Author: lacdesroches

By Lachlan Labere – 100 Mile Free Press

A government’s first and foremost responsibility should be to the people it is elected to serve – not just party members, but all the people.

The recent provincial election may have served as a reminder of this to the BC Liberal government, whose majority in legislature slipped from 77 seats to 46, with the B.C. New Democrats taking the remaining 33.

As a result, the B.C. Liberals may be taking a less aggressive, more inclusive, approach to governing. One example of this was their decision to fold its Crown corporation Land and Water BC, Inc. (LWBC).

Initially charged with the mandate of selling small amounts of surplus land in the province, LWBC received new responsibilities under the Liberals, and was charged with “providing timely and continued access to land and water resources through tenures, licences and land sales.”

As LWBC grew to a corporation of over 300 employees, with its own president, vice-presidents and senior executives, it became more aggressive in its practices of “managing” the province’s Crown lands.

Eventually B.C. residents began to notice areas, known for their natural beauty, were being targeted by LWBC. From the Jumbo Valley in the Kooteneys, to the Lost Trails Wetlands on Vancouver Island, to the Metchosin Wilderness Park, to areas around Lac des Roches and Birch Lake, grassroots organizations rose up against LWBC’s attempts to sell off public lands.

Whether the efforts of those organizations played a part in the outcome of the provincial election or the following government cabinet shuffle that saw to the end of LWBC, who could say?

Maybe this smaller Liberal government will heed its citizens more and be more benevolent with the power it wields.

By Lachlan Labere – 100 Mile Free Press

The Friends of Lac des Roches and Birch Lake are celebrating the dissolution of the Crown corporation behind a contentious local development project. Land and Water BC (LWBC) is no more.

“It has been announced that this Crown corporation of the provincial government was dissolved after a three-year life span,” Bill Jollymore, the group’s media co-ordinator, wrote in a letter to the Free Press. “Controversy over the disposal of land and water rights, tensions among ministries and agencies with independent mandates, over aggressiveness in their selling of Crown land and problems with First Nation’s rights and claims apparently contributed to their death knell.”

The Friends formed last August in response to a proposed project that could have seen 98 additional properties built on Lac des Roches, 130 at Birch Lake and 61 at Montana Lake. A hotel and golf course were also planned. The group opposed the scope of LWBC’s plan for the area and the potential ensuing environmental harm.

Following the May 2005 provincial election, Premier Gordon Campbell announced the results of a cabinet shuffle that saw a number of changes to the government. These included the re-instatement of the Ministry of Environment, and the establishment of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands. Another change resulting from the re-organization was the dissolve of LWBC, the mandate of which was divided among the newly formed ministries of Agriculture and Lands, and Environment.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Lands is responding to calls made to LWBC. Liz Bicknell, the ministry’s director of Communication, told the Free Press not to expect a decision on the future of the Lac des Roches project until the end of July.

“What I can tell you is no decisions have been made with respect to that development,” she said.

“When there’s change, there always takes some time to finalize it.”

The Friends are taking the news of LWBC’s dissolve as a victory.

“As a resulf of losing so many seats in the Interior, especially in areas where they were pushing for the sale of Crown land to developers, (the Liberal government) lost almost every riding they tried to pull that off on,” Gordon Marshall, a Friends member, said. “It’s been a sore point so they squashed it and they want it to be kept fairly quiet rather than say ‘hey, we made a mistake’. I think what will happen, in my opinion, is they’ll probably slow down in their approach of selling off Crown land to developers.”

While the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands was unable to provide any specifics behind LWBC’s demise, like Marshall, Ed Jewer, a Vancouver Island opponent of LWBC, surmised it had something to do with the Crown corporation’s aggressive mandate.

“I think it is an admission that they weren’t operating fairly, and I think they upset a lot of people in a lot of different areas, even within the government,” said Jewer.

Andrew Gage, a lawyer with West Coast Environmental Law, said LWBC began as the Whistler Land Corp., which in 1983 oversaw the development and marketing of Crown land in the Village of Whistler. In 1997 the provincial government expanded the mandate of the Whistler Land Corp., around the same time the company changed its name to the BC Assets and Land Corp, (BCAL). In 2002 BCAL became LWBC and its mandate changed.

“With BCAL, the idea was that whenever they wanted to sell surplus land that they really should have someone there to aggressively market it and make sure the public gets the best return for their money,” said Gage in a March 2005 interview with the Free Press. “The big difference between BCAL and LWBC, there are probably a few differences, but I think the most significant one is they were really there to market surplus lands. What LWBC has effectively done is declared anything that they aren’t restricted under the Lands Act form selling – which is almost everything – open for business.”

LWBC had a mandate to maximize the government revenue from public lands. In turn, LWBC received a percentage of sales. Gage is cautious in how he regards the recent news.

“One hopes that this is only part of a broader recognition that LWBC was just too aggressive in the way they were selling public lands” Gage said. “If it’s not, it’s largely a symbolic victory. Hopefully it is part of something larger but I haven’t got a sense of that yet.”

For Cariboo South MLA Charlie Wyse this represents an attempt by the Liberal government to right some of the wrongs the government made in its first term.

“I am pleased to see the Liberals have recognized their error in their first term of office and are finally getting around to re-establish the Ministry of Environment with all those responsibilities that go along with it,” he commented. “Their attempt at privatization through Land and Water, it just hasn’t been successful, and this situation down in Lac des Roches, they just furthered questions around what the Liberals were doing.”

Friends Chair Barry Reid said the group would not have made a commotion if LWBC’s proposal was in reason.

“Our feeling, overall, is that we’re not opposed to stuff happening on the lake,” Reid said. “It’s not like we’re saying ‘no, we live here, we like it and we don’t want it to change’. We know development is going to occur on this lake, and we’re not opposed to recreational stuff happening. But a 228 unit strata subdivision? And they’re claiming this is going to be a year-round development. And you’ve got to ask yourself why people already here don’t live here year-round. It’s because of the weather and the distance from where things are.”

By Diana Forster – 100 Mile Free Press

Petitions bearing 700 signatures opposed to large-scale development at Lac des Roches, Birch Lake and Montana Lake have been forwarded to the premier, with a copy to the Minister of Water Land and Air Protection.

While mostly in the TNRD, the development abuts the CRD. Having much earlier designated these lakes ‘sensitive’, the CRD has voiced opposition to any large development. On a bitterly cold May 23, Friends of Lac des Roches and Birch Lake made a “floatabout” on the side of Lac des Roches, took photos and handed out information.

The group meets at 7 p.m., June 29 at Bridge Lake School.

By Bernd Eisele, Williams Lake – 100 Mile Free Press

Dear Sirs and Mesdames,

I, together with my family, often drive on Hwy 24 in the winter to reach Sun Peaks; occasionally we camp at Lac des Roches in the summer. A few weekends ago, we stopped at the Lac des Roches rest area, noticed some colourful flyers attached to a post, and took one to read. At first I believed this to be some sort of joke, left over from April 1st, but now realize that it’s anything but! Unfortunately, it’s what city people call progress.

I understand that there is a desire and need for recreational development and that others may want us to share our pristine environment – fair enough. I also understand that, no matter where development happens and how little, there will likely always be some form of opposition – no one, including myself, is completely immune from the NIMBY effect. People don’t like change, especially if it affects their immediate surroundings, be it perception or not.

Having said that, I do believe it to be a shame if Lac des Roches has to sustain such a (mega) development. Gone would be the tranquility for which we visit the lake, the very reasons we don’t visit Shushwap Lake and the like. Although it would be unreasonable and selfish to oppose any development at Lac des Roches (don’t forget that every home or business there was once “new” development), I am of the opinion that a development the size of “Imagine” is an aberration that should not be permitted in its current proposed form. While some landholders may benefit through increased land values and therefore welcome “Imagine”, it is essentially short-term thinking. A crowd that we have chosen to avoid by moving to the country, such as Lac des Roches, will replace the crowd that now visits the lake.

I do wish the Friends of Lac des Roches very well in their endeavours. Hopefully, they will be successful in stopping this project or, at the very least, modifying it substantially to fit in with the lakes’ infrastructure and sustainable rate of growth.

By Loraine Jollymore, Bridge Lake – 100 Mile Free Press

To the Editor:

As a member of the Friends of Lac des Roches and Birch Lake, I would like to voice my objection to the government’s plan to sell Crown land at the east end of Lac des Roches.

I spent an hour April 17 adding up the properties listed for sale in the real estate supplement of the current edition of the 100 Mile House Free Press.

I found the following. Waterfront: 29 homes, 11 cabins or mobile homes, 46 lots, 16 larger acreage and 11 resorts.

Properties with water view and/or water access were harder to identify, but I could definitely find 34 homes, 10 mobiles or cabins, 67 lots and three larger acreage. There were also four guest ranches listed without waterfront or view.

This supplement covers a large area, and although this was not a scientific count, it shows a total of 216 properties and I’m sure there are many more.

It seems strange to me that Land and Water BC has decided to go into competition with the local real estate market with the plans to sell to a developer property for up to 500 homes and cluster cottages.

Land and Water stated that there is a demand for recreational and year-round properties and yet I drive by the same ‘for sale’ signs every time I go to town.

There are developments on Watch, Green and Deka lakes that have been waiting for buyers for years. Some of the lots have changed hands several times, but to date have not had a home or cottage built on them.

There is a large development overlooking Lac des Roches that has been on the market for several years and has only one foundation (with a cease and desist order on it).

Strange indeed, that the original plans for Lac des Roches and Birch Lakes includes two hotels and a golf course.

There is a golf course laid out in the development at Watch Lake but it has never been built. Strange that there are 11 commercial resorts for sale in an area where Land and Water BC plan to add two hotels.

I’m not sure where Land and Water BC got their information on the development needs for this area, but I would recommend they go back to the drawing board and take another look before they totally destroy a beautiful lake with unneeded homes and hotels.

By Robert Koopmans – The Daily News, Kamloops

Plan to build resort on lake pits residents against government.

Without question, the Nehalliston Plateau is lake county, in the midst of some of Interior B.C.’s most beautiful forests.

Fly over the area in a plane and you will see scores upon scores of blue shimmering jewels – some large, others small. Many are pristine, barely touched by human hands, or close to it.

Lac des Roches is perhaps the area’s crown jewel. A long, sprawling lake along Highway 24 about 100 kilometers north of Kamloops, its jagged shorelines, jutting islands and narrow channels give it a beauty that shines even here, among so many glorious others.

The lake is home to 24 year-round residents, people prepared to tough out the winters to enjoy the solitude and natural experience the lake and area offer. There are also more than 100 summer properties, built up over more than 35 years of slow-paced development.

If the Liberal government has its way, however, Lac des Roches could also be home to a 500-home subdivision, a golf course and maybe even a hotel or two.

In 2004, Land and Water B.C. (LWBC) announced an ambitious development proposal for the lake, a concept mapped out by its planners, a plan that will see the subdivision circle the east end of the lake. The golf course would span the short distance between Lac des Roches and nearby Birch Lake.

With its blueprint in hand, LWBC set out to find a developer. Requests for proposals were sought in January and the Crown corporation was set to announce a proponent for the project March 21.

That announcement has been delayed, however, and is now expected after the election. There is talk the proposal will be smaller when it re-emerges after May 17, perhaps with only 228 houses and one hotel.

Regardless, the government’s plan for Lac des Roches mystifies Bill Jollymore, who retired to a lakeside cabin with his wife about four years ago.

Others in the small community are equally baffled, and most everyone is opposed. Not because they object to the idea of more development, but the biggest objection is the government is trying to flog a plan no one believes is needed, or even wanted.

Never has a private developer expressed public interest in building a large-scale project on Lac des Roches, said Jollymore. Likewise, never has there been significant market interest in recreational property on the lake.

There are 200 or so developable lots on Lac des Roches as it is now, yet only 50 per cent of them have been developed to any extent. The rest sit empty and idle, waiting for attention.

“It is appalling, the idea of it is just unbelievable,” he said. “The ministries charged with protecting the environment are not really protective agencies at all.

“I couldn’t believe they would even consider such (a proposal) in such a pristine area, that is so highly sensitive.”

Gordon Marshall is a recently retired realtor and ‘card-carrying Liberal” who spent a big part of his time listing and selling Lac des Roches properties. His is one of the “Friends of Lac des Roches,” a protest group formed to try to steer the government off its course.

Marshall said he doesn’t trust the Liberal government much when it comes to balancing what it believes to be the economic benefit of the proposal against the impacts on the environment and lake residents.

“We will be impacted, but we have no voice,” said Marshall.

He said the fact the Liberals have handed LWBC what seems at times limitless ability to move forward in such fashion is indicative of how this government views environmental issues overall.

Marshall, Jollymore and others living on the lake see a political body intent on marketing the natural assets of the province, even if the capitalization comes on the backs of residents, or at the expense of wildlife and natural values.

“If they don’t like the rules, they change them to fit,” said Marshall. “They are interested in selling Crown land because they own it, and they need money.”

“But you know, they don’t own it,” said Larry Citra, a resident on nearby Montana Lake, in response. “We do. It’s a corporate attitude – they want to sell the province to make money.”

The ice is still on Lac des Roches in mid-April, the sun not yet warm enough to crack the dying winter’s shell.

But the signs of break-up are here. The ice is graying and a great split has formed across the middle of the lake, a twisting line that seems to signal the conflict of opposing natural forces.

Ironically, the ice split is not far off another line, an artificial division that splits the lake into two different political regions. On the east side of the line, the Thompson-Nicola Regional District has control, while the Cariboo Regional District rules Lad Des Roches’ west end.

The LWBC proposal is on the TNRD side of the lake.

The Cariboo Regional District deemed Lac des Roches a “highly sensitive lake,” and has labeled it undevelopable, while the TNRD believes the lake is suited for commercial development.

One of the big concerns for the CRD is the slow rate of natural flushing through the lake. It’s believed it takes five to seven years for the lake to completely flush itself.

And with the pas two summers of drought, the lake’s level is falling, heightening the concern for the impact of development on water quality.

Sharron Woloshyn said she is disappointed the provincial government has ignored what is obviously a significant split between two levels of local government.

She believes the Liberals have a duty to explore the issue of Lac des Roches environmental sensitivity, before embarking on a project that could have significant impact on wildlife, water quality, and liveability.

She has written many letters to government seeking answers to concerns she has about the proposed development’s impact. She wants a thorough environmental assessment, but has received no commitment such a study will happen.

“We don’t seem to get any kind of say,” Woloshyn said, “It’s boggling.”

Mike Carter, LWBC’s vice president of strategic initiatives, said it’s appropriate for the Crown corporation to jump start the development process in this fashion.

“It’s driven by a (Liberal) commitment – and this goes back to Day 1 from this particular government – a commitment to see Crown land used as a stimulus for economic development.

“It’s been part of the platform from Day 1. The financial return comes from the fact government won’t undertake these activities unless there is a reasonable expectation that they will actually meet the market demand.”

And an aging population is showing increasing demand for recreational waterfront property, he said. Lad des Roches was identified as a plausible site after an exhaustive study of the area and its hundreds of lakes.

Carter denied this project is just about the sale of Crown land. A development like this represents a significant economic boost to an area, he said and it’s appropriate for government to identify projects that can stimulate the economy.

In the end, the market will determine if the idea becomes reality. Carter said the final proposal for Lac des Roches will likely by revised from what was “floated out” by LWBC in the early stages.

“That’s something the developer will have to deal with in terms of what the market will demand. It may end up being much less dense than what was originally proposed.”

LWBC will maintain a role as this development moves forward, Carter added.

“We see this as a bit of a showcase, we want to see this done correctly,” Carter said. “We will maintain a role as we move forward.

“It’s possible we may have an ongoing financial relationship (with the developer) as well.”

Marshall doesn’t believe LWBC’s vision for Lac des Roches will amount to much.

The cost of developing the proposal will be staggering – the plans call for a proper water and sewer system – and he can’t see how any developer will be willing to take on such a risk.

“I think it’s just a dream land for the government,” he said.

Marshall said he is more worried the government and LWBC will press ahead with the proposal, encourage a developer, sell the land and then do nothing after the project fails. By that time, roads may have been cut, land graded and lots leveled – scars that may never heal.

He also worries that the government will recognize the proposal is too costly and relax environmental requirements to make it more attractive.

“Only the government can do it this way. They are using our money to do it,” said Citra. “I don’t trust this government at all.”

“Are they going to do this somewhere else?,” asked Jollymore. “It’s absolute total destruction and selling off of the province. (The government) is determined to sell it.”

By Lachlan Labere – 100 Mile Free Press

A local organization determined to save the Lac des Roches area from a proposed large scale development project recently discovered they’re not alone in their fight.

The Friends of Lac des Roches and Birch Lake group is now one of several similar grassroots organizations found at www.lwbcwatch.org, a Web site designed to unite those engaged in a similar struggle with Land and Water British Columbia, Inc. (LWBC.) The crown corporation is charged with the provincial government’s mandate to accelerate economic development by increasing access to Crown lands and resources.

“I was getting calls from all over B.C. – people such as your community who have gone through these things,” said the Web site’s creator Ed Jewer.

For the past 10 months he has been fighting to prevent the LWBC sale of public land on Vancouver Island.

“We’re going to try and develop it in a way that helps connect these different communities and give them maybe better ideas of how they can deal with LWBC…. In the end really, by law, they have the right to do what they’re doing, so we have very few options, but we do have some options. We’re hoping we can share some of these ideas with people.”

Friends formed September 2004 in response to a series of LWBC consultation meetings. LWBC representatives explained their intent to enhance the value of property around Lac des Roches, along with neighbouring Birch Lake and Montana Lake, and make it attractive for developers. The proposal includes the development of residential units, two hotels and a golf course.

Concerned residents packed the Roe Lake Hall Aug. 25 for one of the meetings. Robin Levesque, the regional manager of Development and Marketing for LWBC, indicated there was little residents could do to stop LWBC.

“You cannot simply tell me to walk away because I will not,” Levesque said last August. “It’s not my job to walk away.”

Since their formation the opposition group has kept busy circulating petitions to stop the project due to environmental concerns.

“In fact. Lac des Roches at 1,166 meters, is known as the second most photographed lake in B.C.,” said Bill Jollymore, the spokesperson for the group. “This development is far too massive for this sensitive area.”

The struggle recently took on new life with the discovery of Jewer’s site.

Jewer is the co-coordinator for the Lost Trials Wetlands, an organization on East Vancouver Island engaged in a fight against LWBC to save what they’ve determined to be a 142.5 hectare, ecologically sensitive area north of Qualicum Beach. Along with blue- and red-listed plant species, the land also contains close to 300 of the province’s rapidly diminishing old growth Douglas Fir.

“It’s a bit different here than it is in your area, because on the east coast of Vancouver Island, we had what was called the ENN Land Grant in 1880, and (the community of) Dunsmuir was basically given the east coast of Vancouver Island, 20 kilometers on either side of the railway as payment for the railway,” Jewer said. “So a lot of it is private land. We only have five per cent of Crown land within this area, and because it’s such a popular place for people to move right now, LWBC is aggressively selling off that five per cent.

In the rest of B.C., I believe about 95 per cent of the land base is Crown, and five per cent is private, but here it’s reverse. But even that argument isn’t of any value to them whatsoever.”

Andrew Gage is a lawyer with West Coast Environmental Law who has taken interest in LWBC. Gage said LWBC began as the Whistler Land Corp., which in 1983 oversaw the development and marketing of Crown land in the Village of Whistler. In 1997 the provincial government expanded its mandate, around the same time the company changed its name to the BC Assets and Land Corp. (BCAL). In 2002 BCAL became LWBC.

“With BCAL, the idea was that whenever they wanted to sell surplus land that they really should have someone there to aggressively market it and make sure the public gets the best return for their money,” said Gage. “…What LWBC has effectively done is declared anything that they aren’t restricted under the Lands Act from selling – which is almost everything – open for business. They actually say that in their policy as a general rule, public lands are available for sale or lease.”

Gage said that LWBC has a mandate to maximize the government revenue from public lands. LWBC receives a percentage based on how much it sells. Forecasts in LWBC’s Service Plan for 1005/2006 to 2007/2008 said the province will receive between at least $87,879 and up to $91,432 each year from 2004 – 2008 from LWBC sales.

“So there’s a strong incentive for LWBC to be more than just a neutral arbitrator of what the public should be selling and not selling, and much more of a ‘where can se get the biggest buck?'” Gage said.

A major concern shared by Gage, Jollymore and Jewer Is the speed at which LWBC operates. Jewer said he didn’t know LWBC’s plans for the Lost Trail Wetlands property until he saw ‘For Sale’ signs posted.

“And at the time we were seeing the signs go up, I was informed there was only a two week listing date, and after two weeks they would have basically picked the highest bidder,” Jewer said.

Gage added the Friends of Lac des Roches group is lucky to have had the luxury of public consultation.

“The fact that they held these public meetings before they went to try and do a rezoning is actually an improvement over some areas,” said Gage. “It’s good that they’re having public meetings in advance, even if they have no intention of changing their mind.”

George Abbott, the province’s Sustainable Resource Management Minister, said that “LWBC is operating at a fast pace.” Yet according to the LWBC communications person, Gayle Downey, the amount of land that is being sold is 10,000 to 11,000 hectares per year.

“It’s not like there’s a huge increase in the amount of land that’s for sale,” she said. “In 2004, there were 150,000 hectares of Crown land set aside for parks, ecological reserves, and expanded parks. And by comparison, only 10,000 hectares of Crown land sold.”

LWBC’s Service Plan said that in addition to accelerating economic development in key sectors, “the corporation is committed to reducing the regulatory burden and providing a more streamlined business approach in order to achieve improved investor confidence and economic growth.”

Gage added that LWBC invests significant time and public dollars before making its intentions public.

“It’s not that LWBC won’t consider alternatives and tailor things a bit differently when/if there’s another public opposition,” Gage said. “What’s more of concern is just that they’ve actually done so much before even notifying the public about what’s going on so it’s got this momentum, and the public has already spent a lot of money getting them to where they are before the public never gets a chance to comment on whether that’s’s the appropriate direction.”

Downey said the public has opportunity for input through the process, but there have been no further consultation meetings scheduled as there is not proponent.

Jollymore recently returned from the Kamloops Gun and Antique Show March 19-20, where he and the Friends of Lac des Roches and Birch Lake had a booth and petitions.

“My wife put up a gook with pages of all the other Web sites and all the other problems in the province and this one and pictures of the lake from the air and the schematics of the proposed buildings,” Jollymore said. “We got about 300 signatures Saturday, and yesterday…we had about another 100. People are just burned up. Some of them have never heard of it. Some who have heard didn’t know really what was going on.”

So far 700 signatures have been gathered. He was invited to speak next month to the Kamloops Fish and Game Association. It’s members are gathering more signatures.

By Lynn & Pete Hornick, Vernon – 100 Mile Free Press

Dear Editor,

As long-time property owners on Lac des Roches, we must express our deep concern over the actions of Land and Water BC in proposing a massive, intrusive development in a high-elevation area with its short summers and extremely sensitive natural values.

For well over 20 years, we have watched the insidious deterioration of water quality and associated problems which have been consistently ignored by government agencies. Now, it seems, that “The Most Photographed Lake in B.C.” (quoting from government publications) has become a play-thing for LWBC bureaucrats.

We urge all of your readers to unite with our community organization, Friends of Lac des Roche and Birch Lake (www.lacdesroche.org or 250-593-0041), in opposing this unwarranted, unrealistic and unwelcome development proposal.

This problem involves two regional districts (TNRD and CRD) and two provincial constituencies, and your protest letters to these governmental bodies are vital.

By Bill Jollymore – 100 Mile Free Press

To the Editor:

In response to the letter “Lac des Roches still threatened” from Dan and Kerry Veldhuis, I would like to add to their concern about “The Lake.”

The government of B.C., through it’s Crown corporation, Land and Water BC (LWBC), is bent on selling Crown land to private interests for the purpose of creating small towns in pristine wilderness areas surrounding lakes.

Total destruction of these areas will be the end result with the winner, the government, raising cash. Their plan includes the sale of $65 million of land in southern B.C. in 2005. In coming years this will be at an accelerated pace. The arrogance of LWBC sees no compromise. It’s full steam ahead. This will mean the end of one of the most beautiful areas in the province. We still have some time to counteract this with some hope of success.

First, join the organization, Friends of Lac des Roches and Birch Lake. This may be done by visiting our Web site, lacdesroches.org, download the form and send to: Friends of Lac des Roches and Birch Lake, General Delivery, Bridge Lake, V0K 1E0, or call Sharron Woloshyn at 593-0041 and she will send you the forms.

Secondly, sign a petition currently circulating, it may also be downloaded from the site or visit the following merchants: Donex Pharmacy and Department Store, Exeter Sports, and Exeter Forest and Marine in 100 Mile, the Lone Butte Sporting Goods or Jilly’s Junction in Lone Butte, also the Bridge Lake or Sheridan Lake general stores. These petitions have had a good response in our area and will be sent to the premier and appropriate ministers April 20.

Yes, Lac des Roches is still under threat as is Birch Lake, Montana Lake, Crystal Lake and others included in the plan. Don’t stand idly by and watch the devastation of your heir’s heritage destroyed before your eyes.