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File consists of photocopies of 1960s records from the City of Prince George related to Island Cache that were organized by researchers involved with the Island Cache Recovery Project. Includes an Urban Renewal Report and municipal memoranda.

File consists of photocopied maps of Island Cache (Cottonwood Island) and Prince George.

File consists of the following original items:

• Letter to G.G. Aitken from K.F. McCusker (Jan. 9, 1934)
• Letter to G.G. Aitken from K.F. McCusker (June 20, 1934)
• Letter to G.G. Aitken from K.F. McCusker (May. 9, 1938)
• Certificate no. 484 bestowed upon Knox Freeman McCusker enabling him to be admitted as an Articled Pupil with the Dominion Lands Surveyors. (Feb. 22, 1909)

File consists of the following photocopied items:

• Letter to Mrs. J. Norman Henry from G.G. Aitken, Chief Geographer (May 22, 1935)
• Memorandum to Mr. F.H. Peters, Surveyor General (Topographical Survey of Canada) from R. W. Cautley, Acting Chief of Control Surveys (Dec. 17, 1931)
• Letter to Mr. F.H. Peters, Surveyor General from F.C. Green, Surveyor General (June 22, 1932)
• Letter to Mr. F.H. Peters, Surveyor General from Knox McCusker (Dec. 8, 1931)
• Letter to Mr. F.H. Peters, Surveyor General from Knox McCusker (Dec. 2, 1931)
• Letter to Mr. F.H. Peters, Surveyor General from Knox McCusker (Oct. 2, 1931)
• Letter to unknown recipient from J. Norman Henry (Oct. 15, 1931)
• Letter to K.F. McCusker from G.G.A. (G.G. Aitken?) Member on Geographic Board of Canada Representing B.C. (June 2, 1938)
• Letter to unknown recipient from Gwen McCusker (Sept. 5, 1944)
• Letter to Mrs. McCusker from Sgd. J. Clarke Williams on the occasion of the death of Knox McCusker (April 27, 1955)

File consists of the following materials:

• Letter to Vernon C. Brink from the National Archives of Canada re: Knox McCusker holdings (March 1, 1999)
• Photocopy of article: "Living Landscapes: Exploring the wilds of northeaster BC" by Ross Peck and Brian Apland
• Some materials for an article on Knox McCusker, D.L.S.
• Material about the life of Knox Freeman McCusker
• Letter to Mrs. Rutherford (Oct. 5, 1999) re: access to interview of Knox McCusker by Frank Willis
• Accession information print-out re: interview of Knox McCusker by Frank Willis in 1954
• National Archives of Canada accession information print-out re: Dominion Land Surveyor Diaries, 1881-1930
• Mary Henry / Knox McCusker "Team" (April 19, 1998)
• Letter to Mrs. Rutherford from George Ungar re: background information on Knox McCusker

File consists of the following articles and speeches written by Knox McCusker:

• "Reminiscences of Knox McCusker" (63 typewritten pages)
• "Back and Beyond the Peace" by K.McCusker (taken from the Toronto Star Weekly Saturday May 5, 1928) – retyped
• "The Alaska Highway" by Knox F. McCusker, D.L.S. (The Canadian Surveyor, July 1943)-photocopy
• Mr. McCusker's speech (5 pages)
• “Tropical Valleys of B.C.” (4 pages)
• "The president has called me an old old surveyor…" speech written by K. McCusker
• "In the early days of my career in the Surveying profession…" written by K. McCusker

File consists of the following items:

• "Mac" by D.L. Surveyor
• "Knox (Mac) McCusker: Dominion Land Surveyor" by E.L. Rutherford, V.C. Brink, R.S. Silver and M.Z. (Smokey) Neighbour
• Excerpts from Men and Meridians by Don W. Thomson
• Article re: Knox McCusker written on the occasion of his death (April 14, 1955)
• "McKusker (sic) to open up Blueberry Mountain Area" (Alaska Highway News, June 8, 1950)
• "McCusker was surveyor, big game guide….also rancher and trail blazer"
• "Knox Freeman McCusker" written on the occasion of his death (The Canadian Surveyor, July 1955)
• "Veteran Surveyor - Alaska Highway Stories"
• Memories of Knox McCusker by his oldest niece Betty (McCusker) Rutherford
• "Veteran Surveyor prefers horses for long bush treks" by Eric Young (Edmonton Journal)
• Eulogy for Knox McCusker read by Stanley D. Seif at Burch Presbyterian Church in Fort St. John, B.C.
• Eulogy for Gwendolyn Dorothy McCusker (July 1997)
• "Tropical Valley No Myth: amazing story of woman who lived there" by Thomas A. Wayling (Vancouver Sun)
• Photocopy of section of map: "Topographical sketch map showing route traversed by the Bedaux Sub-Arctic Expedition 1934 through the Rocky Mountains" (by Frank Swannell, March 27, 1935)
• Memories of Knox McCusker by Bill McCusker, his oldest nephew
• "There is always a reason; destiny made it a date. The corridor of the Alcan didn’t just happen" (Fort St. John publication)
• Article on Knox McCusker (ALS News, Winter 1983)

File consists of photocopies of various report front covers and references to Knox McCusker from 1926-1931.

In July 2009, Dr. Paul Sanborn undertook the first soils field research at the Fort Selkirk volcanic field in central Yukon, with helicopter support and funding from the Yukon Geological Survey. This document is a complete transcription of field notes, with
soil and site photographs.

File contains a 1920 British Columbia Liberal government election platform pamphlet entitled "A Brief Record of the Oliver Government".

• Agreement of Sale of Prince George Citizen
• Correspondence regarding proposed Prince George Citizen sale – H.G.T. Perry & news clippings

File consists of notes, clippings, and reproductions relating to the Cariboo and Northwest Digest publication. Also includes a CD-R that contains Sedgwick's index spreadsheet and accompanying documentation about the publication.

File contains letter to Miss Collison from Dr. Robert Sayson, UBC Department of Medicine regarding the post mortem study conducted on her sister Muriel (11 Oct. 1988); program from the Celebration of Life held for Miss Collison on 29 April 2006; an obituary re: the life and death of Miss Collison; and a newspaper article regarding the sale of W.E. Collison’s First Nations art collection to the UBC Museum of Anthropology by his daughters Joyce and Muriel in 1960.

File contains articles and obituaries regarding the life and death of W.E. Collison, as well as a letter of condolence from T.D. Patullo to Bertha Collison. Also contained within this file is an attestation to the baptism of Bertha Davies on 26 January 1897 in Devon, England and a certified handwritten copy of the marriage register entry for the marriage of W.E. Collison and Bertha Davies in Metlakatla on 8 June 1900.

File contains an article identified as having been written by W.E. Collison on the topic of the development of First Nations peoples along the North Pacific Coast.

File contains obituaries for Collison as well as for his son Henry Alexander (H.A.) and granddaughter Katherine Clarke (nee Collison); various articles re: Collison’s many accomplishments; a letter of condolence from Councillors of the Haida Nation on the occasion of his death, a program from Collison’s memorial service at Metlakatla, and a typed biography.

File contains listing of items donated by Rose Margaret Davies to the Ridley Home Archives in 2008 that documented accomplishments of Margaret West; handwritten notes regarding place names along the North Pacific Coast and one page from an issue of the Monthly Reporter, No. 9, September 1873 published by the Church Missionary Society.

Small booklet containing handwritten notes of what appears to be a speech prepared by W.H. Collison on the topic of traditions and events he had been witness to along the northwest coast of British Columbia.

File includes "In the Wake of the War Canoe" Chapter XX revisions and a note from donor Jean Whiffin on behalf of Joyce Collison regarding the revisions.

File consists of an original draft copy of the "Kokanee Glacier Park Master Plan", as well as the "Background Report for Kokanee Glacier Park Master Plan" and the "Kokanee Glacier Park Master Plan: Public Handout and Questionnaire". These items are accompanied by correspondence related to the Master Plan.

File consists of a speech given by Gary Runka entitled "Managing Conservation Lands to keep Nature's Pulse Beating" for the BC Trust for Public Lands.

Commentary on this speech by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"GGR's was the opening address at the workshop. While this speech is focused on the issue of Best Management Practices (BMP), comments about the ALR are woven into the presentation. This copy of the speech appears to be a draft version and includes several hand-written amendments with some points crossed out.

In the opening, mention is made of the grounding that the 2008 document "Taking Nature's Pulse: the Status of Biodiversity in British Columbia" has provided the workshop.

This speech provides an historical overview of the broader provincial context of BMP's drawn from 40 years of GGR's experience. The following is a selection of his comments:

• BMP's are part of the "tool kit" of policy and management mechanisms that have been experimented with over the decades to try to rationalize human economic activities with the needs of other species and overall ecosystem well-being.
• Historically the 1960s and 70s Canada Land Inventory program that emerged from the Resources for Tomorrow conferences was a significant benchmark mapping land capability for agriculture, forestry, recreation, wildlife and waterfowl use (of which GGR was centrally involved).
• Within BC, using the CLI, the 1973 Land Commission Act authorized the establishment of a provincial zone to protect those sacred lands with the biophysical capability to grow food.

One point was not used in the speech (crossed out). The speaking notes, however, include a reference to the Land Commission legislation originally having a complimentary conservation objective that had since been removed. GGR makes the point that still having the conservation function may have contributed positively to current struggles to preserve natural habitat. Regardless, it is noted that the concept of the ALR has been a unique, effective and, most importantly a lasting management practices tool for conserving lands identified as biophysically significant.

A further selection of points made:

• We need to evolve BMP tools that are adaptable yet resilient in the face of changing knowledge, climate change and ever-evolving social priorities.
• Traditionally, planning has been most associated with local governments in the form of official community, regional and neighbourhood plans and as an outgrowth of the ALR - Agricultural Area Plans.
• Environment Farm Planning - by agreeing to engage in the conservation planning process, participating farmers and ranchers have qualified for funding to carry out farm improvements benefitting conservation and biodiversity.
• The work of the Delta Farmland and Wildlife Trust is outlined (p. 8)
• "My final words of wisdom are - Be focused and be pragmatic"
• "Many of the best intentions to standardize land management practices for conservation lands have been great on paper - but never quite make it on the ground."
• And, if BMP are not implemented effectively on the ground, they cannot play the critical role they need to play in 'keeping nature's pulse beating'."

File consists of a speech given by Gary Runka entitled "BC's Agricultural Land Reserve - Its Historical Roots" at the Post World Planners Congress Seminar.

Commentary on this speech by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"Vancouver hosted the World Planners Congress in June 2006 and the day following the Congress the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada hosted a full day seminar entitled "Planning for Food".

GGR provided an important overview of the BC farmland preservation program. The speech begins with comments outlining the factors motivating the government of the day to enact legislation to preserve agricultural land. The presentation was then broken into three time periods including:
The Formative Years (1972-1975)
The Refinement Years (1976-1996)
The Uncertain Years (1996-????)

GGR in his summary poses some less than optimistic questions and observations. He states that despite successes "there are growing
concerns that, over its history, the focus of the program has subtly shifted - from an agency devoted to farmland preservation, to a rationing board." He sees the focus on application review as being detrimental to the Commission's role of promoting and encouraging farming in the ALR. Given this shift in direction he presents several suggestions to get the program back on track.

The presentation ends with a challenge to the people of B.C. to decide whether the next segment of the B.C. farmland preservation history is entitled 'The Rebuilding Years' or not."

File consists of a speech given by Gary Runka entitled "BC Land Use Issues and Smiling Frogs" for the Agricultural Institute of Canada Foundation.

Commentary on this speech by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"This presentation, which was accompanied by slides (not with speaking notes) reviews five diverse land use issues of which three involve agriculture, two of which were directly linked to the ALC.

The 'Smiling Frogs' metaphor is wonderfully explained as the heat is turned up and down on land use issues and complacency is something to be avoided.

GGR was directly involved in some capacity with each of the issues reviewed and, therefore is in a position to provide an "insiders" point of view. The five issues were:

1. Burnaby Business Park (Burnaby Big Bend) - Lower Mainland - a very succinct overview is provided for this win-win accomplishment which directly involved ALC decision-making.
2. Charlotte-Alplands (West Chilcotin) - involved an exploration of forest, recreation and wilderness tourism opportunities and the identification of potential conflicts.
3. Fraser River Delta (Delta Farmland and Wildlife Trust) - considers the successful coming together of agricultural and wildlife interests in an area that has both internationally significant wildlife habitat and an important part of the Pacific Flyway but also comprises one of the best agricultural areas in Canada.
4. Mid-Coast (Greenpeace and Western Forest Products) - provides insights into a very hot issue that had some success and some failure in trying to get two very opposed sides together in which the Land and Coastal Resource Management Planning process is struggling.
5. Six Mile Ranch (Kamloops) - every so often the ALC is faced with what might be referred to as an application of province wide notoriety and Six Mile Ranch assuredly fit this description. The application involved a proposal in the Kamloops area (but some distance from Kamloops) to use an area of interior grasslands ALR for urban development in the form of residential, resort and golf course. GGR sums up his feelings nicely on this land issue - "My involvement in this fiasco is indirect and that of "Citizen Runka" and perhaps more specifically as a student of government stupidity."

File consists of a speech given by Gary Runka entitled "Action Steps to Sustainable Agriculture" at the Forum on Sustainable Agriculture in Summerland.

Commentary on this speech by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"This speech opens with a relatively broad discussion of sustainability- how defined - and how this relates to agriculture. "We've got to develop the ability to view farming in a conceptual sense, to view food production sustainability over the full horizon, including the urban world, as well as farm field."

The speech is broken into 3 sections with sub-sections:
(1) From a Practical Management Point of View. What Does "Sustainability" Mean on the Farm, Orchard or Ranch? Several points are made including the protection of land through the ALR. The principles of sustainability in, "Towards a Strategy for Sustainability" are listed.
(2) From the Food Producers Perspective, What are the Gaps in Practical Requirements to move Toward Sustainability? The points identified in the July 1994 workshop "Future of Agriculture in the Okanagan" are listed and noted as key points.
(3) With Land and Water Resources under Stress, What are the Action Steps to Regional Multicommodity Agricultural Sustainability? Under this topic seven sub-topics are explored:
a) sustainability and security of the land base with a particular emphasis on parcel size and the need for consolidation, land tenure, cost and speculation;
b) sustainability and water resources;
c) land use competition, compatibility, and planning process access - with an emphasis placed on the need for the farm community to have access to the planning process and a nod to the importance of Agricultural Advisory Committees. It is recognized that this will take an integrated effort of the ALC and Municipal Affairs;
d) vertically consistent policies and regulations from local to federal;
e) Right to Farm (with a plea to revisit the then current 'Agricultural Protection Act');
f) public education;
g) food policy; and
h) Socio-economic strategy for agriculture"

File consists of a speech given by Gary Runka entitled "Landscape Level Planning - Fitting People into the Watershed" at the Stewarding Our Watersheds Conference.

Commentary on this speech by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"The first half of this speech takes a very broad sweep in defining landscape units and the provincial planning system. In the second section "Entering the People Use Maze", the paper focuses more locally on the Salmon River watershed and discusses the findings of a survey associated with the Langley Rural Plan.

The survey results demonstrated that for both rural and non-rural residents in Langley, 'the country atmosphere' was why they had chosen to live in Langley. Residents also disagreed with the statement that it was unpleasant to live in an agriculture area.

The third section - "Techniques of Integrating Balanced, Sustainable People Use" into the Watershed" considers eight tools that will assist achieving "landscape level" planning, one of which is the ALC Act.

Besides these direct references to agriculture, country atmosphere and ALC Act; the Langley Rural Plan drew heavily on the survey that GGR refers to and the Plan, which was largely comprised of agricultural lands, was inspirational in the development of the Commission of work "Planning for Agriculture".

File consists of a speech given by Gary Runka entitled "Agriculture in the Urban Shadow" at the Agricultural Land Commission Symposium - Urban Growth and the Agricultural Land Reserve: 'Up not Out' - March 9,1993.

Commentary on this speech by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"This represents an important, highly pertinent speech concerning farmland preservation in B.C. The speech was given at the ALC Symposium marking the 20th anniversary of B.C.'s farmland preservation program. The speech rings as relevant today as it did when delivered 22 years ago.

It begins by identifying two perspectives - one, those committed to an agricultural future, contributing diversity and having a social value and two, those that feel agriculture is ultimately doomed and is only an interim use, especially in the urban shadow, until a "higher and better" use comes along. GGR states that we need to honestly state which perspective we are guided by.

There are a host of important themes woven through this paper including:

1. While farming on the urban shadow benefits both the urban and farm communities, the negative impacts of urban/farm adjacency are predominantly borne by the agricultural community.
2. In describing the situation prior to the farmland preservation legislation in the 1960's and early 1970's agriculture was consistently the "loser user".
3. Even in the earliest days of the Commission, urban shadow issues were identified and the ALC recognized that provincial zoning was only a first step, and taken alone, was not enough.
4. The BC farmland preservation program has been at least as successful as anywhere else in North American and looked on with envy in many other jurisdictions.
5. GGR believes that after 20 years we are worse off today than when the program started due to (i) elected provincial politicians involved with the application process (ii) the ALR / Golf Course fiasco and (ill) the ALC has become paralyzed in their Appeal Board mode.

Several (13 starting on p. 7) urban shadow issues are outlined and GGR states that we must be serious about addressing urban shadow issues.

The paper ends with an outline of "where we need to be tomorrow" and GGR states: "I recall when the program began in 1973 we argued that all of the compromises with respect to agriculture had already been made, if we were to keep the options open for future
generations In British Columbia. If that statement was true then, how much more true is it today, 20 years later?"

From the Symposium concluding remarks, Gary Runka stated that based on his experience and discussions during the symposium, he believed that the following initiatives should be given priority:

• Information and education programs
• Communication between farmers, government and the public
• Regional land use planning
• Integration of government policies to a strong farmland preservation strategy
• Provincial agricultural strategy
• Programs which insure farms can be viable

The Symposium proceedings have been compiled in a 67 page ALC publication."

File consists of a speech given by Gary Runka entitled "The Importance of Agriculture to BC and the Creston Valley" Creston Valley Agricultural Society.

Commentary on this speech by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"The speech begins with a number of recent urban newspaper headlines illustrating the level of awareness and the stress on agriculture.

The paper is broken into several major topics:
(I) The Options - in which two perspectives are outlined - one positive that agriculture has social value and is vitally important to the province and second, that agriculture is ultimately doomed.
(II) The Agricultural Land (Water) Base - 11 different land use planning issues are reviewed from an agricultural perspective. It is stressed that agriculture must become a more integrated part of the overall planning process.
(III) The Economic and Social Well Being of the Farming Community. It is noted that there are strong feelings in rural communities that government bureaucrats impose planning and resource management decisions on them rather than plan with or for them. Thus, if agriculture is to thrive it must, once again, become a more integrated part of the overall planning process and the agricultural land base must be assured.
(IV) The Ecological and Economic Sustainability of Agriculture - A key agricultural land conservation measure will be the redirection of regional and local urban growth to available and suitable lands outside the ALR. Provincial and local zoning is seen as a first step framework for managing competition for agricultural land.

Betterment Recapture - this (possibly Henry George inspired) comment reflects the need to recapture a portion of the appreciated value when agricultural land is converted to urban uses as a hedge against speculative forces.

The paper ends by encouraging farm areas like the Creston Valley to take pride in their agricultural community because the opportunity exists for a vibrant, healthy sustainable future."

File consists of a speech given by Gary Runka entitled "Agricultural Land and Its Management".

Commentary by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"This paper has no indication of the audience or date but given that there are several references to 1990 reports, it probably dates to 1991.

Although the scope of this paper is national in several aspects, its primary focus is on the B.C. farmland preservation efforts.

Comment is made on the question of farmland being regarded as a 'commodity' vs 'scarce resource'. GGR draws upon a theme found in other speeches and papers when he notes that 'To some degree, the call for a new "foodland ethic" is based upon the belief that public policy should more adequately take into account the social value of foodlands, quite apart from the dollar value...."

The paper is broken into several sections:
(A) The Setting;
(B) Agricultural Land Loss, (which includes some excellent statistics - p. 2-3)
(C) Some Agricultural Management Issues,
(D) Action Response (this section briefly reviews farmland preservation efforts in each province with a particular emphasis on B.C. p. 5-6),
(E) The Future.

GGR lists the following action steps that BC should pursue:

• Repeal ALC Act appeals to Cabinet;
• Rescind the outright golf course use within the ALR; and
• Introduce Soil Conservation Legislation"

File consists of an untitled published piece in Country Life Column by Gary Runka.

Commentary by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"This article focuses a report of the B.C. Round Table on the Environment and the Economy - "A Better Way - Creating a Sustainable Development Strategy for B.C." published in 1990. The thrust of the article concerns the disregard for agriculture in the report. The report identifies six key principles which amount to reasonable objectives / goals but in contrast agriculture fares badly in the report. Three examples are provided of the report's failings with respect to agriculture. Four key questions are asked including, "How can we best protect the limited high capability agricultural land base from alternate use competition?"

File consists of an untitled published piece in Country Life Column by Gary Runka.

Commentary by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"This article is focused on renewed interest in the development of a provincial land use strategy. The article outlines the lack of action for over 20 years in the development of such a strategy.

Several key land and water uses that warrant consideration are listed - starting with agriculture - along with a list of overriding issues.

The position of GGR is clear in the last paragraph - 'The time for a provincial land use strategy was yesterday"..

Although farmland preservation is not specifically identified it would, one would have to think, clearly be one element of a land use strategy."

File consists of an article written by Gary Runka entitled "Balanced Agriculture - Its Social Value" for the Symposium o n Decoupling, Ottawa - February 10-12,1988.

Commentary on this speech by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"This speech was prepared for publication in the July 1988 edition of t he "Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics".

The Symposium explores the social and economic values of agriculture and this paper primarily pursues the social value side of the equation and asserts that a healthy agricultural sector has a social as well as economic value to Canada.

The paper is broken into four sections:
(I) The Farm;
(II) Rural Communities and Regions;
(III) Canada and Beyond; and
(IV) Summary.

Under these broad topics the paper considers several themes, many of which have a strong or direct relationship to farmland preservation. B.C. and Quebec programs are directly mentioned. A few of these themes are captured here:

• "balanced agriculture" ... let it imply a balance between economic considerations (market forces) and social values
• It is not easy to design legislative programs that will accommodate both the legitimate financial concerns of those who husband the land and the desire of society to protect a scarce resource
• Society must share in t he responsibility to retain foodlands. "...both Quebec and British Columbia accepted this responsibility in their agricultural land preservation legislation by bring in associated commodity income insurance programs along with the provincial designation of land within agricultural land reserve zoning."
• A need for balance between private rights of land ownership with stewardship and the responsibility of government to intervene when private interests do not coincide with public interests.
• The urban majority will have a growing influence on the way farmers and agriculture will be treated in coming decades
• Any country is wise to ensure that it retains the option to produce at least a portion of its own food
• Do we want agriculture driven by a "trade environment" or do we as a country have other social goals that we wish to pursue, of which international trade is part?
• It is in Canadian society's general interest to have economic and social cohesion when considering agricultural policy reform."

File consists of a speech given by Gary Runka entitled "BC Soil Conservation Issues: How Serious are They?" for a BCFA Soil Conservatiori Seminar - March 10,1987.

Commentary on this speech by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"Stressing the importance of soil conservation, this speech begins by noting that all land and water users (not just agriculture) - on-site or off-site - are involved with soil conservation.

The paper is broken into 3 sections:
(1) Framework Considerations in which the diversity of BC's landform and climate is noted. The key soil conservation issues from a provincial perspective are reviewed including:

• erosion;
• sedimentation;
• acidification;
• organic matter loss; and
• soil compaction.

(2) Economic Considerations - the estimated loss annually in agriculture due to soil erosion is 30 to 50 million dollars.
(3) Legislation and Institutional Structure Considerations - BC is noted as having no provincial legislation that has soil conservation as its main thrust.

While the ALC Act and ALR are not directly mentioned, soil conservation is an important associated issue related to farmland preservation."

File consists of the written personal reflections of Gary Runka for the "'Ten Years of Agricultural Land Preservation", December 1983.

Commentary on this speech by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"These personal reflections were prepared by GGR for publication in the ALC's document commemorating its 10th anniversary entitled "Ten Years of Agricultural Land Preservation". These reflections form pages 33 - 35 of this 61 page document.

The reflections portray the hectic start of the Land Commission's work but also inform us of GGR's role prior to becoming the Commission's first General Manager. As noted, "I had been extensively involved in drawing up the "suggested ALR plans" for the various regional districts while working with the Soils Branch of the Ministry of Agriculture." He then accompanied the Commission on their initial meetings with regional districts and local governments around the province.

The fact that GGR played a key role in developing the CLI mapping (an important basis of the ALR), then was involved with drawing up the suggested ALR plans, followed by his efforts as ALC General Manager to implement the Reserve plans, and finally sign off on the completed ALR plan map sheets, arguably makes Gary Runka, like no other person, the "Father of the ALR"."

File consists of a speech given by Gary Runka entitled "Effects of Urban Decision Making on Rural Issues".

Commentary on this speech by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"The introduction begins by stating that urban-oriented people are making decisions that impact on rural issues and land / people relationships. This paper provides a perspective largely from a rural point of view although, at the very end it is concluded that people in rural areas are often unaware of the dynamics of urban needs and priorities.

While the examples of urban influences on rural areas are too numerous to comprehensively outline even in a 16 page speech, GGR does cover a lot of ground in this regard in the paper. He feels that through careful planning built on understanding we can, as a society, achieve a comfortable balance.

The question is asked, who is rural and who is urban - there is a degree of blurring. The paper considers urban decision-making in the broadest context - whether political, economic or social.

The paper is broken into a consideration of urban decision making and its effects on rural areas from a number of points of view - (1) Political; (2) Economic; and (3) Lifestyle.

It is noted that there is a need for greater understanding of agriculture from both a rural and urban point of view and the spin-offs of food and fibre production in providing jobs in the urban community is not widely recognized by urban citizens or elected officials.

As the number of urbanites take up residence in rural areas their power at the local ballot box also increases. Three examples of urban decision making on rural issues are explored including:
(1) The "Killer" Mall;
(2) The "Suburban" Horse; and
(3) Soil Conservation.

Interdependence is specifically emphasized - there is seldom any decision taken that does not impact to some degree somewhere else along the urban-rural continuum."

File consists of a speech given by Gary Runka entitled "Sharing the Land Resource - 1990 and Beyond" for Symposium: Local Agriculture, 1990 and Beyond (CNC, FAS-UBC & BCMAF) - November 28,1981.

Commentary on this speech by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"This speech starts by looking at land philosophically and states (p. 2): "We sometimes need to be reminded that we are borrowing the land resource from the next generation".

The speech includes several important points made with clarity. A few examples include:

• the need to provide adequate linkages and lines of communication between agencies and different levels of government;
• while understanding the land is prerequisite to its wise and proper use - we still have incomplete and small scale inventory work available;
• nature's laws affirm rather than prohibit. If you violate her laws, you are your own prosecuting attorney, judge, jury.... and hangman;
• do our planning and direct our growth from within the confines of natural systems to take advantage of their attributes and avoid their negative aspects; and
• we need to not only understand land and water ecosystems but the people complex as well - and a great deal of patience and interdisciplinary compromise is needed.

A number of issues are reviewed:

1. The agricultural - forestry interface
2. Urban dreams meet rural realities
3. The challenge of educating an increasingly urbanized population
4. Escalating energy costs
5. The competition for water"

File consists of a speech given by Gary Runka entitled "Western Canadian Agriculture - A Look to the Future" for an unknown audience.

Commentary on this speech by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"As the title suggests, this speech is largely a look at agriculture in Western Canada and therefore breaks from many of the familiar themes in GGR's speeches and includes several interesting statistics.

For example in 1921 the average Canadian farmer could feed 11 people. By 1981 the average farm could feed 56 people. [In 2012 The average farm in Canada produced enough food to feed 120 people every day.] The average Canadian expenditure of income on food after taxes:
1947 - 25%
1969 - 22%
1980 - 18%

The speech considers the following topics:
A. The changing Picture of Western Canadian Agriculture

• Energy Costs
• Cropping Options
• Northern Expansion
• Diversification, Intensification, Specialization
• Foreign Ownership

B. Agricultural Land Use Planning
C. Integrated Land Use Issues"

File consists of a speech given by Gary Runka entitled "Agricultural Land and Land Use Decision Making in the 1980s" for the Western Land Directors' Conference, Victoria BC (June 7-11,1981).

Commentary on this speech by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"The speech is a collection of familiar themes but GGR's assemblage and delivery is becoming ever-more refined. The speech was accompanied by overheads but they are not included.

The paper starts with two quotes from Hans Blumenfeld and O'Malley. In the case of Blumenfeld - North Americans want to live in efficient, convenient, healthy and pleasant environment but as individuals we want to be able to make an honest dollar out of every piece of property we own. The two concepts are basically incompatible. The O'Malley quote speaks of land as a mother because she gives life, is a provider, protector and comforter.

Some (but far from all) of the important observations include:

1. integrated land use policy is slow in coming;
2. issues have to be addressed at each level of government;
3. for each use option and the resulting integrated policy framework must be established through appropriate legislation and regulation;
4. we are all well aware, there are some use demands that by definition, exclude other use demands (agriculture is highlighted as a prime example);
5. non-agricultural or urban demands vary according to location, as does the "resistance" of agriculture to the change.
6. some private demand is purely speculative, especially in an inflationary period. During these times, the demand, particularly for irreversible uses of land, often greatly exceeds the real requirements for use;
7. we have always been able to produce the "next frontier", why not now?
8. understanding the land is the most important prerequisite to its wise and proper use;
9. an integrative spirit and process is essential if sound planning is the target.

The paper ends with the following quote from Bill Moyers, "Government is the art of trying to solve problems. Politics is the art of trying to attain power. The two meet sometimes, but not often."

File consists of a speech given by Gary Runka entitled "Planning for the Future Agricultural Land Base of Alberta" for Alberta Agriculture Land Use Activities, Edmonton, June 2,1981.

Commentary on this speech by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"This appears to be a set of preliminary speaking notes - much of it is point form with considerable hand written notes in the margins. It is not known if these notes were ever finalized into the speech given on June 2,1981 or if the speech was simply given using these notes as its basis.

Many of the references are somewhat oblique relating to topical matters in Alberta. While agriculture is the central theme, this speech is focused on Alberta with little or no reference to the BC farmland preservation program.

Several broader themes are considered which are dealt with in other speeches but GGR speaks to the longer term importance of farmland preservation legislation when stating (p. 3):
"b) from my experience, time is demonstrating ever more clearly to me that, for a variety of reasons, legislating land preservation alone can only hold the land resource for so long if the other aspects affecting the food producing industry are not also given attention e.g.:

• review of regional planning by the ARB
• costs of production and marketing opportunities
• gov't priority for ag. related to other prov. resources
• urban planning - where are the cites going?
• rural planning - how secure are the rural communities of which agriculture is a part?"

File consists of a speech given by Gary Runka entitled "Expanding Needs from a Finite Resource: the Necessity for Sound Land Use Planning" for the Manitoba Land Use Conference Land User for the 80's - Private Rights and Public Interests, March 11 & 12,1981.

Commentary on this speech by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"The conference theme of "Private Rights and Public Interests" is one that GGR often turned to. In this fairly lengthy speech GGR pulls together, in one paper, many of the themes and positions he has turned to in other speeches. He explains the 'land and water maze' and lists 12 uses competing for limited land and water resources. It is noted that the imbalance between agriculture vs urban uses, due to urban uses commanding much higher values resulting in agriculture finding itself in a defensive position, is discussed.

As the conference theme enunciates - GGR explores the tug-of-war between the myth of limitless land and community needs vs property rights and the fallacy that individual land use decisions do not impact the larger community. GGR emphasises the slowness of changing attitudes and the even slower political response and policy change. The confusion of jurisdiction concerning what level of government is best positioned to deal with resources issues is considered. GGR emphasizes the need to plan the use of land resources in an integrated and comprehensive fashion and the need for shared decision making.

Policy 3 of Manitoba's Regulation #217/80 - "Rural residential development should not be thought of, nor normally planned, as an evolutionary step from a rural landscape to an urban development" is noted. It is emphasized that the planning process has to catch up with the rural reality.

Central message - the importance of planning land and water use must be in keeping with the natural characteristics of the land and the needs and values of the local community. This latter point is of interest from the point of view that local community values and plans may dash with provincial values or policy."

File consists of a speech given by Gary Runka entitled "Who Gets to Use the Land and Water? - the Urban and Agricultural Land Needs of the Okanagan Valley" for the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, UBC and Okanagan College.

Commentary on this speech by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"Although the ALR and ALC Act are not mentioned directly, the paper is focused on agriculture and rural planning.

When speaking of the competition for land and the pressure agricultural land is under, an interesting statement is included referring to the fact that "the fluctuation" in Washington State's apple crop is greater than the entire annual Okanagan production.

The paper reviews pressures on agriculture and urban land uses. Under "Satisfying the Needs (Options and Interrelationships)" seven points are made including "Understanding the land is the most important prerequisite to its wise and proper use," and that Integrated Natural Resource Management and Land Use Planning must be closely tied.

The paper ends with a point of optimism - "I see that potential to increase our understanding of the natural processes and to explore the questions of who gets to use the land and water from a view point somewhere in the orchard or countryside rather than from Main Street. That's a beginning."

File consists of a speech given by Gary Runka entitled "Land Resource Issues in BC and the Tough Choices Ahead" for the Surrey Rotary.

Commentary on this speech by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"This speech, with the exception of the beginning and the ending is largely the cobbling together of two previous speeches. The new introduction draws upon several headlines from contemporary newspaper articles as examples involving land and water use decision-making. The next several pages largely repeat portions of [2020.4.2.1.42] "The Rural - Urban Continuum: Tough Land Use Choices Ahead". The latter half of the speech draws from [2020.4.2.1.44] "Land Resource Issues in B.C. - UBC Seminar".

The speech ends with a suggestion that there is a faint light at the end of the tunnel offered by the proposed "Planning Act". The speech closes with 3 broad concepts for consideration:

1. Land and water use planning is fundamental in determining the economic opportunity and environmental quality of the future;
2. Good rural planning demands good urban planning and the race for space will accelerate; and
3. There is a need to reflect on the interdependence of man within natural systems in our planning for rural and urban land and water.

While farmland preservation isn't central to this speech the rural resource and planning theme is relevant."

File consists of a speech given by Gary Runka entitled "Land Resource Issues in BC" at a UBC seminar.

Commentary on this speech by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"This speech / paper asks the question, "Are we in fact making any real progress towards resolving .... land resource conflicts...?"

A discussion is introduced that land resource issues are rural planning issues and as such they impact rural people and their lifestyle and thus translate to lifestyle issues. GGR suggests that planners are urban oriented and they should stand on the rural side of the fence and look back at the urban areas rather than the other way around.

Too often in government an agency's interests are paramount and insist that others tag along as long as they don't interfere with the prime use thrust. A concern is also expressed with "...too many waves of single use legislative power coming to the fore..." It is noted that the "...goal of any regulatory program should be to protect important public interests."

The paper concludes by considering a few current land resource issues including:

1. Forestry-Agriculture
2. Grazing land tenure transfer
3. Fisheries - Agriculture - Forestry - Urban
4. Energy - Agriculture
5. Urban-Rural
6. Energy-Lifestyles
7. Wildlife - Recreation - Energy
8. Agriculture and Recreation Lands - Foreign Ownership and Influence

While farmland preservation isn't central to this speech the rural resource and planning theme is relevant."

File consists of an article written by Gary Runka entitled "Political Realities - Protecting our Dwindling Soil Resource". This was published "Agrologist" magazine (Fall 1980) as "Protecting the soil".

Commentary on this speech by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"This paper is focused on the importance of soil conservation. It makes the observation that soil erosion is often not recognized until the damage has been done, but it takes even longer for politicians to be aware of the problem and then for this to translate into policy change. It is noted that this is especially a problem given the short term time horizons of politicians. There is a discussion of what jurisdiction is best to deal with protecting the soil resource. It is emphasized that we no longer have the luxury of time."

File consists of a speech given by Gary Runka entitled "The Rural-Urban Continuum: Tough Land Use Choices Ahead" for the Vernon Rotary Rural-Urban Day.

Commentary on this speech by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"This speech / paper does cover some old ground dealt with in other speeches but is nicely brought together here.

GGR outlines several competing land uses and uses agriculture as a starting point in setting the stage by noting that there are just 74,400 food producers and 2,400,000 other British Columbians.

An emphasis is placed on communications, especially since most planners and politicians are overwhelmingly urban oriented. When involved with rural planning it is important to understand the rural side of the fence and look back at the urban area rather than the other way around. This means "understanding the natural characteristics of the land resource and its ecosystems."

Seven issues are considered:

1. Short-sighted premises - the supply of land is limitless and the individual has the right to use his
   land as he wishes without affecting others;
2. The interdependence of man within natural systems is not fully appreciated;
3. Reluctance of rural people to accept planning programs;
4. Institutions and organizations reflect rural reality;
5. Sprawl is not confined to urban areas and when it affects the rural area it can be a large problem;
6. The dilemma of wanting data to make good land use decisions, but while we wait for information,
   bad decision are being made; and
7. What is politically palatable?

The speech ends with the need for rural and urban communities to be mutually supportive. While farmland preservation isn't central to this speech the rural resource and planning theme is relevant."

File consists of a speech given by Gary Runka entitled "BC Experience: Establishing Priorities for the Use of Rural Land Resources" for the Canadian Institute of Planners Annual Conference in Kitchener, Waterloo.

Commentary on this speech by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"This is a second speech GGR gave at the 1980 CIP Conference.

The 'rural' stage is set by stating that BC is 94% crown land of which 53% is unreserved crown land - so lots of rural land to plan for.

The paper largely outlines 8 examples of rural land use priorities in BC including:

1. Integrating rural land use policy under the Environment and Land Use Act
2. Agricultural Land Commission Act protecting farmland
3. Forest and Range Act
4. Municipal and Regional government community, settlement and regional plans - largely on non-crown land
5. The Federal government's amended Fisheries Act
6. Special Statutes Planning - The Islands Trust Act
7. Crown land Planning Strategies
8. Environment Planning via an Environment Act, Water Basin Plan and Wildlife along with complimentary legislation.

The paper helps to place the farmland preservation in the context with other land use planning efforts in British Columbia."

File consists of a speech given by Gary Runka entitled "Overview: Planning for Rural Land" for the Canadian Institute of Planners Annual Conference in Kitchener, Waterloo. Includes newspaper clipping titled "A pathetic tale of two resources" from the Victoria Colonist, June 22,1980.

Commentary on this speech by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"This speech is aimed at the "urban" planner who is planning in rural areas. While 'rural land' can encompass many things and there are only passing references to agriculture, the planning approaches and principles - like the need for the urban planner to view the world from the rural side of the fence - is often going to involve agricultural land.

Mention is made of integrated natural resource management and an emphasis is made on the planner understanding the rural perspective.

The comment (warning) is made that "...the rural land use tug-of-war between lifestyle pursuits, population demands and natural resource production will continue" - the message being that planning practitioners will probably find themselves in the midst of these tug-of-wars.

This paper clearly recognizes the challenges of introducing urban planning techniques into rural landscapes and provides some very valuable insights. While farmland preservation isn't central to this speech the rural resource and planning theme is relevant."

File consists of a speech given by Gary Runka entitled "Proposed Hydro Development - Peace River Valley: Some Questions" to the Peace Valley Environmental Association in Dawson Creek. Note that page 3 of the speech appears to be missing.

Commentary on this speech by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"The speech discusses some broad questions particularly related to the lack of a provincial energy policy, the approval process and varying estimates of future energy needs and alternatives. GGR quotes the position of the ALC of October 1977 and also reviews the legal powers under the ALC Act and ends by outlining several questions he feels the Association has the right to ask and get answers to."

File consists of a speech given by Gary Runka entitled "Agricultural Land Preservation - Some of the Problems" to an unknown audience, possibly a political caucus. A "Process Chart" of the B.C. Agricultural Land Commission Act is attached to the speech.

Commentary on this speech by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"This speech was given several months after GGR's resignation as Chair of the Commission in January, 1979. There is no specific indication of who the speech was given to but mention is made to "caucus members" (p. 4) and therefore may have been the NDP caucus.

Specific mention is made to the opportunity to undermine the program by the Section 9(8) changes to the Act. (This is a reference to allowing the Minister of Agriculture to forward appeals of Commission's decisions to the Environment and Land Use Committee of Cabinet if no two Commissioners give leave to appeal)..

Mention is also made to the need for the Commission to be aware of problems affecting agriculture if it is to be the true defender of agricultural interests. Reference (p. 3) is made to the Commission being: "... too busy attending to applications to take a seriously positive role to ensure that present and future land use conflicts ... are minimized."

GGR also raises his concern with attempts to narrow the definition of "agricultural land" by suggestions that CLI Class 4 - 7 lands be automatically excluded from the ALR. He also expresses the need to be concerned with land use planning outside the ALR.

GGR criticizes "a less than positive attitude by government" (to farmland preservation) and calls for the need for a provincial land use strategy."

File consists of a speech given by Gary Runka entitled "The BC Agricultural Land Preservation Experience" to the Canadian Agricultural Extension Council Conference in Kelowna.

Commentary on this speech by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"This speech represents a major paper that reiterates historical themes concerning the legislative initiative, B.C's very limited area available for agricultural production and the designation of the ALR plans.

GGR emphasizes that the main criteria when considering applications under the ALC Act is the soil/climate capability for agriculture. He mentions that the actual designation of the ALR and its subsequent refinement was fairly straight-forward but: "Much more difficult is the task that we are now facing, to make the right land-use decisions within the agricultural zone and encourage good land-use planning adjacent to it in order to accomplish the stated objectives."

GGR remarks that the ALC Act is based on the assumption that there are alternatives to farmland for urban uses and he personally agrees that alternatives do exist in almost all cases but he cautions: "But, the ability and willingness to go in these other directions necessitates a radical change in thinking on the part of governments, private industry, real estate interests, and the general public. It also demands an acceptance of the fact that agricultural land preservation is in British Columbia to stay and it assumes a commitment to preserve the agricultural industry as being in our own long term best interests. Some vibrations tell me we still have not quite made the grade in this area." These words were spoken by the Chair of the ALC 36 years ago and could be as appropriately be spoken by any of the subsequent ALC's Chairs to this day.

Competing land uses are listed and guidelines on expected policy content in Official Settlement Plans developed under the Municipal Act aimed at the protection of agricultural land and agriculture are noted.

Three examples are provided of studies to explore alternate areas of growth along with work on dealing with impact issues (edge/interface planning). GGR emphasizes the challenge of dealing with other governmental agencies and ends by outlining 3 general approaches to look at land needs, land uses and resource planning:

1. Make land use decision based on the inherent natural characteristics rather than protecting land values or simply accommodating growth;
2. The Fall 1977 amendments to the Act allowing greater Cabinet involvement will test the program but also emphasizes the importance of shared decision making; and
3. The ALC Act has defined a land use priority and a direction around which all others can plan and there is a need for a national land use policy that GGR supports."