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By Jason Ryll 

This last week the Federal Environmental Panel made its stop in Williams Lake to hear from the community regarding the proposed Prosperity gold/copper mine development west of Williams Lake.  Four days in the city to hear from different groups either for or against the development---it was an interesting process, to say the least.  

Hearings on Monday were in front of a packed house for both the morning and evening sessions.  After that things kind of trailed off attendance-wise.  Which really is a shame since the outcome will have an impact on our community, whether it succeeds or fails.  Should it go ahead, well, it will have an obvious economic impact: more jobs in the Cariboo, more people moving to Williams Lake to work at the mine, more tax dollars going into the provincial coffers and more dollars being spent in local businesses.  Should it fail, the opposite will happen---fewer jobs, fewer people and less money in provincial coffers for social services and less local businesses.  It’s a shame more people didn’t attend more of the hearings, considering the impact. 

I completely understand that not everyone could attend all four days of hearings in the city.  Many people had to commit to actually working at their actual jobs---crazy how that works.  So I found the hearings, overall, attended by many people who either could afford to take time away from their businesses and jobs, or didn’t have one to go to in the first place. 

People came out of the woodwork for these meetings, and it would be nice to see these folks, who seem to have a vested interest in the community, coming out for future meetings on other issues.  They seemed to have something to say about the community and its overall well-being, so let’s hope to see them at the next Crimestoppers meeting, or Community Policing, Social Planning, School Board or even PAC meetings. 

Not surprisingly, I found myself feeling quite protective of my city and community, especially when people who admit that they’re not from our community took the time to come before the Federal Panel and demand that this project not go ahead.  How dare you.  And yes, I’m a proud supporter of Prosperity going ahead, albeit responsibly.  I’d rather give the go-ahead for an environmental project of this magnitude to a company that has to meet some of the highest expectations and strictest standards in the developed world. I would much rather see a mining project happen here in BC, with our strict environmental regulations, than it a place where standards are far more lax. 

In closing, as much as there seems to be a divide in the community over the project’s outcome, I’m glad to have seen the turnout I did at the hearings.  The local community recognizes the importance of having their say.  Now if we can only get that kind of turnout and passion from everyone who attended the Taseko hearings, to attend other meetings in the city, we might just be in good shape as a community.

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