LOTS OF OPPOSITION AT FORUM TO ACC GASIFIER

AFTER LAST NIGHT'S FORUM, AND WADING THROUGH THE SCIENTIFIC ARGUMENTS, THE ABORIGINAL COGENERATION CORPORATION ISSUE HAS BECOME A LITTLE CLEARER.

THOUGH I DON'T WANT TO GET AHEAD OF MYSELF, IT SEEMS TWO FATAL MISTAKES HAVE LED TO THE ULTIMATE FAILURE OF A-C-C TO TAKE A FOOTHOLD IN KAMLOOPS.

FIRST, THE CHOICE OF LOCATION MIGHT HAVE SOUNDED GOOD ON PAPER, BUT IT'S NOT GOOD IN PERSON.

SIGURDSON WAS PROBABLY SALIVATING AT THE PROSPECT OF A CITY WITH A RAILYARD, AND A TRANSPORTATION HUB WITH A POTENTIAL CUSTOMER RIGHT NEARBY.

WHAT HE DIDN'T REALIZE WAS THE UNIQUE AIR QUALITY ISSUES HERE - AND THE FACT THAT - SINGULARLY BECAUSE OF OUR PULP MILL - WE ARE ALREADY VERY SENSITIVE ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTION OF HEAVY INDUSTRY TO OUR AIRSHED.

THIS ISSUE ESSENTIALLY BOILS DOWN TO LOCATION.

SIGURDSON'S SECOND MISTAKE WAS NOT BEING COMPLETELY AND ABSOLUTELY UP FRONT AND TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHAT HE WAS PLANNING.

HE'S DONE THE BARE MINIMUM, BUT HAS CERTAINLY NOT DONE HIMSELF ANY FAVOURS WHATSOEVER BY NEGLECTING TO INITIATE AN EVENT LIKE LAST NIGHT'S MUCH EARLIER.

SIGURDSON HAS CHOSEN A COMMUNITY THAT IS AT ONCE TOO LARGE AND TOO SMALL.

IT'S LARGE ENOUGH THAT THERE ARE ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE TO SCRUTINIZE HIM AND LEVER SIGNIFICANT PRESSURE AGAINST HIM.

BUT IT'S SMALL ENOUGH THAT THE COMMUNITY WILL RESPOND TO A SINGLE COMPANY TRYING TO SET UP INSIDE OUR BOUNDARIES.

NO ONE WOULD HAVE BATTED AN EYE IN A LARGER CENTRE, BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T HAVE SHOWN UP ON ANYONE'S RADAR.

A LOT OF RESIDENTS THINK OF KAMLOOPS AS A SMALL TOWN, AND SIGURDSON SHOULD HAVE RESPECTED THAT IT'S A COMMUNITY THAT CAN COME TOGETHER AND ESSENTIALLY SPEAK WITH ONE VOICE.

NOW, HE HAS ANOTHER PROBLEM ON HIS HAND - IT'S NOT WHAT LED TO THE OPPOSITION, BUT THE OPPOSITION ITSELF.

KIM SIGURDSON'S NAME IS MUD IN THIS TOWN, AND THAT IS SO CERTAIN IT'S NEARLY A SCIENTIFIC FACT.

BRING UP THIS PROJECT AND YOU'RE AS LIKELY AS NOT TO GET EYE-ROLLING AS A RESPONSE.

HIS REPUTATION HAS BEEN BESMIRCHED - AND THAT WILL AFFECT HIS BUSINESS PROSPECTS.

FOR A WHILE, IT LOOKED THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD STOP A-C-C FROM SETTING UP HERE.

NOW, THERE SEEM TO BE NOTHING BUT OBSTACLES STANDING IN ITS PATH.