G10 C12 RR1
Winlaw, BC V0G 2J0
250-226-7876 Phone/Fax

Premier Ujjal Dosanjh:
Box 9041 Stn. Prov. Govt.
Victoria, BC V8W 9E1

July 6, 2000

Dear Premier Dosanjh:

After three years of costly conflict, road building and logging are now poised on the brink of the most critically sensitive areas of the Slocan Valley at Hasty Creek, Perry Ridge, Elliot-Anderson-Christian-Trozzo, Goat Mt., and Winlaw Creek. If these activities move ahead, the distress in our communities will be extreme, and the ecological damage will be tragic and irreparable.

In a letter dated May 29, 2000 (Reference 55571) R.H. Roberts states on behalf of Minister of Environment, Joan Sawicki:

"Government would welcome a unified direction from the residents of the Slocan Valley and we would be in a strong position to adopt many innovative approaches to resource development where broad consensus was demonstrated."

This offers a ray of hope, because the Slocan Valley already has broad support on a unified direction: the Ecosystem-based Plan designed for the Slocan Valley. Some residents are now working to bring in additional funding and expertise to update the forestry information in the Plan, and to further develop its economic transition strategy. A broad community network will go into action to build and document consensus around this more developed vision and strategy. This is a ready-made opportunity for you to fulfill your promise of protection of watersheds at the community level, while at the same time encouraging economic transition from within communities.

Before entering into costly planning and negotiations, all parties need some commitment from each other that the door is truly open to responsible change. Therefore, we urge the government to join us immediately in a Memorandum of Understanding that will enable all parties to proceed in confidence and trust. We ask you to consider the enclosed terms of reference which we believe are necessary for a resolution to the conflicts. We suggest that you appoint a cabinet subcommittee empowered to negotiate with us on these terms. Once a Memorandum of Understanding has been secured, work can begin on a long-term solution.

We ask you to understand that our residents cannot be expected to work in a unified way when some of them are facing the crisis of bulldozers pushing in roads, police, and more prison sentences. For a resolution to be found, these crisis conditions must cease. For this purpose, we recommend that you suspend all existing and any new road and cutting permits, in the contentious areas of the Slocan Valley under Part 13 of the BC Forest Act, until January 1, 2001. This period of time will allow for the presentation of our proposal to your subcommittee and negotiations leading to a final resolution.

We are in a critical situation and ask for your immediate response to this letter.. This is a politically hazardous situation in an election year. We are seeking a peaceful resolution to the conflict in the Slocan Valley. Our residents would rather enter into a meaningful dialogue with government than be forced into situations where the only recourse to protecting our water is perceived as confrontational.

Sincerely,

Marilyn James
SINIXT NATION

Anne Sherrod
VALHALLA WILDERNESS SOCIETY

Phil Larstone
P.E.E.R.S. FUND

The contentious areas of the Slocan Valley will become a formal "designated area" under Part 13 of the Forest Act, until January 1, 2001. The Minister of Forests will suspend all existing and any new road and cutting permits within this area. The undersigned parties agree to use this time to 1) further develop a vision and transition strategy for the Slocan Valley; 2) submit a proposal to government no later than September 30, 2000 that has broad consensus within the community.

The updated Slocan Valley Ecosystem-based Plan will be implemented in the Slocan Valley, with the understanding that any forestry activities in the Slocan Valley would not increase the risk to life, limb, property and water.

Wherever the Ecosystem-based Plan is implemented, the AAC of the Arrow Forest District will be adjusted by an amount determined by the Ecosystem-based Plan.

There is wide consensus in the province that an economic transition strategy requires tenure reform. A resolution in the Slocan Valley may require that the forests of the Slocan River watershed be removed from Slocan Forest Products forest licences and become negotiable with the community.