Government decision to implement Firestorm 2003 recommendations belated, but welcome

[five_alarm]

VANCOUVER - The B.C. Government and Service Employees’ Union said Premier Campbell’s decision to implement all of the Filmon Reports’ recommendations on forest fire prevention “is a reversal of government plans that comes not a moment too soon.” BCGEU President George Heyman noted that, “When the report was released six weeks ago, the Premier stated that some of the key recommendations could not be implemented because they were too costly. His government had just released its 2004 budget cutting $2 million from B.C.’s fire preparedness funds. Provincial funding for protection of forest health this year was cut overall by $8.7 million.” “I’m glad to hear Campbell has reconsidered and put the safety of our communities and forests before budget cuts. “Now I call upon this government to detail specifically how much funding is being restored and to which ministries, ” Heyman said.

Source: BCGEU (http://www.firehall.com/refer.php?url=http://www.bcgeu.ca/2227&linkid=552&parent=news(headlines)&)