Editor:
I would like to see the Taseko Mines project at Fish Lake be given the green light.
Anyone who says there would be no economic benefit from this can’t have a firm grip on reality.
Five hundred people working directly, another 300 indirectly, wages, taxes collected, on and on.
These are all undeniable wealth creators. B.C. has the highest unemployment rate in Canada outside of the chronically depressed Maritimes.
Here in Williams Lake, most people suspect that one of our big sawmills will shut down permanently.
Mount Polley was projected to be a 10-year mine; it has run for 12. We can hope, but not count on, it running for more than five years.
A mine is a livelihood provider and financial generator.
Not everyone can be a social worker or a politician.
Money to pay for programs and wages comes from industry and resources.
If we are going to let unreasonable environmentalists determine policy, perhaps we would look closely at how we utilize our tax dollars.
1) Should we be trying to provide universal free daycare for all children? How do we pay for it?
2) What about free abortion on demand? Should we be paying for 10,000 terminations a year?
3) Should we be spending $85,000 a year to maintain a social deviant for life in prison?
Meanwhile, we only provide a single parent in need on social assistance with maybe $15,000 a year.
Why not capital punishment for psychopathic, mad-dog behaviour, such as kidnapping, torture, and murder?
And streamline the process so criminal lawyers don’t drag it out for 10-15 years and make a fortune at taxpayers’ expense?
Rather, for the mine, let’s have a “can-do” attitude.
When I moved to Likely in 1973, there was a billboard proclaiming the Bullion Pit gold mine, the biggest man-made hole in the world.
Now that is an achievement to be proud of, the spirit and heritage that, in part, defines the Cariboo.
Alan Trenzek
Williams Lake