The horrible tragedy that struck early Sunday morning has hit us all very hard, and my thoughts and prayers are with the young woman in hospital in Vancouver, her family, and the MacDonald family.
I know both victims, and this is a cruel reminder of how precious life is, and how quickly everything can change. When you’re walking through something as tragic as this, it’s so important to know you’re not alone, and the community support has been amazing, as witnessed at the memorial service on Carson Drive Monday. It’s this support, that we see time and time again in Williams Lake, that gives me hope.
The government report concerning timber supply has certainly generated headlines, but a declining timber supply is nothing new to the Interior — it is why the three beetle action coalitions, including our Cariboo Chilcotin Beetle Action Coalition, were created years ago to work towards economic diversity and creating jobs.
This issue is a serious one, and we need certainty and clarity around the potential job loss numbers in the report, and we need to know all of the facts so we can work with the province and industry to find a way forward.
Whatever mitigation measures are taken need to conform to our community’s values. The city obviously has a huge interest in the timber supply, and the economic impact forestry has on Williams Lake.
We definitely will be monitoring this situation in the coming months. It also highlights the importance of New Prosperity and other potential mining operations in our area.
Finally, congratulations to the more than 60 graduates from Cariboo Chilcotin Aboriginal Training Employment Centre programs.
I was honoured to be invited to the awards ceremony last week, and I heard stories of young people already finding employment and launching their careers. Bravo!
Kerry Cook is the mayor of Williams Lake.
