Minister Murray Sells Out BC Parks with Bill 84
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by Gwen Barlee
Vancouver, British Columbia – The introduction of the “Parks and Protected Areas Statutes Amendment Act” (Bill 84) yesterday by the Minister in charge of parks, Joyce Murray, has sent the surest signal yet that Minister Murray is unable — or unwilling — to stand up for the environment. Bill 84 is designed to sidestep environmental regulations for developments inside provincial parks.
Under the new legislation, which received first reading in the house Tuesday, November 18, discretion would be given to the Minister alone to decide if she is of the opinion that a proposed development is consistent with the recreational value of the park involved. The controversial Act also expands and clarifies opportunities for “directional” drilling under protected areas.
“When did Joyce Murray become the Minister of Industrial Development? Her job is to protect parks now and for future generations”, remarked a concerned Gwen Barlee, Policy Director for the Wilderness Committee. “Parks have never been properly funded but since Minister Murray took over it's gotten much worse. Staffing has been gutted, much hated parking fees have driven visits down and now we see an attempt to turn our protected areas into 'McParks'.”
British Columbia's protected areas system has made the province a renowned tourist destination for nature lovers and wilderness enthusiasts worldwide. According to government reports visitor expenditures on parks in 1999 were nearly half a billion dollars, with almost a third of expenditures coming from out-of-province visitors (Economic Benefits of British Columbia's Provincial Parks – September 2001). BC's parks are especially popular with visitors from jurisdictions with fewer wilderness areas or where parks have been over-commercialized such as the United States.
“Big private investment in public parks will inevitably mean big private control of public parks. What is next – water slides, go-carts and Burger Kings? Parks are publicly owned and should be managed by the government for ecological integrity and appropriate recreation activities,” said Barlee. “The people of this province fought hard and built a spectacular park system over generations and generations. If the calls and emails we've gotten from our members are any indication, the people of BC won't take this new attack on their cherished protected areas system lightly.”
For more information contact Gwen Barlee at (604) 202-0322 (c) or (604) 683-8220 (w)
Gwen Barlee
Endangered Species and Forest Campaigner
www.wildernesscommittee.org
Tel: 604-683-8220
Fax: 604-683-8229
@ November 25, 2003