l-nielsen d30
Dear editor,
I have seen little support expressed for the Raven Coal mine in your newspaper's pages. I want to express my conditional support for its approval.
As a biologist I am thoroughly aware of the environmental review process of both Federal and Provincial governments. I believe they are so beaurocratic and excessive that I marvel at the spirit of any industrialists willing to propose any business in B.C.
My admiration extends to any small businessman with the chutzpah to throw themselves at the mercy of the system with the hope that they may earn the approval to be permitted to risk their capital and energy to create jobs in B.C. They must grovel and plead for the "privelege" to work their butts off to pay for our lavish lifestyles of free education and healthcare.
We have two choices: more mines, fish farms and industry in general, or massive spending cuts of our enormously bloated public sector, from the town level on up. I am happy with both but am aware most can tolerate neither. Doing neither industry nor cuts is even more unsustainable than the proposed coal mine so demonized by the unproductive vociferous wishful thinkers that seem to now occupy the majority.
Let us proudly dig out the coal, sell it to the world and pay down our debt. By saying no to productivity we will swell the ranks of those wanting homeless shelters. We are so in debt now we can't even afford to build a homeless shelter on credit for the few needy we have.
Say no to human industry, like the coal mine, and we will need homeless shelters the size of football stadiums without the funds to pay for a single bed.
Terry Nielsen
Courtenay