alexandra morton

Why Do We Have Salmon Feedlots in BC?

Dear Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia:
 
I am writing to ask you; why do we have salmon feedlots in British Columbia?
 
You are no doubt aware of the public response to salmon feedlots and hopefully you know it is in trouble in every country where it operates http://farmsalmonfacts.blogspot.com/.
 
Is the provincial government renting the seafloor to this industry to benefit the public with jobs?
 
British Columbians don’t eat farm salmon, so we are not doing it for food.
 
Jobs, however, are a good reason, but if jobs are the reason there is an obvious way out of this mess.  Clearly wild salmon have a future in BC and you don’t want to be a government that harms their enormous contribution to this province, as an increasingly rare and valuable asset. 
 
We can only count “direct jobs” because the “indirect” salmon feedlot jobs may not actually be viable without the wild fisheries and the growing tourism industry.
 
                    Source                                                                                                    # of jobs
 
Recent Salmon Farm ad ……………………………………………………...6,000
Price Waterhouse Cooper April 2009………………………………….................2,800
Economic and Social Impact of Aquaculture in Canada (DFO, 2009)………2,220
Phone call to Seafood and Aquaculture Information specialist (MAL 2011). 1,259
 
This is quite a large range of numbers, but the fourth is the most current and from the provincial Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, who are the keeper of fish farm numbers.
 
Today’s seafood markets hinge on sustainability.  More and more stores are refusing to sell fish products listed as unsustainable. Fish species raised in tanks are given favourable ratings, while feedlots dumping their manure onto the seafloor are rated poorly. 
 
In response, there are tank fish farms, of many species, springing up throughout Canada, not because they were forced to do this, but because they are making money.  There is a man in Quebec growing 15,000 heads of lettuce per week on the waste from the 600 pounds of trout he also raises per week (Northern Aquaculture Nov/Dec 2010). The waste that net pen operators pour into the ocean is actually a valuable product that can be used to make food and money. Just because the three big industrial operators don’t want to change, does not mean the industry isn’t changing around them. The Norwegian salmon feedlot corporations are dinosaurs harming their own industry with their aggressive unwillingness to evolve.

 
I don’t see a problem.  There are no losers here.  There are serious and valid concerns about impact of salmon feedlots in the ocean and it is big issue in BC.  We have 1,259 people in BC who know how to grow fish.
 
If jobs are the goal, don’t allow yourself to be bullied by corporate campaign supporters. It is your responsibility to BC to encourage a diverse, local industry that BC can be proud of, benefit from emerging markets and give people in the industry a future, as well as, benefiting the wilderness tourism industry and wild fisheries.
 
So my question remains why do we have salmon feedlots in British Columbia?

 

Global State of Salmon Feedlots

I have taken a look at what is happening with salmon feedlots around the world and have posted my findings at our new blog

The industry is facing enormous legal, social and biological issues around the world as a result of their aggressive expansion into the temperate coastlines of our planet. Their issues with the European Union, Prince of Wales, a virus that is following them and the lobster fishermen of New Brunswick are so huge that British Columbia has become the stronghold for this Norwegian industry. If they can't expand in BC, their shareholders are going to walk away.

As politics in BC heat up, the industry paid a reported $1.5 million for an advertising campaign featuring prime time TV ads that offer zero information (Marketing Magazine, 19 Jan). The bottom of their fact page lists five companies all with their head offices in Norway and the BC Salmon Farmers Association, whose board members include the same five companies http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86rCXZETiNY

I agree, no one should believe everything they hear. Inform yourself, the future of this coast is depending on you. Take a look at the global picture of these global corporations.

I will be posting articles from around the world at: http://farmsalmonfacts.blogspot.com/ so you can follow what people are saying about this industry around the world.

FYI - I am still collecting signatures to send to the Minister of Fisheries telling her we want farm salmon tested for the virus that appears to be killing millions of Fraser sockeye.

Alexandra Morton

Wild Salmon Need Your Voice

The news that DFO and other scientists think a virus may be killing up to 95% of some Fraser sockeye runs is very disturbing. The only way through this is to learn where it is coming from so we can try to stop it. Please help me convince the of Minister Fisheries that she must allow DFO scientist, Dr. Kristina Miller test farm salmon for this disease and report back to us if this is the source of the virus or not.

This seems a small thing to ask given the thousands of years that this fish has nourished people.

You can sign my letter here

All this needs is enough people.

Alexandra Morton

DFO kept virus in sockeye secret

A study published in the prestigious journal, SCIENCE, by lead author Dr. Kristina Miller of Fisheries and Oceans Canada reports on genetic evidence that a virus maybe killing up to 95% of some Fraser sockeye stocks just before spawning.

“Our hypothesis is that the genomic signal associated with elevated mortality is in response to a virus infecting fish before river entry and that persists to the spawning areas.”

Alexandra Morton of Raincoast Research says, “it is evident from this paper that DFO has known about this potential virus since 2006, but after four years they are still not certain what it is. The evolution of new viral strains is often associated with abnormal concentrations of animals or birds, like avian flu. We need to know if this is indeed a virus, if it is related to the farm salmon disease, salmon leukemia and if there is something we can do about it.”

DFO studies in the 1990s documented salmon leukemia in Chinook salmon farms and found it could infect Atlantic and sockeye salmon. At the same time the number of Fraser sockeye dying just before spawning began increasing, called “prespawn mortality”. In 2006, Dr. Miller, found the genomic signature of these dying sockeye had a distinctive “unhealthy” profile that may be a form of leukemia. Salmon Leukemia is a retrovirus. Retroviruses are known to exhibit a high mutation rate.

“Did this virus start in the wild, become amplified in the farm Chinook and mutate to infect the millions of nearby introduced Atlantic salmon altering it to become unidentifiable?” asks Morton. “DFO has significantly delayed this critical research by keeping this secret.”

There is one stock of Fraser sockeye that has not been on the rollercoaster of decline and boom. The Harrison sockeye, which have been steadily increasing over the past 18 years, are not found migrating to sea through the salmon feedlots of eastern Vancouver Island, researchers believe they go to sea via southern Vancouver Island.

In a Vancouver Sun article one of the co-authors, Dr. Scott Hinch of UBC notes there have been insufficient funds to tackle this issue.

In November, the Globe and Mail published a leaked memo to the Minister of Fisheries that suggested disease as a leading possibility for the 2009 Fraser sockeye decline, but DFO did not make this information public. Morton’s attempt to cross-examine on that document at the Cohen Commission was refused at the time. “We hope that Commissioner Cohen will now look into what else DFO knows about this situation and the possibility that DFO has been protecting the salmon farming industry, at the expense of the $1 billion Fraser sockeye fishery,” says Morton.

“I will also raise questions at the Cohen Commission whether DFO has fully supported Dr. Miller in her pursuit of this critical work and whether Miller has been given full access to the farm salmon populations for testing?” Last month Morton’s lawyers asked for the Cohen Commission to hold a special portion of the hearing to look into whether this potential virus is impacting wild sockeye and whether this is a mutated form of salmon leukemia.

Sign petition to the Minister of Fisheries about this:

My Decision

My Decision

When members of the Federal NDP first asked me to run as MP for Vancouver Island North I said “no,” but then I reconsidered. The way I see it the people of our communities, province-wide, are suffering from the same politics as the salmon. I have lived 26 years in an extremely small coastal town called Echo Bay and I saw how political decisions, that we were not a part of, made in Victoria and Ottawa, destroyed us. They took away a small mill from my neighbour, Bill Proctor, and they told us we could not tie our floathouses to the shores of this province, while granting this same right to the industrial salmon feedlots.

As a result, my home is supporting foreign shareholders and not the local communities of Gwayasdums, Kingcome, Hope Town, Echo Bay, Alert Bay and Port McNeill. We have lost our residents, school and a culture is slipping away. Bureaucrats claim we were not worth the paperwork and this is wrong. I would like to fix this, because it is not good for the people, bears, whales or the salmon or the real economy. The real economy is the one that includes us, like wilderness tourism, community forests and many small businesses.

Over 1000 people wrote to me and generously shared their thoughts and supported whatever decision I made. I learned so much and I am very grateful.

I have decided not to run for Member of Parliament for Vancouver Island North because every time I spoke people would have to decide if that was the truth as I see it, or the best thing I could say to win votes, support a political party, or work with my caucus. I think my unique contribution to the home that I love is my role connecting the wet and wild world I am part of to people and government.

I am also deeply involved with the Cohen Inquiry into DFO's management of the Fraser sockeye. This is a powerful process that I want to see through.

The greatest regret I have in making this decision is foregoing the opportunity to work with Members of Parliament Fin Donnelly, Nathan Cullen, Jean Crowder, Denise Savoie and others. These are remarkable people are doing their best to represent us and the natural world that we depend on. I hope that I can be a resource to them and others in the political world.

I am also hoping to support individual candidates across party lines that I think are setting the best course for this province, bringing us into ecological compliance so that we are no longer robbing our children and returning resource decisions and access to the local people who are the wisest and best informed. You can become part of this at wildsalmonpeople.ca If you decide to join me in this we can hold up the ideals we believe in as a non-partisan voting block. It is not good enough to say I hate politics, face it politics are running our lives and it is up to us to get involved. We need to elect us and we need to support or recall politicians in response to how they perform.

I would like to extend thanks to all of you who spoke and wrote to me! What a fantastic 6 days. I was on CBC IDEAS last night

Onward

Alexandra Morton

What about......

A number of people have now approached me with the idea of entering the provincial NDP leadership race. This is so interesting. All I have ever done is try to protect the people and wildlife of my home in the Broughton Archipelago. My goal in life is to be out in my boat as a field biologist. For this I have won your trust.

Some in the NDP and over 1000 of you think I am a serious contender for MP of the Northern Vancouver Island. This has caused a collision of thoughts and emotions which I am trying to boil down to why I would do this. The wisdom and encouragement all of you have offered has added immeasurably to the depth of my considerations.

I am considering becoming a part of government to attempt to shift the course of politics back to serving us. We want towns that are content and flourishing, not being rapaciously devoured as we hope for crumbs. I watched political decisions destroy my town of Echo Bay so that today we are largely a ghost town surrounded by corporate feedlots. The salmon, bears, whales and people are suffering, government lost our taxes, Port McNeill lost our steady commerce 12 months of the year and BC has lost part of its culture. Who is benefiting from this? Not us. When I walked Vancouver Island and traveled through the interior 100s of people described a similar experience.... Afraid to lose jobs we have allowed a non-human, inhuman economy to grow, which is now pushing us aside. We pay to care for our forests and so should be benefiting from them, but raw logs are being shipped oversees. This hurts our environment, the economies of our towns and destroys our children's future.

International businesses will never be content as by their own constitutions they have to show growth, not best local yield from each tree cut down. They have no alliance to us. As soon as we have nothing left they leave. The current economy is gouging holes in the places we call home to the benefit of people we don't even know. But can we bring government back to us, by electing us if we use the existing political parties, or are these parties too entrenched in corporate and other relationships, hinged on too many compromises to be able to come back to us? We are frozen in fear of vote-splitting, but is there another option? How many of you would stand with me as candidates to re-ignite local economies? Wilderness tourism is a 1.5 billion dollar local industry that the province is pretending doesn't even exist. Why? Likely because it requires the same intact living world that big business has laid claim to. When I speak to bureaucrats they complain small businesses require too much paperwork. They would rather work with one big company. Well that is wrong we are paying their salary. No one need fear this. Look at the condition of our small towns province - wide, are they thriving under this type of management? We will never save the salmon, the trees or the whales unless we save ourselves. We need to learn how to come into ecological compliance. We need to learn how to prosper because no balance will be struck until we move past this desperate half-starved, hand to mouth, over-consumption of our world and relearn how to be content.

Can this change be done from within existing parties? Who are these parties?

The BC Liberals say:

"commitment to achieve a fair-minded and prosperous society by means of a sustainable, competitive and compassionate free enterprise system, in which individual initiative is balanced by protection of the rights, freedoms and dignity of all individuals,"

That sounds great.

The NDP say:

"Sustainable BC is our vision. We believe it offers a way forward for all British Columbians"

Excellent

The BC Green Party says:

"committed to a competitive and green economy. Creating a green economy will create new industries and tens of thousands of new jobs"

They all sound good, so why are we at this junction where the two dominant parties have no head, the Green Party cannot get anyone elected and the concept of corruption in government is widely accepted?

Several people have asked me to consider entering the provincial NDP leadership race. This is pretty huge, but the idea of entering the provincial NDP leadership race is fascinating. I think we need to know who the NDP are and this might be a way for someone to find out.

On the other hand what about a rise in independent candidates, each answerable only to their constituents that run only in ridings that need this?

I will continue to try to read all your answers, because YOU are brilliant and you know your communities and are teaching me so much. I remain undecided on all fronts as there is so much to evaluate and please remember I am just a field biologist.

alexandra

Your words of Advice

I have received over 500 emails on whether I should run for Member of Parliament. Thank you all, there has been so much thought offered to me. I am learning a lot. Here are excerpts from you.

In the past year I have marched and protested and attended your rallies. You would be a good politician because you are a good person. If this is something you are willing to do, absolutely go for it.

When I read that you may enter politics, I burst into tears in my emotional response to the notion that possibly, at last, someone we KNOW is uncorruptable and will represent the rights of the Life Form Earth and its creatures may enter politics.

I confess I have lost faith in "democracy" and politicians in general, and fear you would meet with just as much resistance, if not more, from within government, if you embark on the political path. I have seen good people wronged and bad people glorified. Having said that, I wish we had politicians like you who are not afraid to speak the truth.

You don't know me, we have never met, but I feel our hearts are in the same place.

Whatever you decide, I wish you well and will continue to support your endeavours whichever path you choose.

*
Oh wow! When Carole quit, I felt we lost a voice. Now, I will say "Go For It!" With you in the government, we can be heard. Go for it Alex. I know many will stand behind. May the Great Spirit guide you.

*If you believe you can make that transition without too much personal stress - then... gopher itif you stand and get elected the wild salmon and the communities of coastal BC will lose in the short term but I believe with your determination will win a full victory.

I am sure no matter what way you decide it will be the correct choice.
I think you should do it just to be able to voice your efforts with a louder voice, even though politics are ridiculous.
I fully support you!
TanjaYou are a warrior for a cause that is authentic ... 20 years ago you may have had a chance in parliament ... I think you gain nothing with the political alignment ...
In kindness ... love ... and light

Go for it!!!! Good luck!!!!
What I really would like to see is some sort of co-operation, if not
merger, between the Greens and the NDP, a sort of political Red Green
show, if you will. Harper and his friends long ago figured out that
they needed to "unite the right." Why can't the rest of us get it?

Good for you Alexandra, you won't know the answer until you try.

I think you would win if you ran. The question is what influence or power to make changes will you have as the NDP MP?

Your approach so far has been to stay away from large organizations and count on people acting as individuals and doing what they feel is the right thing. If that is the case why not run as an independent.

It always makes me suspicious when the government calls in someone who is "on their tail". Would you be handcuffed or curtailed in any way by being in office in a way that you are not now. Read the fine print and consider your own health. Being surrounded by corruption can take its toil on a soul in short order.

You can defiantly count on most votes from Owen Bay, Sonora island.....

Please do it...

Go for it Alexandra - you're a divine agent for change, and I see this as an even higher calling to inspire political change as well as saving our sacred salmon - why would an MP and outspoken biologist be mutually exclusive? :

I think you are more of a thorn in the Gov't side as an outsider activist! As a member of a political party, you be constrained from voicing your real opinion

Go for it Alexandra. Get in there are stir the pot and boot out the freeloaders.

I am happy to comment. My recommendation would be to not do that. The political realm is a snake pit and to really have a voice in that pit takes years of work and politicking. Yes you are frustrated at lack of govt action, but trust me, I am confident just being an NDP back bench MP is not going to increase yr political clout and worse, it will limit it (party politics + you cannot focus on one passion as an MP).
Don't do it!

Your cause will lose the support of many like me who absolutely will not
support the NDP under any circumstances whatsoever.

Please don’t be tempted to enter politics. It will water down your effectiveness on this important campaign. I say this as a Canadian who has voted in every election but has never belonged to any political party.

So far you have been free to speak your voice, once you get into the political arena, I am not sure if that will be the case.

if you want to fix something, get involved.

Either way, as an MP or an outspoken biologist, my family and I support you and the critical work that you do 110%.

You should strongly consider it.

Shout, scream, kick, fight, don't ever be quiet!

Run by all means !

There is absolutely no reason you cannot be an Outspoken Biologist and an active Member of Parliament !!! Jump In!! The Water's Fine!

could you be a politician first and a biologist, environmentalist second. As a politician you would represent all the people, many of whom may or may not agree with your take on the salmon and other environmental issues.
We have enough
politicians, I agree with your original thought, "to keep our own political
party affiliation and vote across all parties for the protection of our
salmon"

I think you would be exchanging one wilderness for another. Federal politics really is an 'old boys club' and exceptional people like you are soon discouraged by the jarring impotence of the process. Successful female MP's are an endangered species in Ottawa.

'When you come to a fork in the road,...take it!"

i would support your candidacy in an upcoming election. Canada needs voices in parliament who understand science and the importance of the environment.

As an NDP I hope you can lend support to independent provincial candidates who may just run on behalf of the enviroment?

Alexandra. I have no doubt that if you run for the Federal NDP,you'll be
elected. However, the question you've raised for yourself,Whether you can be
more effective inside or outside the government is is one I've asked myself
for years.

We hope you go for it, and all the best!

To gain support for your cause among other MPs and senators you could be propositioned and pressured to compromise your standing on other issues and expected to support them even if you do not believe that they are right.

My humble recommendation is, Don't do it.

The game is gamed, so that a voice from the inside is a voice chained and bound. Politicians are mostly place-holders for a blind party agenda determined by people unseen in the back rooms that may no longer be filled with cigar smoke, but are as toxic, nonetheless. Until the government undergoes some serious restructuring and a collaborative mode based on a common and sane vision, your mental and spiritual health would be better preserved by enacting your principles from outside the halls of power. There might be someone else willing to forego some time and to indulge in the risk of mind-numbing debilitation to carry the torch for your ideas via the NDP, so find that person and let her stand in your stead as you will stand in hers as a reminder of why it is that she would endure the indignity of the House of Commons.

The federal scene has been suffering deeply from a lack of big-E environmentalism. Scoring you would be a coup for both the NDP and the Canadian environmental movement, and both are sorely in need these days.

Remember what they say... poop rolls downhill. What we are all fighting locally and regionally is happening because of federal decisions (Gateway, fish farms, oil sands, etc.)
You would have influence in some big decisions... I think it's a great opportunity.

If you can serve as an MP then you must be an outspoken
biologist MP. That is how you can best serve, I believe. You are
uniquely able to serve in that role.

Don't know the exact solution but Ottawa is not it!!!!!
We need leaders who can offer vision, competence and integrity, who set high standards for caring for our environment, wildlife and social problems such as child poverty and affordable housing in Canada.

My advice to you is, do not go in politics. The well-known stragecy of politicians and bureaucrats is to incorporate their opponents.

You would certainly send a message to those ego infused self-serving power seeking politicians that care nothing about anything that matters, that you are not going to go away.

you will also quickly learn that you are powerless and irrelevant in parliament

It seems to me that the work that you are doing and the awareness that you are developing where you are, is more valuable to the salmon than anything that you could do from Ottawa.

I hope that a new type of politician will emerge
and make me feel more trusting of the motives and agendas of
governmental officials. In this matter I would be proud to vote for
you.
Should you decide to run, expect a concerted assault to dissipate your
focus and drive. Don't lettem getcha.

Unfortunatly you are not in my constituancy as you would get my vote.

The idea of working from "within" seems sensible from a distance, but my experience is that people become damped and throttled once elected or becoming government employees. How could you possibly achieve more than you are already doing?

When you enter the house of politics you give up your soul.

just trying to say we have heard your voice. We agree with your voice. The Feds may silence it behind the walls of Parliament.

Naheed Nenshi, the mayor of Calgary, ran a great web-based and person to person campaign this past year and won out as the underdog (one of something like 20 people running and two were quite famous). If you are considering running, perhaps consider talking to him or someone on his team and/or modelling your campaign after his.
Go for it Alexandra!

Sometimes what's offered is also a way to tie your hands behind your back. Don't run for office.

all of the parties would
love to have you elected for them but would only sit you down and tell you to
talk their line. You are are best hope to lead us to defeat the salmon farms and the industrialization of our waters.

All I'd ask is that you consider running for the
Liberal nomination.

Its obvious that people with interest want you out of the way, so I'm wondering who behind shifting you from activist to another pawn politician?I am behind you either way, but your life will become not your own in politics.

what would your vote on the ridiculous long gun registry fiasco

have been given any assurances - in writing - that you would be free to speak your mind on behalf of the community you would be representing, and on behalf of the issues you hold dear.
If the Party will not give you that assurance, if you would be required to 'walk the party line,' then I'd be inclined to refuse the offer - either that, or I'd run the more difficult route as an independent.

I think you will continue to do your best work outside of the political scene

You can stand for Parliament as an MP and a Biologist.
Go for it and give 'em hell.

Your fight is genuine and from the heart... politics might just wipe that out in you.

enjoy the ride:)

I would urge you not to run.

I would strongly suggest you stand as an independent. That way you could always say what you feel needs to be said.
If you did run as an NDP candidate, I think I’d rather see you in provincial politics.

the federal NDP should provide you with some assurance or support that their own party platform will reflect and assist endeavors to protect wild salmon and the health of B.C.'s rural communities.

would vote for you if I could

As an opposition MP you will get

1) less press
2) fewer opportunities to forward your issue
3) more work on other issues that distract you from these issues
4) Party disciplinary measures that will upset you
5) Being part of a caucus that mostly supports and maintains the current minority

The most likely "not to change" are the politicians and corporations because they see money in the resources,

The salmon issue would miss you badly.

We need more people of integrity with strong moral convictions in the BC government i.e. people exactly like you!

The present neo-conservative government is quite horrifying on many levels. The recent appointment of a political spin doctor, Peter Kent, to the environment portfolio, is a case in point. An environment minister's job, to my mind, is to be an advocate for the environment, not an apologist for the tar sands

Understand that ANY party you may join as a candidate in BC ARE NOT democratic: for ALL require large sums of monies to "fill the requirements to become a party"...therefor by joining you have agreed to be part of "the elite".

If a bunch of sincere environmentalists enter politics

.....things will change..

I do hope that you can achieve some thing remember that you will have a riding or constituacy to attend to with a miriad off different issues which will eek into the time that you can spend fighting for the fishes but with the focus that you obviously have it should be doable good luck in what ever path you follow I wish you well
and good fortune
As a MP you would not be in power; as a MLA you might be

I suggest not to run for either of our political parties but rather as an independent

I believe you have already acted like and demostrated qualities of an MP from all the things you have done.

I think that becoming an MP would not result in your having any power more than you now have –

To me you are a living legend. So many of us hold you in our hearts here on the Westcoast. We will offer our support in many ways. .

if you win your riding you would sit in the back row wondering what the hell am I doing here.
personally have become disillusioned with the NDP stance on environmental issues..

I suggest that you would be unable to crack that old boy network. You would do better to run as an independent, or even a Conservative.

The Right would see you as a "job destroyer", the Left perhaps as a non-unionist.

As a New Democrat I would love to see you run (in my riding no less). But as a fisherman and a conservationist I would prefer to see you remain independent from party politics. While I believe you would be good for the party at a time when we need the help, I feel that the fish are more important than the NDP. And I feel that you can do more good as you are than in the house. But, if you run, you can count on my vote.

Please give us someone we can vote for consciously.

I'm an NDP member and my dad, Jim Manly used to be an MP. I have mixed feelings about you becoming an MP because I know you would bring a great deal of knowledge and expertise to the caucus but I think our 'democracy' is a facade and a sham and I don't think that MP's have much power or influence anymore. We live in a Corporatocracy and political power has been firmly entrenched in the PMO and is ultimately guided by the CCCE (the Canadian Council of Chief Executives).

I am certain that you will be the best thing to happen in politics for the North Island,Fish, and the Salmon and Fish people that have depended on this resource as a way of life. Gov't. has been eroding it away however they see fit.

I'm very sure that there are many many North Islanders that would vote for you without
any hesitation as you clearly represent something "communal" regarding all our concerns for a healthy future co-existence that simply does not exist in present parliament.

As a concerned citizen, I encourage you to run. Wishing you the best for the New Year,

They will eat you alive.

My opinion is that you are far too valuable an asset to wild salmon and environment to get caught in the unfulfilling mess that politics is.

If you ran for the NDP I personally wouldn't vote for you. Not because of whom you are but because of the NDP.....

I hate to be so negative in view of all the positive feedback you have been receiving but I'd hate to see such a genuine, honest and committed person such as yourself fall among the sharks on Parliament Hill.

the politicians have all sold out 95 percent at least--it's merely a lucrative profession and you refuse to get this. They are bureaucratic puppets for the people who own the world---regardless of party. Your actions to date have no meaning for the worlds true leaders---no effect. As a rare honest politician you will be isolated and frustrated or worse. You are uneducated on the macro forces that control you. I respect your staying power and commitment. but Doesn't matter if you are an impotent citizen or an impotent MP

It is also time for some more torch carriers to step up for the environment.

Sorry but I would pass.

How will the leadership of NDP treat this cause? I've never heard any of the Federal parties speak on this subject

somehow get bushwacked into being a puppet for those with the real power. I wonder if this is a move by them to "shut you up

Running as an Independent may be a better way
to go.

Please consider running as an independent. The party system is becoming increasingly repellent. Thoughtful people like you are stifled by coercive requirements for caucus "solidarity".

Don't do it - at present you have the ear of most people no matter what political party they support

what does the federal NDP think they are getting with you? and what do they offer? Do they actually get what you want to do? Or do they assume you will "become one of them"?

I was hoping you might take a run at the Provincial NDP leadership.

My view? stick with what you are doing and doing so well:mobilizing public opinion from ground level.Don't run for MP, where compromise on everything is the order of the day and you will be more frustrated than ever, and accomplish far less in the long run than you are doing now, for your community and the salmon that sustain it. I may be wrong on this, but I don't see you ready for that sort of compromise on this fundamental social issue right now,thank heavens

I think you running for Political office of any kind would do serious damage to the cause and your credibility. It would be a very big mistake. We live on Vancouver Island North and are sick of the conservative party denials that fish farms harm our beloved wild salmon.

Would you have some sort of commitment from Jack Layton about being Environment/Fisheries critic?

Should you decide to accept the nomination, do so only on the undertanding from the Party leader , IN WRITING that if elected, he will appoint you as Official Fisheries Critic, until at least the election following.

Do it ! Bring the message to the Hill ! And let em have it !

If you do decide to become an MP, hopefully this will open the doors for you to enlist other MPs (and other government deciders) to witness the destruction of the waterways; the total disrespect for Canada's laws; the disrespect for the health, welfare, and economy of the local peoples, and the lack of concern for the welfare of the river and ocean salmon, caused and demonstrated by the Norwegian (and any other) open-water net (all) fish farmers'

In the final analysis a political party is just another layer of corruption, greed and stupidity between the people and their rights.

We need someone like you to protect our fisheries at the Federal level! Go Girl!

I fully support you running for MP of the North Vancouver Island riding. We will only be able to effect change if we are represented in the seats that can affect change.

I'd say: "Run, for the Salmon."

trust no politicians

No, don't become a politician--you have & give more through being 'you' than by being one of 'them'!!

Face it, you have been doing "politics" for several years now. This
is just the next step.
I cannot think of a greater waste of your efforts than joining politics and more so, representing the NDP Party.

Perhaps you can get more done being independent without political barriers

I think that you would be wasting your considerable talents in that venue

We feel you would be hamstrung and would not be able to be as effective in the work of protecting salmon and all the other good you are doing currently.

Go fearlessly into the fray and stir it up as much as you can
The salmon need your energy, focus and determination as opposed to getting swallowed up and lost in Ottawa

really personally believe that it's not a good move to run for MP. All politics scare me and what I've loved about all you do and stand for is that you are on the side of the fish and coastal communities and not representing one party of government or such like that. This is only my opinion though as one lonely little campbell river fishing guide

Whereas we support you Alexandra 100% we will not vote NDP. We wish you well though in whatever happens.

As an MP you will be asked by those in the Fish Farms in your constituency to represent THEIR interests, as well! That would make YOU vomit!

Being a politician is all about compromise

If you decide to take the plunge, I will immediately send you $100.

While I would love to have you represent me, I have to say I think it would be a mistake

What I have learnt there are many people who will say they support you
but when it comes time to a vote they vote either by the pocket book
or how the media see's a candidate.

Yes, yes, YES!

These are strange times, but knowing that you were working as an MP
would offer me personally hope.

I would LOVE to see you run for MP for the NDP, and maybe green them a little in the process

I am a fan and think you have made and continue to make valuable contributions, however you would not be able to count on my vote should you decide to join that party...

while you may arrive with every intent of concentrating on a given set of problems, the system will force you to expend energy on a wide variety of matters, some of which will only be marginally relevant to your constituency.

you are more effective as an independent voice.

Our government (at the Federal and Provincial levels) have become puppets of corporate interests, and even the opposition parties are part of the game. We have lost a true "liberal class" that honestly defends what is right, what is fair and just, that have respect for Nature, for salmon, bear, small communities, future generations. The corporate power are very powerful and it is obvious they keep taking control of all levels of government.

i still think remaining an independent Rebel (an outspoken biologist in your case) will be more effective.

Go for it. There are too few reasonable, honest and insightful people in politics and this is where it has got us.

The bottom line question is... where can you be more effective.. in Ottawa, working on committees, speaking out in Parliament and lobbying through the press, or staying in the front lines and on the water working to save wild salmon?

I would want you to be able to ensure that the party will leave you to run on exactly your own morals and values.
You Go Girl!

We are facing a crisis of consciousness, and those of us who can contribute to reshaping our perspectives and practices away from hierarchies of dominance and into ecological systems are desperately needed.

An alternative strategy is to use your local network of supporters as a 'block' of voters for a particular candidate, who will depend on them for election and then represent them in parliament, leaving you free to keep up your campaigning.

Sometimes you have to be the ghost in the machine. There is no other way but to see for yourself how things work. Do it with integrity.

Go for it, the only place to change the world is through politics, at least you will get a chance to speak to those who make the decisions and many of those I suspect have closed minds.

I vote yes. please run for the NDP. Despite all the evidence, science and historical data presented by you and legitimate scientists around the world showing that fish farms are destroying our salmon, our morally bankrupt politicians and bribed or threatened DFO officials keep playing the game that there isn't enough proof and that the issue needs more study.

If you have found that you are not getting anywhere at the grass roots level then maybe this is the opportunity you need to pursue. You will find out soon enough if it works.

John Duncan does nothing for our area. When I asked him by email to vote for the tanker ban, I received no reply and discovered on the House of Commons website that he was "paired" and didn't vote at all. That isn't good enough

Please, please, run for Parliament. You will have a national voice and a voice inside an influential caucus.

We really need to seed Parliament with a new brand of politician. You are an ideal candidate!
most MP's couldn't pass a 5th grade science test as they all came from legal or business backgrounds. We need every extra biologist in Parliament that we can get.

However I fear for you the gumption-sucking compromises that political parties accept in order to achieve power.

for all the slow response you are getting on this issue it is still FAR faster than you’ll ever get as an NDP MP

I don't have much faith in the system of Government, but it is what we have and that is where change needs to happen.
I really admire your courage & dedication in taking this path - you have a fighting record for both those qualities.

Once you attach yourself to a certain political standard, you will lose credibility to a large percentage of the people that have followed your progress. If this mailer is going to turn into a pro NDP campaign news letter, you can consider it tagged junk mail.

Run (do not walk).

If you are in Parliament you will have to do what the whip of the party tells you to do.

My personal view is that one is better able to apply pressure as an expert or specialist from outside political culture, where one has more leeway and freedom.

if you run for MP, they will encase you and cut your vocal cords, so to speak,
even though you will believe that you will be 'working' for the people.

You would be doing the Country a favour if you would run… I wish I could vote for you.

I would summarize my advice as "be cautious - would this move be the best one for you and all the other beings in our world?"

If you join the NDP you can stop sending me e-mails

I lost sight in my dominant eye a decade ago, probably due to the chemical they add to farmed salmon to make it pink.

I would support you 100% in any endeavor you embark upon. Do consider the position carefully, we have all witnessed the down falls and murders of souls in political circles, not to mention the blatant back stabbing and perfected set up and destroy plots.

We voted NDP last time but we think the party has gone to hell

if you decide to proceed I would consider conveying
to parties concerned that you have an immediate exit strategy if your objectives
and principles start to go sideways such that you continuously have to "compromise
your principles for the sake of expediency".....quote Maggie Thatcher.

There are a million reasons NOT to do this and I will list but a few. There is no good reason to DO this but possibly one and so let's get to it. Can you make a difference? The answer: I don't think so.

If you are busy with politics, will you be too distracted, or not enough time/energy to stay on top of what is happening, first hand?

I'm betting you have a lot of good ideas, so I'd say get in there and kick some ass. Can't imagine anyone staring you down.

If there are more of you, bring them along too, please. We need farmers (organic of course), tree-planters, gardeners, community developers, meteorologists, fishers, chefs, therapists,acupuncturists, swimmers, zoologists,artists and builders and above all, Indigenous people..all IN PARLIAMENT NOW

I believe that you would do a very good job as a Member of Parliament. However you're doing an awesome job as a biologist.
Its a shame you're not twins!!

Certainly, if the problem is to be solved then in the final sense, hearts must be changed…. It may be true that the law cannot change the heart but it can restrain the heartless.Martin Luther King (I have a dream speech)

Many of us have tried to change things from within over the years ( I am now retired from biological in prov govt) and I am now of the opinion it does not work. It is society and cultures that have to the kind of change needed, not politicians.

Civil unrest makes change

Don’t do it.

My initial thoughts are that the salmon do not belong to any political party – and you are best remaining as nonpartisan biologist....

Running as a candidate does not mean you will be elected, but being a candidate may mean more public exposure to the issues so important to you, and to your supporters. And if you were elected, mountains may start to move...
I guess the question is: Will you regret not trying this?

heartily support your candidacy for the NDP candidate for the North Island. You could do so much more for our salmon and their waterways by being elected as a Member of Parliament.

Saving the salmon has been the path that your life has taken. Now this opportunity is sitting before you, like a waiting and willful child....do you take it's hand and embrace it or continue your journey alone? Deep sigh, my dear. Only your heart knows the reply.

Politics is a cruel world. Think hard because you cant do both. Whatever decision you make all of us will behind you

One "pro" I have is that I will vote for you.

We NEED strong voices to counter the Conservative agenda to sell our resources to foreign interests. Please do GO FOR IT!

Do not run for the NDP as they do not have a snowball chance in hell of forming government.

You are the government we have been waiting for. You can be the voice of the people and the fish and the water.

things may fast be approaching the point when governments, except in the form of outright dictatorships (and they only to a limited degree) will cease to have any real control over our lives. We are headed for a tremendous breakdown in a way of material life and consumption that was only sustainable for a very short time (in the larger scale of history), though almost all of us have come to take it for granted. My only hope is that enough of the biosphere will survive and be able to recover, with or (more likely) without us.

We need a voice like yours in government

If you become a politician I am afraid you will necessarily, reduce if not lose the energy that is necessary to stay connected and vigilant; to guard, to educate and biologize. It's not of their work

would encourage you to do both: run for parliament and as an MP continue to be an informed voice for the protect of wild salmon. I would hope that the NDP would give you assurances that you could do both effectively.

perhaps running for the provincial NDP who, with the right leader, could win the election, and since the provincial govt has so much say in salmon farms, you could make a difference.

I'd vote for you for anything: MP, MPP, PM, Pope, Grand-Poobah, you name it! Good luck with your decision!!

During the 1993 protest against clearcut logging, it is ultimately the people that were willing to stand for their truth that made the changes

applaud your consideration to enter Politics as a way of helping your "friends of the sea". Not a great place to be as a woman or any sensitive soul for that matter but we do what we have to do.

On the other hand, your high profile would doubtless be an asset for the NDP, and you might be off on a lucrative new career--but it won't help the cause. I would simply get you out of the way. The cause will lose

All those people on facebook don't really understand where you live, it really is isolated in terms of being an MP. They won't have to drive the road, not great in the winter even without the weather to consider.

would love for you to take on the challenge even though i am not an NDPer. if you do i will support you
If you don,t take advantage of this offer to run you may kick yourself later for letting a golden opportunity to effect change slip through your fingers.

So Thank you for considering another way to help but I think you are doing the right thing right now. You are extremely important as you are. Politics could endanger what you have already created

I marvel at your dedication in the face of such blatant political hog wash and rejection year after year.

Pros of being "inside the system" is that the people in Parlement shall hear you and see you face to face!!! Cons are you are brilliant in what your doing and you arent "exposed" to the "attitude" they may have. You are wonderful and a beautiful soul!!! thank you!!!!! peace love

I think you would be an excellent voice of reason in the federal parliament but would suggest you consider running as an independent.
Neither the NDP nor the Green Party (or other two parties of course), represent Canadians and other MPs with the NDP has been muzzled - you are more of a voice of opposition outside, than inside.

The salmon farming industry will most likely put a whack of money into opposing you.

Your efforts so far in garnering support from a range of people is no different from the type of campaigning the politicians engage in, and if you align your political philosophy with your beliefs, and in the process win enough support to be elected, that is a game-changing set of circumstances.

Go, Lassie Go! We really need you there. I have tried emailing ministers but no one listens.

There is nothing the fish farm industry would like more than for you to make this move. NOTHING. A dream come true…You have done so much. Don’t screw it up now.

Would love to see you and Fin making waves on Parliament Hill together....
But wonder if having you in Victoria would be better!

This is the worst possible time to throw your hat in the ring.

stay away from politics. If you get elected you will be a back bench nobody in a small Party. Win or lose you will be tainted by taking on a political label. Stay where you are. Speak for the fish. Nobody else that I know of has the leadership and the impact that you have as a Biologist. Those virtues will be buried in Canada's Parliament.

This decision to be a Member of Parliament may just be the the difference to turn the tides around. We support the idea.

I believe you would be rendering us all a great service were you to decide to run as an MP of whatever party you select.

Not knowing how government parties work, would it be realistic to form a government comprised of independent MLA's.

My major concern would be that you would no longer be independent but rather put in a position of having to go as the party goes which may be opposite to your beliefs
It is a tough decision

I was just wondering what happens to your ongoing efforts to oppose and watch what is happening with the fish farms in the Broughtons when you are bombarded with everything imaginable from your constituents as an MP.

Would it be better to work as team with someone that is more comfortable as MP?

wouldn’t recommend the politics route as this is not your calling. The old ways are ending (thank God) so I do not support the idea of putting your energies into a corrupt system.

I believe you are the kind of person that would not allow yourself to be dominated by the party politics in Ottawa. To that end I would gladly endorse your candidacy if you should choose to put your name forward as a candidate in the next federal election. However, as I do live in Victoria, I wouldn’t be very effective in your regional campaign, but I would gladly give of my time and financial support in your bid for an electoral seat. As I’ve come to understand life at sixty: “If you’re bugged enough about something – do something about it!”

Can you represent all of the important issues which concern north islanders? Can you do so without too far diluting your passion (in the service of wild salmon)? Can you retain a non-partisan following and objectivity in service to your riding, province, nation and world as a whole (even, or especially, when it comes to cooperating with other parties)?
I think you have a lot more National and International credibility than Gail Shea

personally think that you can be of more use to the salmon by staying here in BC. If you go to Ottawa you won't be able to concentrate on salmon and rural British Columbia, you will get caught up in working on the war in Afghanistan, purchase of new fighter jets, building of new prisons, the economy, the oil sands, unemployment, partisan fighting between the NDP, the Liberals and the Conservatives, and a myriad of other issues. How much time and energy will you realistically have to work on issues affecting salmon and rural British Columbians? Not to mention the fact that the NDP don't have enough seats in Parliament to really have much effect how the country is run.

Alexandra,my advice is DON'T GO NEAR ANY FEDERAL PARTY AT THIS TIME!!!!!!!!Thats how they get rid of the competition(and you ARE the competition) in making ALL parties do something about the salmon mysteries etc.,How better to shut you up than ask you on board........................NO.

You are doing a great job as it is, however by joining a political party you will loose a fair portion of your current support, I couldn't support you if you joined the NDP. If you are going to be a politician, at least stay independent! From a more philosophical point of view, it seems that when we get really good at something there is always the temptation to mover on bigger and better things, looking at the politicians we have today it should be clear to you that this is rarely a good thing. You are a great educator and biologist, don't desert the fish.

I urge you to run for office. You are respected, you are articulate, you are passionate and you are talented. Best wishes and I expect you will win

You should go for it, if you think you can stand up to ALL the Bullsh*t. You have my support

With you tenacity, Alexandra, I encourage you to run as the NDP federal candidate next election

Run as an independent

We need in Ottawa and in Victoria people who have some intelligence, operate in the realm of ethics and have some plans for the long-range future not just 4 years

I'll pitch in myself!

Alexandra, you are a wonderful person and i have the utmost respect for you and all your hard work. I will support you whichever road you choose. Thanks soo much for all you do.

Do it.

believe your rational for running is sound, we need to be represented by a mix of people with differing view points and perspectives. There is a need for us to ensure that Canada and all of its residents benefit from the bounty BC offers, but to strip that bounty from our children is short sighted.

I encourage you to run.
You have fought so hard for change - peacefully, tirelessly. I respect and admire your devotion.
Perhaps now is the time to embark upon another route - to change it from within.

I don't know if I would be optimistic about achieving a fix but it has to be the logical next step. Do one term, then walk away before they get a grip on you.
Just your Considering this is enough to give me
a political heart-lift, and to remind me that intelligence, common sense,
courage, creativity, and integrity are qualities that can indeed reside in a
person (maybe-willing to be) in government.
Thank you for thinking about this. I would love to see (and give an X to)
your name on the ballot.

There is definitely something in this for the NDP.

Let somebody else run for parliment dos not take a genius to see the
job you are doing is the better one no other person is as capable as you
are so i think you should keep at it the pay is not as good but perhaps
theres more satisfaction in it if you did get to ottawa you would be facing
some large egos ot get to say anything so stay home and dont give up the
battle when the end is nearly in sight

Go for it Alexandra! I think you'd win the seat and possibly could affect change from the inside
Just read your message and I do believe you can serve the cause of the wild salmon from both aspects. So you must go with your heart and do what you think it best. Whatever your ;choice my fishing family is behind you all the way

I hate to be so negative and it is still up to you what you do but I think you should know that governments are corrupt to the core. All my best to you no matter what you decide to do.

There are TOO FEW credible scientists and environmentally wise and experienced people in the ranks of councillors, MLAs and MPs. These well-meaning and often overwhelmed individuals who are unaccustomed and rarely qualified to assess scientific reports, vote in favour of the status quo and short-term measures that don't affect their own families or supporters

Until we get a sufficient number of people like you into government where these individuals have the opportunity to educate and influence OTHER decision-makers ( and believe me - this is a powerful and competitive behind-the-scenes activity that plays out on EVERY council across Canada) very little will change. We always seem to be waiting for the next disaster to get the attention of government . . . only to realize that even that doesn't quite do it.

If you find you can't get anything done regardless of who's PM, you can always resign and come home

don't know of anyone that has your knowledge, and the respect of a lot of people that is able or willing to give it the same life dedication that you have. I believe, should you go to Ottawa; there will be a huge void on this coast.

It will be a wonderful irony, if you decide to run and fund raising commences, to write a cheque to support your race and receive one of the most attractive federally sanctioned tax receipts available.

I, for one, think your voice in Ottawa would be marvelous and profound ! Your eloquence will move mountains !

Do you really want to spend that much time flying on airplanes and contributing to climate change

I say go for it as we desperately need someone on the inside to speak for us & you would be great

I'll object to your joining the NDP for as long as you haven't made your decision, and I'll support you 100% (either way) once you have.

Politics that are killing our salmon are killing our towns

I have not made a decision yet whether to run for the federal NDP nomination. It would be a huge change in my life, I love wilderness and quiet, but last year I met hundreds of people on Vancouver Island in the North Island riding who are suffering from the same policies as the salmon.

It is my perception that government is doing deals over our heads no longer considering us. I hear bureaucrats say we are not worth the paperwork. I spent 26 years in Echo Bay, a town so small it was possible to see exactly what went wrong. We were 100% employed, virtually no crime, happily generating economic activity through tourism, commercial fishing, logging, building our own homes and raising our children into responsible citizens.

Logs that were hazards to marine navigation were salvaged, milled and turned into houses. Government received taxes from stumpage on the logs, sale of the lumber, purchase of building supplies, the houses themselves and the tourism many of these houses attracted. We bought thousands in groceries and supplies every two weeks year round from Port McNeill. We were thriving and contributed to the economy. But government was not interested in us, nor the money we brought to neighbouring communities or even our taxes.

with no consultation, government abolished foreshore leases for residential use and ended 100 years of this floathouse community, while granting leases to the industrial salmon feedlots all around us. Today the town is gone, the feedlots do not hire local people, provide very little income to Port McNeill and are operating with government’s sanction on expired leases. The local people were turned into squatters with no rights and First Nation’s ignored.

This has hurt the people, the whales, the bears, the local economy and the salmon. People in the North Vancouver Island towns are telling me the same story. The politics that are killing our salmon are also killing our communities. All I want to do is see my home come back to life ecologically and socially. I have raised my children with the First Nation families and I am horrified at how their wishes for their territories are ignored.

The only decision for me is whether I can do more to achieve my goal from the inside of government or the outside. To date I have given my life to this issue yet my community has vanished. I have to consider this extraordinary opportunity and the note of confidence from one of Canada’s leading parties and the voice of the hundreds of people contacting me in the past 24 hours.

Considering

I have been contacted by a person in the NDP with the suggestion that I consider running for Member of Parliament of the North Island. It was only a suggestion, but I am considering it. I was very surprised and it has broadened my perception of the federal NDP.

It is my observation that government is operating at a level that does not appear to consider those of us on the ground in small communities. It looks like negotiations are taking place over our heads in the jet stream of international finance and that this is less and less good for our communities. The wild salmon people of BC have been asking me to run for government for the past year and so I have to think about it.

I do need to consider carefully whether I have better ability to serve the place I love and call home as an MP, or as an outspoken biologist.

I will be thinking hard for the next few days.

People can hear more of my thoughts on CBC Ideas this Monday

The Year of the Wild Salmon People

Happy New Year!

Last year thousands of us met and learned we can work together. We walked and paddled shoulder to shoulder for 100s of km, not just to save a generous fish, but to save ourselves. Government has tried to shape us into cogs in a big wheel that is running us over and we say "no." Whether you look at wild salmon, our communities or the planet, it is all the same. We cannot continue serving up chunks of our planet to shareholders who cannot feel the damage they do. They will never seek balance on their own. Our governments slavishly obey their wishes and ignore 5,000 of us on the Parliament lawn saying get salmon feedlots out of our waters.

Clearly, this behaviour is not working for the political parties of British Columbia. Both dominant parties have lost their leaders, the liberals don't even have their platform on their website - they don't know who they are.

There are enough of us now that we could step into this void and bring government back to us by electing..... us.

Talking with government has become ludicrous. I feel like I am at the mad hatters tea party. They speak nonsense, act like they are hiding truths, attempt to pacify us with media lines. Our salmon and communities are dying of government policies that cannot work. We could bring salmon back - no problem - but government is standing in our way.

We are indeed fiddling as Rome burns. If we could just apply all we know right now we could serve our communities in a much, much better way. We have to work with the natural laws that bring life to earth and we need to put the needs of our communities ahead of the rights of shareholders.

The earth is generous, but it cannot be sucked dry, it's sparks of life sold, its powerful workings dismantled.

The solution is simple we need to gather visibly both digitally and physically and form a government that works for us. It is that easy.

There are no losers here. We don't need to sacrifice our wild salmon and the $500 million dollar fishery that re-energized BC communities from the north coast to the interior for a few fish farm jobs! The mere idea is lunatic, and yet that is what we hear the politicians repeat like good little soldiers in a war on us! People who know how to grow fish are a resource, we can find away for them to thrive without bringing the rest of us down.

I am a biologist who became an activist because I believe it my responsibility to inform people that their world is being dismantled. If salmon feedlots were all the government tells us, I would still be studying whales. But they are not and there are a thousand issues like this and they all stem from bad governance. I am tired of trying to work with the current system there has got to be some common sense and reason brought to this politically imposed impasse.

What I want to communicate here is that you are the only person who can change this. We have been taught we don't count. But you do. Your voice is powerful within your circle of family and friends and your vote will set the course of the province of British Columbia.

The time for complaining is over. We all know there are very serious problems and the sooner we address them the better. It is in everyone's best interest to do whatever you can to create a BC government that works for us.

To this end I have created a website for the Wild Salmon People to digitally gather.

If 100,000 people stood up right now and said we want wild salmon the government that will emerge in the coming months would have to respect us. You can be sure the corporate users of this province are doing all they can to make sure they are represented. Why would we do less?

2011 - the Year of the Wild Salmon People. The power of one is all we have but we all have it!

Alexandra Morton