Our Columns

By Gwen Barlee, 

 

The fate of the wild Kokish River on Vancouver Island was sealed two weeks ago. Despite hosting five species of wild salmon, two endangered runs of steelhead, cutthroat trout, Dolly Varden and eulachon, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans determined this fish-rich river should be dammed and diverted into a large pipe by a private power company.

 

 

Ben West, healthy communities campaigner for the Wilderness Committee, wrote the following open letter:

 

Dear Prime Minister Harper,

 

I am writing you on behalf of the Wilderness Committee, an environmental organization representing over 60,000 members and supporters across Canada. We wish to add our voice to those of millions of Canadians in expressing our outrage and utter frustration at the role you as our government have played in facilitating the global climate crisis. This irresponsible role on the world stage is epitomized by this week’s announcement by Environment Minister Peter Kent that Canada is pulling out of the Kyoto Accord and was not interested in continuing into a new phase of this legally binding, international agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.