Government cannot operate a business
Re: “End the fake independence of B.C. Ferries,” editorial, Oct. 13.
Moving B.C. Ferries back into government would be a disaster.
Governments are meant to govern, not to operate business enterprises. It is not their forte!
Recall the deplorable service, food, labor unrest, terminal infrastructure, deficient cleanliness, etc. before David Hahn took over in 2003.
He turned the service around during his tenure. It is fractured thinking to presume that returning it to government operation would correct any of its current challenges, many of which are beyond its control.
John Stevenson
Victoria
True ferry leadership with four legs and a tail
Re: “End the fake independence of B.C. Ferries,” editorial, Oct. 13.
As you may recall, Piper (our cat) promised to run B.C. Ferries like a “first world” service available in most other G7 countries should you put her in charge. No more “dog ate my homework” excuses.
And, she remains prepared to take this on for only the occasional rodent that might cross her path.
Peter Foran and Piper
Victoria
Maybe it would be better to fly to the Island
Re: “End the fake independence of B.C. Ferries,” editorial, Oct. 13.
B.C. Ferries administration salaries are out of line for what they provide. Posting a bonus after all the grief they have caused is a joke.
I am considering flying to see my grandchildren in Courtenay. I believe it would be a better experience but not sure because of my location in Penticton – a lack of flights.
Alf Norrish
Penticton
Carbon tax is not the only reason for higher prices
Re: “Canada should call out China’s emissions charade,” column, Oct. 5.
Gwyn Morgan states China’s pollution levels are more than the rest of the world’s industrial nations combined. Morgan states that the NDP-backed Trudeau government is putting Canadian manufacturers at a disadvantage by way of the carbon taxes.
He says if we as consumers want to do our part to help with global emissions, we should be buying more North American made products.
I wholeheartedly agree, with some caveats.
The low cost of imported goods from China is not wholly because of carbon tax, or even lower labour costs (as we have been conditioned to believe).
In most overseas countries where these goods come from, the machine shop that manufactures the products doesn’t need filtered ventilation for it’s workers and it can just dump the old lathe coolant out in the back 40.
Higher cost of our goods is not solely due to carbon tax. It is also due to proper application of common-sense health and environmental standards and the improper high cost of our industrial land base.
The federal NDP-Liberal government and the NDP provincial government are both adding to the unequally applied carbon tax issue by increasing the cost of our industrial land base.
Premier David Eby has created a property flipping bonanza for both domestic and foreign landowners by way of eliminating residential zoning.
Not only will workers be unable to have a bit of a backyard for their kids with room for a BBQ and garage for their tools, but the places they work at will lose land to condo developments.
Politicians do better personally by way of election donations from land assemblers that yield secured terms in office, than they do from supporting local manufacturers.
Eby has made living near one’s workplace possible only if one lives in a balcony-less condo tower, but ex-Premier Christy Clark is also to blame. She took a contingent of real estate “industry” representatives on a trade mission to China. I use the term “industry” loosely as it connotates adding value to goods. This could not be further from the truth.
My favoured first step to reduce emissions is to say to manufacturers (overseas or not), “If you can’ t build a washing machine or fridge that lasts 18 years (not 8) then you do not get any more steel or electricity. You wasted what you had.”
Ken Holowanky
Coquitlam
Basic economic theory says prices would rise
Re: “Airbnbs not behind rent increases, study says,” Oct. 12.
This report from the official-sounding Conference Board of Canada would have us doubt basic economic theory by cherry-picking their data.
Supply and demand determine prices. When you reduce the supply of available rental units by making them into short-term rentals you increase renter demand and therefore prices.
A quick internet search of the Conference Board of Canada states: “Serving business leaders for 100 years.” Enough said.
Jim Pine
Victoria
Nurse practitioners offering great service
Every time we read letters to the Times Colonist about the family doctor shortage in British Columbia, we consider how very fortunate my wife and I are to be patients of Health Care on Yates.
It is an innovative community clinic led by a team of nurse practitioners, with support from other in-house medical professionals. When our family doctor abruptly retired four years ago, we were cast adrift like so many others in our province..
Luckily, after a few months, we were accepted as patients. The medical care and responsiveness is outstanding, with in person or phone consultations always available; Prescriptions and referrals are done directly by nurse practitioners.
Although we loved our family doctors, the clinic provides us with a broader range of front-line medical care. Frankly, I don’t understand why there aren’t more of these clinics.
Sandy Cotton
Victoria
Artificial intelligence would surely do better
The carnage taking place around the world confirms the notion that human beings are the meanest and most vicious of all the animals.
William Shakespeare summed it up when he wrote in The Tempest: “Hell is empty and all the devils are here.”
My only hope is that some day artificial intelligence will do better than us. I doubt it would do worse.
Cheera J. Crow
Brentwood Bay
A planner’s first job: Preserve what is there
What should be the duties of urban planners? Surely , their first consideration should be to maintain or improve their neighbourhood.
This would mean maintaining greenspace, recreational facilities, and hopefully holding off on traffic congestion and the laying down of concrete.
Although not anti-development, there should be a serious need to preserve ambience.
What is wrong with saying no to unbridled development? Many successful neighbourhoods worldwide have managed that.
Nimbyism isn’t selfish, it’s avoiding Colwood Crawl and the mess of Langford, where traffic rules, and there is little concept of the village pedestrian community.
Building elsewhere is OK.
G.R Greig
Victoria
If you use your arm, you will be safer
Re: “Fall start of dangerous time for pedestrians,” column, Oct. 13,
John Ducker fails to mention an almost fool-proof way of safely crossing the road on foot: Use another extremity — your arm!
When I am at a marked but uncontrolled crossing I always put out an arm and point. It gets the motorist’s attention.
Yes, you may feel self-conscious, but it soon becomes a habit. It makes your intentions crystal-clear.
And then when the motorist stops, you use that same arm for a little wave and cross safely.
Anne Moon
Victoria
SEND US YOUR LETTERS
• Email letters to: [email protected]
• Mail: Letters to the editor, Times Colonist, 201-655 Tyee Rd., Victoria, B.C. V9A 6X5
• Submissions should be no more than 250words; subject to editing for length and clarity. Provide your contact information; it will not be published. Avoid sending your letter as an email attachment.
