Background
British Columbia is in the midst of major shifts in public policy and governmental commitments to privatize, deregulate and further disconnect the future management, ownership and stewardship of the province's public lands, forests and water resources.
These shifts have been undertaken with very limited public debate, participation and/or even efforts to inform the public of the magnitude of changes taking place. Few public consultation opportunities have been provided. Those held on the results-based code for forestry limited the public's knowledge and opportunities to express their views to but one of at least seven key inter-related documents, all of which are interlocked and will shape forest legislation scheduled to be introduced at the Fall session of the legislature. Implementation of a "new" forest management regime is scheduled for 2003.
Major concerns with the results-based code document have been provided by the full spectrum of interests - environmentalists to the forestry industry[1].
Another serious concern is that many public servants, from scientists to resource managers, have been kept out of the loop on these major, fundamental changes to the management, ownership and stewardship of the public's land, water, forest, fish and wildlife resources and have been "cautioned" about sharing their knowledge and concerns with both their peers and the public.