Dear Editor:
The inscription on the Peace Arch at the Canada/ U.S. border reads, "Children of a common mother" but although our British parent may be the same, our approaches to moving governments to action differs.
The U.S. was born through a revolution and a Declaration of Independence that began "We the people ." By contrast, Canada was born, quietly 90 years later, through evolution, with reliance on ". Peace, Order and good Government ." The contrast in our beginnings persists to this day in our attitudes to changing the direction of projects like the transhipment and export of coal to Asia.
Washington State's Whatcom County (population 200,000-plus) has received 125,000 public comments over a 12-day comment period that culminated in a 140-page report by three federal, state and local agencies on the environmental impact of expansion of the Cherry Point Gateway Pacific Terminal to handle coal from the ominously named Powder River Basin.
By contrast, our city councillors and New Westminster Environmental Partners have only recently jumped on the "Coal Train" - the moral equivalent of running to catch up to lead a parade past the reviewing stand - a parade started by Quayside and Queensborough resident petitions.
I have listened to New Westminster provincial candidates on the coal transhipment facility. All but Terry Teather and James Crosty cede the issue to "federal jurisdiction" or being a "done deal." The May 9 Community Dialogue on Coal and Climate Change meeting at Surrey City Centre Library from 6: 30 to 8: 30 p.m. will hopefully change this provincial apathy.
Our MPs have written letters to the federal government ministers responsible, but can they sway Port Metro Vancouver to be as proactive as their U.S. counterparts to protect the health, safety and environment of the million-plus folks between White Rock and Texada Island?
Permitting this coal facility at Fraser Surrey Docks by public relations rather than through public hearings is outrageous.
Our U.S. neighbours are listened to and protected, and we up here in Canada are not.
People in the U.S. push back on "done deals," and their successful efforts to keep coal out of their backyards have nudged the black stuff squarely into our front yard - demonstrating, perhaps, that, "we the people." is more effective than reliance on, "peace, order and good government." E. C. "Ted" Eddy, via email
