live within the Great Bear, located along the mid-coast of BC, and they’re both with the newly formed, Central Coast Grizzly Patrol.

I spoke with them at the start of last Fall’s hunting season to talk about the beginnings of the Coastal First Nations Coalition and its unilaterally declared ban on trophy hunting within their collective territories.

The provincial government however neither recognizes the authority of the First Nations to do this, nor does it honour their demand for a ban on the hunt.

Kiff Archer and Jason Moody still standing tall in defense of the bears and other “trophy” targets in the Great Bear Rainforest in the second half.

And; the first funeral of a victim of the Boston Marathon bombings was held this morning, but that untimely death is not the only thing being mourned in the United States. The behaviour of the authorities in the aftermath of the attack too marks a further departure from the founding concepts that made America the exemplar in a world hungry for a just society.

Dave Lindorff is a long-time, award-winning investigative reporter and founder of the 3-time Project Censored Award-winning web news site, This Can’t Be Happening.net. His journalistic writings are featured at sites as diverse as CounterPunch, BusinesWeek, The Nation, and Rolling Stone. He is also an author, whose titles include: ‘This Can’t Be Happening: Resisting the Disintegration of American Democracy,’ ‘Market Medicine: The Rise of the For Profit Hospital Chains,’ ‘Killing Time: An Investigation into the Death Row Case of Mumia Abu Jamal,’ and ‘The Case for Impeachment: Legal Arguments for Removing George W. Bush from Office,’ that co-authored with Barbara Olshansky.

Dave Lindorff and an American Police State on view in the second half.

And; Victoria Street Newz publisher and CFUV Radio broadcaster, Janine Bandcroft will join us at the bottom of the hour to bring us up to speed with some of what’s good to do in and around Victoria for the coming week.

But first, Kiff Archer and Jason Moody dogging the bear killers in the Great Bear Rainforest.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Monday, 5-6pm Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, http://www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.ca/

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Went down to the 32nd annual Earth Walk in Victoria today (April 20). I buttonholed a few local notables along the way. It was different from all the other walks, in that local organizers had abandoned the concept. Last year, corporate involvement soured the usual suspect toilers who’d put the show together with shoe-strings; this year they didn’t show up. It was left for the sophomore Creatively United for the Planet, a trades fair and paid showcase for green-minded companies, artisans, and musicians to pick up the slack. Rather than culminate at the BC Legislature buildings for political posturing and speechifying, the marchers were ushered into the grounds of St. Ann’s Academy, where vendors and paid stage shows awaited.

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This song and laughter filled evening is set aside to honour these most amazing Women. For years the Victoria Raging Grannies have sung, ridiculed, marched, occupied and been arrested, all in the name of justice for the planet and the living creatures who reside upon it. Lets us gather, with local comedian and MC Wes Borg to pay tribute to the legacy of the Victoria Raging Grannies.

Entrance is by donation with all proceeds going to Our place societies Breakfast Program

And good news folks!!! the Grannies are recruiting! Come dressed in your most garish hat and Boa for the event, and show your radical stuff.

The capacity of the hall is only 100 so don’t be late.

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It’s an all too common story, one besmirching the good name and reputation of Canada every time it’s told; international mining corporations, using this country as a flag of convenience to rape and pillage the earth and peoples of Latin America, Asia, Africa, and right here at home.

BUT, worse perhaps than these bad actors hiding behind our nation’s lax legal restraints to conduct their dirty business is when actual Canadian outfits shirk responsibility.

Just such is the charge leveled against Exellon Resources Inc., whose critics claim it, through subsidiary, Minera Excellon de México has endangered the environment, and ripped off the people and Ejido La Sierrita in Durango, Mexico.

Alejandra Ancheita is a Mexican human rights advocate and attorney, and founder and Executive Director of the Project for Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, or ProDESC. She was litigation specialist at the renowned Miguel Agustin Pro Juarez Human Rights Center and served at the Center for Labor Support and Reflection, and for more than a decade has fought for under-represented workers and communities throughout Mexico.

Alejandra holds a graduate degree in International Law and Global Justice from Fordham University Law School, and while a visiting scholar at its Louis Stein Center for Law and Ethics, developed the research initiative, ‘Towards a Genuine Transnational Collaboration: Constructing Transnational Justice for Migrant Workers.’ She was also honoured this year as a Wasserstein Fellow by Harvard Law School.

Alejandra Ancheita will be in Victoria this Friday, April 19th presenting, in conjunction with the Mining Justice Action Committee, ‘Mexico and Canada: The Human Rights and Environment Connection.’ Alejandra Ancheita in the first half.

And; the current government of British Columbia recently green-lighted a scheme to make of a rock quarry at Shawnigan Lake a receptacle for Victoria’s toxic waste. The locals, when they became aware of the plan, had misgivings, and lots of questions. In the interim, those concerns have not abated, and their anxiety has grown as the dead-line for final approval arrives. It’s the subject of filmmaker, Paul Manly’s latest effort, ‘Troubled Water.’

Manly is a Vancouver Island-based filmmaker, sound-designer and musician, who credits his multi-cultural extended family with informing his interest in social justice, racism, and cultural struggle. Some of his documentary credits include: ‘A Gathering of Nations,’ and ‘The Awakening of Elizabeth Shaw,’ and ‘Bringing Truth to Light,’ the latter both collaborations with director of photography and editor, Eva Manly, and ‘Sombrio,’ a chronicle of the families “squatting” on that beach for generations and their eviction.

Paul has also worked as media production teacher at the Video In Studios artist-run centre in Vancouver, served with the Chiapas Media Project in Mexico, and initiated a technical internship program, and coordinated the Collectives Mini-Grants program here. His Manly Media production company also released ‘You, Me, and the SPP: Trading Democracy for Corporate Rule,’ part of which contains the widely controversial uncovering of police agents provocateur at the anti-globalization manifestation at Montebello, Quebec.

Paul Manly and Troubled Water for Shawnigan in the second half.

And; Victoria Street Newz publisher and CFUV Radio broadcaster, Janine Bandcroft will be here at the bottom of the hour to bring us news from our city’s streets and beyond. But first, Alejandra Ancheita and Canada’s corporadoes, living up to a low reputation.

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Tuesday April 2, 2013. Ottawa. Today, the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network released a new report documenting the means by which genetically modified (GM) alfalfa will contaminate non-GM alfalfa and hay crops , if GM alfalfa is released

“We can clearly see how farmers will pay the heavy costs of this inevitable contamination,” said Ontario organic sheep and vegetable farmer Ann Slater, member of the National Farmers Union, “The only way to stop contamination from GM alfalfa is to keep it off the market.”

Alfalfa is an important crop for dairy farming in Ontario as well as for livestock farmers and vegetable and field crop producers. Some Ontario farmers also save alfalfa seed.

The report details the role of seeds, pollen, and volunteer/feral plants in the predicted contamination of non-GM alfalfa from GM alfalfa. If released, GM alfalfa would be the first GM perennial crop introduced in Canada.

“While the conditions for contamination in Eastern Canada differ from those in Western Canada where alfalfa seed is produced, contamination in Ontario is assured, as are the economic costs to farmers,” said Lucy Sharratt of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network.

“Our report documents the many means by which farmers can expect to see contamination from GM alfalfa. Contamination is assured, the only question is how long it will take and which will be the first or primary means of gene escape,” said Taarini Chopra, also with the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network.

“This report puts an end to discussions about coexistence with GM alfalfa, its just not possible.” said Phillip Woodhouse, President of the Ontario Grey County NFU local 344 who also attended an October 2012 meeting of the Canadian Seed Trade Association where the industry attempted to construct a coexistence plan to pave the way for GM alfalfa. “Forage Genetics International appears willing to sacrifice the livelihoods of Ontario farmers to get their product on the market somewhere in Canada.”

“No farmer can shield themselves from this genetic pollution. Does anyone really believe that introducing GM alfalfa into Eastern Canada will protect Prairie farmers from this contamination?” added Woodhouse.

The National Farmers Union-Ontario has called for consumers to support farmers in a Day of Action to Stop GM Alfalfa on April 9. Ontario farmers have organized protest rallies in 12 communities, outside of constituency offices of federal Members of Parliament as well as outside the Variety Registration office of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in Ottawa where a final rubber-stamp to release Roundup Ready alfalfa is expected any day. There are also 11 rallies confirmed in support of Ontario farmers happening in towns in BC, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan (at the office of the Minister of Agriculture), Quebec, and Nova Scotia.

For more information:Ann Slater, National Farmers Union, 519-349-2448; Lucy Sharratt, Canadian Biotechnology Action Network 613 241 2267 ext 25, Phillip Woodhouse, National Farmers Union, 519 599 5041.

Details on the April 9 Day of Action to Stop GM Alfalfa, including a list of actions, can be found at www.cban.ca/april9

Went down to the first Reynolds School Ecofair and talked to some of the many exhibitors.

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Went down to the Reynolds High School Ecofair to catch Green Party of Canada leader, Elizabeth May address the gathered.

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Monsanto’s GM alfalfa is poised to be released in Ontario. It will only be a matter of time before it is released across Canada. It must be stopped. The National Farmers Union-Ontario has called for consumers to support farmers in a Day of Action to Stop GM Alfalfa .This Day of Action will be across the country on April 9 Ontario farmers have organized protest
rallies in 12 communities, in Ontario including in Ottawa here a final rubber-stamp to release Roundup Ready alfalfa is expected any day. On There are also 11 rallies confirmed in support of Ontario farmers happening in towns in BC, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan (at the office of the Minister
of Agriculture), Quebec, and Nova Scotia.

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This week: Years after George Orwell’s book, 1984 introduced the term, the act of “sending something down the memory hole” is a widely familiar concept, most notably when applied to corporate and state news agencies who bury impolitic news items managing to slip through the censor’s screens. Orwell’s hero, Winston Smith toils daily in the Ministry of Truth, his job two-fold; writing new accounts of history, as he disposes of the old.

While Stephen Harper’s New Government of Canada cannot be reasonably compared to Oceania, in one area at least there are similarities: Both Harper and Big Brother are devoted to controlling information. Whether it be access to cutting edge scientific knowledge vital to protecting the environment and public health, or the more mundane task of discovering how and where government monies are spent, in Canada information is power; and that power is guarded with an increasing zeal Orwell would instantly recognize.

Vincent Gogolek is the Executive Director of the B.C. Freedom of Information and Privacy Association, or FIPA. He recently found himself in possession of leaked documents outlining the New Government’s new plan to dig a memory hole in the middle of Canada’s publicly available government web sites. Harper’s Web Renewal Action! Plan, scheduled to be rolled out sometime in the near future, hopes to reduce the country’s decades of research and records kept, if not to the size it can be drowned in a bathtub, then to a mere handful of websites offering only what Web Renewal Action! deems relevant. It’s an audacious scheme, made outrageous in the wake of drastic reductions made at the ministry presumably tasked to accomplish it, the recently halved Libraries and Archives Canada.

Vincent Gogolek in the first half.

And; Last week, the office of the federal Information Commissioner responded to requests by Democracy Watch and UVic’s Environmental Law Centre to launch investigations into the muzzling of Canada’s scientist civil servants, saying; “A notice of our intention to investigate and a summary of complaint has been sent…” to seven ministries cited.

The Harper administration’s “muzzling” of government scientists has made headlines both within the narrow confines of the research and development community, and more broadly in the mainstream press. While there are a number of high profile cases – Kristi Miller gagged on her findings of viruses accompanying imported salmon farm breed stock, and George DaPont of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency being stoppered mid-press conference by his political boss when reporting on a massive beef recall last year being just two instances – the chill sent through both public and private sector research may prove to be the greatest threat to Canada’s future as a science innovator.

Calvin Sandborn, is legal director of the Environmental Law Centre at the University of Victoria, and he joins us on liberating Canadian science in the second half.

And; Victoria Street Newz publisher and CFUV Radio broadcaster, Janine Bandcroft will be here at the bottom of the hour to bring us up to speed with some of what’s going on on our city’s streets and beyond. But first, Vincent Gogolek and digging in to Web Renewal Action! Plan’s Great Canadian Memory Hole Project.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Monday, 5-6pm Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, http://www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.ca/

G-Radio is dedicated to social justice, the environment, community, and providing a forum for people and issues not covered in the corporate media.

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Spring has arrived to the Island, and with it a renewed sense of purpose seems evident for those who would defend yet the glorious wild lands and ocean we are blessed to live amidst. Like the perpetual turning of the seasons though, some environmental battles inexorably come round again.

Such is the case with Clayoquot Sound, where years of resistance to forestry and mining abuses prompted international recognition and designation as a UNESCO global Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site, but has still proven insufficient to stem the despoilers, who rising zombie-like from apparent mortal defeat come ever back demanding more.

Clayoquot has already the dubious distinction of possessing the highest concentration of fish feed lots in the province, but that didn’t stop Mainstream Canada, a subsidiary of Norwegian fish farm behemoth, Cermaq ASA from asking for another open net-pen operation. And, as they almost invariably do, Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans said, “OK!” It’s an unwelcome development for locals, who view this operation as more than a fish farm too far.

Steve Lawson is National Coordinator of the First Nations Environment Network of Canada, and is a former board member of both the Canadian Environmental Network and the Marine and Terrestrial Committees of the Clayoquot Biosphere Reserve. He has lived most of the last fifty years on an island off Tofino; working as a fisher, tour boat skipper, and boat builder and designer among other things. Steve says he’s; “…dedicated much of my life here on the coast to protecting old growth forests, wild salmon and other life and have tried to bring forward the understanding of nature and the traditional connections in order to promote the common good for all our relations.”

Steve Lawson in the first half.

And; April Fools Day marks the opening of British Columbia’s Grizzly hunt in the Great Bear Rainforest. Kiff Archer and Jason Moody live within the Great Bear, located along the mid-coast of BC, and they’re both with the newly formed, Central Coast Grizzly Patrol. They were here at the start of last Fall’s hunting season to talk about the beginning of the Coastal First Nations Coalition and its unilaterally declared ban on trophy hunting within their collective territories. The provincial government however neither recognizes the authority of the First Nations to do this, nor honours their demand for a ban on the hunt.

Kiff Archer and Jason Moody still standing tall in defense of the bears and other “trophy” targets in the Great Bear Rainforest in the second half.

And; Victoria Street Newz publisher and CFUV Radio broadcaster, Janine Bandcroft will be here at the bottom of the hour to bring us newz from our city’s streets and beyond. But first, Steve Lawson and new battle lines being drawn in Clayoquot.

I just signed the petition “The Government of British Columbia: Decline SIA’s permit to dump contaminated soil in Shawnigan Lake” on Change.org.

It’s important. Will you sign it too? Here’s the link:

http://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/the-government-of-british-columbia-decline-sia-s-permit-to-dump-contaminated-soil-in-shawnigan-lake

Thanks!

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Monday, 5-6pm Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, http://www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.ca/

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Went up to Shawnigan Lake’s Save Our Water Rally. Here’s the nub of it from Bruce Fraser’s site, www.fraserforshawnigan.ca
Well over 200 Shawnigan residents gathered on March 25th to show their disapproval of the South Island Aggregates proposal to reclaim their rock quarry, located in the headwaters of the Shawnigan watershed, with contaminated soil. What they witnessed was one of the rarest political events ever seen in British Columbia.

The sitting NDP MLA for Cowichan, the nominated candidates of the Liberals, Conservatives and Greens, the elected Area Director for Shawnigan and the Regional District Board are now on public record as rejecting the SIA proposal. This remarkable consensus is made more stunning because it has been crafted on the eve of a provincial election in which the four provincial candidates will be squaring off over the many hot issues that separate their party platforms. All have declared that the threat to the Shawnigan Watershed is a non-partisan issue, a matter of common environmental concern.

What is truly perplexing is that the current provincial government is persisting with formalizing the offending permit, now in draft form, but soon to be allocated in final form. All who have submitted comments to the Ministry of Environment have been given three short weeks to review the conditions of the complex permit but the ministry has indicated that the permit itself is not in question. The Minister of Environment has made it clear that the ministry has a legal obligation to review the SIA application and that he will defer to the technical judgment of staff. The Shawnigan community cannot believe that this also means an obligation to actually allow a contaminated soil facility to be placed in a major drinking water source against universal opposition. They certainly cannot understand how the most senior elected leadership in the province can avoid acting to protect such a crucial resource, clearly the most central responsibility of a Ministry of Environment.

The big story of the SIA project is surely about allowing a corporation to take the lucrative risk of contaminating a community watershed with a brew of industrial chemicals. It is also about dropping such a bomb a few short weeks before a provincial election when a government dissolves and elected leadership lapses. It is most certainly about the rejection of the consensus of every elected and aspiring leader of the Shawnigan community, The Cowichan Regional District and Cowichan provincial riding. This is about to become a spectacular miscarriage of democracy that should make the blood run cold in communities throughout the province. It is a situation that desperately needs to be corrected immediately by the Premier and her Cabinet before the opportunity is lost to create a truly inspiring and creative democratic response to a vulnerable community.

Madame Premier, carpe diem, do the right thing.

The Future of Food with Dr. Vandana Shiva
Scientist, author, and activist, Vandana Shiva presented the University of Victoria's President's Distinguished Lecture and Special Convocation address marking the school's 50th anniversary. A packed house gave the iconic food, environment, and agricultural justice activist repeated standing ovations, and were entertained in an extended Q. and A. session after her address.

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These past dozen years in North America has witnessed a full-speed regression through the historic development of Western civilization, such as it is.

Beginning with the Bush claque’s pre-emptive assault on the very foundations of secular democracy through the undoing of the Great Charter, Magna Carta, cornerstone of the English Common Law, the dismantling of an economic system that allowed a “Middle Class” of citizens be created to better distribute the wealth of society, to the coup de grace – erasure of the concept of the separation of Church and State. We stand today, in 2013, perched atop a precipice, looking down into the abyss; peering into the face of a new Dark Age.

In Canada, the famously devout christian prime minister, Stephen Harper has missed no opportunity to pour scorn upon our quaint notions of representative democracy, denigrating the power of the People’s House as ably as any medieval theocrat at every opportunity.

While the recent stifling of the scribes, toiling soon one imagines in candlelit hovels, at Library and Archives Canada is outrageous it is merely another in a growing retinue of outrages committed by this government against our history, culture, and institutional underpinnings; all pointing to an antipathy to and intentional subversion of the nation.

But, Mr. Harper’s ‘New Government’ regime has greater ambitions than the mere disintegration of Canada; he and they would too annihilate Science itself.

Katie Gibbs holds a Doctorate in Biology from the U. of Ottawa, and last summer led the ‘Death of Evidence’ rally, a mock funeral and mass held in our nation’s capital to protest government cuts to research funding, the muzzling of public sector scientists, and the introduction of the profoundly anti-evidentiary, Bill C-38. Gibbs is now Executive Director of Evidence for Democracy, an organization advocating for the use of evidence in government decision-making on public policy, whose latest campaign Science Uncensored is taking action against policies barring public access to publicly-funded scientists and their findings.

Katie Gibbs in the first half.

And; one of the very first things the BC Liberals accomplished on coming to power in 2001 was an expansion of Grizzly Bear hunting for, mostly foreign, adventurers eager to prove their primitive mettle a sacred ritual of being hand-held and led to unsuspecting wildlife to enable their killing, from great distances, with high-powered rifles. The magnetic allure of the ancient art has so entranced successive BC Liberal leaders, both testicled and otherwise, that April Fools 2013 marks the continuity of this testosterone fed festival of death, officially known as the opening of the bear season.

Kiff Archer and Jason Moody live within the Great Bear Rainforest on the mid-coast of British Columbia, and are both with the newly formed, Central Coast Grizzly Patrol. They were here at the start of last Fall’s hunting season to talk about the beginning of the Coastal First Nations Coalition and its unilateral declaration of a ban on trophy hunting in the territories. The province of BC does not however recognize the authority of the First Nations, nor does it honour their demands for a ban on the hunt.

Kiff Archer and Jason Moody still standing tall in defense of the bears and other “trophy” targets of the Great Bear Rainforest in the second half.

And; Victoria Street Newz publisher and CFUV Radio broadcaster, Janine Bandcroft will be here at the bottom of the hour to bring us newz from our city’s streets and beyond. But first, Katie Gibbs and removing the Harper muzzle on Canada’s public science and policy informants.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Monday, 5-6pm Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, http://www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.ca/

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This week; Welcome to GR’s 13th FunDrive show. Today me and long-suffering GR co-host, Victoria Street Newz publisher and CFUV Radio host of the Winds of Change show, Janine Bandcroft will blatherskyte and fulminate about the year(s) past and what it means to us, and you to have this wonderful community radio resource.
I’ll also play streeters recorded over the weekend at the Ancient Forest Alliance manifestation to protect the province’s forests, and a little music marking the seasons too.
But first, something upbeat to get your fingers in the mood for dialing and donatin’ – or key-tapping to donate on-line at cfuv.uvic.ca for FunDrive.
Let’s get it all started!
Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Monday, 5-6pm Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, http://www.pacificfreepress.com.
Check out the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.ca/

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Went down to the AFA demo today. Here’s their blurb: Hi friends just a reminder that TODAY if you’re in the area, please come down to our most important event of the year in Victoria! See below! Bring friends and family (kids come dressed up for the Small Animals Parade, or get their face painted at the rally) with respect for the large, diverse group of forestry workers, First Nations, business owners, environmentalists, children, parents, students, seniors…Over 1000 people have preconfirmed their attendance. New Article: Conservationists call for revamped forest policy http://www.news1130.com/2013/03/15/conservationists-call-for-revamped-forest-policy/ TODAY Sat. March 16, 2013: PRE-ELECTION RALLY for ANCIENT FORESTS and BC JOBS! Join this “Families for Our Forests” event in Victoria RAIN or SHINE: Small Animals Parade! Ring-Around-the-Legislature! Speeches! Masala Marching Band! “Save the Old-Growth, Sustainably Log Second-Growth, and End Raw Log Exports” 11:30 am Meet at Centennial Square, then begin march with drumming band 12:00 noon Rally begins at BC Legislative Buildings with speeches 1:00 pm Ralliers join hands to encircle government in “Ring-Around-the-Legislature” end to rally KIDS! Take part in the “Small Animals Parade”, come dressed as Marmots, Owls, Murrelets, Bears, Wolves, Cougars, Salmon, or mini-Sasquatch! Get your face painted as a small animal at the rally! Two months before a BC election, join concerned citizens from all walks of life – conservationists, forestry workers, First Nations, business owners, children, parents, seniors, and students – in demanding that the BC Liberal government and the NDP opposition commit to a plan that will protect BC’s endangered old-growth forests and forestry jobs, and finally bring an end to BC’s “War in the Woods”. The continued support of the BC government for the status quo of unsustainable resource depletion and raw log exports has caused the increasing collapse of native ecosystems and rural communities. 75% of Vancouver Island’s original ancient forests have already been logged, including 90% of the valley bottoms where the largest trees grow. BC’s old-growth forests are vital to support endangered species, tourism, the climate, clean water, wild salmon, and many First Nations cultures. See spectacular images and videos of BC’s old-growth forests at: www.AncientForestAlliance.org Help ensure a sustainable, value-added, second-growth forest industry that keeps the logs in the province to support BC forestry jobs! Support First Nations land use plans calling for the protection of old-growth forests! Because thousands of people like YOU spoke up against the BC Liberal government’s attempts to increase the privatization of our public forest lands for major logging companies (their proposed “Forest Giveaway Bill”, in Bill 8, to expand Tree Farm Licences on Crown lands), the BC government has just backed down! See http://www.ancientforestalliance.org/news-item.php?ID=587 Now lets MOVE FORWARD to make progress for a sustainable forest economy! Speakers include: Robert Morales – Chief Treaty Negotiator, Hul’qumi’num Treaty Group Joe Martin – Tla-o-qui-aht canoe carver, Band Councillor, original Meares Island protest organizer Gisele Martin – Tla-o-qui-aht business operator and cultural educator Jon Cash – Vice-President, Chamber of Commerce of Port Renfrew Arnold Bercov – President, Pulp, Paper, and Woodworkers of Canada (PPWC) union – Local 8 Eric Hamilton-Smith – Campaigns Officer, BC Government Employees Union (BCGEU) Ken James – President, Youbou TimberLess Society Valerie Langer –BC Forest Campaign Director, ForestEthics Jen Wieting – Coastal Forest Campaigner, Sierra Club of BC Eduardo Sousa – Forest Campaigner, Greenpeace Vicky Husband – BC Conservationist, Order of BC and Canada recipient TJ Watt – Forest Campaigner, Ancient Forest Alliance Ken Wu – Executive Director, Ancient Forest Alliance Help hold BC’s politicians responsible for the future of beautiful British Columbia! Sign our online petition at: www.AncientForestPetition.com or Send a Message to Politicians at: www.BCForestMovement.com Organized by the Ancient Forest Alliance www.AncientForestAlliance.org