Letter to James Lunny, Minister Shea and PM Harper sent today:
"Dear Mr. Lunney,
First I would like to personally thank you for fine performance as our local MP, and your recent outspoken involvement in the halibut allocation issue. Your words were certainly well appreciated, and I only wish that more of your colleagues could perceive the significant importance of this matter to BC's economy.
Unfortunately Minister Shea today produced a statement on this very issue that completely ignores the voting public, directly furthers the Department's assertion that this resource largely "belongs" in the hands of a very select few (a direct contravention of a previous related Supreme Court decision and very unlikely to withstand the test of Law) and furthers that privatization by the creation of yet another "commercial" sector.
In a query to all Conservative MP's early this spring, Prime Minister Harper noted he was actively seeking input as to mechanisms to increase economic activity nation-wide. At that time I applauded his efforts, firmly believing his intentions in this regard were sound. However today's announcement flies directly in the face of that. There are literally thousands of people in BC whose jobs rely both directly and indirectly to the recreational fishing sector's activities. The direct and spin-off benefits are immense. However this has obviously been ignored in favor of a select few who provide very little in the way of economic input in comparison. Thus I find PM Harper's words more than misleading, something I consider a very serious matter.
I understand that there are those in your Cabinet that believe this matter will now simply go away. Rest assured, it will not. In fact the opposite is likely true given that the desires of the voting public have been so gravenly ignored. The groundswell of support this matter created amongst the "Common Man" is not localized to British Columbia, and in fact is wide-spread right across our entire Nation. Few things get the voting public as disappointed as having their wishes and desires blatantly ignored in favor of making a select wealthy few even wealthier. I firmly believe you are about to witness the manifestation of that disappointment into action.
I have always been a long-term supporter of the Conservatives, both at the voting booth, in donations, and active discussions with my peers. Therefore it is with a heavy heart that I now find myself writing you to inform you of my decision to withdraw any and all such support for the Conservative Party. I very much feel for yourself being caught up in this mess, however it is very much a mess created by your own government, and alas you - as their representative - must pay the price.
Unless something very dramatic occurs in the next short while, I will find myself actively and openly campaigning alongside the thousands of like-minded anglers, who rightfully feel they have been seriously let down, AGAINST your Party's continued governance.
I am cc'ing this letter to the DFO Minister who made such an improper (and very likely Illegal) ruling as well as PM Harper. The message from here is clear: You have well overstepped your bounds in turning a Common Property Resource into a Privately Traded Commodity, in directly ignoring the desires of the voting public, and in creating undue stress on BC's struggling economy. In doing so your government has raised the ire of a Sleeping Giant. Unfortunate that you, and those amongst your colleagues that feel as you have indicated, must suffer for the wrongful decisions of another. But alas, I see no other recourse at this juncture.
I would be pleasantly surprised to receive a realistic response from yourself, and those this message has been cc'd to. This is a very significant turning point for me and many Canadians. I would however request that the cc'd parties please refrain from the platitude of yet another mass produced, say nothing response.
Regretfully,
J. Matt Stabler
Address withheld"
eman
