Callout – Nov 10
Hello Elders,It’s been a confusing week, as we all struggle with articles and less-than-clear maps to see whether the old-growth logging deferral recommendations announced Nov 2 include any of the ancient groves in the Fairy Creek/’Ada’itsx region. According to the RFS map guru, Joshua Wright, the announcement holds out little hope for most of the area. Here’s Joshua’s analysis.
Many of us had our spirits lifted by a wet-but-wonderful trip out to Fairy Creek/’Ada’itsx on Saturday, organized with Parents 4 Climate. We held circle with Elder Bill, Chiyokten, Flip Flop and other land defenders, then walked through the incredibly beautiful Eden Grove, a grove that missed the deferral list. (For more about the day, read below.)
While we were on that very winding bus ride, Valerie Elliott filled us in on Bill 23, the recently-announced amendments to the Forestry Act. She pointed out that this announcement came out just before the deferral announcement so that our attention would be diverted. However, there’s some scary content. Read Valerie’s analysis below.
And finally, coming up next week, starting November 15, our lawyers do battle opposing the Teal-Jones appeal of Judge Thompson’s denial of their injunction. A win here could make a huge difference in the fate of the Fairy Creek/’Ada’itsx region. For more on the legal front, read below.
We are so grateful for the loyalty and perseverance of all you elders, as you continue to engage in the struggle to protect our ancient forests. Keep it up!
Yours,
Susan & Jackie |
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Action of the Week
(Once more, with feeling!) Phone your MLA and other NDP ministers to ask that important areas of the greater Fairy Creek region (TFL 46) be protected. With more than 1100 arrests in this area, does the government really think this struggle will disappear just because logging in a few other old-growth areas is deferred?
Specifically, we need to have these areas added to the list of deferrals: Eden Grove, Eden South, all of the Central Walbran, Falls Creek, Loop Creek, lower Caycuse, Bugaboo, Sasin, as well as deferring road building above Heli Camp. |
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Upcoming Events
Nov 10, 3-5 pm, Wednesday Rally for Ancient Forests+Forest Protectors
BC Leg, corner of Government & Belleville. At 4:00 we’ll accompany the Boat of Truth on a walk to the Bell Media building at Pandora and Broad, home of CFAX and Adam Stirling, Victoria’s worst mainstream media purveyor of lies and misinformation about RCMP violence and the ‘Ada’itsx/Fairy Creek blockade. Signs available.
Nov 10, 5:30pm pst, Ecojustice webinar, Defending biodiversity: From old-growth to peatlandsNov 12, 3-5 pm, Forest Friday at RCMP building, Topaz and Blanshard.
Nov 24, Wednesday – Circle your calendar for a major event – a street procession featuring an 8’ diameter ‘cookie’ of giant Western red cedar felled by Teal-Jones on Edinburgh mountain. Purpose: to focus pressure on government to actually defer old-growth logging while they engage in consultation, and also to deliver the conservation financing and economic alternatives. Details TBA.
Planning Opportunity: Plans are in the works for the Nov 24 event and other related actions during the sitting of the Legislature and leading up to November 30, the day of Remembrance for Lost Species. We are hoping that some of you may be willing to participate with others to help organize these events. If so, please respond as soon as possible with an email to oldfolksforoldgrowth@gmail.com with the subject line Victoria Street Procession and indicate “Organizing help.” We will keep you all updated! |
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From the Frontlines
Monday Nov 1 – A large crew of blue and green enforcement visited R & R Camp. The camp at Waterfall was discovered and dismantled, and land defenders were escorted down the mountain. Forest protectors trying to stop the logging of old-growth trees at Heli were found in the cutblock by police and two were arrested and two caught and released. Chainsaws were heard in the Heli area and at Ridge Camp. Falling happening in Fairy Creek watershed. A Frosty damp day. Smiley search is ongoing.Tuesday Nov 2 – Quiet day at camp aside from chainsaws and falling trees. No arrests. 14 RCMP cars spent the day up in the Heli area with industry. People were hunkering down, trying to stay warm and feeling the emotional weight of trees falling. The BC Government announced its intention to consult with FN before putting a pause to logging in relation to 2.6 million of the 7.6 million HA of at-risk old growth. No actual action is the outcome. The BC Union of Indian Chiefs is critical of the government move, and the Grand Chief thanks the brave people standing up for old growth forests (see links below).
Wednesday Nov 3 – A large group of people hiked 12 km up to Heli to lend presence and support to the land defenders who have been witnessing the trees falling. Police removed and arrested a tree sitter. After requests by Indigenous leaders to vacate tree sits before the weather worsens, people retreated from Ridge at the end of the day. Camp clean-up efforts were continuing
Thursday Nov 4 – Forest protectors are allowed foot passage up the road to Heli and are nevertheless being warned that the route between Ridge and Helli is very challenging in this weather and should only be undertaken by those trained in back-country hiking and/or survivalists. Those venturing should be with a buddy. Tree sits are considered too dangerous in stormy, icy weather.Friday Nov 5 – Smiley is still missing. Please send out your thoughts and prayers. No arrests. A torrent of hail covered the ground. An independent media person almost got hit by a lightning strike (hail can be a precursor). Clean-up and camp consolidation continued.
Saturday Nov 6 – No report. Parents 4 Climate and Settler Elders for Ancient Trees joined Elder Bill, Chiyokten and Charlotte in an inspiring Circle, in the rain. Afterwards, most went to Eden Grove (which is slated for logging). Members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers visited with land defenders and forest protectors in a demonstration of solidarity.
Sunday Nov 7 – No report
Monday Nov 8 – Spirits on the front line were karaoke high: Whoop whoop! Activist protectors were extracted from hard blocks and were later warmed by the fire. Roadside was calm. Prayers for Smiley.
Tuesday Nov 9 RCMP was letting industry lead the way as they tried to intimidate the front line with chains, revving and spinning trucks, and making threats: “We can throw you guys over the cliffs if we wanted to….” |
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Elders for Ancient Trees & Parents 4 Climate Join together at ‘Ada’itsx
by Jackie Larkin
We were welcomed warmly by Land Defenders Elder Bill, Chiyokten and Flip Flop. Despite the rain which so many braved all day, we crowded around the tarps and fire (if we could) and listened to Elder Bill and Chiyokten. Bill spoke directly and with great gentleness to the young ones, welcoming them to his territory……. Here’s some of Bill’s talk to the children.
Three words were phonetically interpreted from the rough recording of Bill’s talk:
** Koo-us means us going in one way, in the same direction.
** Chaama means when we do something together, walk together, eat together, becoming friends
** Chaama clay: we are good friends, life friends
Bill ends with “It’s not only for us now, it’s for the whole world. You are messengers to the whole world.”
Family day with Elder Bill (photo: Jackie Larkin)
Chiyokten spoke to how we must turn away from a culture of disrespect and abuse, governed by greed, dominance, control and racism and ask ourselves what it means to be responsible as a human being, how to reconnect with the true human spirit born with love.
He spoke of how Indigenous ways nurture a true human respect in children, and of the need to return to a way of education where we understand our reason for coming here to Mother Earth. Elders raised children for tens of thousands of years, elders have all the wisdom and all the time. All their medicine, their wisdom knowledge would go to children, fill their bones. That’s why the colonial state kidnapped every one of Indigenous children, without consent. Took them away from elders. And the trauma of residential schools meant the culture faded, the elders faded. It was all deliberate. Abusive.
Remember, he said, we are all family, we are all related. Our people lift up and honour and help human beings and every other human being. We may have a lot to learn, but we can do it together as one human family, with all cultures, language and teachings held within and honoured. Not in a melting pot. We are called to return to an era of life, an era of respect – to the way in which we lived….respecting tree people, water people., mountain people, human people. Standing up for life.
Chiyokten (photo: Lottie Ericson)
It doesn’t matter, said Chiyokten, where you get the teachings, as long as they are ancient and from Mother Earth. Do all you can to re-indigenize yourself…bring that medicine back to your heart – to know that you are not separated from all beings, that you are a part of Mother Earth. We drink the same water as the trees.
Gifts of appreciation, which included home-made preserves, were given to the Land Defenders who welcomed us, and some were sent up to those who were up the mountain or in camp.
After the beautiful, soggy circle, most of us climbed back into cars and the Community bus and made the trip up to Eden Grove, which is threatened with logging. Walked the road past Lonely Doug which stands amid a clearcut, descended down the beautiful limestone steps onto the boardwalk that draws us into the ancient forest. Here be life abundant, tiny and grand. Here be trees that communicate with each other, and ourselves, should we listen. Here be young human children, learning to know, to respect and to love the land. Here be our kin. Here be sacred land. Leaving as it got darker, we renewed our commitment to defend these ancient communities of life.
Eden Grove (photo: Sohad Kadhum) |
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A Legal Update: Where are we? Where are we headed?
by Susan Gage
On November 15, a team of three BC Court-of-Appeal judges will hear legal arguments on whether Judge Thompson’s decision on the injunction (i.e. to cancel it) stands. Their decision is key to the future of Fairy Creek.
If Teal-Jones wins the appeal and the injunction remains in place, it will be extremely difficult for those brave land defenders and forest protectors to keep up their struggle. If the injunction is lifted, they can at least erect structures to cook and keep warm, and the RCMP won’t be dragging them off; this might be enough to allow them to keep going through the cold and wet.
(NOTE: An on-line link to the court case is available. If you’d like to spend a day or two watching the proceedings, please email oldfolksforoldgrowth@gmail.com with subject line Court Case Link.)Since last June, the Elders, along with RFS, have been involved in a series of legal cases opposing the injunction. If you’re a bit confused by all these various trials and appeals, here’s a Legal Battles to Date Update. |
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On the Money Front
1. Elders Fundraising
You, the Elders for Ancient Trees, have been incredibly generous in your response to the appeals for funds to support these legal actions. Here’s a summary of the donations and donors to date.
- We (along with some contributions from non-Elders) have raised a total of $43,494 toward legal costs. This was the sum of 169 individual donations from 135 donors – a massive response!
- These funds are dedicated to the legal team of senior lawyers representing Bobby Arbess, seeking to change the framework for granting injunctions in the era of the climate emergency.
- We’re almost there! To pay costs up to the end of the Nov 15 appeal hearing, our fundraising goal is $47,000. If you’ve been hanging back until now, this would be a good time to pitch in to bring us over the finish line. Needless to say, anything we raise over and above the costs of this case will be turned over to the Rainforest Flying Squad.
How to Donate to Elders for Ancient Trees
E-transfer: to eldersforancients@gmail.com
Cheques: to Forest First Express Society or FFES, mailed to
#2-730 Sea Terrace, Victoria, BC V9A 3R6
2. Explaining RFS Fundraising
- The funds raised by EFAT & friends are separate from the RFS FundRazr campaign, which is newly re-energized to promote donations for RFS legal costs, as RFS is nearly out of funds allocated for their legal teams. The money raised is for the injunction, the appeal and some further legal strategies RFS would like their lawyers to explore, along with support for arrestees. This new campaign builds on the existing FundRazr fund that was somewhere around $514,000, so RFS is already halfway to their $1 million goal.
- Some topnotch environmental and senior lawyers across the country have offered their services on a pro bono basis; others have significantly reduced their fees, so RFS has made good use of every dollar. Still, it all adds up, and they now find it necessary to appeal for further funds.
- Click here to donate on line to the RFS FundRazr campaign.
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Where do we go from here on the Legal Front?
If we are successful in overturning the injunction once again, the case will almost certainly move up to the Supreme Court of Canada. This is where the broader argument – considering human and environmental rights in the granting of injunctions – can be heard.
However, this would be an expensive undertaking, and we’d be looking for other funding partners. Stay tuned! |
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BILL 23: Time for us to pay attention!
by Valerie Elliott
Bill 23, which was released just before the recommendations on old-growth deferrals, is an amendment to the Forest and Range Practices Act. One of the difficulties is that the amendments are being rushed through the review process without much opportunity for scrutiny. The bill, proposed Oct 20, has now passed second reading. Several lawyers have advised that the impacts of this bill are so thick with legalese that even seasoned professionals require time to understand its implications. They will provide more to us soon.
What we know so far: Bill 23 does not add or amend acts that protect riparian areas, protect water, protect forests from wildfires, protect wildlife or fish stocks. The bill fails to address land title, protect land, support the Zero Net Deforestation Act or address issues in the Ministry of Forests and Range Act.
Under Bill 23, BC citizens will have no right to be heard on issues that affect them — no public hearings, no right of revision or appeal on decisions made. The significant expanse of discretionary executive powers will be unchallenged. Furthermore, Premier Horgan’s government provides no reform on land use or forest tenures, or reform even within its own ministry.
The bill effectively encourages continued clearcutting to achieve the government’s own mandate to log for maximum productivity for immediate and long-term economic benefits. From what can be assessed from the low resolution on-line maps, areas where logging has begun will remain subject to irreversible loss. Public roads and road deregulation provisions will impact the public. Forest service roads could become public roads through the expenditure of public monies.
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In the News
Nov 10, The Tyee, Counting the Job Cost of Halting Old-Growth Logging: The government says 4,500, industry says 18,000, critics say there are too many unanswered questions about the government’s plan
Nov 9, Times Colonist (from Canadian Press), BC professor’s Mother Tree research branches out to bestselling book, movie deal
Nov 9, Lake Cowichan Gazette, 3 RCMP officers sent to hospital after logs topple on cruiser
Nov 8, Vigilance, What is the real story at Fairy Creek? by Ben Barclay
Nov 8, The Tyee, BC Paused a Lot of Old-Growth Logging. Now What?Nov 7, Times Colonist, Old-growth deferrals will impact operations in Fairy Creek area: Teal Jones
Nov 4, The Discourse, In maps: Where are the proposed old-growth deferrals for Vancouver Island?
Nov. 3, Focus, Warning: Old-growth deferral areas may not be exactly as advertised (a scary article by Dave Broadland on how logging may be permitted in so-called deferred old growth areas.)
Nov 3, The Tyee, BC Unveils Plans to Defer Logging of Old-Growth Forests Nov 3, Times Colonist, Opinion, Les Leyne: More old-growth forests are off limits to loggers (slanted towards loss-of-jobs viewpoint.)
Nov. 2, The Narwhal, ‘Extremely frustrating’: B.C. announces 2.6 million hectares of at-risk old-growth, no permanent protections
Nov 2, Canadian Press, B.C. announces plans to defer old-growth logging across 26,000 square kilometres
Nov 2, Stand.earth, COP26 deal to end deforestation not fast or bold enough
Nov 2, Sierra Club BC, BC old-growth announcement confirms ecological emergency
Nov 2, Wilderness Committee, BC must match old-growth intention with action
Nov. 2, Guardian, First Thing: world leaders agree to end deforestation and slash methane emissions
Nov. 2, Endangered Ecosystems Alliance, Media Release: Significant Progress Towards Old-Growth Protection – Critical Funding Missing Still
October 2021, Old Growth Technical Advisory Panel, Priority Deferrals: An Ecological Approach
Elders visit ‘Ada’itsx/Fairy Creek (photo: Jackie Larkin)
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