Letter to Williams Lake Tribune Editor

A Likely resident writes a great letter to the Editor of the Williams Lake Tribune.

"April 26, 2017 Editor:

There is nothing new about dishonesty in politics and that politicians can be quite brazen about telling lies, and as such, I have concerns about the honesty and integrity of the BC Liberal party in regard to protecting the environment. My concern in this particular case is the recent discharge permit approval given to Mount Polley Mine (MPMC) to continue effluent discharge into Quesnel Lake, even as no mitigation of the effects of the 25,000,000 M3 spill into the lake has yet to occur. It is likely, including the breach and the turbid waters and effluent discharged down Hazelton Creek since 2014, that to date over 50,000,000 M3 of mine waste has been discharged into once pristine Quesnel Lake. Christy Clark, Liberal Premier, visited Likely in August 2014 and stood on the shores of Quesnel Lake and told us about Quesnel Lake: “…a pristine resource for everybody ... be with you, shoulder to shoulder ... to return it to the real pristine beauty…this lake is for our province ... this is just such an incredible, incredible asset ...” And yet on April 7, 2017, her Liberal government approved the discharge permit for MPMC that will allow up to another 60,000,000 M3 of mine effluent to be discharged into Quesnel Lake over the next six years. The future beyond that is somewhat murky, just like the fate of Quesnel Lake. Christy, how is this “return it to the real pristine beauty” that even you acknowledged Quesnel Lake once was? The local Liberal MLAs (Coralee Oakes and Donna Barnett) have said little and done even less to support local residents trying to protect Quesnel Lake from further degradation, but have sat silently by on the sidelines, obviously just following party lines. I certainly will not suggest to anyone how they should vote in the upcoming election, but I do request that everyone who cares about Quesnel Lake, and the environment in general, to please consider the Liberal environmental track record when you go to the polls to vote on May 9, 2017. And hey, Christy and Mary (Polak, Minister of Environment), I understand there is an all--‐ candidates meeting in Likely on April 30, 2017. I invite you to attend with the local MLAs, to please explain to the local residents how your Liberal government’ action has protected “ust such an incredible, incredible asset,”known to us as the formerly pristine Quesnel Lake.

Doug Watt Likely, BC