Recent activities in Seattle and LA and over 2000 letters sent to Quadrant CEO Peter Orser are begining to make an impact. Last week, the company issued emails signed by Mr. Orser (download a copy here).
While it’s good that he took the time to respond, he misses the central point–that Quadrant shares a responsibility to respect indigenous rights. His only real response is that “Weyerhaeuser believes issues related to treaty rights or co-management of resources must be addressed at a government-to-government level…” Essentially, says Orser, ‘this isn’t our responsibility’.
In fact, Grassy Narrows has been seeking to address its concerns at a government-to-government level for more than three decades to no tangible result and in spite of obligations imposed on provincial and federal authorities by Canadian Courts and censure from the United Nations. The summary response from government is essentially ‘this isn’t our responsibility’.
Our position? It’s time to stop buck-passing and get on with business. Weyerhaeuser, Quadrant and everyone else profiting from resource extraction on aboriginal lands share a responsibility to ensure the free, prior and informed consent from the communities in which they opperate.
And we’re not alone. In June, the United Nations Human Rights Council voted to approve the Declaration on Human Rights. Now the Declaration needs to be adopted by the UN General Assembly. The Declaration states in part that
Indigenous peoples have the right to determine and develop priorities and strategies for the development or use of their lands, territories and other resources, including the right to require that States obtain their free and informed consent prior to the approval of any project affecting their lands, territories and other resources, particularly in connection with the development, utilization or exploitation of mineral, water or other resources.
Significantly, Canada voted against the deal–a move that drew international criticism. Even the stalwart free-marketeers over at The Economist recognize what the magazine recently called the “failure of Canada’s policies towards its aboriginal people”.
So, if haven’t yet, consider responding to Mr. Orser about what he calls his “full support of the steps that Weyerhaeuser has taken to resolve these issues.”
Twitter Updates
Another big company honcho “passing the buck” while the $$$ roll in; at great expense to the people and earth. When did these people lose their compassion and love of beauty? Is their world such a small one that a dollar makes them happy? What a bird singing, or a beautiful wildflower growing next to a magnificent Oak? Doesn’t he care that he is killing them all? WAKE UP!!!
I will not buy any Weyerhouse products unless you will take care for Human Rights for the indigenous people.
Along with rights to plunder go responsibilities. If it’s not your responsibility, then your rights to plunder are equally as void. It’s time for you and your company to respect and honor indigenous rights. Or does your company claim indigenous rights? Exactly. A ludicrous claim. If you had the will, you could do something about solving this 30+ year abdication of “responsibility.” Do get real–passing the buck is no option.
Dear Mr. Orser,
I wonder how you would feel if the home you owned and the land you lived on was plowed through, clearcut and destroyed because of a “loophole” in a law or ownership.
These people have the right to their land and deserve respect and consideration. Do the socially responsible thing and put yourself in their place, think of the children and their health. Until Weyerhaeuser becomes more responsible, I will not purchase your products either!
i am boycotting all weyerhaeuser products…….your spin is all a “white wash” job…….marjorie paynter
Do what is right.
I don’t believe you care. I think you are irresponsibly hiding behind a set of unfortunate formalities. I am boycotting Weyerhaeuser products.
Let the Canadian people stop the seal hunt! Then get back to me.
Do the right thing! There is a way to log withiut ruining creation. Don’t cut and run. This is the coward’s way. Be a MAN, no matter how painful you think it might be. It really isn’t and you’ll feel a lot better for having done it right.
Your total lack of corporate responsibility raises serious concerns about your leadership and the hope that Weyerhaeuser has any interests others than how much bottom line profit they can make without concern for native peoples, community concerns and/or responsible lumbering policies which protect ecology of the land and its inhabitants.
It’s time to stop passing the buck and get on with business. Weyerhaeuser, Quadrant and everyone else profiting from resource extraction on aboriginal lands share a responsibility to ensure free, prior and informed consent from the communities in which they operate. I don’t believe you care. I am boycotting Weyerhaeuser products.
Weyerhauser likes to make people think that it is a caring company when it is so far from that it is UNBELIEVEABLE! When they purchased the rights from Mac Blo they promised to follow their model, Instead they follow their own model, CUT AND RUN! They do nothing but Clearcut and really have shown consistently they care only about MONEY and are run purely on GREED! YOU ARE LIARS!
As a builder rest assured I am boycotting Weyerhaeuser products!! Shame on you!!
When corporatations refuse to take the the ethical decisions necessary for the health and protection of our natural resources then as a consumer I will take my loyalty and my buying power to companies that respect the environment and are grateful for our patronage.
Please clear your thoughts and actions with the Indigenous Peoples of the lands you are using and have used. This would be the responsible business route to take.
I will be boycotting Weyerhaeuser products until this practice is stopped permanently.
This looks bad – definitely not the no-spin zone on your part. I’m glad that I’m not a shareholder. In the long-run dealing with this bad publicity will cause management distraction from main affairs of company.
I know first hand the despicable logging practices bankrolled by Weyerhaeuser. I was one of hundreds of people who lost value in their home when Weyerhaeuser bankrolled Eagleridge to log the landslides around Aldercrest Washington in the town of Kelso. 126 people lost their homes when they slid or were removed and the rest of us had to continue to live nearby in creaking homes that sink toward cliffs and shave doors that no longer open etc etc. My roof split apart in 7 places and water poured into my home. I called your company before they ever logged there and also brought all the endangered species to the attention of DNR forest offcials and State Wildlife. But Weyerhaeuser is a law unto it’s own. Your attorney’s callous letter stated kind of “so what” “if we didn’t do it someone else would have”. Well it was illegal in DNR forest practices to log landslides, eagle’s trees, pipelines that slid out and were reburied 150 ft deep. And then there were the streams that were clearcut, owl and red tail hawk and red salamander and bear habitat and old growth habitat that we all enjoyed in buffers that were to be protected in city codes. When I looked for another house I found out that you had bankrolled EAgleridge or the Powell family and others to log all sorts of illegal slide areas in our county and other pipeline areas and almost took out a bridge on the pristine Kalama River with it’s salmon hatcheries. Alan Miller of the LA Times Washington DC wrote a few articles intimating mafia connections with Weyerhaeuser and the US Forest Service back in about spring of 97. Then I found out a connection of names, with Mr Curry and the Powells and Dan Dale and others and CT Corporation and Weyerhaeuser and Waterfront Recreation and all sorts of places that you bankroll logging all over the states. I was so hoping Canada could contain your corruption and save itself. How do you live with yourself doing this to the world and it’s people. You are only shortening the lives of your own future grandchildren and great grandchildren by your shortlived greed in sponsoring illegal logging practices and ruining our few giant remaining old growth forests.
I have been fightin Weyerhauser for almost a year.
I am glad they finally realize us, and the we ARE NOT joking. The person who inspired me to first begin to protest Weyerhauser recently passed away, still trying to make their point, and I WILL fight until they are not doing any more distruction.
reading these opinions, I have been enlightened.Iam disgusted angry disheartened you name it! If a new home of Weyerhouser products (or their ilk) was offered to me free, I would take a tent!!
Bravo America! I have seen the devastation by Weyerhaeuser , this company is truly SCUM and all those who manage it. They are the worst case scenario of Corporate greed I have ever witnessed. Most of their products are crap, check out the lawsuits that prove it, I wouldn’t build a house out this crap if they gave it to me. Check out what firefighters have to deal with when this crap burns. Three dead firefighters so far from falling thru fast burning engineered floor joists. Will it come to the point that if you build with this plastic wood , you will not be able to get house insurance. It is costly, labour intensive and it is stolen. Oh yeah it contains Isocyanates, a highly toxic, designated substance in the same catogory as asbestos, arsenic , mercury etc. Don’t believe it? Check out what happened in Bhopal India over 20 years ago. Don’t buy Weyerhaeuser bullS**T and don’t buy their products.
I have learned today that the Weyerhaeuser mill in kenora ontario canada is now down for another two weeks due to no one is buying their timberstrand/ilevel product . This follows being down for 5 weeks in Sept/Oct of this year as well. I spoke with two employees today and they both think that this mill will be down for the count very soon. According to these employees, management has eliminated contractors on site, no one will get any overtime, they are no longer required to work holidays and they do not produce 2 days out of the week when they are running, due to poor markets, the high canadaian dollar and the high cost of wood fibre, electricity, yadda yadda yadda. Maybe no one want’s to buy it because of the reputation Weyerhaeuser has built itself thru its actions and inactions, crimes against the planet, crimes against the people of this planet. Congradulations go out to the 129 workers that were poisoned by Mercury at the Weyerhaeuser Mill in Dryden Ontario who have been awarded Workers Compensation and it only took what 3 or has it been 4 years now. At least they didn’t have to wait 10 years like the 400 workers in North Carolina that Weyerhaeuser poisioned with asbestos. Pure Evil.
I will do what is in my power never to purchase a product produced by weyerhaeuser until the day i die. I will work hard to convice others not to by from those that are killing mother earth. When these people take all thier money and try to purchase a safe place to live, with these people stop and relaize money cannot purchase life and sustainablility.
That is a cop-out. The same thing is happening here in BC. It is like saying that the first nations people can have there land back when the negotiations have successfuly ended, but the animals, birds, plants and trees that are very important to their lives have disappeared, leaving nothing but a dessert.
Yeah, that’s right. Im back.
All y’all are still in action, and so am I.
I have been warning people, telling everyone in my school and having the word spread through the district, telling students and parents alike. Weyerhaeuser is destroying the earth, and man kind alike. One forest at a time. I don’t think you realize, ANIMALS NEED TREES. Animals need trees to live, and HUMANS NEED ANIMALS TO LIVE. Without trees Weyerhaeuser will KILL MAN KIND.
Weyerhaeuser is just a large group of governmental MURDERERS.
With Weyerhaeuser in businness, mankind will DIE. WE NEED TO STOP Weyerhaeuser.
Weyerhauser mucky muck Mr. Dennit VP or something or other of Strand Technologies has asked supporters of the mill via a newspaper article to please stop spreading rumours about the local mill here in Kenora Ontario. He has asked that people do not talk about things that they do not know. The Plant Manager Peter Mardon has allegedly stated in a downtown bar several friday nights ago that the people in Kenora have no idea what is going on and that the mill is not going anywhere. Perhaps Mr. Marden thinks that the citizens of Kenora somehow aren’t up to speed. Lets review what we do know, shall we?. Weyerhauser in Kenora has been here for approx. 5 years. According to our former Mayor Dave Canfield the plant has yet to make any money, according to Grassy Narrows First Nation the wood is being stolen, according to Enviromenmtalists Weyerhauser is raping the forest and poisoning the planet.According to published reports and employees production has pretty much been stalled, the yard is full of wood and stacked high with product. According to Fire Fighters this product and product of this nature experience cataclismic failure when exposed to fire. Mould and Fungi are of great concern with engineered lumber, as employyees can attest to as they remove mouldy boards from the wrapped product stored in the yard.Weyerhaeusers Quandrant Homes are lying to the public about their homes being green. Peter Marden Plant Manager has claimed that the mill is running great. What planet are you from or have you just not noticed that your plant is currently on a shut down schedule and press releases from Weyerhauser claims that even more shut downs , complete clousures of their facilities including engineered products may be coming in the near future. Your employees have speculated that there will be lay-offs coming in the new year. Many employees are currently seeking other employment. The work force that initially started at your plant has declined by half,your safety record is not acceptable. You are fighting several wrongful dismissal cases.Your company has been sued up the ying-yang for defective products, fraud, profitteering, enviromental crimes, monopolizing, worker comp claims for poisoning its employees, shall we go on? Well we could but the list of absolute failure by this company is endless, ask the province of Sask. how they faired with Weyerhauser, ask BC. How long is Weyerhaeuser going to pay employyees to go to work and not produce, we all know that this is not good for business.
OH NO! Weyerhauser’s products may be harmful, they maybe carcinogenic! I can’t believe it. Where do these crazy enviromentalists get this stuff? Even though Weyhaeuser products are the subject of several multi-million doller lawsuits for being defective. Weyerhauser poisioned 400 constuction workers in Dryden Ontario in 2002. Weyerhauser is responsible for up to 18 Super Fund Sites. Super Fund Sites are Toxic , Hazardous Waste sites. It has to be a coincidence that of all the young healthy people who started at the mill many experienced such health issues as breast cancer, stomach cancer, cervical cancer, liver cancer, brain tumours, colon cancer, loss of lung function, skin disorders (rashes, growths), heart attacks,stomach ulcers, burns from caustic ash, headaches, swelling of the eyes, symptoms mimicking MS, Fibromyalgia, stroke. Must have been caused by the lifestyles they led. It just can’t be caused by the mill cause Weyerhauser would never knowingly do anything to harm the planet or the people inhabiting it.