Thursday, May 9, 2013                                                                                   For Immediate Release

COWICHAN UNITED FOR LOCAL CONTROL OF WATERSHED

One Cowichan Releases Candidate Positions, Wraps Election Push

(Cowichan Valley, BC) With five days left until Election Day, the citizens of the Cowichan Valley have managed to persuade candidates across party lines to support local control of our watershed. Today the citizens group One Cowichan released candidates’ positions on local control as it wrapped up its non-partisan campaign to bring focus to the issue.

“The winners in this campaign are the citizens of the Cowichan Valley,” said Parker Jefferson of One Cowichan. “Citizens have come together to ask all candidates to commit to local control, and that’s just what the candidates have done, even across party lines.”

Candidates 100 word positions can now be found on the One Cowichan website at www.onecowichan.ca  Every candidate responding supports the principle of local control, with any differences being in the details.

The One Cowichan initiative saw just shy of 1,500 people pledge to vote for local control of the watershed, and saw a variety of local governments, non-profits, and businesses take a position supporting the principle, including Cowichan Tribes and the CVRD.

Even before the election, a review of BC’s dated Water Act was underway, and this provides the opportunity to write legislation that empowers local bodies like the Cowichan Watershed Board to wield real decision making powers. Such a shift could be a model for BC and Canada.

“There are lots of details to work out, but for now we’re really pleased that the Valley is speaking almost with one voice in asking for local control,” said Jefferson. “We look forward to working with whoever wins on Tuesday to implement change, and want to thank all the candidates and voters for supporting this important issue.”

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For more information call Parker Jefferson at 250-737-1463 or 250-710-9968