About the silencing of Anjali Appadurai
At perhaps the most critical time in human history, when all of us need to hear the truth from our elected representatives, a leader willing to speak it has been silenced.
In disqualifying leadership candidate Anjali Appadurai, the NDP executive suggest she engaged in unethical practices in signing up new members.
Appadurai says the accusations are false. But she has not been given an opportunity (by the party) to make her case. Others point out that prior candidates for leadership signed up union and church groups, with no penalty.
This was no “hostile takeover.” This was a grassroots movement for a hopeful future, where people and the planet matter more than profit. It was led by a passionate young woman who inspired many who had all but given up on politics as usual.
Rather than rewarding Appadurai’s courage and success in engaging and mobilizing citizens, the party has dismissed her. Sad.
Premier John Horgan’s tantrum at the microphone and suggestions of “thuggery” for those who supported her campaign is also sad, given the movement she inspired was fuelled by citizens’ frustration with the broken promises of his government.
The day following Appadurai’s disqualification, I received an email from David Eby talking about “working together.” More sad irony.
If the party really wants to “protect the integrity of their membership lists,” perhaps they should immediately refund the $100,000-plus in new membership fees Appadurai drew in.
And maybe, like the B.C. Liberal Party, the B.C. New Democratic Party should also consider a name change.
Karyn Woodland
Colwood
Eby will take us in the right direction
B.C. politics is never easy. We all know that if we have lived here for any considerable time.
To see the core values of the NDP become so apparent is worth celebrating.
Integrity, honesty, compassion and justice are all part of this transition.
In the 1970s the NDP created ICBC, which was their hallmark accomplishment to stop the large insurance companies’ unscrupulous practices.
Then the Liberals set out to destroy it because it was such a success, and then they looted the revenues.
We all remember the previous corrupt governments yelling: “the socialists are at the gates.”
It is time to move forward with proven leadership and tackle the many challenges that lie ahead.
John Horgan will be missed, but David Eby will steer this province in the right direction.
Charles Pazitch
Esquimalt
Many changes coming before January
Re: “Eby promises action in first 100 days on housing, health, justice, climate,” Oct. 22.
The new premier has promised action, so by Jan. 21, 2023, we should see vast improvements in the province.
For housing, there should be readily available rental units that are affordable. For health, we should all have access to a family doctor by then. I certainly look forward to meeting mine. For justice, there would not be people that repeatedly create vandalism, are arrested, and are instantly released to continue their rampage. Also, there would no longer be gangland shootings every week. For climate, the global warming issue will be resolved.
I am anxious to see the changes that had been taken place on that date.
Roger Cyr
Victoria
What did we get from the local NDP MLAs?
As John Horgan bows out as premier, Greater Victoria has lost a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a desperately needed regional transportation network based on dedicated rail corridors.
Sadly, even with a cabinet full of South Island MLAs — including, at one time, a minister of finance — Metro 91原创 still gets billions in mass-transit infrastructure while Victoria gets a bus lane.
Dave Nonen
Victoria
Nominate Horgan for the major awards
John Horgan can rest and recover from debilitating health issues while governing and seeing us through a horrendous time of a worldwide pandemic, and doing an excellent job to the point of being the most popular premier in Canada.
It is time to recognize this dedication to duty, no matter how many difficulties it turned out to be and with all the flak he took. I recommend he be nominated to the Order of Canada and the Order of British Columbia, both so justly earned and deserved.
Don’t know how many are thinking along these same lines, but I thought it time to put the idea out there. Hard work with positive achievements under such conditions deserve rewards. We need more citizens like him.
E.C. Jewsbury
Saanich
Waiting to see Eby’s stand on environment
Re: “Eby promises action in first 100 days on housing, health, justice, climate,” Oct. 22.
As one of the many “thugs” (John Horgan’s words, not mine) who recently rejoined the NDP after leaving in despair during the anti-environment reign of Horgan, I have a question for David Eby.
What now? You’ve got thousands of new members in the party — all those green NDPers who signed up in hopes that Anjali Appadurai could influence the party to pay attention to the environment.
Most of us will hang in for a while to see what happens. Will it be business as usual? (Cut down the last of the old-growth forests, build our economy around fracked oil, continue subsidizing the oil industry …. ?)
Or will the party learn something from the recent leadership debacle? Perhaps that the people of B.C. want a new approach … one less skewed toward the “brown” industries, and instead developed with an eye to the future of our children?
Susan Gage
Esquimalt
Three priorities for the next time we vote
Sunday’s Times 91原创 front page perfectly summarizes the abject failure in B.C. on both public safety and health services delivery.
A police chief says police working the front lines are expecting policies and decisions from government to keep people and communities safe but right now it’s a free-for-all on the streets.
A now ex-family doctor says if the system were different and changes made she would have stayed on as a family physician. These are the roles of government, and yet successive governments in B.C. have let public safety and health care delivery disappear into a swamp of fetid failure.
We deserve better and must demand that this be repaired. Our only tool is the ballot — we must elect a government focused on public safety, health-care delivery and the environment.
Sadly, I have little hope.
Greg Gilbertson
Victoria
When someone needs help, we should help
On Friday, Oct. 21, with rain falling slightly, I was walking along Broughton to Gordon Street in the late morning, and saw a young woman lying prostrate on the sidewalk, face and knees down on the pavement.
Other pedestrians were walking by as well. And not stopping to help.
I attempted to talk with this young lady. She was unresponsive: I then called 911 and gave the person who answered all the information she needed.
People kept on walking by as I made this call.
Finally a very kind couple stopped and assisted me in identifying the exact address where this young woman was lying, and an employee of Francis Jewellers also came out to help.
I left after being assured that an ambulance was on its way, and the jeweller kindly promised he would stay beside this young woman.
As we left the parkade I saw a fire truck and an ambulance beside this young woman, and I asked what the outcome would be for her. The EMS person and the firefighter both assured me they would take her to the closest hospital.
Kudos to these health workers and firefighters for responding so quickly and capably in an emergency situation.
What troubled me the most is that, with the exception of the couple and the jeweller, no one else stopped and tried to help her.
What is wrong with our community that so few of us care? To care is part of what makes us human, and it is as old as the scriptures with the tale of the Good Samaritan.
This dedication to helping others is bred in the bone as far as I am concerned. This could have been me lying on the pavement in need of assistance. And it could have been you, dear reader.
Margot Todd
Victoria
Think of everyone else before using fireworks
I know fireworks can be a favourite celebration of explosive exciting displays of colours and light for some, but it can also be a terrifying experience for others.
Close your eyes and imagine you are naked and alone and you don’t know what season it is, or the date. You have never felt so alone, and suddenly there are explosions everywhere.
Is this war? What is happening? To those living with dementia, this is what fireworks can feel like.
Please obey the ban on bonfires and fireworks, if not for the fine you will receive then also the many people it affects.
Jennifer Rose
Sooke
Examine value of the fire department in Esquimalt
With Esquimalt council’s recent pursuit of fiscal prudence surrounding the Victoria Police Department’s budget requests, why have they not engaged in a cost analysis of the fire department?
Inarguably, the department provides excellent services to Esquimalt, but is the cost merited when other feasible alternatives exist?
Like other small fire departments (View Royal and Oak Bay), Esquimalt Fire Department is fraught with the challenges of providing staff coverage with very limited personnel. This translates into the chronic use of overtime hours.
Interestingly, when comparing salaries of Esquimalt firefighters with those of larger departments such as Victoria’s, accrued overtime hours result in higher salaries for members of these “unionized” smaller departments.
While examining operational salary costs in the core Greater Victoria area, there are four fire chiefs, each earning $150,000-plus annually with additional administrative costs. Within each of these municipal departments, increasing capital costs are incurred independently to support and address the requisite infrastructure.
With the redundancy of services across this region, to who or what does this current service delivery model really serve?
As was established in 2002, and unfortunately challenged and cancelled, the need to regionalize both police and fire servicing would balance the effects of increased costs with balanced efficiency and, eventually, a more effective structure in management of personnel, acquisition of equipment, necessary technology and infrastructure associated with the delivery of these core and cherished services.
Are these not the fundamental expectations of municipal taxpayers?
Lisa Roy
Esquimalt
Bright lights a problem on our roads
Re: “Points to ponder on region’s roads,” John Ducker, Oct. 21.
I confess that I am one of the more cautious slower drivers, and while I do often pull over to let others pass, I promise from here on to keep to the posted speed if road conditions allow.
Something, however, that is more bothersome for me are the blinding lights on cars and trucks during night driving on the highways and in the city.
I am concerned by the apparent lack of monitoring or regulation related to how bright lights can be and what direction lights are pointing when facing oncoming traffic. If it occurs from behind I can safely adjust my interior and exterior mirrors, but that is not a solution for oncoming traffic.
I would love to hear how others are dealing with this issue and whether there is anything that can be done.
Carol Thibault
Victoria
Use technology to police traffic
With traffic enforcement, moving into the 20th century would be a good start — and probably sufficient.
We could copy England, where there have been traffic cameras everywhere for decades but, reportedly, only about 10 per cent actually have the necessary electronic equipment — which is moved around to provide greater uncertainty for scofflaws.
That would keep us all on our edge and suitably deter with the knowledge that, if working, the camera will catch you, no cop needed.
As for the “cash grab” nonsense — don’t speed, run red lights, etc., and it won’t cost you a cent.
Roger Love
Saanich
Seniors squeezed by higher costs, lost savings
Every time the Bank of Canada announces yet another rate hike to supposedly curb inflation, the financial markets go into another decline.
Inflation just keeps rising. Fuel prices are at historic highs and the cost of groceries is astronomical. Meanwhile, retirement savings are being decimated as the financial markets tank.
Seniors are finding it harder to afford the cost of living as they watch their life savings evaporate.
Paul Arnold, age 72
Saanich
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