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It’s a SLAPP unhappy time
Letter to the Editor
A few months ago, a group of individuals chose to camp at the former Rocky Mountain Fort Heritage Site on the south banks of the Peace River. This was the original fort, founded in 1794 by Alexander Mackenzie, the intrepid explorer and geographer.
The point of the encampment was to stop the clear cut logging on the fort site by BC Hydro in preparation for the Site C reservoir.
After a court injunction in March of this year, the camp was immediately dismantled by the individuals manning the site. However, one key issue remains: a law suit initiated by BC Hydro against at least six individual supporters of this camp and other possible “John or Jane Does”.
The 13 page lawsuit issued by BC Hydro against six Peace Valley residents raises the following accusations; conspiracy, intimidation, trespass, creating a public and private nuisance and intentional interference with economic relations by unlawful means.
These six individuals will now face potential staggering financial damages from this BC Hydro lawsuit, including the loss of their assets and homes.
According to one law professor, this type of lawsuit has the hallmarks of something called a SLAPP lawsuit, or “strategic lawsuit against public participation.”
The intention of a SLAPP lawsuit is to muzzle freedom of speech or action by anyone opposed or takes issue to something like the Site C dam.
This SLAPP lawsuit carries on in spite of the fact that the participants at the Rocky Mountain Fort were entirely within the law to protest peacefully regardless of their rationale or personal motivations. This is part of our Canadian Constitutional Rights and Freedoms. They also respected the court injunction, and immediately dismantled the camp once they were served. They did everything right and by the law. After all, this is not Syria, Russia or Iraq… yet.
It now appears that the Crown corporation of BC Hydro intends to send a powerful message to the rest of us: Don’t mess with us in any way or we will SLAPP you with a lawsuit.” Bear in mind that a Crown corporation is designed to work for its shareholders, the people of B.C. Not the other way around.
Hydro’s true intentions are now apparent. The time for consultation or conflict resolution is over. We British Columbians are being “SLAPPed” by a deliberate, vindictive and mean spirited corporation.
Such ‘bullying’ tactics will be the new approach in order to fulfill Madam Clark’s wishes. It was she who stated her sentiments clearly during a eulogy not long ago where she vowed to get the Site C project, “past the point of no return.”
It now seems that “the end justifies the means” for Madam Clark and BC Hydro.
Bullying and threats are now an acceptable means to achieve those results.
Rick Koechl and Mike Kroecher,
Charlie Lake
