Caring people create change
Re: Enbridge protest shortsighted, Letters - Oct. 25 - 31
News Flash: The 3,500 folks who showed up on the legislative lawn last Monday are concerned about our environment. It was not an "anti-prosperity" protest, but rather an anti-exploitation (of our natural resources) protest. There are far more economical opportunities in creating "green" initiatives and promoting renewable and sustainable businesses than in pillaging the last few drops of oil from Mother Earth. If we kill off all our treasured sea-life, blackening our magnificent coastlines with crude oil, what would attract tourists to this jewel of the west? How does that bring in the money? Change happens when caring folks get off the couch and make a stand.
Nancy Raycroft,Victoria
Sowing seeds of job-loss fear
With the current shaky state of many national economies, our provincial and federal governments have become adept at sowing fear of lost job opportunities and economic ruin in individuals such as Mr. Perry whenever someone has the temerity to question the advisability of embarking on industrial projects such as the Northern Gateway Pipeline. The pipeline project will actually provide relatively short-term jobs in the construction phase, and few long-term pipeline maintenance jobs. For this we are asked to risk the huge economic (and environmental) loss of the north coast commercial and sportsfishing industries, and eco-tourism should a tanker spill bitumen during the treacherous journey through Douglas Channel.
Murray Goode,Saanich
Oil disasters mean job boost
Mr. Perry considers opposition to the proposed Enbridge pipeline shortsighted because it prevents job creation. To pipeline opponents, the jobs the project would bring simply aren't worth the risk. If job creation trumped all other concerns, and if this project went through, we might as well hope for plenty of disasters. Think of all the clean-up jobs this would create!
Helmut Beierbeck,Victoria