Disappearance of B.C. Public Forests by Judicial Decree

Disappearance of BC Public Forests by Judicial Decree

B.C. judges and attorneys general haven’t t actually gone out into unceded native lands (public land) with tree fallers riding bull dozers, but they might as well have done.  The effect was the same. The old growth forests have effectually vanished and second growth tree farms are disappearing fast. And the forest carnage is ongoing. The unrelenting protection of the courts for destructive, soil destroying clear cutting by multinational logging companies has the same effect as if the judges, accompanied by the attorneys general and the officers of the Crown, tore off their robes and dark suits and joined the loggers in the field.

The loggers have an excuse for doing what they do.  They, and their families, have to eat.  The judges and the attorney generals of course are well educated, usually from upper class backgrounds, and well connected in moneyed circles. They also have to eat, but they are paid well enough they have choices working loggers don’t have.  But the judges and attorneys generals as a group have chosen to protect, not BC land and the wonders it produces for everyone, but the big bucks of ruthless logging companies. This judicial licking of multinational companies’ boots began back in 1952 under B.C.’s Premier W.A. Bennet’s reign (Social Credit). 

Robert Sommers, Bennet’s Minister of Lands, Mines and Forests, through some irresponsible deal-making found himself behind bars for accepting bribes in exchange for a very large tree farm license to BCFP (British Colombia Forest Products).  However, while Sommers was convicted of receiving bribes from BCFP, the company was not charged for giving the bribes. Chief Justice J.O. Wilson completely exonerated BCFP.  Not only that, BCFP was allowed to keep this tree farm license that covered vast acreages. It has since been sold, cut up, resold, and added to like a jigsaw puzzle until I don’t believe there is a large tree farm license in this province that isn’t grounded in judicial corruption. What should be done?  Or can be done?  After all, that happened back in the 50’s. But so what?  

In my opinion every tree farm license in this province should be rescinded until and unless it can be proven its license don’t included parts of that original corrupt decision by O.J. Wilson which charged and jailed the receiver  and but rewarded the giver. Next time… How BC Chief Madam Justice Beverly McLaughlin added the last boot-licking gift to the vicious multinational logging corporations in B.C. before she was promoted to Chief Justice of Canada.