Image Credit: The Canadian Press

By Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett

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SOUND OFF: NDP puts on hold spying on farmers with satellites

Nov 22, 2019 | 9:15 AM

WHEN NEWS BROKE that Agriculture Minister Lana Popham was planning to use satellite surveillance to spy on farmers and ranchers from outer space, public reaction was angry as it was swift.

The thought of Big Brother looking over the shoulder of every member of the agricultural community drew outrage from across the province and against the NDP minority government in particular.

It’s hard to believe that Popham was planning to use the sophisticated Radarsat 2 satellite to monitor the activities of unsuspecting farmers and ranchers day and night, seven days a week, in order to enforce heavy-handed legislation.

Just days before the news broke, farmers and ranchers had already travelled to the Legislature in Victoria to voice opposition against Popham’s strict new laws prohibiting the construction of secondary homes for family members, or developing value-added businesses on their farms.

With the average age of farmers and ranchers reaching 55-years old, many are wanting to retire in their current residence, yet at the same time pass along their agricultural operation to a younger generation. This involves constructing secondary housing on land within the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) to make a home for their sons, daughters and grandchildren.

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The problem, however, is that Popham and the NDP brought in legislation to regulate private property contained within the ALR, fearing that farmland will somehow become cheap real estate to build monster homes.

But Popham doesn’t stop there. One of the first things the NDP did when they assumed office was to wipe out the division of the ALR into two zones. One in the south that includes Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland, and the other in the north where the growing season is much shorter.

The two zones recognized differences between regions of the province and gave northern farmers and ranchers the flexibility they need to earn a living.

Again, Popham ruled out giving northern farmers and ranchers the opportunity to operate a business, such as an eatery or retail location to sell their products, because use of the land doesn’t relate directly to agricultural production.

The fact is, Popham and the NDP care more about the land than they do about the people who grow our food.

So when word got out that farmers and ranchers would be subject to satellite surveillance, Popham and the NDP received a wave of outrage against their police-state mentality.

Within twenty-four hours, Popham bowed to public pressure and declared her pilot project would be “delayed” because the government requires further “public consultation.”

While the fight against this is not over yet, I’m proud of the fact that the public used its muscle to send Popham and the NDP a direct message.

It shows people have no toleration for a government that wants to subject farmers and ranchers to being photographed using sophisticated technology.

As a matter of fact, a Facebook group called Changes to Bill 52 has now attracted 3,200 members who oppose Popham and the NDP’s war on farmers and ranchers in this province.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.