Gun ban gives false sense of security
Re: “Revamp of classification system seen as key to cementing assault-style rifle ban,” May 5.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has never gotten much love from Canadian gun owners, and it’s certainly no mystery as to why.
The latest gun control measure classes many semi-automatic rifles as “prohibited,” rather than “restricted.”
These formerly restricted firearms had only been allowed at gun ranges, and nowhere else.
That makes Trudeau’s line: “You don’t need an AR-15 to take down a deer!” not only a weak point, but a moot one as well.
Trudeau has admitted that law-abiding gun owners are not the problem.
Criminals are.
Yet he has now chosen to confiscate the personal property of hundreds of thousands of Canadians, in order to give others a false sense of security.
This is unethical on every level.
Shelby Lang
Victoria
Ban on assault-style rifles is pointless
The federal ban of assault-style weapons does nothing to protect the public.
The ban covers rifles that have a military “look” to them created by the design of the stock — the part of the gun you hold onto, the “handle” in other words.
The barrel, action and the number of cartridges they can hold (five rounds) are exactly the same as a sport/hunting rifle and they have no additional capability.
The government should be spending the money it will waste on this program on strengthening border security, controlling criminal activity, improving care for mental health and eliminating child poverty.
What just happened in Nova Scotia was done by a person with obvious mental-health issues who obtained the guns illegally from the U.S. and was not licensed to have or obtain firearms — several of which were pistols or revolvers.
This ban is nothing more than an exploitation of this horrible tragedy in the hope of obtaining a political advantage in the next election.
Leslie Dabb
Parksville
Stop-gap measures not good enough
Re: “Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre readied for use as emergency housing,” May 5.
It is amazing what the B.C. government is doing for the homeless right now but it is time to stop with these stop-gap measures.
Every time there is a tent-city problem or another crisis such as COVID-19 the government gets all excited and expropriates hotels and sets up in arenas. Then when things settle down they walk away from it all.
Where is the long-term plan to address this issue?
If we truly owe these folks a safe place and proper treatment for their various afflictions then it is time to get on with it and build proper facilities to house and treat them.
If treatment fails we need to be investing our tax dollars in other forms of treatment.
I do not know what those are but I’m sure we have very capable people to figure that out.
We need to help people get well address their various issues. It is not good enough to put in these stop-gap measures.
Some may get well from the programs offered. Others will not and will need to be cared for in the long term.
Again, we have people who can determine what help is needed.
Proper facilities need to be built so we can address this ongoing problem. It is not going away.
This endless throwing away of taxpayer money on stop-gap measures has to stop.
Glenn White
Shawnigan Lake
No time for politicking amid pandemic
Re: “In handling of pandemic, we need to hear opposing and questioning voices,” commentary, May 5.
I understand Bob Plecas’s assertion that the legislature is “where questions should be asked and answered.”
Given my residence of 40-plus years in this province, I would characterize B.C. politics as notoriously partisan.
People don’t vote for a party in B.C., as much as vote against a party.
An example of this is that, as a retired teacher, how could I ever vote for the B.C. Liberal party?
If I could be assured that Andrew Wilkinson and his Liberal caucus would ask helpful, insightful questions, then I say recall the legislature immediately. However, experience tells me that any future question period would be all about scoring points with an eye towards winning a future election.
While that is “traditional” how is that either “appropriate” or “essential” during the current crisis?
Mark Fetterly
Victoria
Protect cats, dogs, don’t poison rats
Re: “Pandemic sparks survival of the fittest battle between pesky rodents,” Lawrie McFarlane, May 3.
I live in Sidney and have always had cats, as well as dogs (I used to have a Jack Russell terrier that looked after any rats in the area!).
A couple of years ago, I adopted two kittens — brothers who were born on a farm in Langley.
One brother Ginge, has inherited from his farm background the hunting of rats and mice. (My neighbours are very appreciative of his skills)
He recently became ill, and eventually I had to take him to the emergency 24-hour veterinarian.
I wondered whether he had eaten a poisoned rat.
After blood tests they could not find anything wrong.
They gave him a long-lasting antibiotic, and special food to help him get over whatever it was that was ailing him.
Thank goodness he is recovering and almost back to old self.
This morning I found that he had brought me a present — a dead rat.
However, he had eaten very little of rodent, and again I wondered whether he now could sense that it was not good to eat.
The point of this letter is to confirm what Lawrie McFarlane said about poisoning rats.
Any poison that gets into the “pesky rodents” can have severe consequences when eaten by a cat or bird or other predators.
I appeal to readers to try their best not to use poison.
There are other ways of controlling them.
Anthea McLauchan
Sidney
Tale of virus patient’s care fascinating
Re: “The people who cared for a COVID-19 patient: How a single case was handled,” April 30.
Thank you for the story following a COVID-19 patient through the care they received. I found the details fascinating because the care is a lot more complicated and time-consuming than I thought it would be.
We certainly owe health-care professionals a lot of thanks and appreciation.
Jean McClennan
Saanich
Where’s the outrage over black-bear hunt?
I am so disappointed in the lack of outrage over the announcement that our government has granted more than 4,800 licences for the spring black bear hunt.
And this is more than double last year’s number. I understand this hunt has an “essential service” designation. Says who?
Hunting for sport is not essential, especially at a time when mothers and their young are at such great risk.
Elizabeth Wright
Victoria
Teachers’ contract, end to blockades
Nothing good can be said about the COVID-19 pandemic now affecting us all. However, on the bright side, it very promptly spelled the end of those rail and road blockades.
And did you notice? Government and teachers were able to quietly come to contract agreement without strike action.
Graeme Roberts
Brentwood Bay
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