A time to rend, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silent, and a time to speak

(Ecclesiastes 3:7)

Thanks to the work of some caring Salt Springers, the people behind Texada Land Corporation have been exposed for what they are. They're as slippery as a fresh caught trout. It's difficult to find the right words to describe the business record of these guys: "dubious" is too complimentary, "shady" isn't dark enough.

Since setting up on Salt Spring, they've repeatedly broken their word to islanders. It should be clear to everyone by now that they don't care a whit about this place. I'm sure, over the years, there have been lots of other people and corporations on Salt Spring that didn't give a damn about the island. But there are some big differences here. These guys have the ability to cause immense long-lasting damage to the economy and environment on Salt Spring. Although we've learned a whole lot in the last eighty years about logging practices, and we've even seen fit to declare that these islands are environmentally unique and must be protected, we're in this mess nonetheless.
 
 

Put as plainly as possible, these guys have ridden into town to make a bunch of money. That, in itself, isn't a bad thing - as long as you improve the town in the process. (Just like mom and dad taught you, always leave things better than you found them.) But these cowboys intend to ride off into a sunset that gathers it's pretty colours from thousands of acres of burning slash.

Most of the people on this island, like most people in BC, are not "anti-logging". But, thanks to today's mainstream media - who only have twenty seconds to scratch the surface of a story - the real story seldom gets told. The real story here isn't about banning all logging. It's about logging methods. It's about the Mandate of the Islands Trust. It's about unethical operators. Most of all, it's about our island.

As is the tradition and practice on Salt Spring, a lot of people have come forth with whatever talent or contribution they can offer. Some have organized meetings, some are raising money. Some operate a web site, while others are making calls or writing letters. What can you do?

There are a whole lot of things you can do. Like come to the town hall meeting on Thursday at GISS. Coming out to the meeting means you're adding your voice to those who think something should be done.

The best hope we have of winning this battle - and make no mistake, it's a battle - is for as many people as possible to become involved. The old saying is still valid: There's strength in numbers. If you can't make it to Thursday night's meeting, then drop into the "South Salt Spring Lands" information office (above Barb's Buns) as soon as you can. If you don't know what you can do to help, they'll give you some suggestions.

For all the rest of you: business people, artists, students, mothers, writers, tinkers, tailors, soldiers and sailors: come to the meeting. You're not likely to get a better chance to put the century's most important phrase into practice. Think globally, act locally.

Come on folks, it's time to act.