Editor:
Re: Environmentalist quits city committee, July 17.
It was with disbelief, mingled with both sadness and fear, that I read your article on the departure of Bob Campbell from Surrey’s Environmental, Sustainable, Advisory Committee.
I have known Campbell for some time now and have developed a profound respect for his dedication to the well being of Surrey’s lands and people. When I hear of the disrespect shown this mannerly and knowledgable individual, it leaves me wondering what on earth the committee found fault with.
Could it be that he spoke the truth?
Governments are seldom happy to hear these uncomfortable details, interfering as they do with preconceived agendas.
Stories such as this shake my belief in the “committee,” itself. That is, the process whereby the citizen gets to sit with council and offer valuable input from the standpoint of the people who live here.
Indeed, it appears more and more, to be an empty exercise, and a sham.
When one has given countless hours of his life, in good faith, to this process, only to discover that his very presence there is only for appearances, democracy itself has been mocked.
Campbell’s absence will be a great loss to the people of Surrey that he fought for. The same holds true for the other very worthy citizens who preceded him and also felt forced to leave as they were not being heard.
Sybil Rowe, Surrey
• • •
I’ve know Bob Campbell since the early-’80s, and he has always been one of those people who, when they don’t think something is right, they get involved usually in a big way.
To me, he has always stood for what is right and not politically expedient. He knows his stuff and I would say almost everything he has said or speculated has been true.
With that in mind, why does one of our politicians, Coun. Bruce Hayne, give Bob such a bad time? Why is Hayne trying to muzzle information Bob is seeking or giving out at these meetings?
Of course, Bob is very concerned about the environment and the impact of our city’s decisions on the tremendous amount of building or development going on and trees disappearing so fast and furious. Everything we decide to do with development also has impact on the overall picture, even as far as global warming. We need as many trees we can hang on to for the air we breathe, among other things.
Does Hayne have friends who are developers? Why has he chosen this path to mock Bob about his caring?
From both sides of this we need to figure out where it is coming from and is there any financial or other gains to be made beyond the contributions and time made by Bob over these issues.
Keep up the fight.
Brian Lauder, Surrey