A series of meetings to protest B.C.'s forest management policies has been scheduled for the region.
Peter Ewart, co-founder of the Stand Up For The North Committee, said these events will take place in Prince George, Mackenzie, Quesnel and Williams Lake.
"The purpose of these meetings is to have community discussion at a time when our jobs, forests and communities are facing threats from mill closures, lack of forest oversight, runaway forest companies, timber shortages, ramped up raw log exports, an unreliable U.S. export market and other problems," Ewart said.
Each meeting will have a keynote speaker - Ben Parfitt, forestry analyst for the Canadian Centre For Policy Alternatives - plus a set of support speakers from forestry unions, First Nations and other stakeholder groups.
Joining the group in organizing these events were the Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society, the Council of Canadians, and the USW 1-425 labour union. A number of tour sponsors are also in support of the meetings.
"A major focus of the discussion will be how we can move things forward so that the economy is more diversified, added value stays right here in Canada where it is produced, and workers, communities, First Nations, and small and medium companies and contractors have more say and more control over the future of forestry in B.C.," Ewart said.
The meeting schedule is:
Prince George, March 13, 7 p.m., College of New Caledonia's Stan Shaffer Theatre (Room 1-306).
Mackenzie, March 14, 7 p.m., Mackenzie Recreation Centre.
Quesnel, March 15, 7 p.m., Arts & Recreation Centre (500 N. Star Road)
Williams Lake, March 16, 7 p.m., Central Cariboo Arts & Cultural Centre (90-4th Avenue N.)
For further information contact Ewart at 250-562-0015 or email peter.ewart@shaw.ca, or look up the Stand Up For The North Committee's Facebook page.
