Re: “Albertans journey into Never Never Land,” letter, April 20.
The letter-writer makes reference to an Albertan featured on CBC’s Cross Country Checkup speaking about his use of a large truck to ensure his family was taken care of. She belittles his comment by suggesting we should laugh, cringe and shake our heads.
I can assure you that the family of the father of two small children who worked for Shell who was killed by a moose in his rental car near Rocky Mountain House, Alta., years ago weren’t laughing. Shell and other companies changed the rental-car policy after that accident, requiring larger vehicles such as four-wheel-drive trucks.
I can assure you that one of my former employees who wrote off his four-wheel-drive truck isn’t laughing after hitting a moose. Thankfully, he wasn’t driving the same car the writer might use to pick up her groceries.
There are many other humananimal incidents with sad outcomes, and I am confident that those in B.C.’s timber industry would agree with me. The writer’s ignorant and naïve views are hurtful to the families of those who have died and those who have been injured working hard to support their families working in an industry that you need and use whether you like it or not.
Ron Vermeulen
Victoria
