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In a confidential issue note by Blair Lextrom it states that a meeting was held on January 20, 2012 with the Highways Regional Director, Norm Parks, and District Highways Manager, Sherry Eland, and our club to answer any questions. There was no mention of any proposed draft to trade the roads or close the Stoney Lake Road. In Norm Parks and Sherry Eland’s letters they insisted that the Stoney Lake Road was not a public road, all of which is untrue.
On July 23, 2002, a letter to Kathy Evans, Senior Licencing Officer, Agriculture and Licencing Compliance Branch, was written to Gavin Last, Senior Legislative Assistant. This letter relates to access to Minnie and Stoney Lakes and it is very similar to Corbett Lake. It is summarized as the landowners do NOT have the right to circumscribe the public’s right to fish. As well you will note that in the last paragraph it mentions to not inform Mr. Earl Stoesigger or the Douglas Lake Cattle Co. about these assessments. This letter is another letter not disclosed by the government lawyers when it was required.
Another document that was lately disclosed is a “strictly confidential briefing note” authored by Mr. Al Martin, the Assistant Director of Fish, Wildlife Allocation Recreation Branch, Ministry of Water, Land, Air and Parks. This brief discusses three options of how the BC Gov’t was considering how to deal with landowners, and in particular, the DLCC, who wanted to take control over public lakes by blocking public access. Three deputy ministers signed option three recommendation. The concerning aspect of all this is that our club, First Nations and the public were never made aware of these plans by the BC Gov’t to give away public lakes. Al Martin testified in Court that the Ministry of Transportation and Highways were not included in these discussions and if this was true how did he know about the access issues at Minnie Lake. Also, it is very clear that a large number of documents relating to the Ministry of Highways issue of closing the Stoney Lake Road for a land swap as described in the proposed draft have never been presented through disclosure as required by law.
There is a string of letters from a member of our Club, Ed Hendricks, to John McQueen RPF, Acting Director of Authorizations, Thompson Okanagan Region, Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources. In Mr. McQueen’s response letter to Ed Hendricks of March 24, 2015 he states similar “facts” as to your letter to Ian Gordon. You both state that there is private land surrounding Corbett Lake. The truth about this is that the lake was increased in size some time ago by the issuance of an agriculture water licence issued to the Nicola Ranch. A dam was constructed on Corbett Lake’s property and this licence was discontinued years ago. While there may be private land under water, the water is owned by the Crown and our access is on this water that does cross both highway r/w plans and as such, as long as no one touched the land under the water, there is no trespass. This is obvious as the BCLS, John Graham, was
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instructed to create private land between the highway r/w and the lake, but failed to do so.
From all of this evidence it is clear that the government is attempting to give public lakes and lands to private landowners for some political reason. My question, again, is the government of BC supposed to manage the natural resources for the benefit of all BC residents?
Now, getting back to the public access to Corbett Lake. If one looks at Highways R/W Plan KAP79448, signed on October 31, 2005, you will note that R/W Plan H8095 is encircled and contained by R/W Plan KAP79448. You will also note that on the south east end of R/W Plan KAP 79448 there is a portion of Plan H8095 that is outside of Plan 79448. This is the section of R/W Plan H8095 that includes the public boat launch that is a legislated requirement for the subdivision of DL 1589. You will also note that on the very bottom of Plan 79448 there is a 6.136m jog in this r/w on the lake side. Also note that the shoreline of Corbett Lake is dotted or dashed. This means that it was not actually surveyed and is approximate. The 6.137m jog was put in the r/w border by John Graham, the then BC Land Surveyor, that was contracted to place r/w monuments and pins on the new R/W Plan 79448. When I asked him as to the reason for this abnormal and irregular jog he said that it was to have land between the r/w and the lake. Fortunately for the public, John Graham did not tie in the existing shoreline and thought that 6.137m would be sufficient to affect that. But the new r/w still crosses the lake – thus still providing public access. As well, the boat launch area of Plan H8095 has not been closed and still provides public access.
Also, the owners of the Corbett Lake Lodge have convinced the local RCMP to charge local persons, myself included, on two occasions, for accessing Corbett Lake off the highway r/w. This action on behalf of the RCMP is obviously an attempt to intimidate the public to not go there. In both cases, trespassing and criminal mischief, the RCMP dropped the charges on the night before the case was to be heard. Ironically, upon my visit to Crown Council in Kamloops, looking for disclosure, both times, I was told that Crown Council had no file on these matters.
Finally, I would like to state that I find the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure’s actions absolutely do not support any concern for the public of BC. It is also my understanding that it is the duty of the Attorney General to look after the public rights in BC. As this is an election year in BC, I would respectfully request that this issue is resolved prior to the May election and that public access is restored to Corbett Lake.
I trust that you will take the necessary to properly research this important issue as I suspect that you may have been misinformed.
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Thank you for your time and I am eagerly awaiting your timely response.
Yours truly,
Rick L. McGowan"
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The Collusion is MUCH more than Obvious here...
Cheers,
Nog
