The Reasons Behind a Non-Position on the Ajax Mine...

 

Summary: My personal perception of community opinion on the mine proposal is that it is very divided. I want to be very careful in deciding to take a position because I feel a great responsibility to explain whatever position I decide to take. I agree the proposed mine is very large and close to residences. I would like more information on how the mining company proposes to avoid or significantly mitigate impact. I also have been focused on the environmental assessment process. I think this process needs to win the trust of reasonable Kamloopsians. So, I am currently neither supportive or opposed to the mine proposal. I await more information and I will continue to add energy to the best environmental review possible. I do wonder if city council should take a position on the mine. Taking a position may show leadeship, but it also might exacerbate community divisions. These divisions might hamper council efforts on other very important initatives, like the new official community plan. Council has certainly been engaging with the mine proposal, without taking a yes/no position.

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In detail: I've heard from lots of people who are asking city council to show leadership by taking a position right now either for or against the Ajax mine proposal. Here is one of the latest requests, forwarded quite a few times, from a gentleman named Rod Andrew. Rod wrote this letter to the Kamloops News. Here is the part of the letter that I have most often seen in my email box:

"So, here is my question: Why is our City Council staying out of the debate over the mine above Aberdeen? If the mine goes ahead, much of the work done by its predecessors will be tarnished or reversed. We will be at risk of becoming, once again, a dusty, noisy and, probably, smelly resource town. I suggest that councilors take a good look at Kamloops as it is today, thank the councils of yesterday, and take a stand to keep Kamloops the wonderful town it has become."

Rod believes the mine proposal should be rejected. He writes:

The mine is too big and too close. No amount of new data will change these two factors.

When I was campaigning for a seat on city council, and since I was elected, I have talked to many many people about the Ajax mine proposal. Based on these conversations, my personal perception is that community sentiment is close to 50/50 and there is a lot of passion in how people express their views on both sides. I want to tread very carefully because of the strong division of opinion on the mine proposal in our community. I feel if I take a position, I will need to be able to explain it very well and I will need to demonstrate that I have been thoughtful and balanced in my decisionmaking approach.

I respect the feelings of people who believe the mine is too big and close. I also respect the feelings of people who believe the mine will provide a much desired economic boost. Personally, I have thus far focused on two factors: impact and process.

I would agree the mine is large and very close to residences and schools but, for me to assess whether it is too close or too large, I personally feel I need to better understand the potential impact of it size and proximity. The mining company is currently drawing up plans that are meant to detail how negative impacts would be prevented or mitigated. I would like to understand those plans before considering whether I am for or against the proposal.

My understanding the BC Environmental Assessment office (BCEAO) process is that the BCEAO weighs potential negative impacts against potential positive impacts. I have asked many business people and economic development professionals about the current health and openness of Kamloops' economy. From what I can tell so far, our economy is fairly robust and Kamloops has a strong reputation as being business friendly. So, I am personally more focused on whether the mining company can prevent or very significantly mitigate negative impact. I know many people who have significant respiratory illnesses and who moved up to Aberdeen to escape the valley inversions. Given what I currently believe, I would not support the mine if I felt that their health would be further compromised by the mine operations. Similarly, ranchers and others closer to the mine site should be appropriately compensated for any loss of business or enjoyment of property.

With regards to process, I am talking specifically about the provincial and federal governments ability and desire to really scrutinize the plans that will be drawn up by the mining company. I have  largely been quite impressed by the public consultation processes used thus far to solicit questions, concerns, and feedback. I have questions about the rigour of the environmental analysis. One question, for example: Will these be assessments by one expert or a diverse panel of experts? To me, it's critical that a reasonable Kamloopsian will look at the final approval or denial and say that the process was very thorough, totally fair and independent.

I think that city council has engaged in the debate by submitting a long list of questions about the proposal, by inviting the Executive Director of the BCEAO to present on the environmental assessment process, and from time to time commenting on things like the 3D model and a federal panel review.

Just a final reflection here on Rod's letter. He talks about a huge change in Kamloops in the past 40 years. If I could sum it up in a sentence, it would go something like "from a dusty, smelly mill town to a healthy, beautiful centre for sports and higher learning". I think you can respectfully oppose the mine based on your vision for the community. I have made a conscious decision no to do that because I believe that there are also a lot of people whose vision of Kamloops includes a very healthy natural resource sector. I personally see ways in which these two visions can happily co-exist.

Lastly, I wonder if council should take a position on the mine at all. Taking a position might means showing leadership, it also means potentially exacerbating division. We have a lot of other initiatives we have direct responsibility for, like creating a new official community plan. We may want to focus on ways to bring the community together as opposed to contributing to a division in an area where we don't have the final say.

 Would love to hear your feedback and advice.

Comments

[Mike Marshall]

I appreciate your taking the position you have Arjun - it makes sense to me. But it seems to me that Mayor & Council could be more vocal or perseverant in pursuing answers to some pressing questions that citizens have been unable to get answered - ie) soil assays to confirm of deny the presence of merucry or arsnic in the rock to be mined, the presence of aquafiers on or near the mine site, etc. Unless the public gets answers, it is unable to make an informed decision. And it seems to this member of the public, that AJAX is less than forthcoming about much.

Respectfully,

Mike Marshall

[Dave Verhoeff]

I agree with Mike and I appreciate that you have at least stated your reasoning for not taking sides (yet), however as an elected official I think it is imperative that you do make a decision and that you state your position clearly. You are a representative of the people that voted you in, and if you no longer represent their views they have a right to know.

[Jean Humphreys]

hoping to garner more votes in the future by staying neutral?

[Kathy Adams]

When will City Council step in and make decisions on how they stand? When it's too late? Oh, but then I guess your political career is safe no matter what happens to our beautiful city. After the damage is done it will be too late. City Council is taking a pretty big gamble and the stakes couldn't be any higher, our city.

[peacetrainann]

It's very frustrating to think you have people in office that represent you, only to find out they are staying silent on issues and/or not representing your voice. I always thought Arjun was environmentally minded. I've told my family living in Kamloops that he is (I live in Kelowna). I just wish he would come out and say it. The environmental movement needs more leaders.

[Arjun Singh]

I respect the last few comments. I personally believe that I don't have the necessary information to make a good decision. That information should be available by the end of the year-ish. There is still a lot of time to take stands. I don't think staying neutral is about garnering more votes, its a thought I have because I wonder if council should wade into such a decisive issue where council does not have final decisionmaking authority.

Thanks for all the comments. Thank you Mike, Dave, Jean, Kathy, and peacetrainann.

[Cara]

With all due respect, Arjun, we do have enough information to take a stand. Please, if you have not done so, drive up to the ore stockpiles at HVC and then set your odometer, drive 1.25 km away and just sit and think for a minute about your vision for Kamloops. And your responsibility to the citizens who elected you (me included).

At the very least, consider how many of us will no longer want to live here if this mine is approved. It is inconsistent with my vision of the community where I grew up and where I choose to live/work/play. Consider that some of us feel undervalued and betrayed by your silence on this issue.

While you are thinking, please consider that you (and the others on former city councils) could/should have anticipated that this would happen at some point. It has been pointed out to me that the local politicians were aware of the exploration work long before the citizens were paying attention. Why in the world did you plan the major growth in the southwest sector with this knowledge?

Please consider that you could have planned the city differently in anticipation of the the incompatible land use that a large open pit mine and a residential neighbourhood represent. Collectively, you and the other council members could have chosen not to develop the southwest sector in the way that it has been developed. Now that the conflict that could have been anticipated has manifested itself, the current council's message to residents appears to be, you are on your own. It is not our decision.

Please consider standing up for the citizens who want to continue living in Kamloops, who love and have invested their whole life savings in their homes, and who wanted to live next to ALR land - not an open pit mine! We voted for you, put our trust in you and expect you to stand up for us.

Did you know that Ajax is not planning to even try to study the image of Kamloops and the impact this will have on our image? That is considered too hard to measure. And yet, that is probably the thing that will have the greatest influence on the future of our city.

Social license matters. Council has a strong influence on this process as your support (or implied support through silence) will be taken as an indication of social license. If the council is opposed that will be taken into account as an indicator that they do not have a social license to proceed. Please don't sit on the fence. This is not about the environmental review - it is about our current citizens, our image and our city's future. It is, at it's heart, about vision and image and a plan for our future.

Sincerely,

Cara Humphreys

[Alistair Morris]

Well said, Cara, well said!

[Cara]

Hi Arjun,

FYI: It was pointed out to me that "Stop Ajax" put my post on their facebook page. Looks like it got 75 "likes". http://www.facebook.com/stopajaxmine?ref=stream