During casual discussions about Pan Pacific Aggregates I keep getting asked "Which side is the Spiel on?" As if every local issue requires a simple black and white pledge of support.
Like most, I like to think I’m on the side of what is best for our community. It’s a unique little spot we have here but we face a growing challenge to preserve the balance between working families and the new reality of part-time or retired residents. As our elementary school suffers from enrollment that is approaching record lows, we desperately need to offer an incentive for families to stay put. That usually means good jobs.
In November, the PPA coverage in this paper virtually ended. Some might assume this was due to the change in ownership. The truth is I haven’t really felt the need to wade in on the issue yet and the reason is simple.
My gut instinct tell me it’s a proposal that seems to have very little chance of succeeding but the proposal process is a long way from being completed so there isn’t a lot of credible information on which to base an opinion. Besides, this publication seemed to be the champion of all things PPA before I took over and I wanted to distance it from previous editorial leanings. It seemed proper to avoid stating a public opinion.
But then, in a full page ad in the Coast Reporter, I read that the Harbour Spiel "supports" Pan Pacific Aggregates.
Why PPA would post names of companies, some known to be vocal opponents to their project, and imply support without their permission left me mystified. I’ve never done business with nor stated an opinion for or against PPA and requested that they run a retraction ad and, to their credit, they did. The poor suckers who made the mistake of doing business with PPA weren’t so lucky.
"Well, they’re all happy to take our money." seemed to be the only response from the company when asked how they could justify such a blunder. Apparently, when a local gift shop sells photocopies to PPA employees, they give up their right to chose how their business name can be used.
If this is a glimpse of PPA’s sense of business ethics and professional conduct then I think I’d like to take a closer look before I put my support behind them, again.
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