4 The new democracy By the time this issue reaches the legislative


library in Victoria, the current session of the legislature will have ended and security will have only the tourists to worry about. It was quite the session, with the government


introducing 34 pieces of legislation, of which 11 had yet to become law at press time. This was the most ambitious agenda in several sessions, but some of the biggest changes for agriculture didn’t come via legislation but through appointments, policies and how government talked about the way it does business. A new regulation governing agricultural waste


was set for release at the end of the month, capping years of work to update how farmers handle manure, sawdust and other biomass. Government appointed a new chair for the Agricultural Land Commission, setting the stage for the commission’s revitalization. The minimum wage was raised, pushing farmers to rethink labour costs. A bilateral agreement was signed with the federal government, opening the door to millions of dollars worth of program funding. But perhaps most notable, as spring melt began


to swell rivers rolling through Grand Forks, Osoyoos and the Fraser Valley, the province received a review of its handling of last year’s natural disasters. Ranchers, who were first up for compensation when the federal and provincial governments announced $20 million in relief funding last September, made a significant contribution to the report.


But whatever impact flooding and wildfire had on rural communities, the report focused on


implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) with “many opportunities for [Victoria] to engage in true Nation-to- Nation relationships with the First Peoples of the province.” All told, 50 recommendations directly name Indigenous peoples and their way of life, and several more include indirect references. Ranchers and farmers, as well as foresters, guides, outfitters and others who work the land, receive nowhere near the same profile; in the case of agriculture, the number of explicit references can be counted on one hand. A similar approach guides the province’s consultation on wildlife management and habitat conservation, a particular concern for growers dealing with ungulates, predators and invasive species. “Working with Indigenous peoples,


wildlife stakeholders and the public, we want to build a strategy that more effectively manages our wildlife for future generations,” announced Doug Donaldson, minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development on May 22.


It’s a hard heart that objects to making amends and building bridges. But it’s a hard head that makes fresh mistakes in the process of addressing old ones. With a dry summer forecast and the wildfire season already underway, we hope Victoria acts quickly to protect


the province – farmers, ranchers and First Nations alike – from a repeat of recent disasters, not just historical ones.


Horgan on receiving end of pipeline challenge Like it or not, we are all going to


have front row seats to the Trans Mountain Pipeline main event slug- fest between the only two NDP premiers in the country: Rachel-the-


The Back Forty BOB COLLINS


Prairie-Punisher-Notley, vs John-the- Coastal-Crusader-Horgan in a bare- knuckle fight to the finish. It won’t be pretty.


Both the Punisher and the Crusader are fighting for their political lives. The economy of Alberta thrives or dives with oil and a new pipeline to the West Coast is the key to prosperity in the oil patch. Notley is the first NDP premier in Wild Rose Country but the jury is still out for many Albertans. The next election could be less than a year away and failure to deliver the pipeline would be tantamount to economic treason


in Alberta. Voters will be expecting pipe in the ground or blood on the floor. Ideally, from Notley’s perspective, there will be pipe in the ground. A healthy smattering of the Crusader’s blood wouldn’t hurt either. Notley appears to have the odds in


her favour: there is almost no political opposition to the pipeline in Alberta; Justin Trudeau and the government of Canada are in her corner and have declared the pipeline to be a matter of national interest; Saskatchewan premier Scott Moe is ready to throw a few jabs if necessary, and Kinder Morgan turned up the heat by threatening to call it a day unless the outcome is guaranteed. On the other hand, Horgan has


shown some fancy footwork by trying to dance the question of provincial interest into the Supreme Court. First Nation opposition notwithstanding, Horgan looks to be playing the weaker hand. He holds a precarious grip on office at the pleasure of three Green Party MLAs headed by Andrew Weaver. The opposition Liberals who okayed the pipeline before the last


election remain firmly in favour. Weaver is vehemently opposed, and Horgan promised during the election campaign to do everything in his power to stop the pipeline. There is little likelihood of gathering any support from Liberal backers and he has already taxed the tenuous support of the Green Party by giving the Site C dam the go- ahead and resurrecting the Liberal dream of an LNG plant. Anything other than stubborn and protracted resistance from Horgan would be untenable for Weaver and the Greens. It would also be untenable to the Lower Mainland/Vancouver Island base that took him at his word on election day. The only way forward is to dig in and brace himself for the haymakers heading his way. The first is on its way (or perhaps has landed by the time you read this). After a preliminary cuffing of the BC wine industry, Notley has passed legislation that will allow Alberta to stop shipping oil to BC through the existing pipeline. Sixty percent of BC’s


Publisher Cathy Glover


The agricultural news source in British Columbia since 1915 Vol. 104 No. 6. JUNE 2018


Published monthly by Country Life 2000 Ltd. www.countrylifeinbc.com


604-328-3814 . publisher@countrylifeinbc.com Editor Emeritus David Schmidt 604-793-9193 . davidschmidt@shaw.ca Associate Editor Peter Mitham news@countrylifeinbc.com


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petroleum supply comes from Alberta and if Notley decides to throw the punch, it will knock the wind out of the provincial economy. Vancouver is already paying the highest gas price in North America. Predicted prices without Alberta oil run as high as $2.50 a litre, if there is any to be had. BC attorney general David Eby has


vowed to mount a court challenge to fend off the ban. A month or two of two-and-a-half-dollar gas would cause some serious erosion in Horgan’s support. Look for the Liberals to sit back,


say, “I told you so,” and enjoy the show. Look for Weaver to bide his time and see if Horgan’s numbers tank. If they fall far enough, the Greens could pull their support and let the government fall believing they would stand to gain many of the disaffected voters in a new election. It’s a tough spot for Horgan. His


provincial interest claim seems almost certain to be trumped by Trudeau’s national interest designation. If so, the sooner the better for all concerned.


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