LETTER — AM News had it wrong on letters against Ajax

LETTER — Unfortunately, the NL radio report about business letters to Minister Bennett is based on misinformation.

On June 8, I sent the following letter to Kamloops This Week and the Armchair Mayor.

During a month-long campaign in May, 150 Kamloops business owners who are known opponents of the proposed Ajax mine, were asked to sign a letter of opposition to Minister of Energy and Mines, Bill Bennett. Signees personalized their letters with additional comments and sent them individually by Canada Post to the Minister. Many chose to write their own letters of opposition under company letterhead. Organizers felt that individual letters would have more impact than a single letter with 150 signatures. The campaign was conducted by members of Kamloops Area Preservation Association and Kamloops E-mail Network of Concerned Citizens. Names of the signees are being kept confidential.

Mel Rothenburger did not report this accurately in his article of June 8. He said:

A letter from 42 business leaders supporting Ajax has been countered with letters from 150 business owners opposing it, but the identities of the opponents won’t be revealed.
Anne Neave of the Kamloops Area Preservation Association said Monday a month-long campaign during May resulted in 150 copies of a letter, personalized with additional comments, being mailed individually to B.C. Mines Minister Bill Bennett.

I was then contacted by other media and I emphasized that we had asked these businesses to send letters individually, we did not know how many letters had been sent in total, and that the names of the businesses that we asked were being kept confidential. My letter to KTW and Armchair Mayor was not published.

ANNE NEAVE

Kamloops

Editor’s Note: I’m not saying a followup letter wasn’t sent, or that it didn’t find its way to my mailbox, but I have no record of it and would certainly have published it if I’d been aware of it.