LETTER — ‘Shrill voices’ on Ajax not coming from physicians

Posted on February 4, 2015 in Letters // 1 Comment

LETTER — Dr. Jill Calder of Kamloops Physicians for a Healthy Environment has provided us with her response to a letter to Kamloops This Week written by Ken McClelland. As his letter was not originally published in the Armchair Mayor News, we publish it below, followed by Dr. Calder’s response.

It would seem the shrill voices of Kamloops Physicians for a Healthy Environment Society and Stop Ajax Mine have had their way with the provincial Environmental Assessment Office.

Ken McClelland.

They were so upset someone had the temerity to offer a dissenting opinion to their own on the community advisory group that they complained loud and long enough to have the application process frozen.

Seriously?

Are these people so afraid of free speech and a dissenting (but nevertheless equally valid) opinion that they want to boot anybody that disagrees with their obviously much more enlightened (well, to them, anyway) position?

Their true colours are showing, folks.

This is a much bigger issue than pro- or anti-Ajax.

Those who would muzzle free speech obviously have a much larger agenda, a pretty high regard for their own highly disputable opinion and zero regard for anybody audacious enough to disagree with them.

I would be very wary of believing much of what comes from these folks.

The community advisory group, I thought, was supposed to listen to all views, not only the views of the “anti” crowd, whose minds are obviously already made up.

They’re not in the mood to brook any opposition to their entrenched position? Too bad.
In their quest for tolerance, they have become the most intolerant of all.

KEN McCLELLAND
Kamloops

Jill Calder.

I need to make some factual corrections about the Opinion Letter to the Editor, authored by Ken McClelland. Kamloops Physicians for a Healthy Environment Society has only just applied to the B.C. EAO to join CAG. We made no statements about the current CAG membership nor new applicants. We hope the B.C. EAO will enforce all conflict of interest rules in their Terms of Reference — including our own application.

The “shrill voices” that were heard were not ours as we have been silent. We applied, we have received an on-hold letter, and we wait to hear back on our status.

Please check sources more carefully. There are many concerned groups — we do not all speak for each other. KPHES is not “intolerant” — we evaluate all information made available to us. We will continue to represent scientific information to the Citizens of Kamloops to understand the health implications of industrial development in the area.

DR. JILL CALDER

On behalf of KPHES

Bill // February 6, 2015 at 9:22 PM // Reply

On Jan 31 Mel asked “What’s wrong with having that viewpoint argued in the context of a stakeholder group that’s supposed to be searching out the facts about Ajax?”
I answered, “Nothing! CAG with KEG in it, could be a stronger speaker for our future rather than thought of as just another anti-mine group by the pro-miners.”
I’m looking forward to more discussions with thoughtful folks wanting more information regarding our precious air, water and area of the province and how we can make it better for future generations to respect, enjoy and share rather than exploit and leave.
Golfers replace their divots and move on. Unfortunately some others don’t. It’s a matter of knowing when to hold em, and knowing when to fold em, and move on.
Examples abound where the quick buck economy for a few has blinded some decision makers and the environment has has suffered and so have us, the taxpayers.

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