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LETTERS: Stay on leading edge of innovation

I read John Dressler’s letter and can’t disagree more.

Editor:

I read John Dressler’s letter and can’t disagree more.

The site “C” dam is obviously going to infringe on some individuals and for this I am sorry.

The problem with any large project is that someone is going to suffer.

The difficulty is that we are turning our backs on the things that made us prosperous and increased our standard of living. Look at the mess that Ontario is going through with electricity rates or Alberta that has been generating power with coal fired plants.

We are way ahead with our hydro produced electricity, supplemented by some green generation-wind, run of the river, etc. If LNG ever gets going it is going to need electricity or they will have to produce it themselves, increasing emissions.

Perhaps the financial benefit of a pipeline from Alberta is that we could sell electricity to them. We can keep putting large projects like Site C, Taseko’s Prosperity project and Kinder Morgan’s pipeline on hold, but at a price.

If we don’t get the good paying jobs that these projects bring, then we looking at a reduction in our standard of living.

We have to stay on the leading edge of innovation to achieve the productivity gains that keep us competitive in world markets. If a shark stops swimming, then it dies. If Canada stops developing and supplying resources, it will cease to be a viable place to live. Currently there is comfort that our income inequality is considerable less our U.S. neighbour.

We have stronger safety nets, greater longevity and a more equitable education system.

We cannot afford to be complacent and without more vigorous action [resource projects] to counteract the potential for a decreased way of life, we risk having the same level of resentment and malaise that led people in the U.S. to vote for Donald Trump.

Bill Carruthers

Williams Lake