Water rights farce
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On May 6, 2009, The Golden Star published the following letter:
Open letter to Premier Gordon Campbell; Minister of Environment, Barry Penner; and Director of Regional Operations for the Water Stewardship Division, Brian Symonds.
After a futile five year letter writing campaign, representing myself and another eight Landowners, you and your agencies have consistently refused to honour the water rights laws of this province or protect the rights granted to us (Water Stewardship Division File #033076....it’s the Thick One!).
Initial complaints by us Re: Contamination by cattle, Major Unlicensed Diversion, and Unlicensed damming of the Upper Level of Bingham Creek remain unaddressed, despite being repeatedly witnessed and photographed by your agents, Bill Anderson and Antoine Beriault.
Your reluctance to deal with these crimes has resulted in unnatural flooding and drying up of this formerly consistent spring-fed creek, and has culminated in the complete disappearance of our water for the second consecutive year now.
The variety of weak, evasive explanations we have received for five years do absolutely nothing to address the issues or get our water back.
We regret being forced to seek Public Forum to be heard, however, when a five year attempt to receive action ends with no more than ‘We have taken the corrective action necessary’, and ‘We will not be responding to any further enquiries from you’, you leave us no choice.
Will you Deal with these issues?
Do you have any Real answers?
Duane Amundrud
This letter follows:
Open letter, re: Water Rights Farce
Please find enclosed our $75 payment for our “water rights” to Bingham Creek for the next two years.
We will continue to make these payments to spite the fact that your so-called ‘Water Stewardship Division’ would probably prefer we abandon our ‘rights’, that they might pass them on to those whom they have allowed to illegally foul, store, divert and, finally, steal our water.
Why else should we pay, when everyone from your Water Stewardship Division’s agent; Antoine Beriault and Director of Operations; Brian Symonds, to our Minister of Environment; Barry Penner and Premier Gordon Campbell have, for five years, adopted a policy of ignoring broken laws, and our rights, preferring instead to protect those who break their laws and even award them more water rights?
Why do you, Antoine Beriault, refuse to return any of my phone calls since June?
How dare you, Brian Symonds, to - after five years of us asking for action - send us one letter stating you have “taken the corrective action necessary” and “will not be responding to any further inquiries” from us?
Why do you, Barry Penner, not ensure that your laws are enforced and that our PAID and LEGAL rights are protected?
Why don’t you, Premier Gordon Campbell, ensure that those under you are doing the job we pay them to do?
What other options are available to us when our well-paid elected representatives refuse to do their jobs?
I have been told a story of someone having water rights difficulties with their golf course, who after meeting with the Premier, received the full attention of a water rights officer to the resolution of these problems! Whether this interesting story is true or not, we still deserve to have these people do their jobs, enforce their laws, address our problems and get the water back in our creek!
Duane Amundrud
Golden, BC
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