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Don't complain: we need new industry

A writer wonders what we'd do without new industrial development

Dear Editor,

I can’t believe how the people of this province can be so negative about everything that is happening here. I can only wonder if the people who complain and try to stop any new development such as the two pipelines or the two or three new mines ever ask themselves where the money comes from to keep our province running. It seems that every time we watch the news there are different protest groups trying to stop the forest industry or the oil and gas recovery or the building of a new mine anywhere. I wonder if they ever stop and wonder where the gas to heat their homes, or the wood to build those homes, comes from; or the paved roads that we drive on and the gas and diesel that powers our vehicles and keeps our economy moving.

It just doesn’t appear out of thin air; it all has to be moved by rail, truck, or pipeline to a spot where we can have access to the products that we are so dependent on. Let’s face reality: without heavy industry to help pay taxes we sure would not be able to enjoy the lifestyle or the education that is so important to our way of life. So let’s wake up, people, and embrace the engine that keeps our economy strong and supplies much-needed employment to those who would rather work than sit back and complain about everything that is going to make our province a better and more prosperous place to live.

There is a lot more that I would like to say, but I hope that this letter at least gets people thinking

Darrell R. Rawcliffe

Cache Creek