4 The straight dope


A year after a cliffhanger election that left the province on the edge of its seat, farmers continue to farm with few changes to how they do business. The aggressive agenda many feared the coalition of the BC NDP and Green parties would unleash has proceeded at a measured pace, with relatively little legislation passed as the new government takes a considered approach to implementing policies. While government acted within weeks to address aquifer contamination in the Hullcar Valley,


revive the Buy BC program and assemble a committee to recommend steps for revitalizing the Agricultural Land Reserve, it has also had its hands full wrangling wildfire recovery funding and addressing the housing crisis. Potential flashpoints for agriculture have been kicked down the road, whether it’s hikes to the minimum wage or changes to the Crown tenure system to respect Indigenous title. Greenhouses retain a rebate on the provincial carbon tax. A year ago, BC Greenhouse Growers Association president Peter Cummings told association members to get in the driver’s seat because of the unknown effects of a new government. “It’s not clear what the impacts will be if the NDP are elected,” he said at the time. This past month, Cummings found it tough to criticize the socialist horde in Victoria, who he


said are trying hard to address urban issues, though they have to be aware of the broader consequences for farmers. Rather, he reserved his harshest criticism for the 30-month-old federal government. “I believe this Liberal government is more socialist than the NDP,” Cummings told the association’s annual meeting in his final remarks as president. “We have a federal government today that seems to have become unhinged and detached from the realities of operating family farms and family-owned enterprises in general.” Between conflicted energy policies – pushing through a pipeline while introducing carbon


taxes – punitive small business tax policies and a rumoured estate tax, and ham-handed handling of the international workers file this winter, Ottawa seems to be excelling at raising farmers’ ire. It’s not sufficient to tell growers, especially greenhouse producers, to chill out. Recreational cannabis is set to become legal this summer, but it’s one more problem looming for the vegetable sector, which will see dramatic cuts to levies as acreage goes to pot. It all adds up to the key question more and more people are asking as the prime minister travels the world, while uncertainties mount for businesses at home: What are they smoking?


Our best friend deserves greater recognition


Canis familiaris, aka the family pooch, aka man’s best friend. The domestic dog is the world’s most widely dispersed and abundant carnivore. Undisputed archaeological evidence dates the domesticated dog to nearly 15,000 years ago, with some research suggesting that it was much earlier. Whenever it was, it


The Back Forty BOB COLLINS


has been a long, fruitful relationship. The human desire for canine companionship seems instinctive and it wouldn’t really be much of a surprise to find a “dog” gene somewhere in our DNA. Dogs now come in all shapes and sizes with an


incredible span of instincts and talents and though most are now family pets and companions who can meet their owner’s expectations by defecating outdoors and not eating the upholstery in the Lexus, they are capable of a great deal more. The marvel of a Border Collie that can control a whole herd or flock is common knowledge to farmers and ranchers. Similarly, dog’s abilities to track, point, set, retrieve, sniff out explosives or contraband, assist in police apprehension, and act as seeing eye and special assistance companions are apparent to all who benefit from them. But, overall, the true scope of the human debt owed to Canis familiaris is largely unrecognized. Nowhere in the list of mankind’s greatest


achievements or most influential people do we find even a passing mention of domestic dogs or their


origin. There are some recognized achievements that predate written history, like domesticated fire, projectile weapons, language, and the wheel. Fire tops this list at no. 3, behind landing on the moon and inventing electronic devices, and just ahead of photography and the Internet. There is no influential person recognition at all for whoever turned Canis lupus into Canis familiaris. Just for reference: George W. Bush (at #36) and Elvis Presley (at #69) both made the list. To appreciate just how glaring these omissions


are, we will need to imagine the beginning of Canis familiaris. On a precarious late-Paleolithic day, a hunting


party stands proudly around the wolf they have just speared. Beyond the inner sphere of celebration stands a boy. Too young to wield a spear, he has come to watch and learn and help to carry the kill back to camp. His name is Lug. As the others exaggerate their courage and


prowess, Lug hears whining coming from a hole close by. He reaches in and starts dragging out a litter of pups who each, in turn, sinks its teeth into his hand.


The elders quickly arrive and begin dispatching the pups, praising Lug for securing a welcome armload of tasty snacks. Lug notices that the last pup doesn’t bite him and has a eureka moment. He carries it home where it becomes a source of merriment for the children and a prized possession of Lug. He calls it Come. It soon follows him everywhere, keeps him warm at night, bristles and growls when danger is near, becomes an intrepid hunting companion, and whelps a litter of pups who don’t bite either. The


Publisher Cathy Glover


The agricultural news source in British Columbia since 1915 Vol. 104 No. 5. MAY 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


Advertising Sales & Marketing Cathy Glover sales@countrylifeinbc.com Production Designer Tina Rezansoff Production Ass’t Naomi McGeachy Yo! Pete!


rest, as they say, is history, or something like it. The arrival of domestic dogs undoubtedly gave humans a big leg up at a time when human survival at all was still a toss-up. Dogs accompanied people in their spread around the world. It’s unlikely it could have happened to the same extent without them. After the passage of untold millennia, people and


dogs are still together. Though dogs are simply pets and companions to most people, there still seems to be something of Lug and Come ingrained in nearly all of us, and money is no object when it comes to Come’s health and welfare. According to the North American Pet Health


Association, there are nearly 90 million dogs in the US, and the Canadian Animal Health Institute estimates 7.6 million dogs in Canada. Dogs have become big business. Food for dogs is


now available in a mind-numbing array of varieties and recipes. If you are willing to shell out a hundred bucks, you might find a special healthy blend of wild rice roots, organic apple cores and free-range camel spleens. Speaking from personal experience, providing


food that cost a hundred dollars a bag will not guarantee your dog will greet it with any enthusiasm or gratitude whatsoever. At the end of the day, your dog couldn’t care less how much money you spend. Some of them will be happy with leftovers and burnt wieners if they know you made it specially for them. We have a long and close history with dogs and if I need to bring the cows in from the far field to the barn, the little black dog laying at my feet will do me more good than George W. Bush, all the moon landings, split atoms and the whole World Wide Web put together.


Advertising is accepted on the condition that in the event of a typographical


error, that portion of the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with reasonable allowance for signature will not be charged, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. In the event of a typographical error which advertises goods or services at a wrong price, such goods or services need not be sold at the advertised price. Advertising is an offer to sell, and may be withdrawn at any time. All advertising is accepted subject to publisher’s approval. All of Country Life in British Columbia’s content is covered by Canadian copyright law.


Opinions expressed in signed articles are those of the writer and not necessarily those of Country Life in British Columbia. Letters are welcome, though they may be edited in the interest of brevity before publication.


All errors brought to our attention will be corrected. 36 Dale Road, Enderby BC V0E 1V4 . Publication Mail Agreement: 0399159 . GST Reg. No. 86878 7375 . Subscriptions: $2/issue . $18.90/year . $33.60/2 years . $37.80/3 years incl GST


COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • MAY 2018


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44