I am moving to Calgary at the end of the month and wish to say how important it has been that you have enabled me to express my views. Even though I am 84, I still want to contribute, even though I do not have a computer.
This is my last letter to you and two things to contribute my ideas.
The main one, the pipeline, if built it will inevitably have a spill and ruin B.C’s land and seas.
I was a Conservative monthly supporter, but I canceled my membership. I told them if they push through the pipeline, I will never support them again. I am not against the tar sands, but it is a non-renewable resource.
Canada, of all the countries in the world, needs oil now and in the future. We should be refining our crude in Canada, not shipping anymore abroad.
This is especially true about refining aviation fuel. The north needs aviation fuel to function.
I was shocked when there was a report that a fire in a refinery in Washington State resulted in their not being able to supply aviation fuel to Vancouver Airport. We shipped crude to their refinery, they made the profit from refining. We should have a refinery in southern B.C. just heard they wish to build a refinery in Kitimat, but this would also require crude oil pipeline across B.C.
That refinery should be built in Northern Saskatchewan or Northern Alberta for aviation fuel.
We are already planning to profit from an abundance of natural gas, processing it in Kitimat to sell to the far east. We have abundant supplies of natural gas and it does not do environmental damage.
I would suggest we all look at the mileage by flying from Europe across the pole to say Churchill, Manitoba. They could stop over and then fly to Japan, Hong Kong, also across the North Pole. We would have the aviation fuel.
I envision huge cargo planes, built by Bombardier, flying directly overseas with cargoes of bulk macaroni. Produce from our own wheat, produced in our own factories
We would no longer just be suppliers of basic commodities.
Natural gas should be sent to Ontario to build generating facilities and get rid of nuclear power. I suggest you look up the billions the Ontario and general governments spend yearly for disaster insurance. That’s money saved, without nuclear power.
My second viewpoint is the dairy industry. The main reason the U.S. has cheap milk is that they give their herds drugs to increase production. This practice is banned in Canada because the milk has a detrimental effect on the health of consumers, especially children.
I would not drink this milk. I also do not eat cheap eggs produced in factories. The hens are fed antibiotics. Same with farmed fish.
We should encourage local produce and watch for food contaminated with antibiotics and drugs.
Patricia Meadows
Parksville