This editorial is for male trade workers with the FortisBC or Woodfibre LNG project; if that is not you, keep scrolling.
OK, now that it is just us, we know you have likely seen some in town speaking about you like every last one of you coming to work here is a predator.
Yes, yes, some of you are already here, living among us as productive citizens. However, we are in a housing crisis, and they don’t want you here.
But we also don’t want you in a boat, seven kilometres away.
And don’t plan to stay in the proposed FortisBC lodge, either, unless, of course, your bosses could build a massive wall—make it concrete—around the prison lodge with armed guards, so none of you ever come to town.
Of course, unless you are fixing their cars or, better yet, their mountain bike with your same hands and skills. That is fine.
That leads to our first Squamish survival tip for LNG and pipeline tradespeople: Do you have a mountain bike? Could you get one?
Those who are trying to keep you out, don’t seem to think twice about thousands of mountain bikers, 73% of whom are men, coming to town every year. So, if you could even get a biking jersey, that would help.
The same goes for rock climbing, hiking, etc. Men who do those activities are invited to come to town. Would you be willing to buy some climbing gear?
Yes, we know many of you already mountain bike, climb, hike, and kiteboard, but then you put that high-vis vest on, see, to earn your living, and because you have nowhere else to go, you take up our hotels. Yes, those other folks do, too, but they have gear with them for recreation. It’s like you aren’t even paying attention here. It is only certain men—you—this applies to. Yep, we know there are already strict policies and training around your behaviour.
Truth is, you are working for a project that they don’t like. They see you as facilitating climate change. No, they don’t care if you recycle, were born well after the holes in the ozone layer appeared and drive an electric car.
Yes, yes, FortisBC does service most of their homes, and that is fine. It is also fine if you build their homes, just not these associated projects. Got it?
They didn’t want the Woodfibre LNG project, but the other levels of government forced it on them, so now they are turning that frustration on you.
Ideally, you would quit your job. Could you do that?
If you quit and then go work for, let’s say, another industrial project up north, then come back down on holiday, that would be grand. They love your tourism dollars. Stay in a hotel, go up the gondola—heck, stay as long as you want.
Just leave the high-vis vest and hard hat at home. Got it?
We hope this was a helpful guide for navigating our welcoming and beautiful town.
