Jumbo: what really happened

Jumbo responds to MLA’s press release –

It’s a well-known fact that Norm Macdonald doesn’t understand the situation BC’s economy is in. He should be working towards job creation – not job destruction. When he was Mayor of Golden and the mills closed down, he supported the creation of new jobs at nearby Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in his town, why doesn’t he support Invermere and the community at this time of significant job loss in Forestry?

Regarding the claims that 90% of the local people oppose this development, Norm Macdonald is using NDP math. This is one more reason why we need to make sure we don’t send him back to Victoria. The 90% that he continually refers to misrepresents the results of the 9 year public review process during which 2% of the population of the community provided their input. The fact is that 90% of those expressed some objection to the concept. 90% of 2% is still a very small number.

Over the years, political leaders of all stripes have supported the environmentally responsible Jumbo Glacier Resort proposal, including NDP Premiers Mike Harcourt and Glen Clark as evidenced by the accompanying transcript. It’s apparent that Mr. Macdonald is at odds with both his party leaders and the people here he misrepresents.

Transcript from Legislature Question Period – March 4, 2009

JUMBO GLACIER RESORT

(highlighting added by Grant Costello)

N. Macdonald: The highly contentious Jumbo Glacier resort was scheduled to undergo another environmental assessment this upcoming October. Over Christmas the existing environmental assessment was extended for an additional five-year period. As has become customary with this government, that extension was given despite the fact that the regional district of East Kootenay and the regional district of Central Kootenay specifically requested some time to make a presentation. That was denied. Why was the opportunity for local government input denied?

Hon. B. Bennett: I think we all know in this House that the NDP don’t support the tourism industry. That’s become quite clear over the past four years. They don’t support….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Just take your seat for a second, Minister.

Continue, Minister.

Hon. B. Bennett: In 2004 when this government announced that we were going to actually double the amount of money given to Tourism B.C. to market this beautiful province to the rest of the world, the Leader of the Opposition said: “We don’t support that.” She said: “In fact, if we’re elected, we will roll that back, and we will not double the funding going to Tourism B.C. to market tourism out of this province.”

They obviously don’t support the tourism industry. But you know, Mr. Speaker, there was a time when the other side of the House did actually recognize that tourism was an important industry for this province. Let me just read you what they used to say: “I hope that you will be able….”

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. B. Bennett: This is a quotation.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Continue, Minister.

Hon. B. Bennett: “I hope that you will be able to proceed on this project and that one day we may see this international venture realized.” Premier Harcourt, February 24, 1993.

Interjections.

Hon. B. Bennett: Let me read one more.

Mr. Speaker: Thank you, Minister.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members.

The member has a supplemental.

N. Macdonald: The question was directed to the Minister of Environment for a reason. The last time I asked a question to this minister, he told me about the airport. There was no connection at all, and there’s no connection here as well. The question is clear. It is about the environmental assessment process. The regional district of Central Kootenay asked if they could participate in that process. That was denied, as has happened every time when the local voice wants to have a say in an issue that is clearly important — of fundamental importance.

Andy Shadrack, who is the director, has written to the Ombudsman and said the following: “In relation to that resort, there are changes.” There is the Glacier-Howser river diversion project, which will take five rivers and put them in 16 kilometres of tunnels that never return the water to the watershed. There’s a 90-kilometre-long transmission line to Invermere, and that’s very close to this proposed resort. There is also a government-financed grizzly study, which has markedly different findings than the original study. Both of those are two reasons why this environmental assessment should have been looked at.

One thing that has not changed is that 90 percent of the local people have opposition to the Jumbo Glacier resort, and that’s the fundamental issue. What I want is a clear commitment that this project will only go ahead with the support of people in the Columbia Valley.

Mr. Speaker: Pose the question, Member.

N. Macdonald: I ask the Premier: will he give the assurance today that this project only proceeds with the support of the people in the Columbia Valley? Otherwise, no.

Hon. B. Bennett: Probably only the NDP would think that 18 years of process is not long enough to process a project. Only the NDP would think that. They want to have more committee meetings. They want to have more letters. They want to have more consultations. They want to spend more time before we decide this project. However, there was a time….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Minister, just take your seat for a second.

Members.

Continue, Minister.

Hon. B. Bennett: Now, who was it that said: “Well-designed, self-contained and…”?

Interjection.

Mr. Speaker: Member.

Hon. B. Bennett: Who was it? Who was it?

Mr. Speaker: Wrap it up, Minister.

Hon. B. Bennett: Who said this: “Well-designed…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. B. Bennett: “…self-contained and environmentally sustainable”? I’m not sure if they got that. I’m not sure they heard that.

“Environmentally sustainable destination resorts such as is being proposed here could provide considerable capacity in meeting these outdoor activities, using a very limited land base.” Premier Clark, 1996.

[End of question period.]

 

CVNews related links:

• Hansard transcript
• Webcast (about 38 minutes in)
• Jumbo Glacier Resort — Significant Changes Introduced Since the 1995 Master Plan Submission