Opinion

Editor: This declaration on Oct. 17 is a damning indictment of our local elected officials and a testament to the years of complacency and mismanagement concerning the water storage and supply issue.

'The local elections have passed and a new group of political representatives await the start of their term in office. Lessons should have been learned during this election that the new mayor and council would do well to ponder.'

Water is abundant here, Shortages we’re told to fear. Snow and rain and mountains green, In creeks and lakes it can be seen. Aquifers are in the ground. To use this water we are bound, Pipes are needed, wells and dams.

'What the campaign seeks is a fair contribution from the oil companies for their contribution to the damages.'

Editor: In her letter to you last week Johanna van den Broeke offers many practical suggestions re saving water — some of which I remember using last time we had Stage 4 restrictions here in Gibsons, and some I had never thought of before.

'Well, we’ve voted. Decisions were made. And now many will just go on and complain later. The truth is...it’s not over. For the newer folks up here, please investigate your local community association.'

'The SCRD announced a two million litre per day drop in water usage between September and October, attributing it to the conservation actions of its citizens. Clearly that is a factor, but do the math – there was lots of short-term rental occupancy all summer through September, much less in October'

Those who talk loudly on cellphones in public places are acting as though others are A) invisible, B) deaf, or C) insignificant, so why not make eye contact, laugh at their jokes and add your own two cents’ worth?

'It is hard to admit that the party is over. We have already used all the easy access water reservoir sources. The additional sources will be more expensive to access, so we need to be willing to pay more for containment.'

The B.C. government has resisted the temptation of trying to replicate an Expo 86 economic bounce