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• 1 Jo Middleton // Mar 17, 2015 at 4:51 pm

  Our ALR – Sacrosanct? …….Or Needs Sacked?

  It was a poorly researched idealistic concept of the NDP party in 1973. NEVER, since recorded history, has it been possible to give a group of people total power (with no accountability to the people) without the group eventually becoming corrupt. Times and policies may change, but human nature does not.
  i.e. cats have been chasing mice from time immemorial and always will …… even if they don’t need to anymore.

  The Land Commission (LC) worked well for about the 1st 10 years and then went off track. They have been appearing to cater to the affluent (according to David Suzuki’s report 19___ and others of us) and have permitted much of our best No. 1, 2, & 3 agricultural land near the cities to be taken out (the reason given is to reduce ‘sprawl” for economical reasons). They were originally mandated to save agriculture land and stop the Richmond’s from happening – not to take over the economy of the province. Us ‘common people’ know, BC was built by farmers, so ALL CITIES. INCLUDING RICHMOND ARE SITUATED ON THE CHOICEST FARMLAND. If the Land Commission’s (LC) policy is to prevent “city sprawl” pray tell us how that relates to saving farmland – when THE BEST FARMLAND SURROUNDS THE CITY? Is this a lack of common sense?
  • They then save non-farmland and add forestry land to the Agriculture Land Reserve (to keep their inventory looking good). According to the Honorable Bill Bennett, there is 140,00H of land in the Kootenays alone, that is Class 5, 6 and 7 – none of which the Federal Government considers to be farmland. They are saving non-farmland for our grandchildren to farm? Is this dishonesty? or insanity? or are we the insane ones for allowing this abomination? Or is Christy Clark not doing her job? Or the various agencies still blindly supporting this idealistic concept?
  • Why not do as our Regional District & MLA logically suggested, and designate NON-FARMLAND FOR RESIDENTIAL and SAVE FARMLAND, then gradually direct cities to non-farmland? The services may be less economical BUT if the people WANT larger lots, have they forgotten this land belongs to the people, and that the people will be paying the bill – not the government. The LC has done more harm to our northern foodland here in the north than they have ever done good!
  One example only: our Regional District & local Agriculturist requested a piece of non-farmland be designated residential because of a shortage demand for rural residential lots, whereby people not wanting compact living, were being forced to buy ¼ sections of No. 1, 2, & 3 farmland around the city for residential use. This request was refused and we lost 1000’s of H. of our best farmland. LC justification for keeping non-farmland in the Agriculture Reserve? – ‘Agricultural land is not necessary for a greenhouse or poultry raising’. How absurd! If that desperate reply is valid, why in this world would we need an Ag. Reserve? Our grandchildren can have 100% of BC and have a greenhouse on top of a roof in the city or chickens on a boat in the pacific. IF THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT AN AGRICULTURAL LAND RESERVE IS, OR WHY – NO WONDER THEY AREN’T PROTECTING IT.
  • Our government has given the LC so much power they do not require to be honest or even respect our Canadian Constitution. If you have non-farmland, and the government of BC will only allow you to farm it, your basic rights are being violated. For more info you may call 250-827-3826.

  Our grandchildren will need to eat.
  If you believe in re-incarnation, YOU will need to eat.
  WE are paying for a Land Commission that obviously has not worked for 30 years…and it never will work until it is made to be accountable. Is it believable that with the power given the LC, that they cannot save a mere 4.69% of BC’s land? – if they truly wanted to?

  Honorable Bill Bennett, and anyone else out there with common sense, we need you to represent us at your level please. Honorable Christy Clark, if you cannot answer all these questions, you need to take control of this situation and correct it. You accepted the position as our leader.

  Jo Middleton

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