By Andru McCracken

Local politicians had derisive words for residents opposed to an explosives manufacturing plant at the last regional district board meeting in Prince George.

Reporter Michelle Cyr-Whiting from Opinion250.com, an online magazine serving Northern British Columbia, recorded the mayors’ remarks in an article published online Friday morning. McBride Mayor Mike Frazier, Prince George’s Mayor Colin Kinsley criticized the critics of an explosives plant last Thursday, while Valemount’s Mayor Jeannette Townsend went further:

“I think there are a lot of ignorant people in our area who don’t know what they are talking about and they’re making a lot of public comments based totally on ignorance and emotionalism,” said Townsend.

Frazier said that opposition to the plant was fuelled by a small group of 20 or 30 Crescent Spur residents who are environmentalists and don’t want any kind of development. “I think they’re misinformed, ill-informed and have that Not-In-My-Backyard attitude and that will not serve Area ‘H’ … into the future,” said Frazier.

Kinsley wasn’t kind either. “This seems like an emotional issue where fact and science and everything else is just thrown away … And I don’t want to insult them and say they are Neanderthals, but they’re citizens against virtually everything,” he said.

The mayors were upset that a petition circulated by Crescent Spur residents had stalled a decision by the Ministry of Agriculture to lease land to Dyno Nobel, a multinational explosives manufacturer with roots in Norway. The company is seeking to build an emulsion explosives manufacturing plant 10 km west of Crescent Spur. Dyno Nobel supplies explosives to mining operations; globally they are also a major of supplier of high explosives to weapons manufacturers.

Residents have argued that there are environmental and safety issues and that industry doesn’t fit into their vision of the place and could spoil a large tourism venture that is currently being built.

The deadline

Gord Humphrey, land officer with the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, said they are doing due diligence.

“We are still going through information that is coming in from the public and First Nations and agencies,” he said. “There has been a large amount of information supplied and were not rushing through things,” he said.

Humphrey said that there would be a decision made no later than July 17.

An investor lost?

Mark Webb, a new resident of Crescent Spur, has already made a major investment in the community, and said his total personal investment would have totalled $1 million. However, this is now up in the air. Webb doesn’t want to end up with a tourism facility in the middle of an industrial park.

He said his high-end tourism product is geared to European tourists who are looking for a wilderness experience.

“An explosives manufacturing plant down the road doesn’t work. I am astounded that it has got this far, but then again they won’t bother to ask me,” said Webb.

“The Mr. Starchucks of this world all think it is such a good idea. Why don’t they want it five or ten km from their house?”

Kinsley’s comments of cave men and Neanderthals, disgusts Webb. “I have been insulted again personally and as a (part of a) community,” he said.

Webb is considering taking the mayors to court for their characterization of him and the community. Regarding the mayor of Valemount’s charge of ignorance reported in Opinion250, Webb has a masters’ degree in business.

Webb is infuriated because he took the details of the land before purchasing it to the Regional District Office to determine if his type of development was appropriate.

“I didn’t just turn up here six years ago and just start building cabins,” he said.

At the time, he said that regional district was all for his proposal. “(They spoke about) how much they embrace this kind of business.”

Webb said that Starchuck and Frazier ought to consider how much money he has spent in McBride.

“I have gone to great lengths to spend as much money as I can in McBride,” he said. “I am aware of the financial situation there.”

Webb said that chances of him proceeding with a second phase of the project are 50/50 at this point.

He said that the sad part for other communities in B.C. was that this site was the first of a pilot series of another half dozen sites.

“I will not be building anymore Canadian Country Cabins in B.C.,” he said.

Starchuck sees an opportunity

Ken Starchuck, the elected official for Regional District Area ‘H,’ said he identifies with Frazier, Townsend, Kinsley and other directors who are dismayed at the delay.

“I wanted to see this move forward to first reading and get into the public meeting process,” he said. “Now we’ve delayed it again for another month.”

The board wrote MLAs Shirley Bond and Pat Bell, urging them to have provincial bureaucrats speed up the process.

Starchuck said that Bob Pankhurst made a good presentation for Dyno Nobel.

“Their track record was top notch. They see our situation economically. They see this as an opportunity. Myself, I see it as an opportunity,” said Starchuck. “They intend to be there for 30 years.”

Starchuck said that a public hearing on an official community plan amendment could happen as quickly as mid-August, if the Ministry of Agriculture and Land approves the companies application for land.

For Starchuck, the explosives plant is an answer to the area’s flagging economy.

“It seems like we’re in dire straits down here. We’ve lost 140 jobs directly and indirectly. We need to get moving because an outfit like Dyno Nobel may turn around and look somewhere else.”

On charges of ignorance

On Friday afternoon, Townsend denied saying there were a lot of ignorant people in the area, however, a tape recording confirmed the quote as accurate.

Townsend said she asked at the meeting if there was any scientific evidence that the plant would have negative impacts and said that other directors told her there were no legitimate concerns. Townsend said that in her defence she hadn’t heard from the other side yet.

However, whether or not she will support the explosives plant if it comes before the Regional District, Townsend said she doesn’t know yet.

“I would like to hear what the other side has to say,” she said.

Townsend did admit to calling Valemount ‘redneck’ on CBC radio in another incident, though she said she didn’t mean it in a bad way.

“I said that as a joke because in a way it is true. When I say redneck I mean logging, mill industry, stuff like that,” she said.

“(Radio Host) James Evans said that it was interesting that there was a female mayor, a female member of parliament, a female member of the legislature, a female sergeant and other key positions, and I said, ‘Yes, and it is a redneck town.’”

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the definition of a redneck is a derogatory meaning “a working-class white person from the southern US, especially a politically conservative one.”

Petitioner shocked at response

Julie Zammuto of Crescent Spur is at the centre of the debate about whether or not Dyno Nobel should build a manufacturing facility. She helped write and distribute the petition against the Dyno Nobel plant. Zammuto was surprised at the mayors’ comments.

“What they did was uncalled for. I am shocked at the emotional outpouring, bullying and name calling from the regional board members,” she said. “I really believed the mayors of Valemount, McBride and Prince George supported the surrounding communities.”

She said that actions of the board are more likely to scare away new business, than the concerns expressed by the Crescent Spur community.

She said that a lot of their residents shop locally to support the community of McBride. “We add more to the local economy than Dyno Nobel ever will,” she said.

Zammuto said it’s not fair for McBride to put their industrial site 60 km away from the town. However she is confident that the application won’t be forced through the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands because of her faith in Art Kaehn, a senior land officer with Crown Land Adjudication.

“I think Art Kaehn is a very intelligent man. I respect him, I think he will feel the same way as I do,” said Zammuto.

Art Kaehn is also the current chair of the Regional District.

Zammuto said there is another reason the company shouldn’t move to the community.

“There are other places that would welcome them with open arms,” said Zammuto. She said that if they are going to be in a place for 30 years it’s better for everyone if they are welcome and appreciated.

Dyno Nobel

See a related story about an incident at a Dyno Nobel plant in Carthage, Missouri which had the fire department on high alert. Bob Pankhurst was unavailable for an interview before deadline.