Letters to The Vancouver Sun: Canada can reclaim our reputation as a strong, stable country and move forward

Canadians can finally put Alberta’s separatist movement in the rearview mirror … for now. While I doubt the issue will fully go away because separatists have vowed to make this a long-term mission, the recent referendum results were a big enough blow and it’s clear that an overwhelming majority of Albertans believe in a united Canada.

But make no mistake, this was a manufactured crisis and manipulation of the public for political leverage by the United Conversative Party under Premier Danielle Smith to get what they want. Smith gave rise to the separatist voices, and whether she intended for the movement to become mainstream, it wasted millions upon millions of dollars and a year of people’s time.

Hopefully, we can reclaim our international reputation as a strong, stable country and move forward on our national goals as a united nation known for political stability and a high quality of life.

Phil Venoit, business manager, IBEW Local 230, Vancouver Island

Re: B.C. needs more than major projects to build a strong economy

I agree with Kim Haakstad’s opinion column. As a former resident of Cranbrook, Prince Rupert and Prince George, over 20 years, I saw firsthand the decline of our forest industry.

Construction creates temporary jobs. When it ceases, workers move to the next project. Industries such as farming, fishing and forestry built and sustained generations of B.C. residents in communities scattered across our province.

There are two economies in our province, the one of major metropolitan areas such as Vancouver and Victoria, and that of rural B.C. The economic heart of Greater Vancouver is probably our port facilities, airport, and related shipping and logistics jobs. Many of these jobs depend on products extracted, farmed and processed elsewhere in the province.

Rural communities and regional centres, such as Kamloops and Cranbrook, subsist based on the health of their surrounding industries, mainly in the natural resource sector. Communities such as Mackenzie and Vanderhoof depend heavily on the forest industry for their health and, in some cases, their survival. More urban jobs than people realize are dependent on the health of our rural economies.

I saw, firsthand, the impact of simultaneous declines of the forest and fishing industries on Prince Rupert. The city’s population dropped by a third, many local businesses closed, and city hall struggled to provide services. Many households were stuck with houses that were not sellable.

Many of our opportunities in industries such as natural gas and mining depend on intact and healthy rural communities where people can live and work. The health of rural communities and the lives of rural residents depend on rural issues being a priority in Victoria and Ottawa. How do we support our rural communities to stimulate growth as opposed to economic decline?

John Shepherd, Richmond