To the Editor,
I attended a meeting recently to learn more about McLaughlin Ridge, which is in our watershed and about Island Timberlands activities on the ridge. As I listened to the speakers, I thought who is a neighbour and what is a good neighbour?
A neighbour can be the people who live next door. The people who live in the neighbourhood. A commercial business located near where we live.
Island Timberlands certainly carry out their business close enough to Port Alberni to have an impact on our daily lives. This qualifies them to be a neighbour.
The next question I posed, is, what is a good neighbour? To me a good neighbour is one who respects my space and who works with me to keep the neighbour clean and safe.
I would not think of draining my excess water on to my neighbour’s yard. I would not think of dumping garbage or unwanted soil, woody debris, etc. on my neighbour’s yard. I would not put up some monstrosity and block his view.
Does Island Timberlands qualify as a good neighbour as their posted signs in many of the communities where they work would suggest?
They have chosen to ignore research stating the need to protect McLaughlin Ridge. They have chosen to ignore a commitment made by Weyerhaeuser to keep the ridge intact.
What does this mean to us? McLaughlin Ridge is part of the Port Alberni watershed. Cities like Victoria and Vancouver have jurisdiction over their watersheds. We don’t.
Has Island Timberlands asked us, the residents of Port Alberni, if and how we want our watershed logged? Are they a good neighbour?
Ronald Stephenson,
Port Alberni
