Support the people of Haida Gwaii

Yet another controversy is brewing around Weyerhaeuser--this time on the islands of Haida Gwaii where members of the Haida Nation are fighting for their cultural heritage.

The Haida want access to detailed information Weyerhaeuser holds about the old growth cedar trees that have been a central part of Haida culture for generations. Weyerhaeuser wants to log more old growth.

Click the link below to send a letter to Weyerhaeuser CEO Steve Rogel demanding that the company protect endangered forests and turn over information about Haida Gwaii's last remaining old growth cedars to the Haida people.

CLICK HERE

In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court of Canada decided in late November on a case that the Haida Nation launched to protect the ancient old-growth forests of Haida Gwaii. The Court held in favor of the Haida, holding that the Province has a legal duty to consult with the Haida about timber harvesting in Weyerhaeuser's Tree Farm.

In the Haida case, the Supreme Court ruled that the Government of British Columbia must consult with the Haida Nation and accommodate their interests when renewing the tree farm license issued in an area claimed by them as aboriginal title lands.

The Court affirmed that, "In all its dealings with Aboriginal peoples, from the assertion of sovereignty to the resolution of claims and the implementation of treaties, the Crown must act honourably." "The Court has held that the Crown has a duty of honour, and now it will be our duty to hold them to that obligation," says Guujaaw. "This is the best chance for the well-being and sustainability of the land."

Rather than see the writing on the wall, Weyerhaeuser is witholding mapping information about old growth cedar requested by the Haida for analysis and planning to ensure that the ecological and cultural benefits of cedar are sustained for present and future generations.

Please click the link below to demand that Weyerhaeuser respect the cultural needs of the Haida Naiton.

CLICK HERE

Why?
A BBC World report from Fadhil Badrani inside Falluja should be read

BOO!

It's Haloween, and a lot has happened.

Began the month on Vancouver Island, in the Walbran Rainforest with 500 of my closest frinds for the Tree of Life Celebration. Using a recent Weyerhaeuser clearcut as his 'extreme canvas', artist John Quigley positioned 10 bus loads of men women and children to form a giant tree with the words 'wake up' underneath. Pictures and commentary from the event are at the IMC (2), the TOL website, and at the Western Canada Wilderness Committee.

The whole event was designed to bring together people upset about clear-cut logging on the island--and specifically to shine a spotlight on Weyerhaeuser's destructive forestry. Success on both counts. It was the biggest gathering BCs forest in over a decade.

Cracking Down on Dissent

The Financial Times writes that Greenpeace can't organize protests against Exxon anywhere in the US for the next seven years.

Essentially launching a legal pre-emptive strike against protest, Exxon even invoked post-9/11 security fears as justification for the action. "when the country was on orange alert" Exxon told the FT, "The current climate makes Greenpeace's activities directed at ExxonMobil all the more irresponsible and dangerous".

There's no reason for Exxon to consider "Greenpeace's activities" any more "dangerous" now than it would have 10 years ago. If anything, the activists charged in the case did the company a favor by harmlessly exposing flagrant security breeches at the HQ. Better a tiger-suit-wearing solar-advocate than a gun toting terrorist, no?

Exxon knows this, but decided to invoke the pall of terrorism anyway. Why?

Hmm... yes, well it's been some time since reporting on my goings on. Mainly because it's hard to get internet reception on Rantee Bay. I may pass along some personal pictures of Rantee, Railei and some of the other wonders of Thailand when/if I take some time to scan the pics. (It's time for a digital, I think).

Meantime, a quick look at the 'ol site statistics says that the good people at Weyerhaeuser now comprise a full %3 of traffic to the site. That either means

(a) All this work is finally paying dividends , or;

(b) This blog is really lame.

Please... vote below.