If a tree falls across the Harbour, will anybody see?

The debate over logging across the harbour by the Metlakatla Development Corporation went behind closed doors, as the Ministry of Forests held an “in camera” session to discuss the plan to harvest timber from across the harbour.

Councillor Ken Cote has been leading the charge against the concept of logging within eyesight of the city, hoping to gain enough support for his position to have the Minstry back down from plans to approve the planned operations.

On Wednesday, The Daily News provided full details on the controversy, though it was unable to shed little light on the closed door aspect of the meeting. The meeting was a closed session at the request of the Ministry of Forests, a point that council was at pains to make.

The closed session makes for a puzzling way of doing business over a public lands issues, the lands in the midst of the tempest are described as Crown Lands, belonging to all the people of BC. A group that apparently is not supposed to know all that there is to know about the forests within its eyesight.

Meeting does little to ease fears over logging
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Page One

Even after a closed meeting with local representatives from the Ministry of Forests, some council members still aren’t convinced logging across the harbour is a smart move.

“My position is, we are selling ourselves short logging across the harbour and cutting trees in our inner harbour. That’s my position and I will try to muster as much support on that issue as I possibly can,” said Coun Ken Cote.

The Metlakatla Development Corporation has plans to begin logging across the harbour and council met with district forestry representatives to discuss those plans behind closed doors.

The in-camera session was held at the request of Ministry officials, despite opposition from some council members.

“Just so there is no misunderstanding, the staff from forestry insisted either a closed session or no session. Perhaps we should have insisted on ‘no session’ but it seemed better to get that information at that time,” said Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond.

Several council members had expressed concern about how the Ministry would plan to manage issues in the future, such as wind throw, also known as blow down, once the selective logging had taken place.

“They are going to try and use mitigating measures but you don’t know if that is going to work,” said Coun. Joy Thorkelson.

She pointed out that winds have been increasing — the winds used to average between 70 and 90 kilometres an hour, but in 2006 were up to 100 to 110 km.

“It is too bad that discussion wasn’t held in public because I agree with Coun. Cote it is very important what our harbour looks like ...” she said.

There is clearly a divide on council between those who do not want to see any logging across from the harbour, those who feel that under the specific circumstances it might be okay, and those who refuse to state their opinion.

“I and some others happen to believe that the people of Metlakatla will do a good job and we can trust them with protecting our viewscape. I think they have showed us a tremendous amount of respect the way they have consulted with us, that they have adopted the highest visual objectives beyond what they are required to do,” said Mayor Pond.

Coun. Nelson Kinney and Tony Briglio said there is little the city can do because the logging is not taking place within city boundaries, a concept to which Coun. Cote objected.

“The property that is in dispute is not reserve land, it is Crown land. The land I am speaking about that I do not want logged is land that is owned by the people of British Columbia,” said Cote. “It is Crown land and this is not a Metlakatla issue, this is not a First Nations issue, this is a logging across the harbour issue and I would feel exactly the same if it was a contractor from either Prince Rupert or Prince George ...”

Coun. Briglio responded by saying that when it comes to Crown land, the objective of the Crown is to enable what is being requested and implement measures that meet the objectives.

“The Crown is not in a position to say ‘because’ and ‘go away.’” said Briglio. “And the conditions that have been adopted are stricter than the ones that have been imposed.”

“That’s one of the reasons why I wanted to have the discussion in an open forum ...” said Cote, “because those trees belong to the people of B.C. and if there is enough opposition in the community, it simply won’t happen.”