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Now I'm Pissed (09.15.00)
"I've had all I can takes and I can't takes no more!" That's right, Bryan's pissed and he's ready to rant! When I first accepted the task of writing this column I was concerned for a moment that I wouldn't have topics to write about every 2 weeks. Then for the first time since November 20th I was actually thankful for the clowns who were elected to municipal office.
No, they're not all clowns...truth be known, over the past couple months I have been pleasantly surprised by some of their levelheaded thinking. But, unfortunately for Squamish we're back to slate politics. Only this time, instead of a group powerful enough to provide balance for Mayor's crazy notions, we have Tweedle-dumb's unstable relatives adding fuel to the irrational fire that burns brightly every second Tuesday. Oh, yeah I'm choked! And my blood is boiling because my defenses were down. Let me explain.
For the last month or so we've enjoyed some spectacular sun and fun. Heck, most of us even forgot about the woodchip debacle for a day or two. So, on Labor Day I went for a bike ride to enjoy the last day of summer before the kids went back to school and the rest of us got back to the grind. At the top of a mind-numbing climb I stopped to enjoy the view of our beautiful valley and I happened upon a very creative/confusing piece of art. It was a white piece of metal that looked like a hunk off of a truck body. And on it was painted in thick black letters: "Vent your spleen with corrupt Corinne". Wow, I seriously have NO idea what it means but it reminded me that beneath the sunshine and lollipops of summer there was a disturbingly quiet Mayor and Council.
And now, Council is back in session. At the September 5th council meeting it was put forward that Council will ask the Olympic Bid Committee, through our local MLA, to ensure that any Olympic development will have NO negative impact on the forest industry or the Squamish economy. HA HA aaahhhh. Man, I tell ya, if I wasn't laughing I'd be crying. First of all it's my understanding that the only forestry company that might be affected by the Olympics is Western Forest Products and instead of raising a stink they're working to find a solution. From the beginning they've been on board with numerous site visits. So the only thing council is doing is putting it on the record that they have concerns about the forestry industry. Or as it looks from here, they just want everyone to know that sure, they've been quiet for a couple weeks, but don't worry, their heads are still buried in the sand!
FOR PETE'S SAKE, When are they going to take off their blinders and finally accept that forestry is not the entire future of Squamish! Yes forestry will still play an integral part in Squamish's economy but times change, and as the last Ministry of Finance 'Business Indicators' survey shows, forestry only accounts for 14 percent of what drives the Squamish economy where as tourism accounts for 26 percent! As well another poll just releases finds that residents in Squamish (including those in the forest industry) support a shift away from a reliance on logging and more emphasis on tourism and recreation.
OH I'm not done yet. Another beaut from the meeting
was a brilliant quote... that Squamish doesn't want to become a bedroom
community to Whistler. Uh, why not? Is the problem with the increase in
revenue.. OH I know, if we do become a bedroom community to Whistler and
Vancouver (which we already are) people might actually support downtown
businesses and then Mayor and Council's plans to effectively destroy the
downtown core will be thwarted. But if I was them, I wouldn't lose sleep
about it. They've already proved to us that the downtown core is just
an industrial park whether you like it or not. *Cough*cough* Sorry, the
woodchip dust is a little too thick in here. So, where does this leave
us? Hanging in the wind, my friends. What can you do to help? Keep informed,
keep active, and don't let them screw up your children' s future!
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