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Western Forest Products is implying that they will play the role of the 'too-bad-so-sad/'no parks' developer if Ida Chong, the Minister of Community Services, approves zoning changes submitted by the Capital Regional District that would decrease the value of land the company is trying to sell to a Vancouver developer.

After more than a year of speculation, the BC Securities Commission (BCSC) is now investigating the possibility that large purchases of Western Forest Products stock in January 2007 were in fact ‘insider trades’, in which information leaked to one or more shareholders allowed them to make huge profits. The ‘insider information’, in this instance, was confirmation that Minister of Forests Rich Coleman would indeed be granting the company their tree farm licence deletion

Last week, a Globe and Mail story by Norvall Scott broke news of a “business-led lobbying effort to create a partial moratorium on oil sands development in order to free up conservation land” in northern Alberta’s heavily scarred Athabasca region. The move breaks a generally accepted code between companies and the government of that province and reflects a desperation on the part of some of Alberta’s largest tar sands companies to shed their 'dirty oil' image.

Political debates, community campaigns and lawsuits are continuing to swirl around the future of Vancouver Island's wild west coast.

Political debates, community campaigns and lawsuits are continuing to swirl around the future of Vancouver Island's wild west coast. But the next major decision on the shape of development around Jordan River, Shirley and Otter Point rests with one person

Political debates, community campaigns and lawsuits are continuing to swirl around the future of Vancouver Island's wild west coast. But the next major decision on the shape of development around Jordan River, Shirley and Otter Point rests with one person. Bob Wylie, Highways Ministry provincial approving officer, has sole responsibility for deciding whether an application by Western Forest Products for 319 subdivisions will get the go-ahead.

Those of us thinking of driving anywhere this summer -- that would be a significant portion within this city of 80,000 people -- and bracing ourselves for the cost, may want to turn our thoughts to anyone in this community connected with forest industry.

The provincial government is in a conflict of interest because a company managing public pension plans has a 25 per cent interest in a forestry firm involved in a land-claim dispute with the Hupacasath First Nation, band chief councillor Judith Sayers charged yesterday.

Forests Minister Rich Coleman continues to defend the B.C. government’s decision to end the requirement for forest companies to process Crown timber locally, as government and industry leaders grappled with the latest mill closures.