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2005-Present
After years of hard work and determination solutions emerge for the Great Bear Rainforest
2005
January-February 2005: A new report commissioned by RSP lays out a new economic vision for the North and Central Coast and Haida Gwaii. Entitled “Revitalizing British Columbia’s Coastal Economy” the report concluded, “the Sustainability Scenario is a rational economic choice favourable to the future economic prosperity of the province and in particular to First Nations and other communities in the study area.”
January-April: Formal negotiations between the provincial government and First Nations continue with the goal of reaching an agreement before the provincial election is called in April.
February1: Final consensus reached on the North Coast Land and Resource Planning (NCLRMP) table which leads to a consensus plan submission to the provincial government.
March 22, 2005: Greenpeace, ForestEthics and the Sierra Club of Canada, BC Chapter publish an opinion piece in the Vancouver Sun, entitled “Final push needed on coastal logging deal.”
March and early April: Greenpeace, ForestEthics, and the Sierra Club of Canada, BC Chapter publish newspaper ads and bus shelter ads, in both Vancouver and Victoria, encouraging the Province to make a final decision.
April: The Province decides not to conclude Government-to-Government negotiations before the election call. The Premier writes to First Nations and commits to finalize land use planning agreements with First Nations “by the end of the summer.”
April 28, 2005: Releasing their annual report card on the Great Bear Rainforest, Greenpeace, ForestEthics, and the Sierra Club of Canada highlight the fact that not one proposed protected area has been formally legislated.
May: The Great Bear Rainforest issue is raised during the provincial election campaign, with non-partisan ads in the Vancouver Sun and the Times Colonist headlined “Savy Leader Wanted to Make History.”
August – November,
2005: Environmental groups launch
the Stand Tall campaign, distributing tens of thousands of flyers, postcards
and bike stickers calling for action on the Great Bear Rainforest. Green
businesses, Aveda, Mountain Equipment Co-op and Capers, in Vancouver and
Victoria as well as citizen groups across the province unite under the Stan
Tall banner. 40,000 faxes flood the
Premier’s office urging the Province to sign off on the agreements.
August to January: Intensive negotiations between the provincial
government and First Nations resume.
September 9-11, 2005: Representatives of the German Pulp and Paper Association and the German Publishers Association, which are users of B.C. products, visit British Columbia to assess progress toward establishing new logging practices on the central and north coasts.
September 2005: Environmental groups buy full page ads in the Times of London and the New York Times calling for the Province to sign off.
September 19, 2005: The Heiltsuk First Nation publicly releases its land use plan, saying they want 49% of their area protected.
October 27, 2005: First Nations leaders Art Sterritt of the Coastal First Nations and Gujaaw of the Haida Nation publish an opinion editorial in support of the Great Bear Rainforest deal and the work of Greenpeace, ForestEthics and the Sierra Club of Canada, BC Chapter.
2006
February 7, 2006: The BC Government schedules a news conference for an announcement on land use plans for the Central and North Coast.