Editor, The Record:
An open letter to mayor and council:
I want to congratulate you on taking a stand against the P3 water project endorsed by Abbotsford. You have made the right choice. Please do not allow Abbotsford Mayor George Peary’s bluster and professed anger affect your judgement.
I, for one, deeply resent the suggestion attributed to Peary that the opposition to this project comes from within the “labour movement.” I live on a disability pension and am very much in favour of the private sector in many, many areas. Some things, however, do not belong in private hands. Water is one of those things.
From my perspective, this project was a very bad one from the perspective of Mission’s citizens (and those of Abbotsford), both current and future. I firmly believe keeping water supplies public is the only viable option now and in the long term. Personally, I do not use city water, living on a small acreage and getting our water from a deep well, but I know many people who do. Eventually, I am sure that our property will have the option of connecting to city water.
However well intentioned the private company involved in this proposed venture may be, or appear to be, today, there is no way of knowing how they will behave in years to come as their management will inevitably change. It is, therefore, essential that our water remain in public hands.
Again, thank you for refusing to take part and refusing road access to Stave Lake for the purpose of the P3 project. Please do not deviate from this position.
Chris Ryan