Dear Sir:
I have been an ironworker/welder for more than 42 years and I have seen a lot of boom and bust in the industry and have yet to see a construction job or task last indefinitely. It has always been terminal.
I don’t want people to get the wrong impression of me, but when I see ads on TV that tell the public about how much is to be gained by LNG projects in B.C. I have to wonder where is all the hype about sustainable jobs for all.
Please don’t get me wrong. I have always supported new growth in this great province and country. Fact is I was told many moons ago that true growth is a reflection of how much new steel – buildings, infrastructure, dams, bridges, etc. – are put up in a year.
My problem is even though there may be 3,000 to 4,000 construction jobs at peak construction of these LNG plants the sustainable jobs that will last a long time will be very few, maybe 50 or 60 jobs once the construction is done, which may last for three or four years – maybe.
And is there no better place than Lelu Island for the planned Pacific NorthWest LNG plant near Prince Rupert?
Why should we infringe upon mother nature and interfere with habitat such as eel grass that support so many species of fish and wildlife right where this LNG plant and terminal would go.
I’m pretty sure that a better site could be found without putting our salmon and other fish stocks in jeopardy. What about Ridley Island or maybe even the old pulp mill site on Watson Island? If Lelu Island is used, it could put all the Skeenastocks in great peril which doesn’t seem right.
I hope that the federal government and Mr. Trudeau has a long ponder over this conundrum. I did vote for him. I support and believe that he is on the right track by reinstating the Coast Guard situation, something we should endorse and expand, rather than closing stations as Mr. Harper tried to do.
I hope that Mr. Trudeau can go even further by helping to protect natural resource areas that support so many fishing and tourist livelihoods in all of Canada, not just B.C.
Unfortunately I don’t think the province government seems to care as long as Premier Christy Clark gets her short term growth.
Again, I have to say all this LNG hype and speculation about long term growth will only be for the government through tax revenues which won’t help the little guy in the end.
Brian Parent,
Terrace, B.C.
