Did you know that 56,000 people work in agriculture in B.C.?
The agriculture industry in B.C. had a net profit of $312 million dollars last year and the government put in $8 million bucks for training in youth agriculture.
Norm Letnick, the minister of agriculture, passed along this information when he recently addressed the BC Chamber of Commerce Annual General Meeting held in Kelowna.
He also stated the U.S. is still the biggest customer for our product, and there are sales into China and Japan.
The agriculture minister said with the legalization of marijuana soon to be coming down the pipe from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Liberals, it would be the agriculture ministry that would look after the new industry.
Letnick jokingly said that he may soon be the pot minister or, the king of pot, in this province.
He got some laughs from the many chamber delegates from around the province.
Currently three of B.C.’s cabinet ministers were previous chairs of the BC Chamber board and Steve Thompson was one of those individuals.
I was with him on the BC Chamber board for six years, and really enjoyed the time working together.
He is now the Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operation.
The BC Chamber delegates went through more than 100 resolutions, and those that passed will go to the provincial government for their consideration.
One resolution that was defeated asked the provincial government act to include that a candidate for municipal election must be qualified to vote in that municipality and be a resident of the municipality at least one year preceding nomination day or that a candidate must be an owner or tenant of land in the municipality.
The Chamber members from Williams Lake voted against this resolution.
The Williams Lake Chamber’s resolution was about the future of the forest industry and its importance to B.C. This was overwhelmingly adopted and will now go to the B.C. government.
Five chamber members from Williams Lake chamber were at the Kelowna BC Chamber annual convention.
Don’t forget the first annual Williams Lake Indian Band Multicultural gathering at the Chief William powwow arbour.
It starts at noon on Saturday and, along with some very good entertainment, there will be food including a fresh salmon dinner starting at 5 p.m. Saturday.
Congratulations to all of the graduates this weekend. Well done. Now, the fun part of life begins.
Ken Wilson is a freelance writer with the Tribune/Advisor.