Editor:
They say opinions are like belly buttons – everybody’s got one.
While I’m flattered at the apparent authority Sophie Woodrooffe (“Look who’s talking trash now,” May 25) believed I had as mayor and regional board director nine years ago regarding the closure of the Pender dump, I can assure her I had only one vote at the regional board table. Decisions then – as now – were decided by majority.
Ms. Woodrooffe fails to mention a key piece of information considered by elected representatives of the day: the fact that the Ministry of Environment had grave concerns about the site contamination being caused by leachates. That was the major issue the board of the day resolved.
Those responsible for regional waste management are the current regional district directors. Like the manufactured water crisis of today, these situations are exacerbated by poor staff advice and board paralysis.
Attempting to assign responsibility to a single director from 2009 for a present-day quandary is inane. Perhaps it’s time the true culprits for this latest avoidable SCRD dilemma be called out. I’m sure not going to assess blame. The voters can do that in October.
Barry Janyk, Gibsons
