A fun run for many, a nuisance for others
The people who enjoyed the TC10K Run on Sunday were obvious — and good luck to them. Less obvious were the many people for whom the event was a real nuisance.
For the whole of Sunday morning, getting into or out of James Bay was slow and unpredictable. This is neither reasonable nor necessary.
The organizers suggested that people should walk or use a bicycle, but that is not helpful for those who have mobility problems or need to move heavy goods or drive to commitments farther away.
The disruption results from the route of the run: a loop encircling James Bay, downtown and Fairfield. It closes off all access roads from early in the day or even the evening before.
Please will the organizers replan future runs so that one or two access routes remain open throughout? It is simple to plot routes that would be fun to run but would not seal off the whole neighbourhood; for example, don’t make the route a closed loop.
It should be the organizers’ responsibility to ensure the event is fun for the participants without being an unwelcome imposition on so many other people.
And when the VicPD is approving road closures, will they please pay regard to whether the proposed route recognizes the needs of the residents as well as the wishes of the organizers and participants?
Roland Clift
Victoria
Do the other councillors agree with Kim’s stand?
With shock and dismay I quote Victoria Coun. Susan Kim, from a CHEK News report regarding Victoria property tax rates:
“I’ve said this before and I’ll going to say this again: We as public government are the vehicle to transfer wealth to people who need it most, and I believe this is a lost opportunity, as every year prior has been.”
The mayor and council of Victoria were not elected to change the social order of the municipality by taxation.
They were elected to run the municipality, and manage the services and business of the municipality, for all its residents.
Kim’s statement is implying by using the word “we” that the mayor and other council members are part of her radical movement.
In 45 years in Victoria, I have never heard as outrageous a statement as Kim’s. This is not the first ridiculous statement or position she has taken, and it clearly shows once again she is in the wrong position for all the wrong reasons.
I would expect the rest of council to speak out against this radicalization of the Victoria council.
Richard C. (Chuck) Meagher
Victoria
Genius money moves proposed for Victoria
You have to hand it to Victoria Coun. Susan Kim, who said “we as public government are the vehicle to transfer wealth to people who need it most.”
She wants to raise her landlord’s taxes by 100 per cent, while her rent can only go up three per cent — she’s a genius.
It’s a perfect example of the transfer of wealth from the landlord class to those who need it most — specifically, herself.
Perhaps if we gave her the 25 per cent raise she so desperately needs to buy that e-bike, she might not need to inflate the public purse quite as much?
Tom Braybrook
Victoria
If medical system fails, don’t blame front lines
We are regularly inundated with stories about the stress that our health-care system is under, and I had a view of some of those problems during a recent visit to emergency at Royal Jubilee Hospital.
Those problems are not the subject of this letter. What I would like to stress is the absolutely outstanding performance of every person I encountered.
Efficiency, professionalism and good humour were the universal qualities that I received from the admissions personnel, from the initial diagnostic staff, from the porters who carted me around, the techies who poked, scanned and measured me, and the doctors who figured out what kind of rare malady I had managed to come down with this time.
And of course, enough cannot be said about the nurses, that force of worker bees whose constant motion and energy keep the hive buzzing. Too bad they’re not running the country.
If our battered old medicare does one day finally burst apart at the seams, it definitely won’t be the fault of the hearty and willing souls who toil on the front lines.
Thank you from an extremely grateful customer.
Michel Murray
Saanich
When Garrison goes, trees will be saved
Re: “Two questions about political junk mail,” letter, April 27.
If you think Victoria MP Laurel Collins is bad for sending junk mail, you should be in Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke MP Randall Garrison’s riding. He generates the pap at a much greater level.
He has at least 10 or more mailings every year. It is quite ridiculous. The amount of trees saved once he retires will be impressive.
Kelly Robert
Langford
For a better future, we need immigration
Re: “Federal spending plans can only worsen inflation,” editorial, April 26.
An excellent outline of the issues we face. It should have pointed out that our predicament has arisen because we Boomers have elected governments that would pander to us; we have refused since we started voting to pay a proper level of taxation for government services at all levels (i.e., European taxation levels for European service levels).
The chickens have come home to roost; debt service is unsustainable, per capita productivity is falling — and failing — and former finance minister Bill Morneau is correct in his analysis, which follows a large number of other thoughtful commentators and analysts.
Most frightening is that the generation coming into the workforce is smaller than the retiring boomers — even if peak boomer retirement is now past us — so immigration is our only hope, even though we cannot properly house immigrants in addition to domestic demand and we discriminate against their professional qualifications.
Roger Love
Saanich
Either increase housing or curb immigration
When is a housing shortage not a housing shortage? It is when the number of wannabe homeowners outstrips housing supply.
Fine point you may say, but unbridled population growth is the real cause of the problem. With the birth rate at an all-time low, the population is growing due to runaway immigration rates.
Recent figures indicate that immigration growth at all accounts is creating a population growth of about one per cent per year. That is about 400,000 new Canadian residents per year that need housing.
While the federal government says that we need international immigration to provide enough workers to support a growing economy, if it wants to reduce the “housing shortage” it needs to rein in immigration rates since it has been unsuccessful in increasing an adequate supply of housing to support these new residents.
Bruce Morrison
Colwood
Next, fix the tax on ‘luxury’ vehicles
Now that the provincial government has committed to finding a way to stop public drug use in schoolyards, parks and on beaches, would it not be possible for them to also look at their so-called luxury tax on vehicles?
Premier David Eby and his gang have never met a taxpayer’s dollar they didn’t want, but would they consider raising the bar slightly on what they call a luxury vehicle?
That $55,000 might have been a lot of money years ago when this tax was instituted, but considering what most vehicles are selling for these days, it is almost entry-level.
Len Dafoe
Nanoose Bay
Get together to find downtown solutions
When I read all the rhetoric from politicians and health officials in varying capacities, I wonder if any of them are actually seeing the state of downtown Victoria.
Every day, I see countless people on the sidewalks or quite often sprawled across the sidewalk so others must walk around them. They are in every state of distress possible.
I have never felt threatened by any of them, only very sad, at how this can be happening in a vibrant city like ours. Many are less than a block away from a safe consumption site, so I’m not sure how adding more would help the situation as some have suggested.
Our Place has stated that the issue of poverty, drug addiction, mental health and homelessness is very complex and bigger than they are able to deal with, try as they might and are doing.
As much as I feel sorry for the plight of the affected ones, I’m also distressed by the large amount of garbage that is generated and spread up and down the streets and sidewalks and tossed over every structure meant to keep some areas clean. I wonder who cleans it up and at what cost since it’s a never-ending situation at present.
It seems to me there must be a way for all the necessary groups of interested parties with ideas and/or finances to come together and find the solution that there surely must be to bring about change for the highest good of all.
Lorna Rennie
Victoria
The best place to reach impressionable children
A recent letter said: “So instead of attending class, wandering halls, the police need to enforce the laws.”
Having spent many years in schools and working with liaison officers, this statement demonstrates the lack of understanding of what police liaison officers actually do to support students.
The best time to work toward deterring interest in drug use is to start with our young, school-aged children. And where might be the best place to do so? I think the answer is obvious.
The letter also says: “They [police] have the responsibility to arrest drug dealers.”
There are gangs trying to influence school-age students to get involved in the illicit drug culture. Doesn’t it make sense that police liaison officers, who are very aware of this, should be welcome into schools as a deterrent to a gang presence (and the ability to arrest those who are identified as such)?
It is interesting to see the statement: “Promotion of public use and providing safe drugs has led to more addiction and the incentive to deal drugs anywhere, including schools.”
Including schools? The letter’s assertion is that police should be put elsewhere, but the number of police liaison officers needed is relatively few (when compared with other police responsibilities).
Those liaison officers have access to a large number of young people who would benefit immensely by having well-trained, highly knowledgeable police liaison officers in their schools.
Dave Hockley, retired principal
Victoria
Treat mental health as well as physical health
For more than 40 years, the U.K. National Health Service has had a mental-health nurse career stream that recognizes that mental health is just as important as physical health.
It requires the equivalent education and training as physical-health nurse, and provides the same pay, benefits and career progression.
If drug addiction is a mental-health issue, then it needs the same treatment and care as physical health. This requires mental-health nurses, and where necessary mental-health facilities.
The true definition of asylum is a protected and safe place.
If we truly want to help our drug-addled, mentally ill population, then we need protected safe places of refuge for them supported by qualified, trained, well-paid mental-health practitioners.
Let’s not distort the lexicon; to solve the “public health crisis” we need asylums and mental-health nurses.
The question is: When will our public health officials and the provincial government, which are responsible for health services, acknowledge this reality and act?
Alan Humphries
Victoria
Provide detox spots for those who need them
I’m happy to see the province reversed course on the insane decision to allow hard-drug use pretty much anywhere. Ask any professional dealing with addiction whether there are sufficient detox facilities in the area. There aren’t.
If a person wants to kill themselves with dangerous substances, that’s not my concern. But if that person does not have immediate access to professional detox care when it’s time to clean up, then as a society we have failed.
Jerry Donaldson
Saanich
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