Three girls writing letters to Premier Horgan
Forests

Writing letters to Premier Horgan – at the Quadra Island Farmers Market

CKTZ News, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Quadra Island Farmers Market reopened on July 3rd, after an 18 month closure due to COVID, and the busiest table appears to have been writing letters to Premier Horgan in defence of old growth forests.

Photo credit: Some of the letters. Photo by Rod Burns

Would you like to write a letter? 

Self proclaimed ‘rabble rouser’ Geraldine Kenny had an idea. In addition to the usual form letters, she brought four clip boards, paper and pens. As people passed her table, she asked if they would like to write a letter to Horgan. 

“And they all said yes!” said a very excited Kenny. 

It turns out ‘they’ were young people; “Older people, even Quadra residents” were not as interested. 

“All the young people grabbed at the chance to write a letter. Many of them said, ‘Oh I always wanted to write a letter but never got round to it,” said Kenny. “Most of these were young women, in the company of their friends, so there were three or four together. I had four clipboards and they were scribbling away: sitting in the grass; crouched by the table; kneeling at the table; standing up.”

There was no hesitation when Kenny asked if they wanted to read their letters out. 

“When one letter was read out, we all clapped and applauded, and the next one read out her letter. It was so empowering and I am going to say beautiful.” 

The Quadra Island Farmers Market wasn’t as busy as in pre-COVID times. Instead of “up to 50 tables,” the organizers allowed 20. There was a “comfortable flow-through of visitors,” channeled in a clockwise direction. 

At the end of the four hour market, there were 50 letters for Premier Horgan. 

Geraldine Kenny with one of the young girls writing letters to Premiere Horgan
Geraldine Kenny with a young letter writer. Photo by Rod Burns

Two of the letters

When a nine year old girl said she didn’t know what to write, Kenny suggested she draw a tree. 

“It began as a normal Christmas tree, but she then took the trunk and made it half the size of the tree. It was thick and it was growing and it flared – like a typical old growth cedar. This nine year old was able to distinguish the difference between a Christmas tree and an old growth conifer. That was so inspiring. Then she wrote under the tree, don’t kill my tree,” said Kenny. 

A UVic student wrote: 

John Horgan ,

Stop supporting the industry that is destroying the last of our precious old growth.  These trees stood witness centuries before white settlers set foot on this land.  These trees are a national treasure, a part of our heritage.  These great grandmothers are protectors of our bio-diversity and waterways.  If money is what matters to you, then really, they are worth more standing.

Shame on you for continuing this violent onslaught on these peaceful giants and the tiny protestors on the front lines of this fight.

You make promises that you are not brave enough keep. This is a time for bravery and sacrifice.  We have given enough to industry and capitalism.

Do the right thing, please.  There is no time for delay.  What you are allowing to happen makes you complacent to a crime.  Be on the right side of history…..STAND WITH THE TREES.

Ashley, Victoria

Banners beside the table where people were writing letters to Premier Horgan
Some of the banners. Photo by Rod Burns

Visitors from Fairy Creek

A young couple, who had just spent more than four months at the Fairy Creek blockades, stopped at Kenny’s table. They had been actively involved in the old growth logging protest. At one point, they stood at the edge of a clearcut, as loggers cut down a 600-800 year old Western Red Cedar.  They heard the creaking, which Kenny describes ‘the scream of the tree,’ just before the cedar fell. The two activists heard the crash, as it fell to the ground. As they stood, powerless, the loggers cheered.

By the time they left Fairy Creek, the young couple were feeling very disheartened and pessimistic. 

They did not expect to find the table, under the banner ‘Save our Old Growth,’ at the Farmers Market. 

“They were just so overjoyed to see that they were not the only ones devastated by this irresponsible crime against nature – the cutting down of the old growth forests of British Columbia. They saw here on little Quadra Island, there was a group of people who are, as well, passionate about saving these trees.  Gosh, we didn’t have any masks on, but hugged anyway.” 

Top photo credit: Writing letters at the Quadra Farmer’ market – photo by Rod Burns

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