Tag Archives: Gordon Campbell

NPCA Praises BC Premier Gordon Campbell for Important Step in Preserving Waterton, Glacier Parks

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The National Parks Conservation Association issued a press release today praising BC Premier Gordon Campbell for his efforts to protect the Canadian Flathead and, by extension, Waterton and Glacier Parks, as well as the Flathead drainage south of the border.

Here’s the lead-in. Read the whole thing to see some familiar local names . . .

“We look forward to seeing the details of this agreement to halt inappropriate mining in the Canadian wilderness adjacent to the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, and anticipate the introduction of a substantive protective measure for the Flathead in B.C.’s legislature. We also recognize the leadership of Premier Gordon Campbell as he leaves office, in continuing to advance a 100-year-old vision to permanently protect one of the world’s most special places. It’s been more than a century since the first proposal to expand Waterton Lakes National Park into the BC Flathead, and we look forward to working with the incoming premier to complete this conservation legacy.

Continue reading . . .

British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell resigns

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British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell announced his resignation today due to widespread dissatisfaction with recent tax policy. Perhaps “dissatisfaction” is too mild a word; his approval rating plummeted to nine percent.

What’s the North Fork connection?  Premier Campbell and Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer signed a Memorandum of Understanding last February banning mining and energy development throughout the trans-boundary Flathead Valley. Campbell’s resignation shouldn’t have any effect on the MOU, but will no doubt be a matter of concern in some quarters anyways.

The Flathead Beacon has a good vest-pocket summary of the situation. If you live on the U.S. side of the border, better read their article first or you’ll likely have no clue what “HST” means.

For greater detail, see the Vancouver Sun’s more extensive coverage.

Partnering to protect the Transboundary Flathead watershed

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Dave Hadden, director of Headwaters Montana, Robin Steinkraus, executive director of the Flathead Lakers and Will Hammerquist, program manager for the National Parks Conservation Association’s Glacier Field Office have a nice commentary piece in today’s Flathead Beacon . . .

Here in Montana, August brings us the county fair and farm harvests. And this year we also celebrate a harvest of victories for Glacier National Park, the North Fork Flathead River and Flathead Lake. In addition to commemorating Glacier’s first 100 years, citizens from across the Montana-British Columbia border, Gov. Brian Schweitzer, B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell and Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester did yeoman’s work to protect this special place.

Read the full article . . .

B.C. Premier expects to know mining costs soon on North Fork deal

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From today’s Flathead Beacon . . .

Accepting the Flathead Lakers’ 2010 Stewardship Award for signing an agreement with British Columbia protecting the North Fork from mining and drilling, Gov. Brian Schweitzer gave much of the credit to his counterpart in the negotiations: Premier Gordon Campbell.

Describing the fragile talks, held secretly in Spokane, Schweitzer emphasized that – from mining royalties to political capital – it was Campbell who had the most at stake.

Read the full article . . .

Flathead Lakers recognize Gov. Schweitzer for North Fork agreement with Canada

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Posted yesterday to the KECI-TV website . . .

The Flathead Lakers recognized Governor Brian Schweitzer for his efforts to protect the Flathead.  They gave Schweitzer an award for his agreement with British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell.

The agreement between Montana and British Columbia halts mining in the Canadian portion of the North Fork drainage.  Schweitzer praised the Premier saying Canada gave up more than seven billion dollars in possible royalties.  On Thursday night, the Flathead Lakers gave both the Premier and the Govenor the Stewardship Award. (The Premier was unable to attend.)

Read the full article . . .

See also the Flathead Lakers website . . .

Flathead Lakers to present Stewardship Award to Gov. Schweitzer and BC Premier Campbell

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From today’s Daily Inter Lake . . .

The Flathead Lakers will present their annual Stewardship Award to Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer and British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell at their annual meeting on July 15.

The award will recognize the landmark agreement the two leaders signed in February banning mining and oil-and-gas development in the North Fork Flathead watershed, headwaters to Flathead Lake.

Read the entire article . . .

Head-butting over differences on North Fork protection

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Wow! This is getting interesting, if not downright entertaining. Gov. Schweitzer and Sens. Baucus and Tester are really starting to butt heads over implementation of the memorandum of understanding Schweitzer negotiated with British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell regarding protection of the trans-boundary Flathead. Today’s Flathead Beacon has a good write-up on the issue . . .

Despite a common goal of securing permanent environmental protection for the North Fork of the Flathead River, Montana’s governor and senators don’t appear to be on the same page. The differences between the positions of Gov. Brian Schweitzer and Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester extend from the binding strength of the memorandum of understanding between Montana and British Columbia to the necessity of an international treaty to protect the transboundary Flathead region. And these policy differences are becoming increasingly glaring.

Read the entire article (recommended) . . .

Tensions flare over Schweitzer’s deal with Canada to protect North Fork

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From an Associated Press article posted yesterday . . .

Gov. Brian Schweitzer is facing sharp questions from Montana’s congressional delegation over the way the governor has handled an agreement with Canada to protect the Glacier National Park area.

Schweitzer inked a deal with Canadian officials earlier this year promising that both sides would move to permanently protect the Flathead region from development. The governor promised the U.S. side would come up with millions to buy out two Canadian companies — a promise Schweitzer apparently made without first getting federal officials on board.

The Democratic governor had been critical of the congressional delegation — U.S. Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester along with Rep. Denny Rehberg — for failing to come up with the cash.

Tester and Baucus, both Democrats, sent an unusually terse letter to the governor Wednesday. In it, they pointedly ask where Schweitzer expected the money to come from — and where it would go.

Read the full article (highly recommended) . . .

For additional background, read the text of Wednesday’s letter to Gov. Schweitzer from Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester.

North Fork protection may come as a treaty

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From this week’s Hungry Horse News . . .

A deal to permanently protect the North Fork of the Flathead from mining and energy exploration could ultimately be resolved in a treaty between the two countries.

President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced Monday that they were directing their federal agencies to look at ways of solidifying a deal struck between Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer and British Columbia Prime Minister Gordon Campbell in February.

Read the full article . . .

Coalition slowly planning way to pay for protecting North Fork of Flathead

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Here’s an insightful follow-up article on last weekend’s Western governors meeting, written by Michael Jamison and posted to the Missoulian’s website early this morning . . .

A plan to forever protect Canadian wildlands north of Glacier National Park — and to pay for those protections — is slowly taking shape, cobbled together by an international coalition that includes local, state and federal partners.

Read the full article . . .