Do the Right Thing!

From: "T N
To: john.vandongen.mla@leg.bc.ca

CC: bancannons@hotmail.com

Subject: Do the right thing.

Date: Wed, 7 Aug 2002 21:02:07 -0700

Dear John,
Please publish, as promised, a number to call for complaints about propane cannons. Our Ban the Cannons group is familiar with the name Rick Dulat, but I know there are other people who are unhappy with the noise pollution produced by blueberry farms and they don't know who to call. Wouldn't our local newspapers be an appropriate means of publicizing the complaint process?

The blueberry farmer next to me is obeying the regulations and, although the blasts are every bit as loud, I hear fewer of them than in previous years. That isn't good news for my neighbours though, as the farmer is now aiming more of his cannons at the end of the property nearest them. I am grateful for the good efforts of Geraldind Austin and Rick Dulat. However it seems to me that the new regulations, will just engender new strategies for getting around the restictions. Witness my neighbour who is now using more triple shot cannons to replace the single shot variety. On large acreages no one seems to oversee the actual placement of one propane cannon per 2 hectare parcel rather than allowing them to be grouped in concentration. Difficulties like these as well as all the others I hear about, just confirm me in my resolve. No one should be victimized by noise like this. I'm wondering how much longer you are going to allow this environmental travesty to continue. Why not go down in the books as an MLA who was willing to do the right thing even though it angered some farmers? It's long past time for these cannons to be gone for good.

And John, if you're in any doubt, yes, this is a complaint about cannons and I'd like it on the record as such.

I look forward to the promised fall meeting when we take another look at the regulations and what they did/didn't achieve.

Regards,
TN
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