If anyone wanted to see how much thought has been applied to the decision to proceed with land-based sewage treatment, the comments of our CRD chair, Geoff Young, must surely win the gold medal for utter nonsense.
Young says, “The idea we are going to be allowed to continue to dump this stuff into the ocean and assume it does no harm, because we can’t detect the harm, is something that is not going to appeal to regulators … when we talk about delay we have to be concerned about the fact they’re offering us two-thirds of the cost.”
Think about this for several seconds: Young admits there is no evidence that harm is being done by the current screening system; it doesn’t matter that dozens of marine scientists and studies can’t detect any harm. Young and the regulators know better. He forgets that the folks who are offering to pay the other two-thirds of the cost also happen to be taxpayers, not some wealthy benefactor. He also clearly admits there is no evidence that this billion-dollar boondoggle will improve the problem one iota, as he has already confirmed there is no evidence that one actually exists.
Shouldn’t we retire some of our brilliant leaders who love nothing better than creating monuments at our expense?
Hopefully, this latest turn of events will at least force our leaders to commission a proper study to determine what benefits, if any, we will get for the biggest expenditure of tax funds in Victoria’s history.
Better yet, let’s elect people who will do their homework and stand up for our best interests.
Bob Wheaton
Saanich