Old-growth logging protesters dig in as company appeals court’s injunction denial

The B.C. government said in a statement it will not comment on matters that could still be before the courts.

Thompson’s ruling immediately lifted the injunction that had been in place since April. He said the RCMP’s enforcement of the court order led to serious and substantial infringement of civil liberties.

Teal Cedar and the RCMP asked the court to spend more of its “reputational capital” by granting the extension that would keep protesters at bay who may, or may not, be in breach of the injunction, the judge said in his decision.

There have been more than 1,000 arrests at Fairy Creek since the original injunction went into effect.

Teal Jones said it will continue to legally log in its Tree Farm licence 46 area and will report any alleged illegal activity to the RCMP.

Teal Jones was disappointed by Tuesday’s B.C. Supreme Court decision, it said in a statement announcing the appeal.

“To do otherwise would be to allow anarchy to reign over civil society, and for misinformation campaigns to win over fact.”

The company also said if it cannot continue its work, it may be forced to lay off employees and shut down mills.

In his decision, Thompson urged the B.C. government to consider further options to address the dispute beyond the injunction, including using criminal or provincial laws or even changing the laws.

B.C.’s Ministry of Attorney General said in the statement it was reviewing the decision.

Provincial Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau said she will push the New Democrat government to live up to its promises to resolve old-growth logging issues when the legislature resumes sitting next week.

“Absolutely, we will be once again asking this government why they are not taking their responsibility seriously, particularly now a judge of the B.C. Supreme Court has made it abundantly clear that it is the job of the government to address this,” she said.

The province approved the request this year of three Vancouver Island First Nations to temporarily defer old-growth logging across about 2,000 hectares in the Fairy Creek and central Walbran areas, but protests continued.

The Rainforest Flying Squad said the old-growth forests outside of the deferred areas are still at risk of being logged.

“We are still in Fairy Creek and the surrounding old-growth forests and protecting those forests until the government puts them under permanent protection,” said Wallace.

At the earlier hearing in Nanaimo, B.C., on the injunction request this month, lawyers representing the protesters said people from all walks of life with environmental concerns were being treated like terrorists.

Thompson’s ruling said the RCMP acted with “reasonable force” during much of the injunction period, but some video evidence presented showed “disquieting lapses in reasonable judgment.”

He cites video evidence showing police pulling off COVID-19 masks worn by protesters before dousing them with pepper spray.

National Police Federation president Brian Sauvé says in a statement the officers who enforced the injunction against blockades were “the thin blue line between order and chaos.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 29, 2021.

Dirk Meissner, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

Old-growth logging protesters dig in as company appeals court’s injunction denial

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