It seems to me that something as vital to the well-being of our province as the bitumen pipeline and shipping port that Alberta, the federal government and Enbridge are proposing for ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ is at least as important as the harmonized sales tax dump that former premier Gordon Campbell unloaded onto us.
That the whole thing could swing to our benefit or to our destruction is debatable. Slow and sure must be the way to proceed. I would like the resulting choice to be as close as possible to a consensus of all the people of ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ We don't need to feel that once again we are being rushed, duped or bullied into a political agreement with possibly dire consequences we do not agree with. I believe it incumbent on our provincial government to ask us all, by a referendum, whether we will accept the consequences as well as any benefits that may come to us.
The sale of ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ Rail has left a sour enough taste that, coupled with the HST debacle, would leave us not the least bit happy if this is left to only a handful of politicians.
Neil Buchan
Courtenay
