Dear editor,
I am writing this letter to voice my total shock and disbelief regarding a recent editorial published in the Comox Valley Record in which the editor basically makes the statement that businesses and business friendly people have no "social conscience."
As a longtime citizen of the Comox Valley, I have witnessed how our local business community both small independent and corporate entities alike have strongly and consistently supported our local charities, social programs and community activities with not only monetary donations but also by volunteering their personal time and also encouraging their employees to do so.
Most recently this is supported by an article in the very same issue of the paper which detailed how one of our local corporate citizens was nationally recognized for its contribution to our local community.
It is fairly obvious that this was an attempt by the editor to influence the outcome of the upcoming civic elections and I do not dispute his right to do so.
However, I feel that it is unacceptable for anyone to promote this type of social profiling and discrimination and it is particularly unbecoming for those who profess to have a "social conscience."
If this is truly the opinion of the publishers of this paper, I don't know if I could blame members of our business community for perhaps rethinking where they should be spending their advertising dollars.
Mike Johnson,
Miracle Beach
Editor's note (on behalf of publisher Jo Ross): Please accept my apology for not choosing my words more carefully while trying to cover a lot of ground in a very limited space. May I reassure anyone who misinterpreted my words, I would not be so unfair or dimwitted to state that being in business and having a social conscience are mutually exclusive. What I meant was that some candidates place a higher priority on it, and brand themselves accordingly.
On another point, Mr. Johnson is correct. I did attempt to influence the outcome of the municipal elections — by encouraging people to vote, and know who they are voting for.