Quesnel Mayor Bob Simpson says that the province’s recent decision to defer old growth logging should be viewed as a toll to prevent logging while discussions are on-going.
Since the announcement, the decision has received a heaping of backlash from all sides of the issue.
Many have criticized the plan for not really being a plan at all, as well as not giving First Nations enough time to respond, among other concerns.
But Simpson says the deferral shouldn’t be viewed as a plan in the first place, but rather a means to prevent more damage while planning talks are happening.
Quesnel’s economy is heavily influenced by the forestry sector, and Simpson says he expects job loss and economic struggles as a result, but something must be done to prevent irreversible ecological damage while we still can.
Simpson says that instead of fighting each other, we need to find ways to better work together if we are to build a brighter future for the forestry industry.
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