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Think about spills

In response to Bernie Smith’s letter (The NEWS, Aug. 12) on the July 1 Not One Spill event.

In response to Bernie Smith’s letter (The NEWS, Aug. 12) on the July 1 Not One Spill event.

The 300 citizens holding the tape (not polypropylene rope) were not all Community to Protect our Coast (CPOC) members but mainly local residents, Smith’s neighbors.

This wasn’t a protest. Everybody had fun. Canada Day celebrations were not affected. No complaints were received.

CPOC do not “blindly follow the lead of politicians” — we are non partisan with no political leanings.

Smith’s comment on the slow development of alternative energy is a valid one. Greater investment in alternative energy could have taken place some years ago utilizing part of the profit from the oil industry, a point made by the ex-CEO of Suncor, Rick George, in his book Sunrise.

Although Smith’s long discourse on the cyclic nature of energy is entertaining, it has little to do with the event on July 1 — he has missed the point.

The purpose of the Canada Day event, which was in line with our mission statement, was to raise community awareness of one of the many issues surrounding oil spill risks, in this instance emphasizing the size of supertankers slated to navigate the restricted, turbulent waters of the Douglas Channel.

In that we were successful.

Bill Vinton

Parksville