Logging protesters' tactics questioned after manure dumped at B.C. premier's office
Things got a bit messy at the B.C. premier’s constituency office on Wednesday morning, when old growth logging protesters delivered a rather unsightly gift.
Activists from the group Save Old Growth dumped five bags of fresh manure outside the front entrance of John Horgan’s community office in Langford.
“There was a girl standing in the parking lot and I said, ‘What are you guys doing!?’” said Misha Gervais, who works at a hair salon two doors down from Horgan’s office. Gervais said she was appalled to see manure being dumped on the sidewalk.
“We have people who come here in wheelchairs constantly. This is a hazard. We work here and this is absolutely disgusting and uncalled for,” she said.
It’s not the first time fresh fertilizer has been used in protest. In 2001, manure was dumped on the front lawn of George Puil, a former Vancouver councillor and chair of TransLink.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that they go too far,” said Paul Quirk, a UBC political science professor and Phil Lind chair in U.S. politics and representation.
While protests are usually held to raise awareness and generate sympathy, Quirk says protesters who take extreme measures are not always looking for public support.
“It might just be for the hundreds or few thousands who are participating in these protests. If they like doing it, the protest leaders get benefits from doing it,” he said.
Quirk added demonstrations that interfere with the public, such as recent blockades on the Trans-Canada Highway on Vancouver Island and in Vancouver, or the 2020 anti-pipeline protest outside of John Horgan’s house, are not protected by law. They continue, he said, because of a lack of political will.
“(Politicians) are aware of there being a lot of sympathy for the protests. They’d be offending big parts of their constituency by removing them.”
Without strong penalties for protesters who infringe on the public, the disruptions will continue.
“June 13, (road) blockades will start up again,” said Sophia Papp, an organizer with Save Old Growth. “We’re asking (protesters) to take two weeks off work as it’s going to be full-time occupations and blockades."
Save Old Growth says the provincial government has failed to implement the recommendations from an old growth strategic review panel, and feels the current deferrals on logging old growth trees do not go far enough.
“Those deferrals are not permanent, and they’re not deferring areas that they would have logged otherwise,” said Papp. “It looks good and they have a lot of talk, but their tangible actions clearly speak otherwise.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW From yearning for a change to cost of living, why some Canadians have left or may leave the country
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
NEW Capital gains tax change 'shortsighted' and 'sows division' business groups tell Freeland
Forging ahead with increasing Canada's capital gains inclusion rate 'sows division,' and is a 'shortsighted' way to improve the deficit, business groups are warning Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
Defence attacks Stormy Daniels' credibility as she returns to the stand in Trump's hush money trial
Stormy Daniels will return to the witness stand Thursday in Donald Trump's hush money trial as the defence tries to undermine the credibility of the porn actor's salacious testimony about their alleged sexual encounter and the money she was paid to keep quiet.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Florida deputies who fatally shot U.S. airman burst into wrong apartment, attorney says
Deputies responding to a disturbance call at a Florida apartment complex burst into the wrong unit and fatally shot a Black U.S. Air Force airman who was home alone when they saw he was armed with a gun, an attorney for the man's family said Wednesday.
Air Canada ranks near bottom on customer satisfaction: survey
Air Canada ranks below most other major North American airlines on customer satisfaction, with airfares a particular sore point, according to a new survey.