To the Editor,
Re: Environmental value too high, Opinion, July 26.
Since 1955, as a tourist, and then in 1972, as a permanent resident, I’ve spent most of my leisure time camping and fishing throughout Vancouver Island and surrounding waters
Anyone, under similar circumstances, could not help but notice some of the violent tidal forces throughout the straits. The more violent being Johnston Straits, the Skookumchuk, Princess Louisa inlet, Campbell River, Dodd Narrows and the hundreds of islands common to these waters.
This cyclical event occurs approximately twice a day.
These waters are the natural habitat of a good percentage of all sea creatures and thousands of species of fowl.
Into this pristine scenario, if Stephen Harper’s proposal comes to fruition, huge tankers carrying millions of gallons of black crude oil, will attempt to navigate these waters.
It is not a question of “if” but “when” the first tanker runs aground.
It took only a few minutes of inattentiveness to cause the Queen of the North to hit a rock and sink. Imagine a tanker three hundred meters long attempting to manoeuvre these waters.
Do not allow Ottawa to lull you into believing safety precautions will prevent these accidents. The hundreds of shipwrecks around Vancouver Island are grim reminder of the treachery of local waters.
Within days, due to tidal activity, every shoreline from Cape Scott to the Straits of Juan De Fuca will be inundated with black crude, eventually migrating up and down the entire West coast.
The dire consequences are unimaginable.
Almost immediately, all commercial and recreational activity would cease. The very livelihood of a large portion of B.C. residents would be threatened. This project presents little benefit to B.C. and we would have to deal with the consequences.
That our B.C. government hasn’t raised opposition to this project is absolutely amazing. The cleanup would be insurmountable.
We are not opposed to exploiting our natural resourses, but not at the expense of our very existance.
Peter Vogt
Nanaimo