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Gas prices and water

Harding wrote that the paper does not advocate and won’t support any boycott of any local businesses.

Re: John Harding’s recent editorial on gas prices. Harding wrote that the paper does not advocate and won’t support any boycott of any local businesses. I can understand that stance, but providing us with the quotes he did from a consulting firm is nothing short of insulting our intelligence.

If we don’t pump enough gas here, then why are Tofino prices cheaper than ours? We don’t need those same old lame excuses. If Harding doesn’t want us to shop “with our feet” elsewhere, which is the age-old way of fighting back, then as our only local media voice why isn’t he leading the fight to stop us from being shafted. He should get all our local politicians involved also. We deserve better than more of the same old drivel we have had for years.

On another subject that affects us all (water) belated “congratulations” to Parksville council on its magnificent referendum win. They so badly scared the voters, less than 20 per cent turned out. What was the point in a vote anyway? We were told even if people voted against it would still go ahead and they would be put on boil water advisories.

The only reason this $35 million boondoggle is going ahead is because Island Health has moved the goalposts and changed the regulations. Why? If there isn’t a problem, why create one? The only water issue around here is lack of storage. Why wasn’t that money spent on infrastructure to solve that?

I hope this year that all the parties can get together and address this issue once and for all so we can get away from annual gnashing of teeth and cries of water shortage and restrictions. As everyone can plainly see, enough fresh water has fallen and run out to the ocean in the last two months alone to oversupply the whole region for the year. Let’s get on with it.

Mike BattamsParksvill