The public should be aware by now that British Columbia, has some of the toughest environmental regulations in the world, thereby protecting against the desecration of our environment.
I use the word desecration because I believe most British Columbians hold that the environment is sacred; it is just as true to mining people as it is to others of the public.
We (mining people) live in the communities. We breed the air and drink the water; and are just as concerned that our children inherit a clean environment as the rest of the public.
How well I can recall the great uproar/fuss and foolish comments made over the proposed Quinsam Coal Project, west of Campbell River, how the entire area was to be blackened with coal dust; how our rivers and streams were going to be destroyed by coal dust being carried by rain water into them.
Well, none of this has come to past and the Quinsam mine has been operating for 25 years. Quinsam Coal provides well paying jobs for workers from Courtenay and Campbell River. Similarly, the Raven Coal Mine should add many more jobs to help fill the need of unemployed workers from both the Courtenay and Campbell River areas.
The public can be assured that the regulations will protect the environment in and around the Raven coal project. If the regulations aren’t strong enough today, you can be assured it won’t take long before they are upgraded to meet what is needed to do the job.
Economically, pensioned off activists don’t give a damn if they never see any jobs created in there back yard. Being financially secure allows you to have time on your hands, however it is not a license to manipulate the economic system through environmental gong shows, such as those that have been directed at The Raven Coal project.
Those well off and privileged are likely to be against anything that moves them out of their comfort zone.
Joe Paquet
Campbell River