Thanks for the compliments, but...
Courier-Islander, Friday, December 10, 2010
Re: Alexandra's Epiphany, Ray Grigg, Dec. 3 Courier-Islander.
We were heartened to see Ray Grigg recognize BC's salmon farmers' commitment to clean, healthy environments in this weeks' column- and for his kind words about the good people who work in the industry.
It's unfortunate though, that he went on to try and spin their commitment as naivety or disguise. At the risk of appearing honest, conscientious and caring (as he puts it), I have to say it is in poor taste for Mr. Grigg to depict his neighbours in this way.
The people who work in our industry are intelligent coastal British Columbia residents - people who live and work in this beautiful place and are passionate about its success. They are biologists, veterinarians, technicians and tradespeople who do their jobs ethically and thoroughly. International investment does not change their professional standards or their personal ethics. Mr. Grigg's suggestion that they are somehow misled is akin to suggesting that a columnist is charmingly naive for contributing to a newspaper financially backed by American interests - it's demeaning, and it undervalues people's intelligence.
In fact - Grigg's own example of Chile shows that companies - wherever they are based - have not left when challenges have hit. Hundreds of millions of dollars are being spent in Chile to rebuild the industry, to continue providing jobs and economic stability to the country.
BC's salmon farmers do not deny blindly the claims of anti-industry campaigners - we research, we invest, we improve. It's good for business, yes, which is good for communities and people - truly good people.
Mary Ellen Walling,
Executive Director,
BC Salmon Farmers Association
