Questioning Ajax’s suitability

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• EDITORIAL: Ajax’s about-face raises questions

Editor:

Every decision involving municipalities and their citizens across B.C. should directly reflect a clear understanding of what the potential risks are to the local environment.

Short-term and long-term environmental implications must be taken into consideration as they will have an irreversible effect on the quality of life we take for granted, residing in one of the most beautiful locations in Canada.

If environmental damages are a real threat, the negative economic effects will show through the lack of tourism revenue, including golfing, that is generated annually in this jurisdiction.

Every citizen in Kamloops and the greater surrounding small municipalities should be granted the opportunity to answer and vote on the following two questions:

1) Is the establishment of the Ajax copper and gold mine necessary to ensure the economic stability and consistency of this municipality?

2) If found absolutely necessary, are the environmental costs, short and long term, worth the job security (to the entire community) this mine would provide?

I suspect the costs (recognized and unrecognized at present) to our beloved community would outweigh the small number of jobs this mine would create.

Either way, environmental experts need to provide their expertise clearly and concisely before we move forward in either direction.

As letter writer C. Schimpf stated previously, this is a foreign enterprise (Polish) eager to open this mine on city property.

This is not where their executives send their children to school. This is not where their city parks exist.

This is our home. Are we prepared for the consequences, be it positive or negative, this mine will bring?

These are the questions that need to be discussed, validated and debated by every citizen living in the Kamloops area.

Brenda L. A. Walsh

Kamloops