Park the legal bulldozer
Times Colonist editorial

Wednesday, June 02, 2004

A B.C. Supreme Court judge has refused to allow the Water, Lands and Air Protection Ministry to use a legal bulldozer to drive away tree-lovers at Cathedral Grove.

The ministry tried to get an injunction to stop protesters from interfering with the construction of a parking lot on newly-acquired land adjacent to MacMillan Provincial Park east of Port Alberni. The tree-lovers contend it will expose the spectacular stands to blow-down.

Justice G.M. Quijano sensibly refused to grant the injunction. The B.C. government is known for its fondness for using the court injunction tool to overcome protest and civil disobedience when other laws are available. It doesn't seem to mind that it exposes those who defy the court order to far more severe penalties, and forces judges to enforce the injunction rather than consider arguments on both sides of the issue.

Due process may be inconvenient, but it's better than a bulldozer to overcome resistance to government policy.

© Copyright 2004 Times Colonist (Victoria)