An uplifting story on聽the聽front page
Re: 鈥�She鈥檚 95. He鈥檚 102. Their love still聽shines through the window,鈥� March 27.
I鈥檓 writing in response to the very special front page story on March 27. It seriously brought tears to my eyes as I read that story. What an inspiring beautiful story to put on your front page. This is the first letter I鈥檝e written to the TC, maybe it鈥檚 because I have extra time right now to do so, as most of us do.
I/we really needed that story and that sweet front page picture of Hilda and Lew. And thanks for making it front page, where it deserves to be, especially in these crazy times. Beautifully written story Roxanne Egan-Elliott!
Please do more of these, we all need them.
Cathy Allen
Greater Victoria
Old haircut habits die聽hard
Re: 鈥�Crisis or not, it鈥檚 best to keep your pants on,鈥� Jack Knox, March 29.
To Regimental Sgt. Maj. K.H. McLeod, CD, wherever you are: These trying times evoke a memory of your preparation for the Feu de joie, a ceremonial parade, executed by the 1st Battalion Queen鈥檚 Own Rifles of Canada on May, 23, 1964, at Work Point Barracks at CFB Esquimalt.
That memory was your insistence of a weekly haircut for all members of the battalion.
Even though it took a dollar out of my $25-per-week net pay, it was worth it, for not only did we want to show the Royal 91原创 Navy what a 140-pace-per-minute march looked like, we also wanted to look sharp for our revered viewing officer, Lt.-Gov. G.R. Pearkes.
After I left the army, I slackened off on weekly haircuts to one every three to four weeks. Now here is my dilemma, I needed a haircut just before the barber shops were shut down. So my question is: Do I try to cut my own hair or can I be excused from future parades?
Mike Thomas
Sooke
Some people just聽don鈥檛聽get it!
It was a lovely day today, so I went for a stroll along Dallas Road. At the junction with Menzies Street I looked over the rail to see the beach was full of young people playing badminton, socializing side by side on the logs and simply ignoring social distancing. Just a general attitude of: 鈥淚鈥檓 all right Jack, bugger you.鈥� What hope do we have to get this under control?
Elizabeth Roberts
Victoria
Social distancing not taken seriously
It is encouraging to see that the vast majority of Greater Victorians are taking this global health crisis seriously.
Following the urgent requests of our health professionals, one can see people of all ages practising six-foot-minimum social distancing. We鈥檙e told that this is absolutely essential if we are to 鈥渇latten the curve鈥� of infections and prevent overwhelming intensive care units and keep the death toll down.
However, scenes of college-age adults still interacting socially and taking part in activities like pick-up basketball games are alarming. Did they not get the 鈥渟helter in place鈥� and 鈥渕inimize social contact鈥� message? If they don鈥檛 care about protecting the health and welfare of their senior neighbours, perhaps they should give some thought to the lives of their grandparents.
This is serious, folks, but some still don鈥檛 seem to get it. Maybe Victoria should consider following the lead of Montreal, where a tip line is being set up to allow citizens to report flagrant violations of health imperatives, to be followed up with contact by authorities for appropriate action.
Our leaders have begged, prodded and pleaded with us to practise social distancing. But if some insist on ignoring these pleas, perhaps this is a necessary next step.
That would be abhorrent in normal times but this is war and everyone must be 鈥渃onvinced鈥� to do their part, whatever it takes.
Kevin Bishop
Saanich
Ban all wolf hunting at all times
Re: 鈥�Takaya, lone wolf of Discovery Island, killed by hunter: conservation service,鈥� March 27.
I was truly saddened to hear of the killing of Takaya, the lone wolf of Discovery Island who had been recently relocated to an area near Port Renfrew and was shot by a hunter near Shawnigan Lake.
He had survived on his own for many years and was an inspiration to many on how to manage in a trying time such as now.
It鈥檚 a shame to lose this magnificent animal to the hunter鈥檚 lust for killing for sport.
We are losing much of our wildlife to such people even though tourists come to 91原创 Island from all over the world to see it.
I agree with Cheryl Alexander, a former environmental consultant and nature photographer, who said hunting regulations should change to reflect the growing consensus that wolves should no longer be shot.
Therefore, I ask the officials who 鈥渕anage鈥� the wolves of B.C. to ban all wolf hunting at all times. I hope others will support this idea.
Noreen Bosnich
Qualicum Beach
A beloved wolf killed聽needlessly
In these troubled times of self-isolation, of sickness and the death of loved ones, it might be difficult to summon a tear for Takaya, the famous lone wolf shot last week. I cannot imagine why this hunter shot the wolf, but then, I cannot imagine why one would take pleasure in hunting.
Shock after shock rages through us, daily, hourly, as we learn of new protocols, new restrictions and closures, as we read or hear of more deaths and none of us, not the politicians, nor the doctors and nurses, nor the scientists, know when this will peak and decline. And then this: a wolf who captured our hearts, killed needlessly.
Michael Cox
91原创
Raeside brightens day in a dark time
I just want to say how much I鈥檓 enjoying Raeside鈥檚 cartoons on the front page. It brightens my day, and I鈥檓 sure I鈥檓 not the only one who enjoys his sense of humour. During this time of uneasiness with COVID-19, we need some levity.
Donna Einarsson
Cobble Hill
Demand more from commercial landlords
Re: 鈥�An urgent call for relief by a group of community and business leaders,鈥� March 29.
There is no doubt local businesses need rent relief, but this article does not go far enough in demanding sacrifices from commercial landlords.
Existing rental contracts were made in a market that no longer exists.
Any landlord evicting a small business today would be unable to find a replacement tenant for at least three and up to 12 months, and then only at a lower rate.
Why should a landlord, or the holder of a landlord鈥檚 mortgage, expect to remain whole while their tenants are destroyed to save our health and our health-care system?
The pandemic requires every party involved in every economic relationship to make sacrifices. As the authors point out, tenants cannot rely on the 鈥渂enevolence鈥� of their landlords to soften the blow, so governments must legislate partial or total forgiveness of both rents and mortgages on a temporary basis.
Not just loans and deferments, but forgiveness.
Lenders cannot expect business as usual while the economy that justified existing contracts shatters.
Saddling 91原创s with more provincial and national debt so that multinational financiers and their multibillionaire owners can maintain their income cannot be the only answer. Or aren鈥檛 we all in this together?
Ben Morris
Victoria
Black tape wards off face touching
There has been a lot of discussion about hand washing but little concerning reducing the risks of frequently touching our faces. This occurs approximately 23 times per hour, most of it completely unnecessary.
How to practically address this problem?Answer: black, shiny, electrical tape. By wrapping a piece around each forefinger the tape becomes an effective stop sign.
Your brain has to navigate past your eyes that say 鈥渨ait a minute, do I really need to do this?鈥�
My brother put me on to this idea a week ago and it works great! Maybe your readers will find their own more attractive stop sign.
Nick Gudewill
Victoria
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鈥� Mail: Letters to the editor, Times 91原创, 2621聽Douglas St., Victoria, B.C. V8T 4M2.
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