Total Canada Line Melt Down
Dear Sir/Madam (For the Premier is not answering his email),
Your explanation and outright disregard for the business and residents alongthe Cambie corridor is shit. I am over being polite and probably will notget a response back or even a form letter but I don't care anymore. You sayyou are sorry to hear of the difficulties businesses MAY FEEL they areexperiencing! This is an outrage - it is not 'may feel' - they areexperiencing extreme difficulties! You are so disconnected from theday-to-day operations of small business that you can't see past your nose towhat is really happening here!!!Have you even taken the time to talk with owners and hear their plightand the amount of income lost while theycontinue to try and support their families!! It is clear that the ProvincialGovernment is taking absolutely no responsibility here. You state the Prov.Gov't is not supporting this project - you are a liar! Look at the books andsee for yourself the amount of money that was given and with giving comesresponsibility - absolutely!!And this is your sentence, "The construction,while posing some challenges to local residents and business owners, isexpected to be temporary." Temporary, hah! For many the construction infront of their business or homes has lasted well over 1 year. RAVco promised3 months and all the information circulated stated that timeline. Well, ithas come and gone. You say, "Lower Mainland will benefit from the CanadaLine." I say not! This will create nothing more than less buses on roads andmore cars for people will not drive from the suburbs and park to ride atransit line. The cost does not warrent this lifestyle change. They willcontinue into the city as always - you'll see. Many of the people who livein Richmond will very rarely use this line either, for many are of Asiandecent and will not get out of their cars!As for the residents who arecurrently living along the construction nightmare route, they are sufferingterribly. Many have reported upper respiratory problems, skin rashes, eyeinfections, along with increased stress and anxiety at trying to find newroutes to familiar places. These people, the majority of them seniors oryoung families are fighting to survive this voted down twice and completelyunnecessary project.By all means - just go ahead and delete this but you will have to carry theresult of this horror for life!!
----- Original Message -----From: "OfficeofthePremier, Office PREM:EX"
Thank you for your email regarding the construction of the Canada Line,linking Richmond, the international airport, and Vancouver.We are sorry to hear of the difficulties businesses may feel they areexperiencing as a result of this project. Although the provincialgovernment is one of the many groups funding the creation of the CanadaLine because we feel it will be beneficial to both residents andvisitors, we are not in charge of its contraction or operation. Themanagement of the project is under the authority of Canada Line RapidTransit Inc., which is a subsidiary of TransLink - the body responsiblefor planning, financing, and operating the Lower Mainland'stransportation system.The construction, while posing some challenges to local residents andbusiness owners, is expected to be temporary. In the long term, it ishoped that businesses in the Cambie corridor and across the LowerMainland will benefit from the Canada Line.You may be interested to know that the Canada Line project office has aseries of initiatives underway to help businesses promote themselves andto address their concerns during the Canada Line's construction phase.If you would like more information about these services, please visitthe Canada Line web site: www.canadaline.ca/commBusBusiness.asp.Again, thank you for sending me your thoughts on this matter.
To: Campbell.MLA, GordonSubject: Re: Canada LineGordon Campbell:It is enough already! Find the money and provide compensation to theBussiness owners and home owners that deserve immediate attention.These people have suffered from the onset; from the lies to the lack ofdisclosure or transparancy that surrounds this mega project.If it was not for the threats that came down the pipe from yourgovernment officials to TransLink Board members there never would havebeen a 3rd vote. Your government has royaly screwed up! From you to KenDobell and Kevin Falcon and so many others that demanded thistransportation nightmare must go forward. In spite of the out cry fromthe people and that numbered in the 10,000's you pushed Canada Line(RAV) forward.
