I refer to MP James Lunney’s self-serving rant in last week’s guest column (‘Lunney answers Burger’, The NEWS, March 6).
The new construction projects Lunney mentions were a result of the 2009-10 recession stimulus programs that Lunney, as our MP, had nothing to do with.
All the G7 countries implemented a stimulus program in those recession years regardless of what party was in government at the time.
Most projects that Lunney mentions are not even in his riding, and the ones that are were all made available through applications by the various groups and municipalities dealing directly with the federal agencies offering them. Not through any efforts by Lunney.
The message I am getting from Lunney’s letter is that we on Vancouver Island should be grateful for the less than five cents on the dollar we receive back from total taxes we pay to the federal government.
In his guest column, Lunney tries to take credit for all the money the feds have spent on Vancouver Island over the last 10 years, but let’s instead take a look at his abysmal failures:
• not a word from Lunney regarding (DFO) long term and continued mismanagement of the Pacific fishery;
• not a word from Lunney for creating a dangerous situation caused by his government in closing the Kitsilano Coast Guard Station;
• not a word from Lunney on muzzling and firing Canadian Government scientists;
• not a word from Lunney for government’s sickening and despicable treatment of our young injured veterans.
• And not a word from Lunney for his much-less-than-courteous policy on returning correspondence to business owners and constituents in his riding.
There will be no legacy worth mentioning for Lunney in my opinion and Parksville Mayor Chris Burger is right — there has been some really poor-quality leadership and vision in our area on all levels for some time now.
Brian Jenkins
Parksville