Shawnigan Lake – Copy of a letter sent to all MLAs So how much does it take to convince Premier Christy Clark and Environment Minister Mary Polak that dumping toxic soil in the Shawnigan Lake watershed is a really bad idea?
How much does it take to convince them that, not only is the brand of the Liberal Party being tarnished, but, the brand of every politician at the Legislature is being identified as completely useless and ineffective?
How much does it take to make everyone involved realize that the financial hit in property values that the residents will be/are suffering, just to ensure that Mary Polak does not have to be embarrassed by a decision reversal, is a reprehensible injustice to the voters.
But even more important, how much does it take to convince the Ministry that polluting the area with five million tons of contaminated soil, when there are other alternatives, is a decision barely worthy of a cigar chomping, 50s era industrialist.
Because of the above, the little, unimportant, unimpressive, out-in-the-rhubarb village of Shawnigan Lake has had to take a stand and refuse to be bullied into submission by its own government. It is refusing accept the unacceptable,
forced to spend money on legal matters that should rightfully be going to worthy community projects.
The protests will not end. The blockades will escalate. B.C.’s reputation will be tarnished. All of this because one minister does not know the difference between good and bad policy?
And, what of the cost to the province? When this permit is rejected, and it will be, the province will be stuck with the clean-up, because you can be guaranteed that the proponent will declare bankruptcy and walk away from its responsibility. Every truckload (hundreds per month) will need to be removed, at the people’s expense.
So what is your worth as an elected official?
Are you disinterested because it is not in your riding? Are you suppressing your opinion in exchange for future considerations within your political club? Are you hanging the people of Shawnigan Lake “out to dry” because you really don’t have what it takes to be an elected representative?
It’s time to make your voice heard, and not in the backrooms, but, publicly. The 15,000 people who signed the petition to reverse the decision, which is being ignored by Mary Polak, will be grateful.
Al Brunet Shawnigan Lake
