File consists of a speech given by Gary Runka entitled "Resource Use Conflicts - The Fight Over What's Left" at the Canadian Bar Association Winter Meeting, Harrison Hot Springs.
Commentary on this speech by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"The panel discussion that GGR was participating in was entitled "Resource Use Conflicts - The Fight over What's Left".
GGR makes the point that without legislative steps to preserve agricultural land in BC, what would be left in terms of farmland in not too many years would be "nothing at all". After this reinforcement of the need for the Land Commission Act he explains briefly the designation of the ALRs and comments at length on the different types of applications.
It is explained that the ALR is based upon agricultural capabilities of the land:
"In other words, a soil/climate combination. The ALR is aimed at preserving agricultural land in the long term. Factors, such as parcel size, economic viability, current market conditions, ownership etc. play little or no role in the decision-making process."
In light of a considerable amount of the Commission's workload being focused on the processing of applications GGR remarks that:
"If we are sincere in our attempts to preserve an agricultural land base for future generations of British Columbians, we must regard the ALR as only a first step of many that are needed."
A flow chart is referred to but not included in the package."
