NOT EXACTLY A WARM RECEPTION

by Paul Rudan, editor, The Weekender, February 28, 1998


 

Protesting logging in Campbell River is like standing up in church and

screaming, "There is no God."

 

Tuesday's noon hour lunch crowd, more familiar with passing log trucks

and workers in plaid jackets, was greeted by placard carding island

residents who were protesting against banks who made loans to private

logging operations on Denman and Twin Islands.

 

"Get a job!" screamed a few people who drove by the protest.

 

Another woman cussed and hollered so loud at protesters you could have

probably heard her over a faller's chainsaw.

 

Those at the receiving end pretended not to hear. Others could not

understand the animosity.

 

"We're not against logging. We just want jobs for the future too," said

protest spokesman Guy Marion of Denman Island.

 

Alex Nichol of Campbell River said there must be sustainable logging on

both public and private lands. "When I see these guys out of work, I feel

sad," he said. "They have venom for us but they don't understand how they

arrived at their situation."



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