This page contains annotated news stories and press releases with commentary about land reform and the democratic process in British Columbia. Our comments are shown in red.
1. Gives us some background info into the Conflict of Interest between Rich Coleman, previous Forest Minister and his brother Stan Coleman. Stan works for Western Forest Products, the company that was granted massive Tree Farm Licence Deletions, worth 100's of millions of dollars, under Rich's authority.
2. A great time line, and sequence of events from the TFL deletion scandal to the release of the Auditor Generals report.
Conflict of interest probe to target former minister
Rich Coleman's brother employed by firm that benefited from land transfer
Jul 17, 2008As auditor general John Doyle was reviewing Coleman's decision to allow Western Forest Products to remove 28,000 hectares of private land from Vancouver Island tree farm licences, allegations were raised that the minister was in a possible conflict of interest. His older brother, Stan, is WFP's manager of strategic planning.
"Information was obtained during the course of the review which raised concerns regarding possible contraventions of the members' Conflict of Interest Act in relation to two decisions made by the former minister of forests," Doyle said.
Former forests minister Rich Coleman says he looks forward to the opinion of conflict-of-interest commissioner Paul Fraser on allegations Coleman was in conflict with his official responsibilities since his brother Stan is employed by Western Forest Products.View Larger Image View Larger Image
Former forests minister Rich Coleman says he looks forward to the opinion of conflict-of-interest commissioner Paul Fraser on allegations Coleman was in conflict with his official responsibilities since his brother Stan is employed by Western Forest Products.
It is not within Doyle's mandate to investigate such a complaint, but when he raised the matter, Coleman asked conflict commissioner Paul Fraser for an opinion.
"I believe that I have always acted in good faith and have respected my position as a minister of the Crown," Coleman said in a written statement yesterday.
"I look forward to receiving the commissioner's opinion and I will make that opinion public."
NDP forests critic Bob Simpson said Coleman should have withdrawn from the start from all decisions related to WFP.
"Even perceptions should have caused the minister to withdraw," he said.
Stan Coleman has worked for WFP since Cascadia Forest Products was taken over by WFP in 2006.
Earlier this year, Coleman said he wasn't in conflict, and pointed to a 2005 letter from the former conflict commissioner. That letter, he said, indicates that due to a memo Coleman sent to his deputy minister -- which says any issue to do with his brother should not come to him -- eliminates him from the appearance of conflict.
According to WFP chief operating officer Duncan Kerr, Stan Coleman has had nothing to with deal to remove land from the tree-farm licences. Kerr also said that when the removal process started, Stan Coleman worked for Cascadia.
"When we acquired Cascadia, with hundreds of employees, one of them was the minister's brother and we were clearly aware of the potential for an appearance of conflict, so we elected for the minister's brother to have no part in private land deletions or in dealings at the ministerial level," he said.
The company has no concerns about the investigation and will be happy to co-operate, Kerr said.
The B.C. Securities Commission was also asked to look at possible insider trading after the auditor general's office became aware of an unusual number of shares traded just before the private land deletions, Doyle said.
B.C. Securities Commission spokeswoman Patricia Bowles said a review was conducted "but found insufficient evidence to pursue an investigation." The file was closed in early May, she said.
Forests Minister Pat Bell was furious that Doyle, in releasing his report yesterday, referred to allegations that were not substantiated.
"They found there was no merit to the allegations and there's no further investigation, so what's the point of including that?" he asked.
KEY DATES IN THE FOREST-LAND DEBATE
Feb. 1, 2007 -- Western Forest Products wins government approval to remove more than 28,000 hectares of private land from tree forest licences on Vancouver Island in what critics call a gift at taxpayers' expense. Forests Minister Rich Coleman says about 16,100 hectares will be removed from licences 6 and 19 on northern Vancouver Island, and about 12,000 hectares from licence 25 near Jordan River.
Feb. 9, 2007 -- Kwakiutl First Nation plans legal action to block removal of land from TFLS, accusing the provincial government of failing to consult with the band.
Oct. 19, 2007 -- Two urban-style subdivisions on forested land near Jordan River are accidentally approved because of a mistake by Capital Regional District staff.
Oct. 18, 2007 -- Worried that public access to natural areas such as the popular Jordan River surfing beach might be lost forever to development, the CRD parks committee calls for a six-month moratorium on all development applications in the area.
Oct. 24, 2007 -- The University of Victoria's Environmental Law Clinic asks provincial auditor general to investigate the government's decision to allow WFP to take private lands out of TFLs without public consultation or compensation.
Oct. 26, 2007 -- Newly formed Jordan River Steering Committee, made up of representatives from the Otter Point and Shirley Residents and Ratepayers Association, surfers, unions, environmentalists and First Nations organizes public meeting.
Oct. 31, 2007 -- NDP continues to press the government to request an audit of its release of land from TFLs, but Coleman says his decision regarding WFP is final.
Nov. 1, 2007 -- Yells of approval from more than 350 people, crowded into S.J. Willis school auditorium give an ad hoc committee the go-ahead to fight TFL decision.
Nov. 3, 2007 -- Sooke-based T'sou-ke First Nation cries foul over sell-off of forest land. Vancouver developer Ender Ilkay, who has conditionally offered to buy 2,532 hectares of WFP' land, says he intends to consult with First Nations before any development.
Nov. 14, 2007 -- Capital Regional District plans to freeze most development on huge tracts of land on Vancouver Island's west coast, including former TFL land. Property stretching from the Sooke Potholes to Port Renfrew would be limited to lot sizes of 120 hectares.
Nov. 20, 2008 -- B.C. auditor general John Doyle says his office will investigate the land transfer.
Jan. 15, 2008 -- A community meeting, organized by the mid-Island chapter of the Western Canada Wilderness Committee looking at the effect of land being taken out of TFLs, attracts more than 150 people.
Jan. 16, 2008 -- Coleman tells the Truck Loggers Association convention that B.C. coast has enough parks and protected areas. Loggers no longer need worry about losing timber to parks, he says.
May 6, 2008 -- Angry property owners say they were duped into supporting CRD downzoning of forestry land, not realizing smaller parcels of land would be affected. A new organization calling itself Residents Establishing Process, Access and Independent Records, or REPAIR, has 300 signatures on a petition to CRD asking that zoning bylaws and official community plans for East Sooke, Otter Point, Shirley and Jordan River be rescinded.
June 2, 2008 -- Lawyers for the Sea-to-Sea Greenbelt Society call for the provincial approving officer to hold public hearings before deciding on application by WFP for 319 subdivisions on lands around Jordan River, Otter Point and Shirley.
June 9, 2008 -- Capital Regional District joins the chorus of demands for provincial approving officer to hold public hearings into WFP' application for 319 subdivisions.
July 11, 2008 -- Provincial approving officer offers to attend a mediated public meeting to hear from people opposed to WFP subdivision plans. More than 80 people who turn out for a rally outside Transportation Ministry offices on Broughton Street, call for approving officer Bob Wylie to turn down the application. Many people came because they are alarmed that WFP has already started blasting and road building in the area.
