B.C. Ferries should learn to listen
Regarding the disbanding of Ferry Advisory Committees and the creation of a “better” system of communication: All they had to do was listen.
They received information over and over and over — the same stuff over and over — and B.C. Ferries never did anything about it.
Maureen Hamblin
Sechelt
Trade war will hurt all three countries
I don’t understand Donald Trump’s thinking, if he follows through with his notion to impose a tariff on Canadian and Mexican goods coming into the United States.
All Canada and Mexico have to do is impose an equal tariff on goods coming into Canada and Mexico from the U.S. We import way more from the U.S. than they import from Canada.
Our country would be billions of dollars ahead if Trump triggers a trade war. I think that saner minds will prevail in the end. A North American trade war will hurt all three countries.
Paul Arnold
Saanich
Warn us about photos showing Donald Trump
I would respectfully ask that the Times Colonist refrain from putting pictures of Donald Trump in the paper unless there is a warning placed on Page 1 outlining which page(s) the pictures appear.
This will allow readers to avoid the visceral effects, including nausea, headaches, hypertension, fight or flight response, etc, of viewing his hateful, spiteful and criminal face.
On behalf of thousands of your loyal daily subscribers, thank you for considering this request.
Howard Brunt
North Saanich
Return to the Dark Ages with Trump’s ascent
The advent of the Trump presidency promises chaos on a global scale and a return to a period where ignorance and superstition abound.
Historically, humans have endured several such dark periods and the next four years will test us all. Taking the long view of history there is hope. The Dark Ages were followed by the Renaissance, a period of great ideas that eventually led to the Age of Enlightenment.
One can only hope that sanity will prevail and history will repeat itself. We just have to survive the next four years.
In ancient times Roman conquerors would be given the honour of a huge parade through the streets of Rome. The hero would ride in a chariot drawn by white horses. A slave would stand behind the here and whisper in his ear that all glory is fleeting. And so it will be with Trump.
His triumph will be short lived and he will fade into obscurity.
Richard Smith
Saanichton
Oh the irony of the police argument
Thank you Times Colonist for bringing some black humour to my morning reading. I refer to the letter writer making the argument for more police in downtown Victoria and recommending offsetting cuts to the proposed City of Victoria budget.
There may be some merit to the suggestion but the writer lives in, wait for it, Saanich.
Here’s another suggestion: How about other municipalities chipping in to relieve the over-burdened Victoria taxpayers. Maybe a GoFundMe account?
Pat Jackson
Victoria
Capitalist societies better for all
Re: “Corporations out in force at biodiversity, climate conferences,” column, Nov. 24.
Trevor Hancock’s column amusingly undermines his often-stated premise that capitalist evil is destroying the planet and should be replaced with, basically, communism (although he doesn’t call his ideal future society “communism,” preferring the United Nations’ “global-health” jargon).
In the column, Hancock writes:
“There are decades, indeed centuries, of experience that show us that corporations are more than happy to make money by producing and selling unhealthy or dangerous products, polluting and damaging the environment, exploiting their workers, harming communities and undermining democracy.”
In the real world, it isn’t “corporations” that have been guilty (at least in the past 50 years) of “selling unhealthy or dangerous products, polluting and damaging the environment, exploiting their workers, harming communities and undermining democracy.” That honour more properly belongs to the various communist states.
The Soviet Union, for example, damaged and destroyed its environment and harmed its workers far more than any current capitalist society.
By contrast, capitalist societies are wealthy enough to clean up their environmental messes, and by and large they have, while providing a reasonably good lifestyle for most citizens. This is why we don’t see refugees fleeing toward communist societies for a better life.
The type of society Hancock proposes has been tried multiple times (Soviet Russia, Communist China, Cuba, North Korea, Cambodia, Albania) and found not just wanting in basic freedoms but responsible for the murders of tens of millions of people.
It’s astonishing that Hancock isn’t more aware of this historical context as he continues to preach the UN’s gospel of global socialism.
Paul MacRae
Victoria
Car goes airborne on Mann Avenue
I saw a car flying the other day. I’m sure it was unintentional.
Saanich has done a very good job in finishing the bike lanes on Mann Avenue, with posts and solid cement curbing so no wayward drivers or resident parking will interfere with the flow of bicycles.
And a brand new crosswalk installed for local residents. However this isn’t just any ordinary crosswalk — this one is significantly raised. Most drivers don’t slow down when an empty crosswalk is visible and this vehicle wasn’t aware of the changes and maybe even accelerating over the 40 km/h.
Wouldn’t it have been courteous to the vehicle traffic to post a couple of signs warning of a speed bump?
Eric Roberts
Saanich
Victoria school board made the right decision
School police liaison officer programs have existed for decades. If they worked, it would be easy to prove it.
Instead, the evidence shows that such programs are at best neutral, and at worst actively harmful to students.
Good on the Greater Victoria School Board for making a decision based in facts and not feelings.
Laura Floyd
Victoria
Military spending does not offer value
Without going down the rabbit hole of what our military should be, this is one point that regularly bothers me.
Apparently Canada is not spending enough of its GDP on military toys. It is regularly noted we need to spend more to reach a two per cent target and recently the defence military lobby group decided we should be spending three per cent.
At no time have I seen a discussion on receiving value for money.
Presumably to meet our spending commitment imposed on us by other countries, we need to write a few big cheques and give them to defence contractors, no need to bother them with bothersome requirements to produce useful and usable products.
Norm Ryder
Victoria
Get used to higher prices under these governments
The federal Liberal government announces dropping the GST for two months on specific items and sending $250 cheques to Canadians who worked in 2023 and earned less than $150,000 while running a $40 billion deficit.
The B.C. NDP government plans to reduce taxes $1,000 per year for the typical family while running a $9 billion deficit.
Both governments have increased debt substantially. In the case of the federal Liberals, it has doubled under Justin Trudeau to $1.2 trillion. In the case of the B.C. NDP, from $69.8 billion to $123 billion by the end of the year.
These gimmicks are not likely going to pay off for Trudeau. It’s hard to imagine anything he does moving the needle much for his government.
Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre also has a tax reduction plan by doing away with carbon taxes that increase prices on virtually everything we purchase. Trudeau would have been wiser to adopt this route, because it is going to happen after the Conservatives get elected and they will receive the credit for making things a little more affordable. It doesn’t give me any pleasure stating this, having supported the B.C. NDP and federal Liberals over the years.
Larger deficits result in higher interest rates and therefore higher prices. And watch our dollar slide below 70 cents, resulting in higher prices for everything.
Wayne Cox
Saanichton
SEND US YOUR LETTERS
• Email: [email protected]
• Mail: Letters to the editor, Times Colonist, 201-655 Tyee Rd., Victoria, B.C. V9A 6X5
• Aim for no more than 250 words; subject to editing for length and clarity.
