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[Taboo]

"Today in the legislature I introduced a private member’s bill entitled Bill M223 — Right to Roam Act. This Bill reestablishes the rights of British Columbians to access public lands, rivers, streams, and lakes, and to use these spaces to fish, hike and enjoy outdoor recreation.

Increasingly, British Columbians are being fenced out of wild areas that have been enjoyed by the public for generations. One particularly high profile example involves  public access to Minnie, Stoney and other lakes surrounded by Douglas Lake Ranch spread out over more than 500,000 acres. Public access was prevented when Stoney Lake Road was suddenly gated in the late 1970sand subsequently locked in the early 1980s.

Below I reproduce the text and video of the speech I gave as I introduced the bill. I also include the accompanying media release."

Link to fully story: http://www.andrewweavermla.ca/2017/02/27/introducing-roam-legislation-british-columbia/

[mcallagan]

Thank you Taboo

I have contacted several ministers and opposition MLAs about this and the ongoing court case.
I was interested in their and their party's position on privatizing crown land.
I have not received any replies
This is all from another forum that I am on.
They have posted several documents from the trial.
It is interesting to see how the DLCC have manipulated government employees into giving them what they want when the employees are there to protect the public's interests.

[Old Blue]

The only reason there is a fishery on the lakes in question on the DLR is from the stocking and hard work of the people involved there, Stoney and Minnie would be a fraction of their size and puddle like in drought years and have tiddlers or no fish at all.

To me this is a separate case and should not be lumped in with what really matters with other lakes with public access in particular with what has happened on the island.  But that's just my opinion and the Nicola Valley club thinks that it's worth the expensive fight to access those lakes rather than investing that money in the 100's of other lakes in the area....to each their own

[RalphH]

you'd think with all the attention the DLR case has generated there was some sort of crisis and hardly any place left to fish in the Province. Truth is most cases I am directly familiar with the reverse has happened and contentious access points have actually been confirmed as public. True vehicle access may have been cut off but that's a good thing in most cases and a short walk is good for almost everyone.

The one or 2 spots that I once crossed private land to fish and can't anymore was due to the horrible abuse of the property inflicted by some irresponsible criminal elements. Owners had to gate and fence it to stop property damage.

[mcallagan]

What is going on is that the DLCC is restricting public access to publicly own land and assets.
They have blocked roads and stopped access to Crown Land.
Land under water belongs to the Crown.

If the DLCC wins expect to pay an exorbitant amount of money to the "LAKE OWNERS" when you want to fish.

This also has implications about forest companies blocking roads from public access which is happening now on Vancouver Island.
 

[skaha]

"This also has implications about forest companies blocking roads from public access which is happening now on Vancouver Island."

 --It may feel the same but not really...the companies blocking the roads such as the one on the hump... Near Port Alberni...are obligated by contract to keep the roads open.  what they are doing is  abusing their right to block the road on a temporary basis do to unsafe road conditions, fire hazard etc....it is the company who decides and the government will not send people out to check to see if the closure is warranted.