The Editor,
Recently, there has been much in the media about our farmlands and the more than 500 acres being optioned to a private land speculator, so that Port Metro Vancouver's "Delta Port" has enough land for their desired port activities.
This issue of farmland being developed is a moral issue. I believe it is our moral responsibility not to destroy any more farmland. That was the intended purpose of the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) brought forward as legislation by the BCNDP.
The ALR was groundbreaking legislation more than 35 years ago, being the first of its kind in North America to protect our future ability to produce food and protect a natural resource. Today, it has been compromised by our Agricultural Land Commissioners (ALC) which clearly does not understand the original intent of the legislation to preserve our community's farmland. There is no monetary value that can be put on farmland. It is priceless and must be preserved.
Nic Slater BCNDP candidate
