Just when it seemed she had a doctor
Help, I need a doctor, again.
Elke Knight
Victoria
College has brought in retired doctors
Re: “Arrogance, hubris — and we all suffer,” letter, Feb. 5.
While the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia understands the concerns Dr. Paul Fenje Jr. has about the shortage of physicians in his community and across B.C., there are mischaracterizations in his letter that I would like to address and clarify.
Dr. Fenje incorrectly suggests the college has “done nothing” during the COVID-19 pandemic to help alleviate strains to our health-care system compared with other jurisdictions that have taken action such as recruiting retired doctors.
Since the start of the pandemic, the college has initiated emergency registration on several occasions to re-register eligible retired physicians and surgeons to assist with the pandemic response.
To date, more than 470 physicians and surgeons have re-registered with the college to support health authority resourcing, contact tracing and vaccinations.
Another mischaracterization is the assertion that the college believes Canada is “superior to all others worldwide” when it comes to educating and training physicians and surgeons. This assertion misses the fact there are more than 4,400 physicians and surgeons licensed with the college who obtained their medical degrees outside of Canada from about 120 countries.
The college’s specific role in health human resourcing is to ensure those who apply to practise medicine in B.C. meet the necessary requirements and have the appropriate qualifications, regardless of where they graduated from medical school.
Robust standards and requirements are maintained so that B.C. patients can receive the best possible care from their physician or surgeon.
The college is aware many people are concerned about the shortage of physicians across the province.
Though this issue is very complex and has no simple solution, the college is committed in its role to being a part of that solution. What underpins this commitment is the college’s mandate to serve the public.
Heidi M. Oetter, MD
Registrar and CEO
College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia
Someone cheated on their finals
It is unfortunate that stupidity is a four-season phenomena, unlike the snows of winter in the venues where truckers and others are protesting.
Underlying the brazen stupidity on full display at the protest sites, however, is a concern about our education system, which hasn’t done its job to create a larger critical mass of rational, thinking, informed adults.
All the protesters should be asked if they have high school diplomas. If so, the principals of their respective schools should urgently be repatriating these diplomas because obviously … someone cheated on their finals.
For those without diplomas, some forgiveness, and free night classes, could be offered.
Just a thought.
Gordon Zawaski
Parksville
It’s criminal to be a thief
It seems that some have learned that you can save 100 per cent while shopping. It’s called stealing. This is what happens when you “defund the police.”
Taxpaying seniors and business owners are getting fed up.
The public is showing its anger. Seniors are forced to deal with local crime while councillors turn a blind eye. Now, a team of senior superheroes have jumped into action, due to council inaction.
Perhaps this will produce a local chapter of Walloping Walkers, Punching Pensioners or Hell’s Elders. Perhaps there will be lessons on how to lasso looters and how voters can untie the hands of the police who are underfunded.
The day will come when Walmart greeters will be replaced with aging Walmart beaters to help fight crime. Vigilanteism grows in the shadows when crooks turn thieving into a way of living and honest shoppers pay the price.
Some local councillors believe their municipal mandate is to challenge the world order instead of caring for their own municipality.
Perhaps we need more councillors who are trained in martial arts instead of some who practise the art of manipulating social media.
Fortunately, some councillors will discover their elected position was only temporary. They didn’t learn that increasing crime statistics is bad for business and their future. For the police, fighting crime is a full-time job.
Art Bickerton
Saanich
Ask First Nations for their advice
I think the removal of the Capt. James Cook statue is another perfect example of cultural appropriation, this time from the venue of Greater Victoria Harbour Authority.
Ian Robertson says he was consulting directly with both chiefs, and the response from the chief was that he was not working directly with it. Seemingly knowing nothing about it.
This is another overstep in my opinion of the harbour authority, which is supposed to manage the harbour traffic.
Maybe it’s time that the role is audited and put back into check.
We need to stop running around and cancelling culture and history and instead work to the greater good. We need to learn from our history, not kill it.
Instead of saying that we’re working with First Nations, how about we actually work with First Nations, ask them what reconciliation looks like to them, and move on a plan. Chief Ron Sam has said many times: “Nothing about us without us.”
Of any organization in the city, the harbour authority should be the one that knows this the most, and clearly this appropriation piece shows they don’t listen.
Derek Sanderson
Victoria
What happened to the old reasons?
Re: “A new, modern Royal B.C. Museum is long overdue,” commentary, Jan. 29.
I managed to wade through the intellectual shallows of Melanie Mark’s commentary on the need to modernize the museum.
The previously stated needs to ‘de-colonize’ and ‘de-construct’ were noticeably absent in favour of several straw-man tropes.
Safety (potential asbestos!), accessibility, new and modern imperative — vague assertions without substantive analysis. Perhaps her promised plan will be more edifying and worthy of a minister of the Crown.
In the meantime, she did clearly state that she was responsible, together with the premier. Good to know.
Thomas Maxwell
Victoria
Mix and match the protesters
If people are frustrated by the traffic jams caused by the “freedom” protests, I have a solution.
Seed the crowd with people holding signs that say “halt old growth logging.” This will ensure speedy dispersal.
James Nadeau
Esquimalt
Reopen off-leash areas for dogs
It is well known that COVID-19 has resulted in a significant increase in dog ownership, so there is naturally an increase in the number of dogs that need regular outdoor exercise and play. However, rather than preserving previously designated locations and adding more off-leash areas, there has been a perplexing decrease.
This overcrowding likely began when UVic closed its “off leash” field during COVID. A large open field called Cedar Hill Corner was shared with the dog community for decades. It was fenced and serviced by UVic.
However, the university has chosen to keep the community locked out and it lies empty.
Recently, the area’s beaches banned off-leash dogs year-round. Councils used the Federal Migratory Bird Act of 1923 designed to end the use of dogs running at large for hunters to “flush out birds for shooting.” For ease of enforcement of this 99-year-old act was a reason Saanich chose to change this bylaw.
Dogs, on leash, do not do well in crowded areas. They are generally better off leash, under the owner’s control.
For the health and safety of the entire Greater Victoria community, with and without dogs, these recently closed off-leash areas should be reopened.
Kathy Shields
Victoria
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