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Letter to the Ministers on clear-cutting

The following is the text of the letter from the local service districts of Point la Nim and Dalhousie Junction to Kim Jardine, minister of environment and local government and Paul Robichaud, minister of tourism and parks:

Dear Ministers.

This letter is to bring to your attention a serious problem, which has developed in the northern part of the province. A group of unscrupulous logging contractors have taken to buying up private farms and woodlots at depressed prices, then clear-cutting them to make a quick profit. As you may imagine, this makes an unsightly mess of rotting stumps and piles of slash, as they are not bound by the same rules regarding setbacks and screens as the larger companies are on Crown Lands.

According to the enquiries we have made, what they are doing is legal under present legislation. If they are to be stopped, then the legislation will have to be changed. We suggest something along the following lines:-

“No private farm or woodlot may be sold or leased for stumpage to a logging contractor, unless it has first been offered to the Province at the same price, or fair market value, whichever is less. If the property is sold to the province, it shall then be designated as Crown Land.”

Due to the depressed nature of property prices in this area, this will not be expensive.

An attractive option for individual taxpayers would be to buy up this type of property, and then donate it as a gift to the Crown. The cost would qualify a tax deduction.

Due to the rapid rate at which this damage is proceeding, the matter should be treated as urgent.

CC; Hon. Dr. Dennis Furlong, MLA
Hon. Jean Dube, MLA
Hon. Sheila Copps, MP
Heritage Minister
The Tribune
RestigoucheNet

 

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