Editor: Dear Mr. Strahl, As a concerned local constituent I was a part of a demonstration of more than 40 people from Chilliwack and Hope at your office on Wednesday, Oct. 31. I was disappointed that you were unable to speak with us, or provide a statement to be read at the demonstration. It was a fun event, but a great deal of work went into it and we raised some serious issues regarding policy decisions of your government.

Many local residents are deeply concerned about your government's use of omnibus legislation, trade agreements, and tax breaks to further corporate expansion and export of tar sands mining projects and the implications this has for local communities along Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipeline.

Your government has supported omnibus bills to dismantle environmental legislation, such as the Fisheries Act and the Navigable Waters Act. This means that Kinder Morgan's pipeline application will no longer be subject to a thorough environmental assessment. In Chilliwack that means a total disregard for the risks associated with transporting tar sands bitumen through pipelines that cross our local drinking water aquifer and the Fraser and Vedder Rivers-waterways that are central to the identity of our community. Given the risks, and the lack of economic benefit for B.C., residents are questioning your government's ability to represent us.

We truly hope that as someone with roots in this community you will join us in taking a stand for Chilliwack to ensure that this region is a thriving, sustainable and healthy place for generations to come.

Sheila Muxlow

Chilliwack