Editor:
I read with some incredulity and disappointment, the Coast Reporter's "view" article by Cathie Roy (Coast Reporter, Jan. 31).
I am a little surprised to find that taking my support away from a business because of its position on an issue of one sort or another is now "bullying."
I assume that means if I tell an oil company I won't give them my business anymore if they ship their oil via the Gateway pipeline, or if I tell Loblaws I won't buy their products because of their Joe Fresh Labour policy, I must be a bully.
When any business, and I stress the word "business" as opposed to an "individual," takes a highly visible position on an issue of any sort, they should know that they risk alienating some element of their existing or future customer base.
If one or many of that base chooses to tell the business that they will no longer support them because of their position, they are in my view, simply vocalizing what many or perhaps most, of those alienated will do, without actually going to the trouble of telling the business.
On the other hand, when a business owner or manager make a statement on a personal level, that is a right all free thinking reasonable people support, including the author of the letter in question, I am sure.
I do not support the use of the word "bully," in the article. It was name-calling and only serves to ratchet up the tensions between two legitimate positions on The George Hotel.
Mike Bonkoff
Gibsons
