Gord Kurbis, A News Vancouver Island, December 15, 2010
Courtenay
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Sidney
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COURTENAY - A group of citizens concerned about plans for an underground coal mine in the Comox Valley sent a message to politicians today, delivering lumps of coal to them for Christmas. The group visited the offices of Comox Valley MLA Don McRae and MP John Duncan to draw the politicians attention to fears they have about the mine.
The group is against plans by Compliance Energy Corporation to construct a mine on a 3100 hectare property near the community of Union Bay. The company says the "Raven Coal Project" will be good for the economy and create employment. But protester Robin Mumblo says she doesn't buy the jobs line the company is promising, believing there are other ways to create jobs in the province. Mumblo says the province needs to be creative and stop falling back on its resource past.
While the Comox Valley protesters were in action, a second group was down in Sidney delivering coal to the office of Environment Minister Murray Coell. The minister promises there will be plenty of opportunity for the public to provide input into the controversial proposal in the new year.
