Campbell’s Liberals Force Closure of TILMA Bill 32 in BC

Despite significant public outcry, Bill 32 went into effect without any vote in the Legislature today. The enabling legislation sets the private courts system Trade Investment and Labour Mobility (TILMA) into motion, ceding the right to corporations to sue local governments and other entities for regulations deemed to impede profits.

“For the past year and a half the Minister for Economic Development Colin Hansen has repeatedly promised that TILMA would be debated and voted on,” says Carleen Pickard, regional organizer with the Council of Canadians. “It is incredible that there has been no discussion on an agreement that will lower standards across the two provinces and undermine local government autonomy. The government has gone to extreme measures to make sure the public knows nothing about it.”

The controversial agreement, signed secretly between the BC and Alberta premiers in 2006, came into effect on April 1, 2007. Some components of the agreement came into effect immediately while others will take effect in 2009, when the agreement will fully apply to municipalities, and other government entities. While the signatories believe TILMA will increase business and competition between the provinces, critics are outraged that the governments see fit to override local decision making and democracy for the benefit of corporations.

 

Makah Renegades Viciously Slaughter a Grey Whale

From Seattle Times: Makah tribal officials are dismayed over whale kill; whaler captain has no regrets

In most respects regarding rights and land claims I agree totally with the natives. But sorry Makah, not this time. In this day and age, there is absolutely no reason to be harpooning, machine gunning or otherwise killing or harming whales. Yes, I know this “hunt” wasn’t sanctioned by the tribe, however the impression is that the tribal elders are more concerned that it will complicate their efforts to legally kill whales again.

In days long past, people used to shout fair warning to passers by as they emptied their chamber pots out a second story window.

“Gardyloo!”

Traditions change, sometimes even for the better. Whale killing as a tradition is more offensive and destructive than emptying a piss pot on someone’s head and it needs to disappear forever.

 

Update on dryer sheets vs ants…

It works! Bugs and critters are smart enough to know whats not healthy to be around.

We had an ant problem in the carport and so we stuffed a bunch of dryer sheets around their routes. The ants have all moved on. I’m going to cram some around the foundation of the house this fall too, maybe it will keep the rodents out.

No need to buy the expensive brand name dryer sheets like Bounce, the cheap ones from the dollar store did the trick. They must all use the same toxins.

 

Butterflies, Logs and Transnational Corporations

Sky News reports that one of Britain’s rarest butterflies has made a comeback to an area where it has been extinct for more than 40 years. The Adonis Blue became rare after a loss of its habitat, but there has been a shift and the butterfly is recovering.

The ecologically disastrous spraying for the gypsy moth killed off most of the butterflies around the Capital Regional District on Vancouver Island seven years ago. The government insisted that the spraying had to be done to save our forests from the voracious pests. They said if the forests were decimated by the gypsy moth, there wouldn’t be any more jobs.

The thing is, the forest industry jobs and the communities that depend upon them on the island are all pretty much decimated anyhow. Mills are shut down and the small towns are suffering. The timber rights and the heritage of the citizens is now owned by transnational corporations who have no ties to the communites and only care about their bottom line. The companies get their hands on some nice old growth, strip it off then carve up the land and sell it to developers for tacky subdivisions. Adding insult to injury, the Gordon Campbell Liberals allow raw logs to be exported out of the country, doing away with even more jobs.

Thankfully, a few more butterflies are coming back every year since they were poisoned seven years ago. Maybe next time, we can spray something on the corporations and their cronies in government before paradise is paved over and there is some habitat left for the butterflies and other critters.

Originally published Monday, August 07, 2006