Re: "Climate Kid Deserves to be Heard," Letters, June 5.
It appears that Port Metro Vancouver has taken a defensive stance over the exporting coal issue and that is an unwise move. Good public opinion is important to the running of any business. PMV seems to be shirking responsibility and excusing its lack of consciousness, which is in its mandate, as a "means to a way out" - a rather big pollution in itself.
Maybe the coal is not so damaging to our environment here as it will be somewhere else, but PMV's attitude certainly looks to be diseased. It is unfortunate that being selfishly tunnel-vi-sioned can be a problematical trait in humans. This refusal to accept accountability is a "sickness" and could possibly be very harmful in the long run.
People have every right to be involved and included in anything that will affect their health and well-being. Port Metro Vancouver wants to expand its facilities to accommodate American coal. The American ports will not ship this stuff out to their Asian customers. Why is that? Maybe because it's a filthy product that these ports (or the people living around the ports) don't want to deal with? Did PMV not expect to run into any opposition here for possibly the very same reason?
There is another reason I feel disturbed by Port Metro Vancouver's expansion development plan. Could these expanded facilities be used as a possible destination point for an oilsands pipeline route proposal in the future? I understand that the Kinder Morgan company is drawing up a new route plan for their crude oil pipeline.
Not caring that people have worries and anxieties about health, and not having a conscience regarding the consequences or effects these commodities have on others and the environment, borders on negligent.
Frances Dietz, Vancouver
