Long-term solutions must be offered
Re: “Restoring people’s lives should be the first step,” letter, Nov. 2.
I agree about what needs to be done for people who are homeless, addicted and dealing with mental health issues. If we took the moneys we are trying to allocate for temporary fixes and added a bit more we could be providing lifelong changes for these people.
The Band-Aid solutions that are being enacted are frustrating for the entire population, including those that require a more compassionate and complex care.
Where is our humanity for others? Where is our ability for long-term planning and enactment? We could be training them, once their immediate needs are cared for, to work in the fields that need workers.
Dianne Kobe
Nanaimo
Cowichan River needs a new weir
The Cowichan River, central to life in the valley, is in crisis. In the summer, pumps were used to move water from the lake into the river for 36 days of a permitted 49 days.
Image if the drought had lasted another 13 days, not inconceivable with climate change. The river would have run dry.
There had already been a large fish kill in the upper river in mid-July due to low flows and high water temperatures that fry could not tolerate.
Salmon are a keystone species, playing an essential role in the health and function of ecosystems. Indigenous people, bears and other carnivores, birds such as eagles, and forests depend on these fish.
The Cowichan River, Quw’utsun Sta’lo’, provides for industrial uses, the survival of wild fish, the continuation of indigenous culture and food security, many forms of recreation in or on its water, tourism in the region, and sewage dilution.
We need a new, upgraded weir which will supply a steady flow of water through the late summer and early fall dry periods.
I care about water security for all species.
Maureen Quested
Victoria
Outdated thoughts, offensive words in column
Re: “The smell of freshly cut grass,” column, Nov. 5.
I was disappointed to see the lazy cultural stereotypes offered up as whimsical nostalgia in this article, which came across as a sub-par Jack Knox impersonation.
To begin with, the idea that a front lawn is some sort of necessity is absurd. It is generally unused space that has no real value, beyond the owner’s misguided notion that it conveys the appearance of wealth and status.
To quote an article in the Daily Californian, “a good clean weed-free lawn is a sign you have the wealth and resources to devote to such a fundamentally meaningless project.”
The real jaw-dropper, however, was the casual slur “let’s say you’re a dirty hippie on Salt Spring Island,” which then ridiculed said “hippies” for their apparent disinterest in real estate.
I understand that this article was written to amuse, rather than inform. However, it’s not funny.
The “dirty hippie” reference is condescending, and offensive. The notion that a manicured front lawn has intrinsic value or is a status symbol is outdated.
It’s also somewhat tone-deaf in not recognizing that most people live in apartments and condos now. The basic premise that most of us have a front lawn to worry about is simply wrong.
Eric Nielsen
Victoria
Business is behind all those wars
Life is our beautiful adventure. Why are so many nations spending so much time for their killings?
A healthy lifestyle, not any religion is necessitated for our life adventure. Remember, good people in your life will help you to find good things.
If you support today’s killers your life adventure is what you deserve. All killers should be killed by killers.
Thousands of children and good people being killed in today’s wars. Where is the God? What happened to the people’s prayers?
Well, it happened many times before. Everything is about new technology and of course the money.
The business people need to make money. This is their way of fixing the economy. There is only one way to get rid of the old technology, they have to try to use the new one.
And this is where the money is. The simple answer for that is the war. Throughout many wars, we have learned that wars fix the economy of many nations.
Stefan Mieczkowski
Langford
How do we charge cars parked on the street?
How can the government on one hand promote electric vehicle adoption with subsidies and on the other hand have no requirement for off-street parking as part of its new legislation?
Charging an electric vehicle parked on the street is almost a complete impossibility. I can’t afford to have the government messing with my housing and property values by legislation.
Mike Wilkinson
Duncan
Ignore your phone, pay attention to the dog
In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with retractable dog leashes. It is the lack of attention by many dog owners/walkers.
However, I cannot count on two hands the number of times I have seen dogs well onto the road while the owner is engrossed in their phone.
The worst was a small dog in the middle of the lane on a crosswalk while the owner was well ahead.
Keep the leashes but also keep an eye on your dog.
William Jesse
Victoria
Rules about dogs are dividing Saanich
I am a senior with two small dogs and I have used a retractable leash with all my small dogs. I prefer the ones with the tape rather than cord, which is less visible.
Dogs under 20 pounds can easily be controlled on a retractable lease and it is easy to hold in mature (arthritic) hands.
An outright ban of retractable lease is ridiculous based on “potential” harm. Too many rules are dividing our Saanich community and pitting dog owners against non-owners.
Let’s have some sensible leeway and encourage respect and courtesy.
Merlayna Snyder
Saanich
Responsible dog owners are feeling unwanted
Saanich’s parks bylaw is unfriendly to dogs and dog owners.
I have four leashes to walk my nine-kilogram Havanese dog: 1.5 metres, 2.5 metres, seven metres (used for training) and two retractable leashes.
I walk twice a day in my North Dairy neighbourhood, sometimes going to parks and beaches (90 minutes to two hours a day) mostly using my retractable leash. I do not believe my use of the leash is dangerous.
What is more dangerous is having to walk on the road because there is no sidewalk, deer chasing me because they have fawns, having electric/non-electric bikes bearing down without warning, construction resulting in bad driving habits, cars that drive by well over the speed limit and those that fail to stop at a stop sign while I am trying to cross the road or on the sidewalk.
Most people in cars are responsible, as are dog owners. I feel I am one of those: I scoop the poop, I pick up garbage, I move shopping carts, I restrain my dog if someone seems frightened, I replace signs that have been downed or phone the works yard.
To restrict me and other responsible dog owners from using retractable leashes (mine is 6.5 metres), I believe is over-reaching and unnecessary. I can be and am responsible with my dog.
I walk my dog for his health and mine. I enjoy it but now feel uncomfortable and somewhat unwanted in my own municipality.
Tony Heemskerk
Victoria
B.C. needs to stop destroying forests
Re: “Forest management needed to tackle the wildfire crisis,” commentary, Oct. 30.
A retired forester (his credentials not given) calls for more forest “management” but upon reading his essay I see that by “management” the author means forest destruction.
He narrowly focuses on the huge forest fires of the past year and twists logic to conclude that forests themselves are the major threat. He recommends eliminating this threat by massively increased cutting of those pesky trees!
He views our forests as one might view an invasion of plague bearing rats. Never does he acknowledge that our extreme climate and forest fires were caused by his antiquated notions of “management.”
In B.C. we relentlessly continue our bull-headed destruction of the forest.
We cut trees faster than nature can replace them. We prevent the natural succession of species which would prevent or inhibit fires. We poison the soil and organisms which would nourish new forests. The list of our suicidal malpractices is far too long for this letter. We are killing the goose that laid the golden eggs.
Let us get things straight before it is too late. We understand now that healthy forests are the lungs of our planet.
We understand that we have been destroying those lungs just as surely as we know that smoking will cause cancer in our own lungs. The author of that surrealistic opinion piece would solve the problem not by giving up smoking, but by removing the lungs.
Where does that leave a body?
Martin Hykin
Victoria
Canada is stealing its doctors and nurses
We, in Canada, with so many riches, should be ashamed to be stealing doctors and nurses from other countries, just because we can.
These countries need their doctors. If we need more doctors, what does it take to build a doctor?
So, let us build them here at home to our own standards and not worry about the standards of foreign doctors and nurses.
High school graduates have to have a full science program finished with very good marks. Now they have to apply to a university for a bachelor degree in science which can be four or five years away from home.
If mom and dad can afford and want to fund these years at university, that is nice, or the student will have to apply for a student loan, maybe $60,000 after they graduate from the science program.
Now, the bachelor of science graduate will seek a place at a university that teaches medical students and their enrollment might be very limited, so good luck getting a placement. The medical program can be five to nine years more, depending on the student’s choice of doctor work.
Their student loans may be so large that they feel the stress of school and loan repayment. This is also the same for nurses except their nursing degree is usually four years. The money problem is somewhat the same.
Why Canada does buy four submarines (junk) ($2+ billion) and spends $30 billion in Afghanistan, but we end up stealing doctors and nurses from other countries? Are 91原创s going to continue to be thieves?
J.I. Hansen
North Saanich
Reality check needed on EV ownership
Do the governments wanting to move up electric vehicle ownership realize reality? In the past few days, all the major car makers have greatly pulled back making EVs. Hertz, the rental car company, is pulling back.
Honda and General Motors have stopped their partnership to make EVs. There are reports of dealerships hiding or putting EVs at the back of lots because they can’t sell them. The problems are the cost, high interest rates and the lack of trust in charging stations.
Motoring USA says 65 per cent of EV owners are considering going back to internal combustion vehicles, or have already done so.
EVs might be good for cities like Victoria, but in 80 per cent of country they are not. The politicians should get their heads out of the clouds and face reality.
Ken McKay
Saanich
Fan inspection fee is a hidden tax
I recently had a ceiling fan replaced. The labour was $285 and the certified electrician did an excellent job.
When I received the bill the required technical safety permit added $133 to the bill. An up-charge of almost 50 per cent.
Government hidden taxes again!
Brigitte Peter-Cherneff
Duncan
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