Ingredients of Sustainability

It has been just over a month since Dr Andrew Weaver and I presented Servin’ up Sustainabilty; a locovore dinner and community discussion on sustainability. The following notes are from that discussion.

Over the next 12 weeks, I will post the key discussion points that people shared. These points will be organized under headings of 12 Principles of Sustainability. Within each principle, people explored ideas that can be action in our daily lives, in our community and in our Provincial government policies.

Starting today, I will post one of these each Monday. I encourage you to read the description of each principle and the ideas generated. Feel free to join the online discussion on my Facebook page. There is no particular order to the principles, and ideas often overlap between principles.

I encourage this dialogue to be a thoughtful, challenging and respectful exploration of the 12 principles. It is my hope that this dialogue will inspire action.

12 Principles and the Dates they will be posted:

July 25 – Food Security

August 1 (BC Day) – Protection of the Commons

August 11 – Adaptive Management

August 15 – Precautionary Principle

August 29 – Biodiversity

September 6 – Resilience

September 12– Social Equity

September 19 – Just Transition

September 26 – Democracy & Due Process

October 3 – Full Cost Economics

October 10 (Thanksgiving) – Resource Conservation

October 17 – Ecosystem Protection

Thanks for the input so far – looking forward to more!

Lana

Summer Meals "In The Bag"

Since my 2006 Think Outside the Bag campaign to eliminate plastic bags from the Capital Region, my collection of reusable grocery bags has reached critical mass.

Please help me get rid of these bags.

I will be donating all of my reusable grocery bags to the Mustard Seed food bank....once they are full of food donations.

Food banks often find that donations dwindle in the summer months, which can create real hardship. For example, families whose children don't have the benefit of a school lunch program are now wondering how to feed the family.

This is a change that we can have "in the bag".

Bring your donation of non-perishable food items to my Saanich South Constituency Office at 4085 Quadra and we will fill these bags for those in need.

Thanks everyone!

Lana

One Week Left to Comment on New Fish Farm Application

Hello Fellow Salmon Lovers,

Mainstream Canada, the Canadian arm of Norwegian fish farm company Cermaq has made application to use 55 hectares in Clayoquot Sound.

Although fish farming has recently changed jurisdiction from Provincial to Federal - the tenure for foreshore and for seabed rights are still through the Province.

The public comment period on this application closes on July 22, 2011 - next Friday. It appears that the only way to make comments is through this website - so please do so! There are two documents attached to this page - with images of the applications.
http://www.arfd.gov.bc.ca/ApplicationPosting/viewpost.jsp?PostID=21805

This area, on the West Coast of Vancouver Island is within the boundaries of the UN proclaimed UNESCO biosphere reserve - part of a global network of marine biospheres. To learn more about the biosphere program - click here.

Remember, wild Pacific salmon are still considered a common property resource in Canada - even if the fish farm companies and current Governments do not agree. We need to speak for the salmon! Demand protection for our wild salmon - they are the lifeblood of our coast!

All the best!

Lana

(Image: Existing Fish Farm Tenures in Clayoquot Sount area. Source: Friends of Clayoquot Sound)

Thank-you to all those who took part in our bike rally today!!

This is MLA Doug Routley and myself standing in front of Capital City Bikes downtown Victoria. Our beautiful Squeaky Wheels banner is off to the side. We had many riders out today and appreciate all the good wishes.

Does the Squeaky Wheel get the grease? Sometimes yes and sometimes no...but it makes us feel better to speak out!

Cheers for now,

Lana

Squeaky Wheels Get the Grease!

Calling all cyclists in the Victoria region!

Join me this Thursday July 7 for a bike rally!

Our message is clear: Vote Yes to extinguish the HST on bikes in BC!

The rally starts at 11am sharp at Performance Cycles, 3949 Quadra St.

We’ll pick up riders along the way. Our tentative schedule includes stops at Ryder's Cycles, and Straight-Up Cycles.

The rally finishes at Capital City Cycles, 1419 Broad St, at 12pm with a few short speeches by leaders in the cycling and anti-HST community.

Click here for the route.

For thirty years, bikes (and bike expenses like repairs, helmets and locks) were PST exempt. Why? Because it makes no sense to tax such a healthy and environmentally-friendly form of transportation. The HST ended the exemption and in effect created a new 7% tax cycling.

Just over a year ago squeakywheels.ca brought together thousands of cyclists from across BC who opposed the HST and the new tax it put on cycling.

Over 500 hundred of us rallied on the front steps of the Legislature and I submitted a petition to the Speaker of the House with over 5000 signatories.

With the HST referendum ongoing, now is the time for cyclists to again come together and send a strong message: Vote Yes to extinguish the HST on bikes in BC!

Can the B.C. Liberal government explain how jacking up the price of a bike is going to help make B.C. more sustainable or encourage people to make healthy lifestyle choices?

And how does a new tax on cycling possibly advance B.C.’s Climate Action Plan? Getting people out of their cars and onto their bikes will reduce carbon emissions. It also means less traffic congestion, less wear and tear on our roads and lower health-care costs.

A government that increases taxes on green transportation is traveling in the wrong direction.

Join me for a ride on Thursday and let's help turn this thing around!

Lana

Lana Popham
MLA, Saanich South

Constituency Report Video, June 25 2011

Here is my latest Constituency Report.

Success for Saanich School Kids!

Saanich Student Max with Lana at the Community Forum 

held at at the Saanich South Community Office for Saanich

students and parents concerned about the budget deficit

Dear Saanich South,

I'm very pleased to report that yesterday the BC government did an about-face and agreed to provide additional funds to the Saanich School Board.

Many of us have been working hard to make this happen. Personally, I pressed the issue with the Education Minister several times, raised the need for this in the BC Legislature, spoke out strongly on the subject with the media on numerous occasions, connected with dozens of affected parents, and held a public forum on the topic for Saanich parents and kids at my community office two days ago. 

School Funding Forum - June 27

While BC politics has been focused around the HST Referendum, Saanich schools have been facing an ongoing funding crisis that is about to come to a head.

Saanich School board, like all school boards across the province, has been facing a decade of immense pressure from continued funding cuts with no revenue increases. In April 2010 the School Board was facing a $3-4 million dollar shortfall, with layoffs of up to 23 staff. This translates to less support for students: less field trips, less library staff, less support for special needs students.

This Monday: locavore dinner and community discussion about climate change and sustainability

UPDATE: MONDAY JUNE 20 - EVENT IS SOLD OUT.

Dear Saanich South,

You are invited to a locavore dinner and community discussion on climate change and sustainability this Monday, June 20th, at 6pm at the Citadel, 4030 Douglas St. There are still tickets available at my community office (4085 Quadra), open this Friday, 9:30pm-3pm and at Cabin 12 (corner of Pandora and Govt) open everyday 9-3pm. Tickets are $10 and that includes dinner and a presentation by Dr. Andrew Weaver with the latest info on global warming and how we are doing at responding in BC. There will also be a workshop part of the evening where you can contribute your own ideas about how BC can become more sustainable. There is free childcare for children aged 5-12, by reservation only. Check out the poster below for more details.
Lana

Saanich Cycling Festival this Sunday!!

The Saanich Cycling Festival is happening this Sunday! This is a wonderful community cycling event, featuring a police-escorted ride. (The route is from UVIC, down Cedar Hill, up Shelbourne, down Mckenzie and back to Uvic, map here.) 

POSTPONED - Art Exhibition at my Community Office this Wednesday Evening

Join me for an art exhibition at my office Wednesday evening!

If you’ve made a trip into my office lately, you will have noticed that the walls are adorned with lovely works of art created by a talented local artist, Dennis Jaques.

Check out my Saanich South 2yr Update!

Here is the newsletter that I sent out last week to Sannich South.

Bike To Work Week 2011 at the Legislature!

Bike to Work Week!

Bike to Work Week is rolling along right now! It runs from May 30 - June 5...join in on the fun! Check out their website for more information: http://www.biketowork.ca/

Here is a statement about Bike to Work Week that I made yesterday in the BC Legislature:

Tod Creek Flats Update

On May 18th, my community office helped organize a community gathering led by Friends of the Tod Creek Watershed.

Tod Creek Flats is a floodplain along Tod Creek as it drains north from Prospect Lake into Tod Inlet. The regular flooding makes for valuable agricultural land – all the nutrients get deposited as the water drains away – and also raises concerns for neighbours who need to protect their property.

The Flats don’t drain as quickly or thoroughly as they used to. Over a century of development in the area - including houses, roads and farms – has had a big impact on the drainage patterns.

David Cubberley and engaged community

The District of Saanich clearly recognizes the need to manage floodplains for ecological and agricultural reasons as well as for safety. The District established a working group and the working group became the Friends of Tod Creek Watershed – who, in 2008, partnered with Saanich to commission Murdoch de Greef to draft a report on the historical flow patterns.

The report was presented to Saanich and the Friends in the fall of 2009. Since then, the Friends have been trying to get funding to conduct the full hydrological studies needed to determine the next steps.

Over 30 landowners and interested parties joined the discussion. At the last minute, duties at the Legislative Assembly kept me from attending, but David Cubberley, former MLA was kind enough to step in and play the part of the welcoming committee, along with my assistant Erika Rolston.

Scott Murdoch did an excellent job presenting his report: an overview of the changes to the area over the last century and the results of a design charette in the summer of 2008. The results were met with some concern that solutions would be limited to the options discussed in the report.

Scott Murdoch

Deborah Curran, local land owner and Smart Growth BC co-founder, jumped in and made it very clear that the options in the report are only the beginning of the discussions. Deborah has been involved in this effort for some time now and – as professor of environmental law - is very knowledgeable about the hoops that need jumping. She spoke to the different levels of government, each with their own abilities and constraints with respect to environmental regulations. Deborah has been speaking with UVic faculty about the possibility of an environmental engineering program taking on Tod Creek Flats as an ongoing study.

Finally, Mary Haig-Brown was asked to speak as Chair of Friends of Tod Creek Watershed. She spoke very clearly to the need to persevere now so that our grandchildren do not have to fix the issues that our grandparents started.

I’ve heard from several people that it was a very informative evening and an important step forward. In adddition to David, Erika and the Friends, I’d like to thank the neighbours for their thoughtful and frank input, and the First Unitarian Church of Victoria for sharing their beautiful space and providing delicious snacks.

For more information: http://todcreek.rd123.ca/?page_id=404

Outerbridge Gardens

I spent a wonderful afternoon at an open house for Outerbridge Gardens today. What a fantastic surprise to meet Mrs. Outerbridge also attending the event. Mrs. Outerbridge just celebrated her 90th birthday and is still very much dedicated to the vision of this incredible place in Saanich South. If you would like to visit, the main park entrance is off of Royal Oak Drive, adjacent to 1181 Royal Oak Drive. It has very limited parking and is best to walk in from the street or cycle there.

Outerbridge Gardens is a 9.3 acre property once owned by Mrs. Outerbridge from the late 80s to 2005. For a number of years the property was known locally as the ‘Shangri-La Bird and Nature Sanctuary’ and was open to the public.

She spent years creating the gardens, ponds and landscape features to create an oasis for wildlife, particularly birds. Now it is in the hands of Saanich and has many loving volunteers. They are always looking for more volunteers and you can connect with Outerbridge through Horticulture Center of the Pacific!

I would like to thank the volunteers who put on this event today. I had a great time!

Cheers,

Lana

May 29th is the Day of the Honey Bee in BC!

This past Thursday I celebrated bees! Click here for Bees in the Legislature

HST on bikes shows government is back-pedaling!

Here is a question that I asked Kevin Falcon, the deputy Premier and Minister of Finance today in the Legislature.

For more than thirty years, bikes (and bike expenses like repairs, helmets and locks) were PST exempt. Why? Because successive governments agreed it made no sense to tax such a healthy and environmentally-friendly form of transportation.

In fact, it was Hugh Curtis, a Socred Finance Minister and Saanich South MLA who first made this decision. In a Budget Speech in 1981, he said that cycling would be PST exempt because “it is consistent with a healthier, quieter and more energy-efficient society.”

This rationale has only become stronger over time as we’ve learned more about the benefits of healthy living and the importance of reducing our carbon emissions. The more we can encourage people to ride bikes rather than drive cars, the better it is for everyone. It means less traffic congestion, less wear and tear on our roads and lower health-care costs.

I wonder if the B.C. government can explain how jacking up the price of a bike is going to help make B.C. more sustainable or encourage people to make healthy lifestyle choices. How does this possibly advance B.C.’s Climate Action Plan?

And now, after increasing the cost of cycling by 7%, does the government really believe British Columbians are going to fall for a promise to reduce that tax hike by 1 % in a year, and another 1% a year later? Let's not forget that we were promised in writing during the last election that a HST would not be introduced.

Only two months ago, Premier Clark ruled out reducing the HST rate, saying 'I think people will see that as buying them with their own money,' yet here she is, doing exactly that.

We need a different approach. I believe we should be creating incentives for green transportation, and disincentives for more polluting forms of transportation. Standing up for cyclists as an Opposition MLA is one way that I can help keep the pressure on.

A government that increases taxes on green transportation is a government traveling in the wrong direction. Please show your support by joining our 'Squeaky Wheels Get the Grease' facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=168651903391

Take Back the Tap!

Here I am with Community Activist Ed Pullman
and Saanich Councillor Vicki Sanders

In a little over a decade, over-priced plastic bottles of water have gone from a niche market product to a ubiquitous item seen and sold everywhere we go. This despite the fact that the vast majority of Canadians have access to safe and clean drinking water through their municipal water system.

Why do people spend their hard-earned money on plastic bottles of water? Some people claim it tastes  better than tap water. But analysts estimate between 25 and 40 percent of bottled water is simply reprocessed municipal tap water.

Of course plastic bottles of water are convenient. Advertising, which accounts for 10 to 15 percent of the price of a bottle of water, has successfully associated bottled water with a healthy lifestyle and a status symbol.

While many of us think nothing of this process, the environmental externalities associated with bottled water are something we cannot continue to ignore.

Bottled water consumes substantial amounts of non-renewable fuels to process, package and transport, creating adverse air quality and climate change impacts. It takes approximately three litres of water to manufacture a one litre plastic water bottle!



Although plastic bottles can be recycled, anywhere from 40% and 80% of empty bottles end up as litter. According to an Encorp Pacific recycling report, over 40 million plastic water bottles went into BC landfills alone!

In Saanich we already pay taxes to provide us with a safe and highly regulated service providing clean and fresh water. Does it make sense to encourage unnecessary use of plastic-bottle water?

Many groups have taken up the cause of reclaiming tap water, including The Polaris institute, Sierra Youth Coalition, CUPE and the Canadian Federation of Students. The Federation of Canadian Municipalities has passed a resolution urging municipalities to phase out the sale and purchase of bottled water at their own facilities. Dozens of cities and universities across the country have gone or have committed to going bottled water free.

Locally, Saanich councillors recently offered unanimous support for a motion championed by councillor Vicki Sanders to phase out bottled water sales in its recreation centres and municipal buildings over the next three years. Water fountains in buildings will be upgraded with filling stations and Saanich will launch an education campaign promoting the use of personal water bottles. Esquimalt, North and Central Saanich councils have enacted similar efforts at reducing bottled water consumption.

Undergraduate students at the University of Victoria recently voted 85% in favour to phasing out bottled water and improving access to public drinking water through more water fountains and water bottle refilling stations. I’m impressed to see young people taking the lead and making such a strong statement against bottled water.

The Capital Regional District is privileged to have access to an abundance of fresh potable water through such sources as the Sooke Reservoir and Leech River. This natural system is a treasure. The average cost of a litre of our world class drinking water? Less than one-tenth of a penny! That beats the toonie you have to shell out at a vending machine. In fact, a substantial percentage of bottled water is simply re-filtered municipal tap water from another city that’s been packaged and transported hundreds or thousands of miles.

With efforts from municipal governments and civil society, what role can the provincial government play in reducing bottled water consumption? Should we begin to phase out bottled water sales at crown corporations, ministry and other provincial buildings? Could we step up education efforts and awareness campaigns?

There is no single solution to reducing bottled water consumption. Changing consumer culture takes time, patience and initiative. But I know from my efforts to encourage re-usable shopping bags in Saanich that change can happen.

What can the provincial government do to reduce bottled water consumption? Send me your thoughts and comments. lana.popham.mla@leg.bc.ca

Lana.

Spring 2011 Constituency Report - Video

Lana Popham, April, 2011.

LRT4CRD!

BC Transit has recently completed a long and exhaustive study on rapid transit options in the Capital Regional District (CRD). This two year study consulted a broad range of business and community groups and gave careful consideration to the alignment and technology best suited for rapid transit.

Using a multiple-account evaluation accounting for business, social and environmental impacts (also known as triple bottom line), it concluded light rail transit connecting Downtown to Uptown to the Western Communities via Douglas Street, the Trans Canada Highway and Old Island Highway is the best option to relieve traffic congestion while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Light rail will also allow for densification around train stations that will have numerous transportation, health and economic benefits for current and future residents.

Now that the plan has been presented, Greater Victoria has a historic choice to make. We can do nothing. We can expand roads and build overpasses. Or we can build light rail.

Doing nothing is not an option. Congestion is already reaching a breaking point. As population growth in the Western Communities continues, the Colwood crawl into Victoria on weekday mornings and back in the afternoon will only worsen. BC Transit is losing millions of dollars and hundreds of service hours to buses stuck in traffic congestion. In addition, they reported a transit ridership decline last year for the first time in many years. The status quo is simply unacceptable.

Expanding roads may offer a short term solution to congestion problems, but this will only make matters worse in the long run. We must consider the downstream costs of increasing capacity on our roads: the costs of new parking facilities, increased traffic accidents and insurance payouts, worsening health outcomes from more people driving, displacing congestion to roads and intersections that won’t be upgraded and so on. It’s been said that dealing with traffic congestion through expanding roads is like dealing with a weight problem by buying a bigger belt. I couldn’t agree more!

For myself and many others, the need for Light Rail is self-evident.

As MLA for Saanich South, I will continue to be a strong voice for an LRT solution. By working with community, our community leaders, local politicians, and senior government, we should be able to find our way to a financially responsible plan which solves our growing transportation crisis. I see senior Government coming to the table with at least two thirds cost-sharing. It’s a smart investment in our future: it brings our money back into our communities, and improves our quality of life.

Please sign our petition at www.lrt4crd.ca to show your support for LRT.

Yours sincerely,

Lana Popham
MLA, Saanich South

Restore the Tod Creek Flats

On May 18, 2011 come explore ideas to restore Tod Creek Flats. This wetland area just north of Prospect Lake has been impacted by human activities for 150 years. Now there is a plan to bring back its ecological integrity.

The Friends of Tod Creek Watershed and Lana Popham, MLA Saanich South invite you to attend this open house.

TOPIC: Tod Creek Flats Integrated Management Plan

SPEAKERS: Deborah Curran, local land owner and Environmental Lawyer and Scott Murdoch, of Murdoch de Greeff Inc, who prepared the plan.

DATE: Wednesday, May 18, 2011 TIME: 6:00pm – 8:30pm

PLACE: the Unitarian Church at 5575 West Saanich Road

May Day! May Day! Wild Salmon need your help!

Alexandra Morton is asking all Victorians who care about wild salmon to walk with her this Sunday, May 1st, to demand an end to open-net fish-farming on our coastal waters.

Please join me at my community office (4085 Quadra Street, North of Mackenzie Av.) at 1pm to welcome the walkers. We'll have snacks and after a short rest break we'll walk downtown for a 3pm rally at the Legislature.

Click on the poster to the right for more information.

Wild salmon symbolize a sustainable British Columbia. They are very important to the health of our forests, feeding eagles and bears and many other species. They provide an income, livelihood and essential food-source for tens of thousands of people. And yet, they are also at great risk.

Our government must do more to protect wild salmon! Good exercise for a great cause. I hope to see you on Sunday.

Lana.

PS. The May Day walk starts at 9am at the Tsawout First Nation and you are welcome to join in there. For more information, visit salmonaresacred.org.

Save the Date!

Dear Saanich South,

You are invited to a locavore dinner and community discussion on climate change and sustainability this Monday, June 20th, at 6pm at the Citadel, 4030 Douglas St. The event is close to selling out! But there are still tickets available at my community office (4085 Quadra), open this Friday, 9:30pm-3pm and at Cabin 12 (corner of Pandora and Govt) open everyday 9-3pm. Tickets are $10 and that includes dinner and a presentation by Dr. Andrew Weaver with the latest info on global warming and how we are doing at responding in BC. There will also be a workshop part of the evening where you can contribute your own ideas about how BC can become more sustainable. There is free childcare for children aged 5-12, by reservation only. Check out the poster below for more details or call my office at 250 479 4153.

Lana

 

Victoria Autism Awareness Walk

Don't miss it - this Sunday! Go to victoriaautismwalk.com for more info.

The Natural City: A Visionary Call to Action!

April 14, Reynolds School, 7:30pm

Join me for a presentation by Vic Derman, Saanich Councillor and past Vice President and Co-Founder of the Land Conservancy of BC.

The Natural City is a visionary, comprehensive, and thought provoking approach to a better future for today’s residents and those who come after us.

Vic Derman provides an integrative blueprint for planning ‘the natural city’. Well versed in sustainability and climate change issues, Vic offers solutions to what should be our top priorities in the planning process, and the changes we need to make in order to optimize our quality of life. Having been involved with sustainability issues for 20 years, he has an acute and practical understanding of the necessary shift towards urban sustainability, global sustainability and ultimately the legacy that should be passed down to future generations. Topics include: Urban design, compact development, transportation, food sustainability, how to overcome the various political barriers and much more.

"Without doubt, Saanich and our region face a future where we must 'do things differently' to succeed. Past practices have produced a myriad of outcomes such as loss of open space, environmental degradation and choking congestion that are unsustainable and inconsistent with citizen's hopes and expectations." - Vic Derman

Click here for map. More info call Lana @ 250 479.4154.

Lyme Disease Awareness

Dear Friends,

Whether you are hanging out in the backyard or camping in pristine wilderness, Lyme disease is a serious concern.

Do you know what Lyme disease is? That’s okay, most people don’t. But with summer coming and the great outdoors looking more and more tempting, you need to know the simple steps you can take to avoid contracting Lyme disease.

What is Lyme Disease? A CBC report around this time last year put it is way: “tiny tick, big problem.” First diagnosed in Lyme, Connecticut in the mid-1970s, the disease is spread by nymphal ticks no bigger than a speck of pepper . Ticks travel from animal to animal, feeding off blood. If a tick consumes infected blood and then bites you, symptoms begin appearing in as little as three days. The bites can be painless and leave only a tiny mark that doesn’t last very long.

What are the symptoms of Lyme Disease? According to the Public Health Agency of Canada:

The symptoms of Lyme disease usually happen in three stages, although not all patients have every symptom. The first sign of infection is usually a circular rash. This rash occurs in about 70-80 percent of infected people. It begins at the site of the tick bite after a delay of three days to one month.

Other common symptoms include:

• fatigue
• chills
• fever
• headache
• muscle and joint pain
• swollen lymph nodes

If untreated, the second stage of the disease can last up to several months and include:

• central and peripheral nervous system disorders
• multiple skin rashes
• arthritis and arthritic symptoms
• heart palpitations
• extreme fatigue and general weakness

It sounds serious, and it is. But it is also easily preventable, and if promptly diagnosed, it is easily treatable, too.

Here are a few tips from the BC Centre for Disease Control:

• Walk on cleared trails wherever possible when walking in tall grass or woods.
• Wear light coloured clothing, tuck your top into your pants and tuck your pants into your boots or socks.
• Put insect repellent containing DEET on all uncovered skin.
• Check clothing and scalp (covered or not) when leaving an area where ticks may live.

Lyme disease is North America’s fastest rising infectious disease. It’s utterly debilitating if not detected and treated quickly with antibiotics – which happens rarely in B.C.

If detected early, Lyme disease can be treated successfully with antibiotics in a matter of weeks. When in doubt, see a doctor – and make sure she tests for Lyme disease if your symptoms fit the above profile.

I am close to several people who suffer from Lyme disease. I know how brutal this disease can be. Thank you for reading.

Lana.

For more information:

• Bite Me, a Blog by Nicole Bottles
• Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation
• BC Center for Disease Control: Lyme Disease
• International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society

Give this Woman a Job!

Betsy with Dried Salmon

Here is a letter from Alexander Morton with some great ideas... and an offer we'd be fools to pass up on.

March 22, 2011


British Columbia this is my job application

After watching DFO’s Director General of Science, Pacific Region on the stand at the Cohen Commission March 17 - this is my job application. If I was Director General of DFO Pacific Region, I could straighten this mess out and put our wild fish first. DFO policy has already driven one of earth’s most generous fish stocks to extinction (the east coast cod stocks) by ignoring their own scientist. They are doing exactly this again today. On March 17 we heard DFO did not inform the public that one of their scientists found what looks like a virus is killing the majority some runs of Fraser sockeye. DFO did not tell us that this virus has been epidemic in salmon farms on the Fraser migration route. I doubt DFO has any idea how widespread this virus is in farm salmon. I don't think they have a handle on the situation If we allow this type of mismanagement and secrecy we will lose wild salmon, one of our most valuable public resources

Number one DFO must recognize there are four types of salmon in BC; wild, enhanced, hatchery and farmed and there is no evidence they can co-exist. Fishery Managers have to give one type of salmon top priority. I would choose wild salmon because they are the least expensive, most likely to survive climate change, most prolific, greatest benefit to humanity and have a 10,000 year successful trackrecord.

Salmon wear spectacular regalia at spawning time to allow the females to make the best choice for their species. The males are saying, “hey, look at me I went to the North Pacific and back and have THIS much to show for it!” Female choice tunes each population, honing them into the best fish possible for the environment of the moment. When humans take that choice away from the salmon in hatcheries, we might as well cut off their tails as we release them. We destroy their most powerful survival mechanism. Enhanced salmon in spawning channels require expensive cleaning regularly and this costs more and more money as fuel costs rise. In 2010, I saw a spawning channel choked with carcasses. Any eggs under them were smothered by the massive rotting - it was a death trap!

Farm salmon break all the natural laws, are unsustainable with rapacious shareholders demanding continuous growth and they privately owned. If I were Director General of the DFO Pacific Region I would work for Canadians, not salmon farming corporations.

The wild salmon that swims all the way back from the open Pacific and chooses a site to spawn without our help – is THE most valuable salmon there is. I would honor the needs of this fish in every way possible - it is the only salmon with a future.

* I would establish the premise that wild fish manage themselves – we simply need to decide how much we are going to get out of their way and allow them to do what they do best - make more salmon.

* I would enact a Follow the Fish course of action using state of the art science to understand exactly where they are prospering and failing. This will equip us to debate what roadblocks we want to remove or keep.

* I would put a number of DFO people somewhere where that they can’t hurt anything further and I would hand the reins to others.

* I would meet with every First Nation Fisheries Manager and stream-keeper group to understand what needs to be done in each unique situation and then I would meet with those who disagree with them before making any decision.

* I would ensure every significant watershed has people trained in disease sampling and outfit them with the tools to immediately capture information on the epidemics that are flashing out of control killing BC wild salmon, so we can track and deal with this.

* I would form small, efficient roving teams combining dedicated First Nations, biologists and the people who know the area best to walk these watersheds continuously and task them to report on where the salmon are and how they are doing. In this way we would learn what is working, what is not and what we need to maximize the fish’s own potential to thrive.

* I would thread together the people spread across BC who are working for salmon. The people on the grounds and the leading scientists need to talk. The fishermen need to meet the Fishery Managers on the spawning grounds. Every meeting would be structured to produce or tune a plan of action. No wasted effort or bafflegab allowed.

* I would reinstate local DFO offices as much as I was able, populate them with local experts and make sure the folks on the grounds have clear channels of communication between themselves and head office, so when problems arise we would have an all hands on deck immediate response.

* I would offer opportunity and attention to the Canadians who think they can conduct aquaculture without soiling our province. I would promote farming at the bottom of the food chain, not the top. I would invite the open net industry to leave, suggesting the courts might offer leniency if they voluntarily removed themselves in the face of mounting evidence that they are the source of lethal fish diseases and thus enormous losses to Canadians.

* I would apply this approach to all fisheries. It is not that I know what needs to be done in all cases, but I can figure out who is sincere and knowledgeable and encourage these people to come forward to begin a new era where we work with our wild fish and not against, where policy is second to truth.

My personal goal is to return to the wilderness of the Broughton Archipelago, but I would be willing to do this in hopes that I could go home in a year or so and watch the wild salmon and all they feed return to us.

Alexandra Morton 
http://alexandramorton.typepad.com

Dirt! The Movie

You are invited to a FREE screening of Dirt the Movie! 

An award-winning documentary and an Official Selection at Sundance Film Festival, Dirt! the Movie tells an amazing and little known story of the relationship between humans and living dirt

Watch this trailer and you'll see why this movie has gotten rave reviews!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8_dN5YWnyc

Co-hosted by MLA and Ag Critic Lana Popham and City Councillor Philippe Lucas. After the film we'll have tea and snacks and a presentation by farmer and local-food advocate Bob Maxwell.

Narrated by Jaime Lee Curtis, Dirt! the Movie brings to life the environmental, economic, social and political impact of soil. It tells the story of Earth's most valuable and under-appreciated source of fertility--from its miraculous beginning to its crippling degradation.

Donations are welcome - all proceeds to Victoria Downtown Public Market Society!

For more info: philippe.lucas1969@gmail.com or www.victoriapublicmarket.com

Four Remarkable Women

Organic farming on Southern Vancouver Island owes a great debt to four remarkable women: Mary Alice Johnson, Tina Fraser Baynes, Marti Martin-wood and Rebecca Jehn.

Today - in honour of the 100^th anniversary of International Women’s Day - it is my pleasure to re-release a documentary about their early efforts.

It was directed and filmed in 1995 by Helen Rezanowich of the Media Network Society. I know that it inspired a number of women to begin farming… including myself!

The film captures the challenges that women face if they want to farm. But it is also about the joy and value that comes from growing food for yourself and others. I know many women farming today will relate to the feelings and ideas expressed in this film.

Many of the projects these women helped start – such as Moss Street Market – remain vibrant and successful to this day. I’m also very happy to report that all four women are still actively farming.  

Mary-Alice Johnson, for example, has transformed land in Sooke into a highly-productive and successful farm, ALM Farm. She and her business partner Marika Nagasaki grow a full range of vegetables, including fifty types of heritage tomatoes, and coveted salad greens. They also have poultry and pigs, run a busy seed company (Full Circle Seeds) and protect wild natural spaces on the edge of the farm. The whole operation is certified organic, employs several people and grosses over $100 000 a year!

Tina Fraser Baynes also continues to farm organically at Corner Farm in North Saanich. She has a busy farm-gate stand, and has helped start the North Saanich Farm Market. She also teaches a popular course at Camosun College about how to start a farm.

Marti Martin-Wood runs Two Wings Farm in Metchosin with her husband Bernie. Their seed company was founded in 2000 and continues to provide high-quality, certified organic and open-pollinated seeds.

Rebecca Jehn operates Rebecca’s Garden, a certified organic market garden in Saanich. She is also well known for her preserves and seeds. She continues to hold workshops on seed saving, plant propagation, harvesting and marketing produce, as well as canning and preserving the harvest.

I asked Mary Alice if she had a word of advice for young women considering farming. Her answer? “Well, I worry about people being too idealistic about it. It is very hard work. But it can be done – there is a huge demand for local and organic. People will thank you and value your efforts. It’s an extremely rewarding way to make a living.”

I hope you will enjoy this video and join me in celebrating four remarkable farmers for this year’s International Women’s Day.

Firefighters

Today is a sad day for many - it is a day to remember fallen firefighters.

Here is a Statement I gave in the Legislature last year on this date.

L. Popham: People love firefighters. That's a fact. An Angus Reid public opinion poll showed that firefighters are one of the most trusted professions in the world. Firefighters are our heroes. They put their own lives at risk to save ours. They see us at the most painful and terrifying moments in our lives, and they give us comfort, respect and care.

Fire departments are like families — families protecting our families. I'm married to Jon, a firefighter from Oak Bay who has been there for 18 years. My brother Guy is a firefighter in Delta and has worked there for 16 years. When you have a firefighter or two in the family, you feel like part of the greater fire department family of British Columbia. Yes, I have a soft spot for firefighters.

I am proud to be the MLA for the Saanich fire department. The Saanich fire department has been around since 1948 and has 108 full-time firefighters. The Saanich fire department is not only protecting our community, but they're helping us build a better community with the Saanich Fire Fighters Charitable Foundation. This foundation is a registered non-profit charity that was established in 2001 and has raised over $200,000.

They give and they give. Whether they are on shift or on days off, they are contributing to our quality of life. When they come to us as elected officials and ask for support for cancer presumption legislation, when they come to us and ask for support for the right-to-know legislation, and when they come and ask for the right to be licensed to practise at the emergency medical responder level, both sides of the House need to listen.

Firefighters would break down doors, walk into fire and risk everything to save us. Let our legislation not be the barrier that stops them.

http://www.leg.bc.ca/hansard/39th2nd/h00309p.htm#3291

http://www.theprovince.com/Memorial+service+honour+fallen+firefighters/4394035/story.html