Responding to Bob Campsall

A letter to the editor responding to Bob Campsall's comments in last week's "Jumbo" article

Bob Campsall:  “I didn’t really think he (MLA George Abbott ) answered on knowledge, … If you were to ask him about the grizzly bear report…he would not know,”

I wonder if  Abbott knows the number of Grizzlies hunted & killed in the Purcell Wilderness Conservancy? I wonder if MLA Abbott knows the number of forestry jobs lost in the Columbia Valley?

Twenty years of ‘unbiased’ studies demonstrated that the resort is no threat to bears. In a thousand years Jumbo resort could not impact as many bears as hunting does in five years.

If Whistler’s one billion dollars of economic activity had to be created by logging; how many valleys would have to be logged to create one billion dollars of economic activity?

Campsall stated the article by Bruce Kirkby in the Globe and Mail was “…extremely well-balanced”.

It is interesting that the article came out on Wildsight’s page the day before. The Globe and Mail has refused requests by supporters and the proponent to be allowed an opportunity to rebut Kirkby’s article. That would be considered balanced journalism by anyone’s standards, but not the Globe and Mail.

Campsall:  “The taxpayers would have to fund the mountain road,…” Campsall should oppose the $300,000 plus spent keeping the road to the Mineral King mine site open for RK Heli-ski. Without this subsidy my guess is RK would not be profitable.  When it comes to the road the Jumbo proponents are not asking for special treatment.

Campsall: “it’s time to take a second look.”

After 20 years of studies and reviews you would think Bob would know that it wouldn’t be a ‘second look’,  it would probably be a 33rd look…with the first 32 demonstrating that the opponents claims and reports have all been wrong.

Campsall:  “There is so much wrong with the Jumbo proposal. Environmentally, it’s a disaster. Socially, economically…”

Twenty years of reviews found the proposal was in the public’s interest. In the Columbia Valley thousands have moved away due to lost forestry jobs, tourism is at a precarious stage. School enrollment is way down. They say that the loss of forestry and fishing jobs across B.C. has had a direct affect on the explosion of  grow ops in B.C….apparently unemployment and poverty is good social policy in Bob’s world?

Campsall,: “Clearly the government is not unaware of climate change,…”

Climate change will affect every other ski area in B.C. before it even begins to affect Jumbo,  that’s one of the reasons to build it,  it might be the last one standing. Jumbo is a unique and perfect location and perfect elevation. Jumbo will have a diverse group of customers, climate change will not adversely affect it. The combination of glaciers, the lake, skiing, gondolas to the high alpine, proximity to Panorama and other existing infrastructure will provide various revenue streams that existing resorts do not have.

It’s time to let Jumbo fly!

Sincerely, Ian McKenzie

(Formerly of Panorama) Regina, SK