Change overdue in forestry practices

I’m beginning to sound like a broken record, but that’s because the record is broken!

The reporting of Lloyd Hines, Minister of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), speaking to the Pictou County Chamber of Commerce last Thursday is an example of our government leading from the top - down.

I always thought that governments were there to carry out the wishes of the people. Not anymore, I guess.

About 10 years ago, DNR had Voluntary Planning conduct a series of meetings around the province asking Nova Scotians what they wanted to see in a natural resources policy.

You may remember this was held at the Museum of Industry here in Pictou County.

The result of this provincewide survey was that the majority of attendees wanted to see a change in the status quo of forestry in this province. The people aren’t impressed with the state of our forests and rightly so.

The industry’s reliance on clear-cutting (over 85 per cent of all harvesting) is rapidly depleting this resource, releasing carbon into the atmosphere and causing the loss of important soil nutrients, particularly nitrogen.

I’m not calling for any mill closures as my livelihood as a woodlot owner and operator would obviously be affected, but I agree with a change in practices and said so to Voluntary Planning.

It turns out that a majority of people telling the government very clearly what they want doesn’t carry much weight with our elected officials.

Ten-plus years after this exercise started, there has been much foot dragging and gnashing of teeth to bring us to today.

The status quo is firmly entrenched and now the Minister gives us his version of DNR’s (and I suspect industry’s) “vision.”

Why are we letting this happen? Obviously people care; it looks like the government doesn’t though.

We have a provincial election coming soon, let’s remember that a change may be helpful. Tom Miller Green Hill themselves to search for a new physician.

Dr. Al-Nassar has not been found guilty of any charge levelled against him, but yet this centre is playing judge and jury, an arrogant and unprofessional code of conduct.

There is no reason why the separation could not have been delayed until the court date set for May and a finding whether Dr. Al-Nassar will be found innocent or guilty of the charge against him.

The Westside Medical Clinic would do well to show a more caring attitude towards patients. This fiasco strongly suggests that our medical system is flawed. This rush to judgment is totally unacceptable.

As for Dr. Al-Nassar, one only has to listen to the patients in his care who have confidence in his knowledge, his caring for people, his professionalism and his earned respect from the medical community.

He certainly has my support and that of many others in his care. My understanding is that he will open his office at the Eastside Medical Clinic in the near future. I, for one, will welcome this without reservation of any kind.

We must let Dr. Al-Nassar have is day in court as he is innocent until proven guilty. As his patient my confidence has not been shaken, but the Westside Clinic has been a disappointing experience for many of us. We must, above all, not rush to judgment. Gerard Veldhoven New Glasgow