Indeed forestry is first on the NDP's list. NDP's political base (enviro's and lower income folks) love parks and trees. Unions are the closest in terms of support of industry.

Mining is ugly to the enviros and environmentally minded folks but I think that even they rationalize the very minor footprint it leaves on the landbase compared to forestry which is everywhere across the province and individual cut blocks approach the same scale of footprint as smaller mines in spatial terms. The issues of tailings and heavy metals are the second 'sound bite' that often doesn't reach anyone's ears.

Not much of the forest sector remains unionized. Only a few company logging operations (WFP inc mostly?) remain unionized. Mills are the last bastion of the union worker. The bigger players (Canfor, West Fraser) went to a contractor model years ago. WFP is working hard to follow. The forest sector is working hard to engage with the NDP candidates and get a read on where their policies might be headed and try to represent their plight. The Mtn Pine Beetle is taking a lot of decision room away from everybody. A dead forest is tough to milk.

I don't agree with Webgogs that the NDP will quash all mining everywhere. They have some political savy. Top of the list of projects that they will fight would be the Gateway project. BC Premier Clark (Liberal) recognizes this and hence is getting tough on the project to curry some support from the NDP base. http://thetyee.ca/CanadianPress/2012/07/23/Northern-Gateway-Hearings-19498226/

WRT mining, I see the NDP re-vamping the EA process and the tax regime to their favour/platform and sacrificing a few projects on the alter of 'sustainability'. The lack of critters, fish and FN issues at SC should insulate us from changes to the EA process.

The NDP ran the province on and off for a few decades and some mines went thru. Webs is implying that everything will come to a hard stop. I dont' agree.