“There is no more neutrality in the world. You either have to be part of the solution, or you're going to be part of the problem.” – Eldridge Cleaver
It’s not the easiest thing to do, to keep the Big Picture top of mind. We all have immediate needs and desires, things that seem logical based on our respective small and insular worlds. But when one pulls back and remembers that we are all part of a larger whole, the truth comes into focus. And suddenly you can’t un-see it.
We all bear life’s challenges the best way we know how. When we learn new, uncomfortable information, the trick is to not put our head in the sand. As an adult there is a time when you have to hear – perhaps even seek out – the truth, take responsibility, and do something about it.
Which is why this municipal election has become a lightning rod for our community. The proposed Woodfibre liquefied natural gas plant is at the forefront of many residents’ minds, but it’s not just as simple as: Should we or shouldn’t we? (And yes, it remains to be seen how much influence our community can have with a provincial government determined to grab the resources it can and declare economic victory.)
When I pull back, I clearly see how the damages – because they aren’t just risks anymore – outweigh the benefits.
Science-based fact tells us of global warming, that our oceans are acidifying, that we are wreaking havoc on our aquifers by fracking for petroleum products that could just as easily be left in the ground in favour of pursuing other more conscionable, renewable forms of energy, that we are destroying the very soil we need for healthy agriculture to feed our growing population, which is forecasted to grow to 9 billion by 2050.
Matthew Spiegl, a lawyer and environmentalist, recently wrote an op-ed piece published by The Huffington Post that poignantly states: “There is the next generation to think of, and generations to come after that, which haven't had a chance to speak up, to vote for the future they want, ensure the life they deserve or save the Earth they need.”
Which reminds me of the seventh generation principle, based on Iroquois philosophy, that says the decisions we make today should result in a sustainable world seven generations into the future. I recently had a lengthy discussion with business leader Ezra Cipes, CEO of Summerhill Pyramid Winery. He suggested that if a political party could be formed on the federal level abiding these principles, our country would have the potential to become a revolutionary world leader, not to mention pave the way for a sustainable future for Canada. The Seventh Generation Party. Just think of it.
So when I hear municipal candidates suggest Squamish needs to build its industrial tax base for the health of the community on the back of a foreign-owned LNG plant on Howe Sound, I shake my head. If you believe that, then you support fracking – there’s no two ways about it. And fracking is bad for our Earth. Period.
Sure we need to broaden our tax base. Our infrastructure and services demand it. But there’s no point in stopgap measures that cause more harm than good. For someone to get my vote, that candidate and I need to agree on some very basic things. I require strong leadership by individuals who are bold and ready to move our community smartly forward in a way that takes into account not just the next 10 years but the next 100 – perhaps even the next 1,000.
I’m good with shouldering a bit more tax until we can sustainably support our town for the greater good of our province and our children’s country. I can sleep with that on my conscience.
Now you have some choices to make. Or, you can stick your fingers in your ears and sing “la la la” at the top of your lungs. But it’s not going to change the facts. We’re only going to get one shot at getting this right. So let’s roll up our sleeves and figure it out.
Kirsten Andrews offers Simplicity Parenting courses, workshops and private consultations in the Corridor and Lower Mainland. Visit Sea To Sky Simplicity Parenting on Facebook or www.SeaToSkySimplicityParenting.com
