(Victoria) Canadian music legend Neil Young made a surprise appearance Saturday at a rally to protest old-growth logging outside the British Columbia Legislature.
Neil Young played acoustic guitar and harmonica and sang two songs: Comes A Timewhich has a chorus about tall trees, and its success heart of gold.
Neil Young, billed as a ‘special guest’, was not on the list of attendees at the event, where astonished protesters, many dressed as trees and wild animals, clapped frantically and sang heart of gold.
“Thank you Canada,” said Neil Young. You know I’m only here for those trees up there and it’s beautiful. It is a precious and sacred thing, these old trees, because they show us the power of nature when we are threatened. They show us the past and they show us our future. »
“I hope our Canadian government and businesses will recognize that this has to do with Canada,” he said. It has to do with ages, if we are blessed with ages. These trees have lasted so long that they deserve Canada’s respect. »
Earlier this month, the BC government introduced new approaches to managing timber resources to protect more old-growth trees from logging.
Prime Minister David Eby said the number of areas with logging postponed is higher than ever.
Old growth deferral is a British Columbia government program where areas of old growth forest slated for logging are deferred to a later date or not logged at all.
Carryover of old-growth logging now stands at 2.1 million hectares, up from 1.7 million hectares in last spring’s report, Eby said.
Neil Young was introduced by his wife, actress Daryl Hannah, who said the cold weather was giving him a bit of a brain freeze.
“Despite the complexities, the necessary and simple response is to do no harm,” she said. No further destruction. Love, support and respect your elders. »
“Please support another kind of senior, your fellow Canadian from small town Ontario. »
The hundreds of people at the rally cheered loudly as Neil Young, who appeared out of the blue, took the stage and began playing his harmonica.
In the crowd were many people dressed as elements of the forest, including trees, bears, owls and frogs.