CKNW Editorial
for April 12, 2000

This is an open letter to Premier Ujjal Dosanjh.

Dear Premier. I want to talk to you this morning about the proposed gravel pit on the Upper Pitt River and give you some thoughts based upon personal experience.

You will remember that many years ago there was a big issue concerning the Skagit River which enters the United States near Hope and starts its life north of the Hope-Princeton Highway. Prior to 1979 Seattle Light and Power had the right, through an international treaty with the government of Canada and the government of British Columbia, to raise the Ross Dam in the State of Washington which would have resulted in the flooding of the valley on our side of the border. They had bought this right many years ago for their future power needs and had done so in good faith. It actually went back to the days of T.D. Pattullo so you can see how deeply entrenched the power company's rights were. Moreover, it needed no new permits to raise the dam - the right was absolute.

Many British Columbians - some of whom, notably Dr Tom Perry, are well known to you - were dismayed at what was going to happen and they started a group called Run Out Skagit Spoilers, or ROSS for short. They started putting pressure on the government of WAC Bennett to do something to save the Skagit but, frankly, those were the days when dams were all the rage and Mr Bennett Sr was the very last man to ask to tube a dam project. They tried their best with the Barrett government and got nowhere.

Now, Premier, I must tell you that many people including BC Hydro (who would have to give up power by way of compensation if the dam was to be stopped) thought that the dam was a wonderful idea. They saw a lake full of jet boaters and water skiers as a great plus even though there were lots of such facilities nearby at Cultus Lake just for one.

In November 1978 I became Environment Minister and the Skagit file became mine. I studied the file with great care and listened not only to the ROSS Committee but also to BC Hydro, local communities and environmental groups. I need hardly tell you that the government caucus of my day were scarcely all raging environmentalists and if I were to have a hand in saving the Skagit I needed a great deal of help.

I felt very strongly that this dam would be a catastrophe. It would remove a beautiful valley and lovely trout stream from an area very close to the major population centers of the Province. But how was I to convince my colleagues to make the high payment in power that the City of Seattle would demand in compensation?

I went to see Premier Bill Bennett in March of 1979 and told him I badly wanted to save the Skagit. I said to him something like this ... "Mr Premier, how do we want to be remembered as a government? Most of the issues we face every day come and go but this is one which will, one way or another, tell the world just what kind of government we were." Bill Bennett, to his eternal credit, agreed with me and asked me to settle with Seattle. I digress with this bit of an amusing story, premier. The Mayor of Seattle, Charles Royer, insisted on dealing directly with the Premier. The premier said no, I deal with governors you must deal with Mr Mair. We compromised by me negotiating with Mayor Royer's assistant, his brother Bob, with the Mayor in the next room, door open, listening and sending in notes.

In any event, sir, we wound up paying Seattle's price and the beautiful Skagit Valley with its wonderful trout stream is the legacy the Bill Bennett government left to the province. The final finishing touches were put on by others but in May of 1979 the government of that day decided that it didn't want its legacy to be a flooded Skagit Valley.

You. Sir, face the same situation with respect to the Upper Pitt River which is where the population of the Lower Mainland meets the British Columbia wilderness. There is a proposed gravel pit there and it will, without doubt, be the beginning of the end of that wonderful valley if it goes ahead. Of course the holder of the pit disagrees but I can assure you, sir, that not only will this pit place in extreme jeopardy the major spawning creek for Coho salmon in the lower Fraser but it will similarly place at risk sturgeon, trout and salmon populations near the mouth of the Upper Pitt at the head of Pitt Lake by reason of the huge trucking and barging operation this enterprise would necessarily entail. Moreover, instead of having this area become a treasure for residents and tourists for ever you will, for a paltry 6 jobs, exchange wildlife values for money for a company that has had a bad track record dealing with the environment elsewhere.

The solution of the problem need cost no money. The operator has only a right to occupy, the ten year term of which expires on June 4 next. This is not a mining lease or any tenure upon which an entrepreneur is entitled to rely but merely a right of occupancy which must be renewed and for which a mining license is needed. There need be no need for government compensation.

Premier, a number of your ministries are involved and as you address this matter you will no doubt be faced with opposition - as was my premier back in 1979.

I guess what I'm saying is this, Premier. Whichever way it goes, you and your government will be remembered by how you handle this case. Will you be remembered as preserving an extremely important wilderness and the fish and wildlife values that go with it ... or will you be remembered by the loss of this area for virtually no gain to the public treasury?

There are compromises available. There are other gravel pits close by that could be used and perhaps the government might wish to monetarily or otherwise help a compromise to be reached. Your four government MLAs from the area can bring you up to speed on this.

Let me just close by saying, Premier Dosanjh, that of all the things in life I've had a hand in, nothing gives me more pleasure and pride than the bit part I played in saving the Skagit. All the legislation I saw passed, all the policy I helped develop, all the other decisions I had a hand in pale into insignificance compared to the Skagit.

The Upper Pitt is your Skagit, sir,and you have the opportunity to do something very right which will also be very permanent.

Thank you for your kind attention.