Canada urgently needs its own vaccines
It’s become abundantly clear during the COVID-19 vaccine shortage that our governments have badly let us down.
To think we’re relying on a factory in a small country thousands of mile away to provide vaccine for our population is disgusting, to say the least.
Government officials, mostly liberal but also conservative over the past decades, should be holding their heads in shame.
Come on Justin Trudeau, job one should be to get our own Canadian vaccine facility up and running, not only for now but for our children and grandchildren, these viruses aren’t going to stop when this one is finally under control.
Do your job!
Mike Briggs
Comox
Coddling drug users will never work
Re: “It’s time for us to stop enabling the addicts among us,” letter, Jan. 30.
Monica Babic’s letter brought me back to the late 1960s, when I was involved in drug education programs on the East Coast. It was LSD, acid and the “friendly” marijuana days giving the youth of the day altered states of consciousness.
We quickly learned that presentations by medical professionals to enlighten young minds about the curse of drugs were useless.
Instead, we brought in known former drug users, those who had been down that godawful road to addiction but somehow managed to be “free,” at least for a time.
Jack and sidekick Smokey told high school classes what drug addiction was really like. Forget all notions of druggies trying to help each other: Reality? They’ll steal whatever they can from you, and then go after the non-druggie world that “supports” them.
Illicit drug use changes your personality. You become something other than what you were. When some asked which schools are drug-free, the swift emotionally loaded response: There are no such schools. Drugs are everywhere. And the sooner your communities realize this, the safer your communities will become.
Coddling drug users is inviting wholesale drug induced communities. It’s the worst possible approach to eliminating drug use.
When parents asked what to do, their response was very, very enlightening: The solution to drug use problems lies within the family. It’s the family that ultimately controls illicit drug issues.
That dictum has been with me these some 50 years. Now, what sorts of families best describe our current crop of illicit drug users? Research into such matters will most likely go nowhere due to Human Rights and Freedoms mind-guards.
What seems most workable is for community authorities — city council — to engage Monica Babic in some kind of consulting role.
Maybe such consultants already exist within council but I don’t recall such information being readily available. Personally, I would pay great attention to what Monica has to say.
Donald Lang
Victoria
Always keep right on mixed-use trails
I agree that pedestrians belong on the left on roads with no sidewalks. However, I find it irresponsible to be publishing letters recommending that pedestrians walk on the left on our mixed-use trails.
The signage and rules are clear, although posted far too infrequently. As a runner and hiker who uses the trails four or five times a week, the left walkers are in the significant minority and are the only ones causing problems on the trails.
If they feel unsafe, they should walk on roads or sidewalks. The Capital Regional District should post simple signage at most trail entry points: “All users keep right. Faster yields to slower.”
Simple to understand and follow for everyone. This and some enforcement for offenders would solve the majority of the issues and avoid the significant cost of building separate lanes for cyclists.
Owen Taylor
Cordova Bay
Death at a Funeral is an unappreciated movie
Since Resident Alien star Alan Tudyk has been filming in Ladysmith, there have been several articles about him and his acting roles.
What I don’t understand is why his role in the British film Death at a Funeral (which the Americans copied three years later with their version) is never mentioned. If I’d been giving out Oscars, Tudyk would have got one for his role in that film.
The British version used to be on Netflix, which was where I saw it advertised about two or three years ago. I was in a very depressed mood and I thought that title just fits the way I felt, so I turned it on.
Well, was I ever surprised. I had one of the best laughs of my life. I laughed so hard, tears were rolling down my cheeks.
It was the best remedy for my depressing mood — a good laugh. All the other actors in the movie were also very good. Now when I want cheering up I watch it again (yes, I bought the DVD) and I still have a good chuckle.
So why hasn’t this movie had the exposure it deserves?
June Zubert
Ladysmith
Moving to the left after reading Gwyn Morgan
After I had read Gwyn Morgan’s column on Wednesday, I thought about writing a letter to the Times Colonist, but didn’t get around to it.
And then I read publisher Dave Obee’s Friday column about the responses received over Morgan’s latest opinions, and found myself agreeing with some aspects of both the objections from readers and Obee’s defence of publishing both sides of a variety of issues.
I’m writing this now to give another perspective to the opinions of some people that are not always received well by the majority.
It would be a very dull and boring world if we were all the same, and a healthy democracy can not function properly if all sides of various issues aren’t out in the open for everyone to see and think about.
I haven’t voted on the right side of the political spectrum — either federally or provincially — for about 30 years; but with only one choice on the right for either type of election, and either two or three choices on the left, I’m not deprived of options as to where to vote from one election to the next.
However, every time I read anything that Morgan has to say about anything, I usually move just a little bit further to the left. So I am grateful to the Times Colonist for allowing Morgan to have his say, as a regular reminder to keep me from thinking that I might want to vote right-wing next time.
Richard Silver
Colwood
Mayors could seek win-win alternatives
It was disappointing to read that North Island mayors oppose closing salmon farms, despite the fact they’ve long been suspected of causing continued depletion of wild salmon.
Wild salmon are a keystone species, an important link in the food chain, and have even been found to play a role in healthy forests.
Instead of fighting to keep jobs in an unsustainable industry, why not pressure the federal government to provide funding to help move those fish farms to closed containment on land? (Perhaps it could be contingent on the fish farm corporations dropping their threatened legal actions against the federal government.)
Why not look for alternatives that work for everyone, including wild fish, First Nations and others who depend upon them?
Human beings are incredibly smart and creative. We don’t need to cling at all costs to jobs that threaten the planet, nature, and our neighbours’ traditional culture.
Grace Golightly
Duncan
We need to thank Dr. Bonnie Henry
I am writing in response to letters complaining about Dr. Bonnie Henry.
From the beginning, she has provided us with updates, urged us to stay calm, reminded us to be kind, admonished us to be safe, and told us how to stay safe. I believe she has done her job well.
She cannot make people behave the way, deep down, they know they should.
Choice has existed from the beginning of humankind. As for clout to make people stop wrong behaviours, we must look to elected officials and the law — not to Henry. She needs our thanks and support.
Joan Watson
Port Alberni
Another reminder to wear a mask
Dr. Bonnie Henry told us “do more.” Outraged citizens replied “How?”
Since then, on walks between Ogden Point and Mile Zero, the folks coming toward me barefaced numbered 102, masked 10. Some respected distancing, many did not seem to care.
“We’re doing all we can!” Sure. But don’t COVID thy neighbour’s life; wear thy mask.
Steve Soule
Victoria
Another volunteer for a later shot
I am a geezer who supports the idea of donating my COVID-19 vaccine appointment time to a teacher or other healthy adult doing essential work.
These B.C. government decisions are not “hard science” by any reckoning; they are policy decisions that are likely affected by the stress of COVID to be less than ideal.
Looking at what is prohibited and what is not is proof of low-quality decisions.
I can wait for the end of the line whenever it appears.
Ronald Schlosberg
Victoria
We should all bear the restrictions
Always love a good debate, but this is about public health and safety, not rights or civil liberties.
Is it costly financially and emotionally? Yes, but there is no practical alternative.
As someone who grew up listening to stories of the Great Depression, the sacrifices we are being asked to make do not yet match that kind of deprivation so I will bear the restrictions for my fellow citizens as should all of us.
Leonard Krog, mayor
City of Nanaimo
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