Editor,
This note is in response to last weeks article "Anti-Gas facts questioned" [The Chief, April 16]. I fail to see how the information presented at this meeting was not accurate. I would like to counter that the information provided at this meeting was accurate, however not complete.
Many of the presenters at the Save Garibaldi information meeting claimed not to be experts on the entire GAS development proposal; presenters did however share their expertise on aspects of the proposal that was within their scope of understanding.
First off, no one, including the proponent could be an "expert" on GAS. The GAS proposal is like a puzzle. The proponents with their development plans hold one piece of that puzzle. The provincial government in their mandate to increase recreation tourism opportunities in British Columbia, and ensure with the environmental assessment process that growth is sustainable, holds another piece of the puzzle.
Community members realizing the need for economic development in our region hold another piece of the puzzle. The Squamish Nation with their rich understanding of the areas local ecology holds another piece of the puzzle. The puzzle that constructs the GAS proposal is huge and very complex. So no one person could be an "expert" on GAS, as it takes our collective expertise to piece this puzzle together.
GAS offers both opportunity and challenge. Our community mission (2004) is to "Protect and enhance the liveability and sustainability of our community, and to embrace and benefit from the opportunities before us."
I encourage our local leadership to share with the community the GAS socio-economic report, and explore with our community if GAS and what it offers is in keeping with the community mission that guides our development.
Kimberley Armour
Squamish
