Thanks to everyone who helped save our son
Last week our son suffered a major coronary event in Port Alberni. His heart arrested and his ex-wife performed CPR until the ambulance arrived. He was without a heartbeat for 40 minutes and was, shocked nine times before getting it back.
If not for the efforts of a lot of awesome people in our medical system, our son would not be alive today and would not have a chance at a normal life going forward.
From the paramedics on the ambulance crew that got him to the hospital in Port Alberni, to the ER doctor, nurses and technicians that got him on life support and stabilized him for an emergency evacuation to Victoria, to the ER nurse who had already completed her shift for the day but stayed with him and didn’t leave his side until he was handed over to the Critical Transport Paramedics, who got him to Victoria, to the flight crew who risked a night flight in the rain and fog and the wonderful professionals at the Coronary Care Unit at the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria.
So many things could have gone wrong, but the training and dedication of all these folks resulted in the best possible outcome.
There may be some problems with our medical system, but that problem is certainly not with the caring dedicated people who keep this system going and show up every day to save lives.
We don’t know any of your names but thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
John and Rose Doucette
Campbell River
Single use or double, where is the benefit?
It’s recycling and garbage day for my area. I have my garbage in a white plastic bag that I purchased at Thrifty Foods.
There was a time when my purchases from Thrifty were put in a free plastic bag which I would take home and then use as a garbage bag. I got two uses out of a single free bag.
Someone thought that the free grocery bags were a “single use” environmentally bad idea and we no longer get free bags. I now buy garbage bags from Thrifty and use them once for garbage.
My old free bag got two uses and now my purchased bag gets only one use. Someone is benefitting from this and it’s not me.
Is it hypocritical to not give away plastic bags for the environmental reason that it is only single use and then sell them to you for the environmentally poor single use to carry garbage?
Or is that ironic? Or maybe it’s just penny-pinching profiteering?
Maybe I’ve got it all wrong but what do you put your garbage into before it hits the bin?
J.K. Leard
Saanichton
Expect more cheating in the next election
I am disappointed to note that our mainstream media seems of the view that voting irregularities are only something for us to get worked up about if such irregularities would have meant the difference between someone being declared elected or not.
As a voter I am disconcerted, to put it mildly, to learn that there is a risk that my vote, legally and appropriately cast in the riding where I reside, was being counted next to votes improperly and indeed illegally cast.
How far we seem to have come from the days when if we did not get ourselves properly enumerated when Elections B.C. came by our residences we were prevented from voting.
No further need for the vouching process, whereby a confirmed legitimate voter had to vouch for another. These days we apparently just need to phone up Elections B.C. to cast a ballot.
Really? I like to hope that we would all seek to deter cheating in any venue but that we would be particularly concerned to hear of the gaming of the process of a democratic election.
If we find some ballots have been improperly cast, it reasonable to presume that there were many more that slipped through without attracting our attention.
Voters casting more than one ballot, persons lacking capacity being provided a mailed ballot and being told where to sign, non-citizens voting, persons who do not reside at the address on the voter’s list voting and, because the NDP was declared the winner in spite of several razor thin “victories,” it is suggested that complaining about irregularities discovered is just sour grapes?
I am reassured to see the Opposition pursuing a public inquiry into what went on in the provincial election in light of concerning evidence they have revealed to us.
Obviously neither Elections B.C. nor the NDP victors can be relied upon to ensure we maintain integrity in the election process.
Elections B.C. was the “overseer” and the NDP “won.” If cheaters cheat with impunity, it is reasonable to expect more cheating next time.
Roxanne Helme
Victoria
In Victoria these days, who is being played?
Since taking office, Mayor Marianna Alto and councillors Jeremy Caradonna, Matt Dell, Susan Kim, Krista Loughton, and Dave Thompson have approved nearly every development proposal, including those rejected by city staff and those that strip away affordable housing while offering minimal community benefits.
This is not surprising, given their endorsement by Homes for Living, a group that appears more like a developer lobby than an organization concerned about the housing needs of Victorians.
A recent example is the Admiral Inn development, which will replace 35 affordable homes with expensive condos. Despite expressing skepticism, such as Caradonna’s remark, “I dislike everything about this project — I think the city has gotten played,” these councillors still voted to move it forward.
Their unwavering support for developers comes with little accountability. Another example is 902 Foul Bay by Aryze, initially pitched as a B.C. Housing “affordable housing” project, it morphed into costly market townhouses lacking essential amenities.
Although Alto expressed disappointment at the changes and vowed that further modifications would not be approved, more changes were ultimately sanctioned.
When the developer claimed he could no longer afford the promised affordable housing and green features, no councillors questioned it or asked to see the financials.
Clearly, developers feel no pressure to fulfill their promises or create projects that benefit the community, as they know they will not be held accountable.
If anyone is being “played,” it’s the citizens of Victoria. In the next election, Victorians should aim to reclaim their city from the overpowering influence of the developer industry and vote out councillors who prioritize developers over community needs.
Adella James
Victoria
Basic math works against the 51st state idea
With Canada becoming the 51st state our population of 40 million would garner 54 seats, the same number of electoral seats as California which has approximately the same population, with quite probably the same results in seats for Democrats.
Republicans would never win the House again. Beware always of unintended consequences, Donald, or perhaps you don’t care!
Christopher Causton
Victoria
We need to act from a position of strength
Re: “A sovereign nation against a little man,” letter, Jan. 14.
I could not agree more with the letter’s description of Donald Trump. And yet, 91原创 leaders have rushed to Trump’s private residence in a state of panic, before Trump has even been sworn in as president. Those meetings should have happened in the White House between the leaders of two strong nations after the inauguration, not on Trump’s turf where he was able to act as the tough-talking host, while 91原创 politicians were required to play the part of polite, ingratiating guests.
Not unlike the scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz, we have actually legitimized the big voice and false bravado of the “little man” behind the curtain, damaging our credibility as a “stable and mature sovereign nation.” I guess time will tell if we have it in us to move forward from a position of strength.
Elizabeth Causton
Victoria
Give us discounts or make others pay more
I agree with the recent letter that if Victoria residents must pony up extra taxes to fund the redevelopment of the Crystal Pool, then once completed, they should benefit through a discount on user fees.
To take this concept one step further, most B.C. residents pay taxes to fund B.C. Parks, B.C. Ferries, B.C. Transit etc. Yet, out of province/country tourists pay the same price as the residents of B.C.
This seems quite unfair!
Either the residents of B.C. should receive discounts or the visitors to our province should pay a premium for our wonderful resources.
Adam Kanczula
Sidney
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