officers stormed the Bear Mountain tree sit camp in Langford at dawn
and arrested five sleeping protestors. Tree sit supporters are
celebrating the ten-month-long forest defense vigil with a blowout
party at Camas Books in Victoria on Friday, February 13, 2009.
This week, we learned that Bare Mountain Bonanza's hard-rock miners
are getting ready to assert their mineral rights on Bear Mountain
Resort property once again. "Over the next month, work crews will dig
test holes and collect GPS data," says Ben Isitt, an agent for the
mining claim.
"The day will include a pleasant hike to the worksites and lunch with
friends," Isitt notes. "Please advise if you have previous expertise
with GPS data, photography, and/or land survey techniques." Some crew
foremen have already been selected and potential volunteers can
contact Ben directly at ben.isitt@gmail.com or 250-382-8494
Over 940 hectares of subsurface rights -- including most of Bear
Mountain Resort, South Skirt Mountain, Langford Lake Cave, Spaet Cave
and the new interchange -- were staked online by Victoria
environmentalist Ingmar Lee last year, provoking widespread amusement
and consternation. "They say Wrangellia (igneous rock) is worthless,"
Lee told the Goldstream Gazette in March, 2008. "I think it's a
marketing deficiency. People want chunks of Bear Mountain. We'll sell
them at Sunday markets."
The Joy of Dissent celebrates the tree sit! Featuring a potluck with
local tree huggers and Vancouver media activists. Franklin "The
Stimulator" Lopez premieres his underground hit "Ground Noise and
Static," documenting the mass arrests of journalists and social
justice advocates in the United States in 2008. Beatbox with the
Outspoken Wordsmiths and trip out to the Revolutionary Cyborg Wedding
Band Mobile Unit.
All ages, accessible, by donation.
Friday, Feb. 13,. 5 to 11 pm, Camas Books, 2590 Quadra St.
Contact Zoe Blunt –250-885-8219.
