Re: 鈥淏an horse-drawn carriages by 2023, Coun. Ben Isitt says,鈥� May 14.
In 1961, Beacon Hill Park administrator W.H. Warren suggested 鈥渄isposing鈥� of Queenie, the park鈥檚 beloved workhorse, because she cost $1 a day to feed and was only half as effective as a truck. There was a suggestion of cutting Warren鈥檚 monthly pay by $30 to offset this cost.
Sixty years later, many people remember Queenie and still visit her grave in the petting zoo area of the park. (She was the biggest tourist attraction in the park.) It is unlikely many people could name the park administrator from 1961.
Coun. Ben Isitt reminds me of Warren. A few years from now, people will still talk about our horse-drawn carriages and will ask: 鈥淏en Who?鈥�
Ed Bird
Victoria
Stick with cleaning up the city
Re: 鈥淏an horse-drawn carriages by 2023, Coun. Ben Isitt says,鈥� May 14.
Maybe Victoria city council should stop worrying about how to shut down the horse-drawn carriages, where to cram in the next bike lane, and what historic statue or iconic tree to tear down next.
Maybe they should get back to basics and spend some money on a couple of fancy new pressure-washers for a night crew of city workers to clean Victoria streets. I encourage readers to look under their feet when downtown. Victoria has become quite filthy.
Scott Stofer
Victoria
Council should govern real issues
Re: 鈥淏an horse-drawn carriages by 2023, Coun. Ben Isitt says,鈥� May 14.
I am perpetually dumbfounded at the nonsense from this council member. First, he says the horses are an outdated 鈥渕ode of transportation.鈥�
It is a nostalgic tourist attraction on specific routes and tours, returning to the same spot it starts. What better way of experiencing our rich-in-history destination than this?
The animals are cared for, and God designed them to pull and do things.
It鈥檚 time we put our adult pants on and run the matters that are key to this destination, such as cleaning up the core and addressing the focuses on affordable housing. Let鈥檚 curb the stupidities of 鈥渂ig oil鈥� lawsuits, any more bike lanes, removing tourist attractions that sadly we can鈥檛 afford and govern the real issues.
Stop screwing with the garnish and start working on the meat.
Derek Sanderson
Victoria
Legislature鈥檚 Speaker is the hero
Re: 鈥淛ames departs after report says he improperly claimed benefits,鈥� May 17.
Speaker Darryl Plecas, thank you for exposing the spending by the officers in the B.C. legislature. You are my hero.
Tibbie Adams
Victoria
NDP should require repayment
Re: 鈥淛ames departs after report says he improperly claimed benefits,鈥� May 17.
When former legislature clerk Craig James says he 鈥渉as had enough,鈥� one can only assume he鈥檚 referring to taxpayers鈥� dollars.
Let鈥檚 hope that the NDP exacts repayment of his improper purchases. I keep checking Craigslist for a reduced and nearly new wood splitter.
Fern Davey
North Saanich
鈥業ll fares the land where men decay鈥�
Re: 鈥淛ames departs after report says he improperly claimed benefits,鈥� 鈥淏lack: Trump pardon is total exoneration,鈥� May 17.
The Friday Times 91原创 included some dismal reading: a pardon for Conrad Black and a reminder of the self-serving arrogance of senior officials in the provincial legislature.
Oliver Goldsmith got it right: 鈥淚ll fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, where wealth accumulates, and men decay.鈥�
Frank Wilson
Oak Bay
Misused money should be repaid
Re: 鈥淛ames departs after report says he improperly claimed benefits,鈥� May 17.
I read with revulsion that former legislature clerk Craig James feels vilified over his treatment regarding his misconduct.
I am astounded that a supposedly educated man does not understand that taking from all of us is not acceptable behaviour. He says he has had enough, as if we have wronged him. Give me a break.
In the real world, he should pay back monies to us in areas of misconduct as some of the senators in Ottawa did.
Ernest Burnett
Port Alberni
Purchases didn鈥檛 pass the smell test
Re: 鈥淛ames departs after report says he improperly claimed benefits,鈥� May 17.
Apparently, former legislature clerk Craig James鈥� sense of entitlement led him to believe it was allowable to purchase a $600 shirt, $2,000 worth of luggage and a $1,000 suit. This on top of a load of liquor and a $13,000 wood splitter.
The final report is out and has confirmed the misuse of public money for personal use. James immediately retired, stating he has had enough of being vilified and publicly ridiculed. I believe a quick look in the mirror is warranted here.
Under no circumstance does this pass any smell test as being legitimate with the taxpayers of B.C. I eagerly await the final chapter to close when the minister of finance receives repayment of the $258,000 allowance he was given but not entitled to receive. Perhaps former Speaker Bill Barisoff will assist in the repayment or, since James loves that wood splitter so much, just sell it back to him for $258,000.
Wayne Messer
Saanich
Where was press in spending scandal?
Re: 鈥淛ames departs after report says he improperly claimed benefits,鈥� May 17.
The legislative assembly expense scandal has reached its conclusion with the report from retired justice Beverley McLachlin and the abrupt retirement of the clerk, Craig James. The 鈥渃ulture of entitlement鈥� finally caught up with James, who apparently exploited non-vigilant oversight and a lack of clarity about who was in charge.
Lost in the conversation is the role of the press in this saga. James worked at the legislative assembly for decades. Was the culture of entitlement and lack of accountability a new phenomenon? Was the fact that the Legislative Assembly Management Committee never met not news?
Was the complete lack of oversight of public spending not news before Darryl Plecas became Speaker? Or was the press simply willing to accept a legacy culture of entitlement as appropriate or inevitable?
Alan J. Wainwright
Victoria
Envision future led聽by Stew Young
Re: 鈥淪aanich could join efficient Langford,鈥� letter, May 15.
As a Victoria resident, I agree 100聽per cent with the writer who advocates for Langford to be included in plans for the amalgamation of any municipalities in Greater Victoria. Just imagine what the future would hold in dealing with major issues such as transportation, housing and climate change with a proven entrepreneur/politician, Langford Mayor Stewart Young, at the helm.
Elizabeth Kozak
Victoria
