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B.C. VOTES 2020: Wilkinson targets pipeline protesters, promises forest stability

B.C. Liberals vow to grow tree planting, legislate 91Ƶworking forest91Ƶ
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B.C. Liberal leader Andrew Wilkinson at a campaign stop in Campbell River Sept. 29, promoting a one-year elimination of provincial sales tax to help businesses buy equipment. (Campbell River Mirror)

B.C. Liberal leader Andrew Wilkinson took his campaign to Merritt Friday, promising to stabilize the forest industry with 91Ƶworking forest91Ƶ guarantees, and vowing to get tough on protests targeting pipeline and other projects that have permits to build.

91ƵWe91Ƶll end the NDP91Ƶs obstruction for the Trans Mountain pipeline, and we will take the position that permitted projects should not be blocked by protesters,91Ƶ Wilkinson said at a lumberyard in the B.C. Interior community near Kamloops Oct. 2.

Police have responded multiple times to road and rail blockades targeting the Coastal Gaslink project, opposed by a small group of hereditary Wet91Ƶsuwet91Ƶen chiefs and their supporters across the country. The Wet91Ƶsuwet91Ƶen opponents launched their latest court challenge this week, arguing that permits issued for the gas pipeline across northern B.C. didn91Ƶt take into account 91Ƶgender-based harms91Ƶ associated with it.

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John Horgan91Ƶs NDP government launched its own court challenges against the Trans Mountain oil pipeline, joining cases brought by Indigenous communities in the Lower Mainland and their environmental group backers.

Asked how he would deal with protesters, Wilkinson said the courts are the correct place to oppose projects, and protests that ignore court orders should not be tolerated.

Wilkinson referred to an earlier promise to speed up mining and other resource permits by moving the process online, and continued to promote his two-year cut to the provincial sales tax as a way to help business buy equipment and people to have more money to spend.

On Friday Wilkinson focused on the forest industry, promising to change the current stumpage system for Crown timber so it changes along with the volatile lumber price instead of once or twice a year.

91ƵWe need to massively expand tree planting in British Columbia, not only for the benefit of the forest industry, but also to reduce our greenhouse gas production,91Ƶ Wilkinson said. 91ƵWe91Ƶll introduce legislation to protect the working forest, because there91Ƶs no certainty in the B.C. forest industry these days, and that91Ƶs what we need to get ahead.91Ƶ



tfletcher@blackpress.ca

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