Editor:
Re: Councillor crossed line, June 3 letters.
While living in White Rock, I got to know Grant Meyer and supported his successful bid for White Rock city council, and his continuing efforts to improve the quality of life for the people of White Rock.
Therefore I feel compelled to correct the misleading and disturbing letter accusing Meyer of being a scab.
First, letter-writer Mary Garner misused the word “scab.” A scab is someone who crosses a picket line to perform work undertaken by striking workers.
Nothing of the kind occurred. Meyer crossed the picket line to take part in a city council meeting, as a representative of the people who elected him (Councillor ‘obligated’ to cross picket line, June 3).
Second, Garner’s application of that term falsely maligns Councillor Meyer. He comes from a family of proud union workers and labour-movement supporters, one of whom for example served as a secretary to former NDP premier Michael Harcourt.
Anyone who is acquainted with and/or who has spoken with Meyer knows his understanding and his passionate support for the working people of B.C., their wanting to have fair working conditions, decent wages and, above all, an opportunity to strive for an excellent quality of life for themselves and for their families and loved ones.
For those right reasons, Meyer has taken every step he could to avoid crossing the picket line (Councillor frustrated outside of picket line, May 15), which could have been avoided had CUPE formally allowed elected officials to cross when they had to perform their official duties.
Brendan B. Read, Belmar, N.J.
• • •
Letter-writer Mary Garner had the gall to state union parlance would define White Rock Coun. Grant Meyer as a “scab” and a “marked man.”
Unions are respectable and important organizations, and there is no union in North America that would condone a citizen publicly attacking one of its members with outrageous and fictitious accusations.
Garner would be better off educating herself and learning the definition of the word ‘scab’ before using it maliciously against public figures. I believe in free speech, but I believe in speaking the truth freely.
I have met Meyer on several occasions and discussed our wonderful city. During the recent strike, Meyer held meetings in local coffee shops and, in fact, used Tourism White Rock’s boardroom to carry on the crucial business of our city in order to respect the picket lines.
Meyer is a man of the highest integrity and optimistic vision who never says a bad word about anybody. Meyer cares deeply about our city and works tirelessly for its citizens.
I believe in free speech, I believe in White Rock and I believe in Grant Meyer.
Susan Strangway, White Rock
