Never again!
Nestucca oil spill, Clayoquot Sound 1989

Enbridge Rally in Comox — Saturday 31 March

The National Energy Board will be in Comox conducting a hearing for the Northern Gateway Pipeline. This hearing will be the first one in Southern BC and we want to make sure that the members of the panel know there is massive opposition to the pipeline and tanker project.

WHAT: Rally outside the Joint Review Panel hearings & Speaker Panel

WHEN: Saturday March 31, 1:00 p.m.

WHERE: Comox Rec Centre, 1855 Noel Avenue

BRING: A blue scarf to show your opposition to Enbridge's Northern Gateway Oil Tanker and Pipeline proposition

SPEAKER PANEL 2:00–5:00 p.m., Robb Road School, 1909 Robb Rd.

NEED A RIDE? FOCS is coordinating a West Coast carpool. Contact us at 250-725-4218 or register on-line at www.bit.ly/comoxorbust.

MINING CLAYOQUOT'S FUTURE? — public forum

We had an engaging evening of discussion about the future of mining in Clayoquot Sound on Feb. 22, followed by a day-long workshop for community decision-makers. Imperial Metals is exploring two potential mine sites in Clayoquot Sound — a copper mine on Chitaapi (Catface) Mountain and a gold mine in the Tranquil Valley. Speakers:

• Arthur Manuel — Indigenous Network on Economies and Trade
• Terry Dorward — Tla-o-qui-aht elected councilor on the Natural Resource Committee
• John Rampanen — Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities Indigenous Food Network
• Amy Crook — Executive Director, Environmental Mining Education Foundation

New risk of logging in Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Reserve
Old growth valleys must be protected, say 133 scientists and conservation groups

The B.C. government has received an application for cutblocks in the old growth rainforest of Flores Island in Clayoquot Sound, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve that was the site of the largest civil disobedience protest in Canada’s history in 1993.

More than 130 scientists across North America have signed a declaration calling for permanent protection of Clayoquot’s remaining intact old-growth rainforests. “Given the global importance of the region and the imminent threats posed to intact rainforests, we the undersigned urge First Nations, provincial and federal decision-makers, logging companies, and other stakeholders to cease logging in all remaining intact valleys of Clayoquot Sound,” says the declaration.

A new Sierra Club BC map, also released today, shows that only 21 of Vancouver Island’s 282 major rainforest watersheds are unlogged. Of the seven unlogged Vancouver Island watersheds that lack permanent protection, five are in Clayoquot Sound, including on Flores Island.

Full media release here. Scientists' Declaration viewable here (PDF, 225Kb). Full Vancouver Island map viewable here (JPG, 3Mb)

Click here to take action

Wild Salmon People gathered Dec. 13

Tofino residents stood together with FOCS outside the local DFO office Dec. 13 — part of the BC-wide Action Week for Wild Salmon sparked by the Cohen Inquiry reopening for three days of hearings on the impacts of ISA virus in BC.

It was a peaceful, colorful, fun event that expressed our love for the wild salmon of Clayoquot Sound.

The Westerly News reported on the rally. Here's a short interview with FOCS campaigner Bonny Glambeck and young First Nations musician Kalilah Rampanenw courtesy Long Beach Radio. And a short clip of Tsimka Martin speaking about fish farms in Clayoquot on the FOCS Ustream channel.