Remember when they would just resign?
Federal Trade Minister Mary Ng wants the public to accept her “sincerity” in admitting her ethics error in awarding a sole source contract to a friend using public funds.
I find it astounding that a minister of the Crown would not understand that such behaviour is inappropriate if not illegal. In another time she would have done the honourable thing and resign.
But today, especially under the current administration, such misdemeanors are brushed over and soon forgotten: but not by the electorate, one hopes.
David Collins
Victoria
Don’t blame victims in emergency rooms
Re: “Emergency room is for emergencies,” letter, Feb. 10.
I’m writing to praise the current ER system. Several days ago I went to an ER in Victoria in agony from a blocked urethra.
An initial triage was completed within two minutes of my entering the place when my B.C. care card was scanned and the clerk asked what my problem was. He told me that a nurse would be with me shortly and so she was.
Within 15 minutes the second triage was made by her and I was directed to a room where I waited no more than 20 minutes before two nurses came to insert a catheter. The third triage was made by these two, who decided I should stay in ER overnight.
The fourth triage was made early the next day by an MD who directed that I be admitted to the urology department.
The existing ER system of triage, where problems are evaluated multiple times by people with increasing technical expertise, worked beautifully in my opinion.
Who, then, are the villains in the current system? Don’t blame people who come to ER when they should know better; to blame them is to blame the victim who in many cases is old like me.
The solution is to ask the College of Physicians and Surgeons to triage complaining letters multiple times by people with increasing levels of common sense.
Roger Doyle
Victoria
Continuous trail is the best answer
Re: “Bought for $1, the E&N corridor is on the line,” commentary, Feb. 10.
As mentioned, the Island Corridor is threatened unless an alternative plan is put in place for its use. Many parties support rail on the corridor believing the rails protected it. Many, including us, agree that the right of way to ensure its preservation is as a transportation corridor.
The provincial government will not provide funding for rail without a solid business case, which is impossible because of the massive costs of upgrades and the poor ridership projected.
The B.C. Court of Appeal decision means that short sections of corridor will revert to the First Nations, ending rail on the right-of-way. An alternative is needed to protect the corridor.
We believe that a continuous trail would accomplish this and also create a world-class tourist attraction. The trail could go around the reserves, if need be, and already does at the Songhees land.
A feasibility study for the trail is currently underway by FORT-VI funded by a grant from the Federal Active Transportation Fund. This study will show the costs of a continuous trail on the rail bed of the corridor to be a fraction of the costs of rail service.
The federal Department of Infrastructure has grants of up to $50 million for active transportation projects.
We consider funding the study is an encouraging indication that, once proven feasible, this project will be taken seriously by the federal government and be eligible for an implementation grant.
Wilfrid Worland
Treasurer, FORT-VI
Stop dreaming about restoring rail service
Re: “Bought for a $1, the E&N corridor is on the line,” commentary, Feb. 10.
The transaction was actually funded by Canadian taxpayers in corporate tax relief benefits to CP Rail. CP had decided there was no possible commercial business left on the Island without major investment so the one-dollar purchase was not corporate benevolence.
The Island Corridor Foundation non-profit was founded in 2006 with the goal of restoring rail service and has received much taxpayer support, such as not paying municipal taxes, or paying and maintaining level crossings etc.
Remember that the original E&N was founded and engineered in 1884 for the coal and lumber industry, now almost totally closed down. The best reading of the condition of the remaining infrastructure was commissioned by the B.C. Ministry of Transport project 19m-00626-00 in 2020. This indicates that a total infrastructure rebuild would be necessary, not just restoration, to accommodate modern services in both passenger and freight delivery.
The current business plan proposed by corridor foundation is some $450 million. Governments at all levels want to be green so electrification will be necessary conveniently overlooked in this latest dream plan.
Let’s rip up the rails and sell for valuable recovery to install cycling and pedestrian pathways for our pleasure and visitor attraction leading to a viable financial return.
John O’Brien
Parksville
New Island rail line would be a point of pride
Is an 11th hour decision possible regarding the rail corridor? Torpor appears to be the legislative mood, in the midst of pressing concerns around the three Hs: the homeless, housing and health care.
If the time to decide the fate of the corridor lapses, I feel we will all go into the future with a wistful feeling of regret, that there had been a profound failure of imagination and foresight.
At the bottom of it all is fear: of change, of loss, of disruption, of a looming boondoggle.
But there are other ways to look at this: the First Nations that share jurisdiction of the corridor could come to see its development as a boon, not a bane. Enhanced quality of life, because of improved supply chains, employment, medical access, and career opportunities would result.
More generally, pressure on the Malahat would be relieved, goods and services flow smoothly with little interruption, and up island communities along the line grow to accommodate the steady influx of newcomers to the island.
The line would carry passengers and freight, either separately or combined. The design of the rolling stock and the track itself would be a mighty challenge: it would have to be surprisingly cost effective, economical to run and maintain, technologically advanced, and aesthetically pleasing. I would think the Canadian company, Bombardier, would be a good fit.
As such the new rail line could be pointed to with pride, an achievement that took nerve, daring, and fortitude, much like the mind set that initially, through its railway construction, created our great nation.
Scott Hyland
Victoria
Use budget surplus to save the railway
The E&N Rail Corridor, all the way from Victoria (Esquimalt) to Port Alberni and Courtenay is an invaluable asset, and one that would be impossible to re-create if it were to be broken up.
It is at imminent risk of being lost due to a recent court decision. If so much as one metre of it were to pass into other hands, its continuity would be lost forever. The people of this province must insist that it be preserved for future generations.
The provincial government should immediately commit some of the budget surplus to the preservation of this asset. If this is not done before the March deadline imposed by the courts we will loose the ability to use the corridor in the future for a rapid transit system that will be a necessity within our lifetime.
Ted Lewall
Esquimalt
Fix the Malahat, add more lanes
I live in Mill Bay and travel the Malahat four to six times a week. Over the summer once again the Malahat Drive was a “parking lot” daily.
The “parking lot” is now happening at the summit along with other areas.
When will the provincial government finally put in four lanes from Westshore to Bamberton and lobby for federal government funding? Find a way to put in two more lanes southbound around the park?
The northbound lane from the split rock is in sad shape and looks like it’s falling off the cliff.
All the measures to stop u-turns have not worked. Illegal u-turns are still happening at South Shawnigan turn off and at Spectacle Lake.
The Cowicahn Valley Regional District is allowing the south end of Shawnigan Lake to be developed with huge new house developments.
Once water is found in Mill Bay both sides of the Trans-Canada Highway will be developed. The Malahat is the only way into Victoria. Throwing up a few temporary or permanent barriers is not the answer.
A year ago last August I tried to contact every representative in all levels of government to express my concerns through email and phone. Only Blaise Salmon, the CVRD dirfector for Mill Bay / Malahat, contacted me directly. All levels of government need to step up and fix the road properly.
Karen Jackman
Mill Bay
The monster in MAID: Allowing more suffering
Re: “Have we created a monster with easy access to MAID?,” commentary, Feb. 9.
The writer appears to be suggesting a potentially causal relationship in ascribing the failures of our current medical system as an impetus, even incentive, for medical assistance in dying being more readily offered. This is questionable logic.
Certainly, as suggested, the delays in providing appropriate diagnostics and treatments in all aspects of our medical system can and do lead to worse outcomes and potentially more suffering for individuals.
But it is logically misleading to suggest that MAID may be offered up ‘easily’ or even pre-emptively as an alternative to those system inadequacies. Where is the evidence that this might be the case, or for that matter that MAID is easily accessible?
Let’s turn the argument around and assume for a fantastical moment that our medical system were able to offer everyone the care they needed in a timely manner. Such a system would still be absent the capacity to cure or even manage many diseases and conditions which impose egregious suffering for the individual.
To the best of my knowledge, it is still this circumstance which forms the very basis for our current MAID provisions. Under such provisions the only monster here would be the withholding of the individual’s right to end that suffering in a humane way.
And any conflict of interest might only be found in the hearts of those committed to assisting the sufferer in dying while still, as in all deaths, grieving the loss of life.
Carol Nugent
Victoria
Tired adage regarding antisemitism in Ukraine
I’m disappointed to read the letter with the proverbial statement regarding the supposed antisemitism in today’s Ukraine. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The term “Slava Ukrayini” originated with the Sich Riflemen during the First World War, a Ukrainian military formation of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which after the end of the war in Europe, went on to defend Ukraine from multiple enemies.
The published assumption smacks of Russian (and prior to present Russia, Soviet) disinformation. In fact, today’s Ukraine has amongst the lowest rates of antisemitism in Europe, indeed, far lower than in many western European nations, and Russia itself.
One has only to look at its heroic president, a Jew, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Walter Salmaniw
Victoria
Tie traffic fines to driver income
A driver speeding in a school zone at more than twice the posted limit shows the inadequacy of “fixed dollar” fines.
StatsCan reports that there are 800 Qualicum Beach households with income of less than $50,000 and 610 households with annual income over $150,000. A Mercedes-Benz driver is more likely to be latter group than the former group.
This recent event is not unusual. On June 2, 2022 the Times-Colonist reported, “A 69-year-old Qualicum Beach resident had a Tesla impounded for seven days and was fined $483 for excessive speed after being clocked at 160 kilometres per hour in a 70 km/h zone.”
Fixed dollar fines impose hardships (perhaps well-deserved) on the majority of British Columbians while the wealthy can offend with impunity. A three-figure fine might be the price of a nice dinner out in that income bracket. Seizing a vehicle from some could result in job loss while the wealthy just say, “We’re late for our dinner reservation. Let’s take the Tesla.”
It is time for BC to impose fines as a percentage of income, with the wealthy paying much more. Let the wealthy feel the pain of their misconduct as much as commoners.
Ernie Gorrie
Bowser
G’day with advice on restaurant pricing
Currently visiting in Western Australia where legislation allows restaurants to charge 20 per cent more on menu items each and every statutory holiday.
The only requirement is to clearly post the practice on the premises.
Separate menus with the accelerated pricing used to be required, but no longer.
The practice helps defray holiday time and a half or double time wages.
Not a bad idea methinks.
H. Diane Bell
Oak Bay
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