To the editor:
Re: “NDP takes aim at Multi Material BC recycling ‘failure,’” March 28.
I understand that our government is planning to contract out to a new recycling provider starting this May, and that the newspaper industry is particularly concerned with this move as it will significantly add to their overhead costs.
It is widely known that the newspaper business is already struggling, as traditional sources of revenue have been in decline. What is unknown is whether print media will be able to survive this latest blow at all.
There is a fundamentally important issue at stake in this decision. Canada is a democracy, and democracies cannot function well without clear, reliable, and timely information being made available to their citizens on issues both local and national.
A much more important question here, then, is does the newspaper, beyond its business mandate, also play a larger role as a server of the public good?
I believe it does; newspapers in fact play an essential part in fostering an informed citizenry, which in turn form the bedrock of an effective democracy.
For this reason, I would ask Christy Clark to either reconsider the decision to move to a multi-national recycling provider for B.C., or to exempt/grandfather newspapers contractually from covering the added costs of recycling newsprint.
As citizens, we have far too much to lose collectively if we lose our B.C.-based newspapers due to this onerous new expense. This is collateral damage we cannot afford.
Hilary Reid
Vancouver
