Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2010 08:35:24 -0700 From: Kem Luther Subject: Where to send letters The question of where to send the letters is a good one. We are all facing this issue right now--we have a high level of frustration and some confusion about who we can talk to. The only party that has invited public response is Telus. Telus, as part of its responsibilities under the the Default Public Consultation Process outlined by Industry Canada, was required to provide its own address and also "contact information for the proponent, land-use authorities and the local Industry Canada office" as a part of its notification document. (I'm quoting from the Default Public Consultation Process of Industry Canada. You can view this on the Industry Canada web site at http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf08781.html Telus's proposal, you will note, follows the pattern laid out in this document step by step.). Under the Default Process, Telus is only required to receive written communication about its proposal. It is not required to hold a public meeting--there will be no opportunity to speak our protest. Since Telus has not given us an email address, the written communication must be sent by regular post. Presumably Telus will be passing along all of the comments it receives, along with its refutations of these complaints, to Industry Canada and perhaps even to the District of Metchosin. So if you can only send one letter, it should probably be to Telus. My feeling, though, is that all three parties should receive copies of letters responding to the proposal. There will be less chance for the letters to fall through the cracks. In addition, the letters could also be sent to the Juan de Fuca Columbus Club. Their active role in the process may be past, but who knows? They may still have some avenues of intervention that we are not aware of, if they are willing to use them. For submissions to Telus to be valid, they must be received before September 30. Should the District of Metchosin be successful in convincing Industry Canada and Telus that Metchosin's recently passed Communications Antenna Location and Consultation Policy should replace the Default Public Consultation Process, the timeline and process will change. Telus will have to make a new proposal that provides the information outlined in the new policy. They will be required to hold a public meeting and send the results of the meeting to the District of Metchosin. As a part of this public meeting Telus will be required to publish addresses where it and Industry Canada can receive written comments during the public consultation. The short of it seems to be that, given the current uncertainty, we should follow the Default Process and get our letters in by September 30. The most effective letters, I think, will start with this letterhead and be mailed in four separate envelopes: ---------------------------------- Telus Darren Hird 4535 Canada Way, 2nd floor Burnaby, BC V5G 1J9 Industry Canada Jim Laursen 430 - 1230 Government Street Victoria, BC V8W 3M4 District of Metchosin 4450 Happy Valley Road Victoria, BC V9C 3Z3 Juan de Fuca Columbus Club 4537 Rocky Point Road Victoria, BC V9C 4E4 Re: Telus proposal to construct a Radiocommunications Tower at 4537 Rocky Point Road, Metchosin, BC Dear Telus, Industry Canada, District of Metchosin, Juan de Fuca Columbus Club: ------------------------------------------------- Kem Luther