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LETTERS: The real Black Friday

On Friday, Jan. 13, CP Rail derailed cars carrying between 120 and 160 metric tons of coal into the south Thompson River.

Editor:

On Friday, Jan. 13, CP Rail derailed cars carrying between 120 and 160 metric tons of coal into the south Thompson River.

Coal, the most polluting fuel, destined for China, no doubt, where it still is used for 60 to 70 per cent of their heating and industry, to cause the worst pollution on Earth.

Here in B.C. we are poised to bring more bitumen to Vancouver, that will blacken the beaches and shorelines with this tarry sludge, the lowest grade of oil that exists should there be a spill.

Meanwhile, politicians, with dollar signs in their eyes, are approving the Site C dam to flood land that can provide enough food to feed a million people annually, to provide hydro-electric power to the Tar Sands and Christy Clark’s LNG dream. How sick is that?

Here in Williams Lake plans are underway to burn up to 50 per cent creosoted rail ties in the local cogeneration plant to benefit CN Rail and Atlantic Power Corporation, which could add carcinogenic chemicals to the air shed.

And now the Federal Crown prosecutors moved to stay charges filed by Mining Watch Canada against Mt. Polley Mining Corporation, owned by Imperial Metals, for their disastrous spill of heavy metal tailings into Quesnel Lake two and one half years ago.

This was the worst mining disaster in the history of mining in North America, and polluted the deepest and purest fjord lake on this continent. No fines or penalties have been assessed, and the mine is back to full production.

This was Black Friday in my mind.

When will this insanity end? Not while there are industrialists and governments getting rich from exploiting our natural resources as they have for the past half century.

And the highly paid workers doing their dirty work keep paying the huge tax revenues to those running our province.

It makes me want to regurgitate. It is a sad state of affairs for beautiful British Columbia, and this continent.

Michael Atwood

Williams Lake