I was born and raised on Vancouver Island. I love it here, as do my teenagers, now in high school, we are blessed and proud to be Vancouver Islanders!
Thinking about the very near future when they will be going into the work force and supporting themselves and their families. It is a sad fact that they will probably be moving away from home, our beautiful Island to raise their families, to work for a living.
I hope that parents all over the Island will open their eyes to helping to ensure that their kids can raise their families here where we are, not visiting every year.
We can help by supporting the heavily scrutinized and environmentally-sound resource companies who can provide so many high-paying jobs that our communities so desperately need.
The provinces that promote and allow mining are getting our young workers, our family members. Our kids will pay taxes as well as the rich people who move here.
We worked so hard to live here because it is worth it. Help our kids to be able to live their lives here, not return years later when they have worked long enough to be able to afford it.
The Raven Coal Project will provide hundreds of good jobs. Good jobs lead to growth of every aspect of our communities, from construction, to retail and service, etc. I would feel better for my sons and daughters to work in a safe, supervised mine than on a fishboat in the ocean or labouring deep in the forest with chainsaws, cables, and heavy equipment on a steep mountain- plus forestry and fishing jobs are in very short supply.
Connie McCombs
Nanoose Bay