Dear Editor:
The Agricultural Land Reserve issue of last spring is still very much with us.
The present municipal council has sent a request to the Agricultural Land Commission to remove 90 hectares of high quality farmland from the ALR.
That resolution will either be accepted or rejected by the commission shortly after our municipal election.
So in effect, the election becomes a referendum on the land removal: if a majority of the new councillors oppose the removal, then it is very likely the commission will reject the application.
But the reverse is equally true.
During the various meetings last winter, it was apparent that many Summerlanders, perhaps a majority, opposed the land removal.
So I would urge voters to query the many candidates running for office: where do they stand on the ALR land removal?
We know for a fact that Councillors Robert Hacking, Orv Robson and Martin Van Alphen are in favour of the land removal, since they are on record as voting for the resolution.
We also know that mayoral candidate Peter Waterman voted against it.
The ALR issue is of profound importance not only to Summerland, but to the preservation of agricultural land across the province. Do take the time to query the candidates to find out where they stand.
Don Gayton
Summerland