A simple way to avoid a bollard collision
Re: “Saanich asks CRD to drop bollards on regional trails,” Jan. 10
If cyclists can’t avoid a stationary object like a bollard, maybe they shouldn’t be cycling.
Aaron Malmgren
Colwood
Remove the trees, or I could watch for them
I mountain bike at Hartland at least twice a week and have run into a couple of trees over the years. I am officially requesting the Capital Regional District remove all of the trees to make it safer for me and everyone else.
Or we can leave the trees and the bollards and I could just watch where I am going, like everyone should using the Galloping Goose and Lochside trails.
Phil Edney
Saanich
Editorial on judges: Wrong, wrong, wrong
Re: “Judges’ salaries should not be above the law,” editorial, Jan. 12.
The editorial on provincial court judges’ salaries is wrong about judicial independence, wrong in the implication judges are paid too much, and wrong in blaming judges for court delays.
On judicial independence, government control over judges’ salaries would give rise to an apprehension of bias in any case involving governmental action or a government interest. Imagine a court where litigants routinely accuse judges of being fraudulently beholden to their political masters.
On pay levels, the recent increase in provincial court judges’ salaries brings them to about half of the minimum level payable to players in National Hockey League. Imagine a team exclusively made up of rookies and players past their prime.
On delay, judges have limited control over the volume of cases brought before them, or over how they are argued by counsel. Imagine a court system operated summarily, with the first priority being efficiency rather than justice. You get to the front of the line quickly enough, but then “No soup for you.”
Richard Butler
Barrister and solicitor (retired)
Victoria
Follow the money with these protests
A recent letter asked about rallies protesting the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and asked if someone could provide the details of such rallies.
There were rallies along Douglas Street and at the legislature following the invasion. I attended one, and the crowd was a large gathering of very concerned, but also very friendly people.
That is in stark contrast to the current series of rallies. In a Jan. 4 commentary, Rabbi Lynn Greenhough described how her husband was slugged at an anti-Israel march. She spoke of the fear and bewilderment felt by Jews.
Maybe the Ukraine rallies did not continue, because the people attending were not funded for lost wages and other expenses, as is on offer to the weekly “protesters” at the legislature.
The Plenty Collective offer financial funding to people: “… based in Lekwungen Territory (aka ‘Victoria, BC’) who are incurring costs related to supporting or organizing actions in solidarity with Palestine and Palestinian people. … This can include, but is not limited to, the costs of lost wages, supplies, items for fundraising, paying speakers, etc.”
Perhaps it is easier to sustain these protests when you give money to “supporters” to wander the streets surrounding the legislature, and, as well, when the existing undercurrent of antisemitism in our society has been emboldened by failed leadership at all levels of government in Canada.
My experience was that people marching for Ukraine were genuine in their concern for Ukraine. I know people in Victoria who sent money and supplies to Ukraine.
Victorians continue to personally support Ukrainians on an individual basis. They may not be marching in the streets, but the support is heartfelt and ongoing.
You might ask yourself how genuine these latest “protesters” are if they require money to show up and hang around while police time and taxpayers’ money is wasted.
You might also wonder if people who throw punches want peace or a pay raise.
I stand with Jews.
Martha McNeely
Oak Bay
No money offers to Ukraine protests
Why is the criminal Russian invasion of Ukraine not being protested at the same level as the unfortunate situation in Gaza?
The answer can be found in a recent column by Warren Kinsella, who said the protesters in Victoria and many other cities are being fed, watered and paid cash by pro-Hamas entities.
So, next time these so-called “protesters” march yelling and screaming past your downtown condo or appear on your television screen, understand they are just folks picking up a free meal and a paycheque.
No such entity seems to be funding the Ukraine protests.
Stephen Kishkan
Victoria
Want to see a protest? Organize it yourself
Regarding the letter about protests, I cannot tell if the writer thinks that pro-Palestine events have gone on long enough. I don’t believe there is a duration restriction on our right to protest.
Or if he is merely interested in the statistics of protests on behalf of Ukraine. Or if he would like to see more protests on behalf of Ukraine.
If it is the latter, the best way to have a protest is to organize one!
Charlene Simon
Victoria
Project changes mean good news for renters
The developer of the project at Douglas and Caledonia says the commercial space that was approved is more than needed now, so an amendment to the original plan has been proposed.
The amendment could see an additional 64 rental units instead of 40,000 square feet of commercial space. A win for Victoria.
Amenities must be tweaked, such as parking, car share, etc.
The monthly rental fees for the new rental suites should be applied with an income means test at the time of tenancy application.
A simple 30 per cent or similar amount monthly income could be designated as the maximum monthly rental fee applied.
These 64 new rental suites would likely be occupied by folks working downtown who are usually paid less than what is needed to meet ongoing rising costs of living.
Regardless of the outcome, this unfortunate situation for the developer has resulted in good news for Victoria’s rental community.
Rick Spencer
Victoria
Cascading problems in our hospitals
Many years ago when the “new” Royal Jubilee was just finished we were given a tour of the ER. I asked how many extra beds the new ER had. The reply was that it had the same number as the old one.
I asked why, as the old ER was always overcrowded and it was hard to see patients as there were not enough cubicles.
The reply was that they were going to be more efficient at transferring out the “assessed, awaiting placement” patients who no longer needed acute care beds. We laughed as this was simply not credible.
The cascade is as follows. It starts in long-term care which has not enough beds even though we continue to add beds.
We have many (it used to be more than 100 per day in RJH alone) elderly patients who have been stabilized but are too frail to go home so they stay in an acute care bed. The acute care wards are now overcrowded and backed up. Patients are kept in hallways and linen closets.
As a result, patients in the ER who have been admitted have nowhere to go so there are few empty ER cubicles for new patients.
Now patients waiting to be seen in the ER are stacked up in the ER waiting rooms as they have no bed to go to and our ERs become inefficient, overcrowded, uncomfortable, and sometimes dangerous.
This has been happening for decades and our governments have trouble addressing this issue. We need more long-term care beds. We need more acute care beds. We need more staff.
It is hard. as our population continues to age and grow, to get ahead. Also, it is very expensive.
Dr. John Miller, retired
James Bay
Doctors facing work other than doctoring
There are so many things to identify as a vexation in the current crumbled medical system, it’s hard to know what to pick.
This month, let me identify the issue that most doctors I know are wrestling with: their phone systems, their faxes, their internet, integrating technology, spending hours on the phone, and trying to get someone to explain Voice over Internet systems so the office assistants we try to entice into employment can maybe work from home, since getting someone in the office is almost impossible.
My physician colleagues recently posted for an office assistant and received one applicant.
Trying to find everything from bookkeepers to cleaners to affordable IT support, and seek office efficiencies despite being tethered to faxes, trying to argue phone providers down a few dollars to get office costs out of the stratosphere … these are all hours not spent doctoring and seeing patients.
System support is negligible for the complicated technology and system needs to run today’s electronic office, and the need to be our human resource managers, our own office efficiency managers, our own “experts” on technology solutions while trying to actually practice the specialities we are trained for is more than frustrating.
Looking forward to calling someone first thing Monday morning to find out why the 45 faxed prescription refills I sent Friday night after a long week of work are stalled in my fax lineup, looking forward to the angry emails and calls from patients, looking forward to feeling exhausted and unseen, another week, same old, same old….
Jennifer Balfour MD (pediatrics)
Victoria
Alternative approval in Nanaimo as well
The Capital Regional District isn’t the only local government using the flawed Alternative Approval Process to push through their excessive spending plans.
Nanaimo city council is using AAP to get “approval” for their pet $48-million project. Not only is this process stacked in favour of approval, because all eligible voters who do nothing are deemed to be in favour, but those against have to spend money to vote.
There is no free online way to vote. To get your vote counted you have to mail, or otherwise transport a form to the single approved location, which will incur a cost for most voters.
To make matters worse, Nanaimo council messed up with their first attempt at running the AAP so all those who oppose this spending wasted their money.
They will now have to pay again to have their opinion counted.
To be fair, there should be at least a five-year pause before a failed AAP can be rerun, but apparently that’s not the case.
The entire AAP methodology is so stacked against objectors that it makes a mockery of the democratic process.
S.I. Petersen
Nanaimo
A vacation in Maui, inspired by our premier
In November, I wrote detailing my frustration that our longtime Parksville beach house rental would no longer be available due to the short-term rental restrictions.
Sadly, we would miss out on goats-on-the-roof, bumper boats, Lefty’s takeout pizza.
No problem, my wife said. “We’ll just rent a place for a week near Tofino where they’re exempted from the STR legislation.”
Have you looked at the cost of a one-week summertime rental near Chesterman Beach? It’s through the roof! No way could our extended family afford it.
We joked that it would probably be cheaper to fly to Maui for a week and stay in a condo. On a whim, I checked the Vrbo site for Maui and found plenty of affordable rentals.
Even with airfare, it was cheaper than Tofino!
So Premier David Eby, I have one word for you: Aloha!
Mike Lane
Saanichton
Use old ferries to help with the housing crisis
With the fastcat ferries up for sale, and other ferries going to the scrap yard, does it not make sense to bring at least one ferry to Victoria and convert it to help the housing crisis.
They have washrooms, kitchens and seating areas, and some furniture. Waste water would be contained on board and disposed of by independent contractors.
Would it not be possible to convert other areas on the boat to rooms of different sizes, including using the car decks for indoor and outdoor living spaces.
Could be docked in some part of the Inner Harbour, so access to needed facilities would be close.
Seems to make sense, maybe that’s the problem?
Len Anglin
Courtenay
Renovated school relies on fossil fuels
Re: “Opening of renovated Vic High delayed until March,” Jan. 9.
The real story for me is not the delays; COVID, labour shortages and supply chain issues make delays understandable.
The real story is that the new $80-million building has no budget for solar panels and that it will be heated by fossil gas.
We have just come through the hottest year in recorded history, more forest fires in B.C. than ever recorded and are technically still in a long-term drought.
Where is the climate crisis leadership from the NDP?
Jim Pine
Victoria
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