There's no other way to put it: The federal government must do more to help the folks in Tsawwassen facing the pending installation of radio towers across the line.
Whether it's Delta-Richmond East MP Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Industry Minister James Moore or Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird, someone needs to step up and interject some common sense into this situation. Perhaps I'm oversimplifying things here, but this whole ordeal could easily be put to bed with a bit of international diplomacy - as long as someone in Ottawa is willing to stand up for the people of Tsawwassen.
When radio station KRPI made application to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to move its towers from one spot in Washington state (Ferndale) to another (Point Roberts) it conveniently wiped Tsawwassen off the map. The move, which certainly looked deliberate, left the FCC with an incomplete picture of the situation and more than likely led to a decision it wouldn't have made otherwise.
Residents on both sides of the border have since enlightened the FCC of Tsawwassen's existence as well as the folly of locating towers on the doorstep of a community of more than 20,000 people, but like most massive bureaucracies, it's greeted the news with indifference. That's why the folks who face the prospect of blanketing interference wreaking havoc with their household electronic devices really need someone to champion their cause.
Public overtures to Moore have garnered a formulaic response that completely overlooks Tsawwassen's omission, while our attempts to contact him only got as far as his press secretary.
To her credit, Findlay has at least met with people involved in the issue, but her lengthy letter in last Friday's edition detailing her work on the file did little but fan the flames. Her list of radio towers in Delta and Richmond, ones that aren't causing any problems, only reinforced the notion they should be in rural or industrial locations, far removed from residential neighbourhoods.
Residents continue to wage a good fight, but they need someone in government to take a stand, to condemn what's taking place and to do whatever is necessary to rectify the situation.
Pointing to jurisdictional issues or mitigation measures promised after the fact simply won't cut it. Tsawwassen needs leadership to keep these towers from being erected where they don't belong.
It's time for someone to step up.
