To the Editor:
As village residents are probably aware of by now, the village is requesting your opinion on the dead National Park Reserve proposal.
I am somewhat confused at their arrogance with respect to asking you and me this question. The last B.C. government had said their was no “appetite” for a National Park Reserve and the not- so-new government has continued with this decision.
So my question is: who do the Village of Keremeos’ elected officials think they are?
They have no tenure over the lands in question and without the province’s blessing this will go nowhere.
One must assume that someone has gotten under their skin. For newcomers to make a decision based on this quarter page question is beyond ludicrous.
It is almost as if it was written by Parks Canada themselves, as it certainly does not devulge the losses the locals will suffer.
Parks Canada promised us a three year study and after 10 years of abuse by them they have finally gone away.
The recent tax payer funded study by the First Nations does not answer one question that we have posed...not one.
The loss of freedom, grazing, hunting, mining, logging, quadding and lifestyle cannot be purchased from us.
Parks Canada has no money to mitigate the billions of lost revenue to tenure holders or for private land aquisitions, and as taxpayers we should insist this does not happen.
So I implore the citizens of Keremeos to explore the ramifications of this question before answering.
Thank you, Ernie Marven, Cawston