Why not tell us about the听breakwater mural?
Along the side of the Ogden Point breakwater wall are fascinating, well-designed and implemented paintings telling the history of the Lekwungen peoples.
After a thorough search, I could not find any signs that name or describe this wonderful mural, nor the name of the artist.
It clearly was commissioned for a purpose. I am guessing there are some politics involved in this omission of signage, which is sad.
This lack of an explanatory, clearly visible sign, is a great opportunity lost. If constructed it would surely capture the attention of tourists.
The presence of clear signage would also lead to greater cultural understanding of the Indigenous peoples both for Victoria locals and the many visitors, especially those arriving by cruise ship right beside the mural.
Elfrida Schragen
Victoria
听
Ogden Point access spots pose a safety risk
The many new signs guiding tourists to and from the cruise ship docks at Ogden Point direct them to the only two exits onto Dallas Road.
Both exits/accesses are at a curve and consequently both have two-direction blind spots for drivers, many of whom like to 鈥減ut the pedal-to-the-metal鈥� along just that wide open stretch of road.
Why in the world are there no marked pedestrian-crossing signs with flashing lights (as on Douglas to and from Beacon Hill Park), at either of these two busy dock exit/access points?
Don鈥檛 want to slow down traffic? Do we need wait for one of the hundreds of thousands of tourists and residents to be struck?
John Fry
Victoria
听
Province has options on听forest policy
The multiple sawmill closures in the Interior this year did not come out of the blue. Similar sawmill closures previously occurred on the coast, where 70 per cent of what existed in 1987 is now gone.
Many in B.C.鈥檚 resource sector, like myself, saw this coming for decades. Early symptoms were negative cumulative effects of large-scale clearcut logging on non-timber resource values.
To respond, the province has three forest policy options:
鈥� Status quo, with diminishing returns, hoping short-term outside market forces for commodity forest products will improve;
鈥� Economic diversification out of forestry; former logging and mill towns on 91原创 Island are already doing this (old growth is an asset);
鈥� Adaptation and diversification within forestry, first by managing for an ecologically sustainable forest, that is complex, resilient and self-renewing. This forest has the diversity, productivity, quality and value, within limits, to sustain us 鈥� economically, socially, and culturally.
A just transition for those negatively impacted by these adverse events will be part of every option.
The best decision makers have foresight, and move toward quality and value in everything that is done.
A restorative economy will include First Nations Reconciliation; application of new knowledge and skills; improved forest stewardship, planning and governance; economic restructuring and adaptation to climate change.
Ray Travers
Victoria
听
What else can the听government tax?
Taxing soft drinks?
Soon, we鈥檒l all have to have second jobs just to pay all the new taxes that government thinks up!
J.E. Martin
Nanaimo
听
Our tax dollars should听be听spent at home
The federal government is wasting our tax dollars on foreign aid. In 2018, the federal government paid out $6.1 billion in foreign aid, and in 2017, $5.6 billion in foreign aid.
Canada gives foreign aid to more than 80 countries. Some examples are for the year 2018, $254,028,156 to Afghanistan, $106,255,020 to Iraq, $101,478,283 to South Sudan, $74,488,348 to Yemen, and $64,817,243 to India.
Canada has serious problems, whether it鈥檚 the decline of our middle class, our mistreated veterans, seniors living in poverty, not to mention health-care system deficiencies, crime, crumbling infrastructures, and a Canadawide homeless population.
$6.1 billion could go a long way toward improving each of those problems. That is what taxpayer money is supposed to be for.
We don鈥檛 pay taxes to give money away to other countries. We pay taxes for our own country.
The money we spend on foreign aid should instead be spent on the 91原创 people. It is time to put 91原创 taxpayers first.
Joe Sawchuk
Duncan
听
Walker users need help to听board the buses
I am a senior, 92, living in James Bay and I travel by bus, with my walker as many seniors do, all over Victoria.
Recently I have suffered serious falls while getting on and off the bus. This has been my own responsibility. But as there is a lift-ramp for wheelchairs, shouldn鈥檛 it also be available for walker users?
I have seen it used occasionally but couldn鈥檛 it also be a regular occurrence?
I鈥檓 sure the many senior bus riders would appreciate it as I would.
Peggie Law
Victoria
听
Today鈥檚 thanks: For the roses along the Pat Bay
To those responsible for planting the rose bushes alongside the Pat Bay Highway between McKenzie and Quadra, thank you, thank you, thank you!
Richard Savard
Victoria
听
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