Blame the way we elect our leaders
Re: “Politicians, prove that you deserve the pay,” letter, Dec. 20.
The statement should read “Prove that you deserve to be elected.” These are not jobs that people get hired into; they are jobs that people get elected into, and we as an electorate have some responsibility here.
I agree that we are not getting value for the money being paid in this day and age. Problems that are solvable are not being solved like homelessness, poverty, our damaged health-care system and lack of adequate mental-health care, and inaction on environmental destruction/climate change, for example.
It is clear we have a crisis in governance. I think, in large part, the cause is our antiquated first-past-the post electoral system. Total power clearly corrupts, no matter which party it is; any one political party that holds all the power has proven themselves to be disingenuous with promises made at election time.
When are we as an electorate going to learn? The only time we have any semblance of co-operation among political parties is when we have minority governments.
If we had a proportional representation electoral system like the vast majority of other wealthy and developed countries in the world (everyone except the U.S., Canada and England) we’d have have more accountability.
We’d have higher voter turnouts at election time because people would know their vote counts; strategic voting to keep an undesirable party out of power would disappear, and elected officials would have to work together.
Research has shown that countries with proportional representation do better overall as societies than those that don’t (northern European countries are a good example). It’s time our democracy entered the 21st century; we can do better.
Lorna Hillman
Victoria
MLAs answer to the party, not to us
Will paying MLAs more encourage a better quality of applicant? Maybe, but any MLA supported by a political party has to have their nomination signed off by the party leader.
This eliminates any freedom of choice, as any rebel will not get their papers signed unless they agree to follow the party line.
I wonder how many MLAs do not have a family doctor? Three options: Nil, zero or none.
Mac Berry
Nanaimo
Honours for ancestry, or accomplishments?
There has been considerable media coverage about Mary-Ellen Turpel-Lafond’s right to hold honorary degrees from various Canadian universities. I think there needs to be some deeper clarification so there is a more authentic response.
1. The question of what constitutes “Indigenous ancestry” is a valid one and needs to be explored. Have colonial and Indigenous societies had a variety of criteria as to what this is?
Some folks appear to have a very rigid threshold and others a little more informal. It’s up to the Indigenous communities to work this out, but consistency is important.
2. Were the degrees awarded mainly due to her “ancestral” background? If so, that seems a pretty shallow, an almost racist criteria used by those institutions.
3. I thought the awards were given as a response for the good work she has done on many files, Indigenous and non-Indigenous. She is credited in B.C. and elsewhere for her skill and success in managing and solving many of these complicated institutional situations.
Is she now to be thrown into the dumpster due to queries about her birth ancestry? I would hope not.
A less reactionary response on this would be helpful.
Barry Rolston
Victoria
In the bad snow day, a hero in a Jeep
Thank you to the kind person who stopped to give me a ride on Tuesday’s massive snowfall day. I had just pulled my car over and was trudging along Richardson in Fairfield.
Jeff came along in his Jeep Cherokee and got me to my job at the Royal Jubilee Hospital on time. He helped me and then I was able to help others.
Stephanie Shantz
Victoria
Add the Nativity to the light show
On Saturday we went to the Victoria Harbour Lights. We bought more than a dozen tickets so as to include as many family members as possible.
There was no rain. The lights in the harbour area were beautiful — boats lit up, houses and hotels, and the magnificent Parliament Building.
There were two well-projected light shows along the ride. And many comments about keeping warm on a cold dark night, and making a place in your heart for someone, and the possibility of dreams magically coming true.
But nothing about the origin of the Christmas celebration — the events of the first Nativity — Jesus (The Christ) coming to us in Bethlehem.
He was also called the Prince of Peace. Isn’t that something special to remember at Christmas?
I realize this is the first presentation of Harbour Lights and there will be additions to next year’s. Hopefully, they will include the Nativity (which lends itself wonderfully to a light show), and Hanukkah, which are traditional celebrations at this season.
Theodore Kass, MD
Oak Bay
Apply safeguards when thinking of MAID
Isn’t the whole point of MAID being but one humane option for those facing the end of life that it is solely patient-driven?
That anyone should suggest or prompt anyone to consider MAID who has not initiated that conversation speaks, to me, to the whole issue of undue duress discussed at length before MAID was approved.
We all thought that duress would come from family or even carers, but clearly at least one federal employee has MAID as an option to actually doing their job, providing services to their assigned cases.
This is reprehensible and for anyone to say “Oops, sorry!” after this devastating response to an application for service is totally insensitive and tone-deaf to the concerns of veterans struggling with an unresponsive and understaffed bureaucracy.
MAID has worked well and has safeguards in place, but it looks like those safeguards need to be more broadly applied to all persons who have contact with the public, at all levels.
Elaine Anderson
Victoria
Sad the World Cup matches have ended
Despite the international angst created by the choice to have Qatar host the recently completed FIFA World Cup, and the usual poo-poo letters to the TC criticizing the game of soccer itself, the only problem for the billions of fans that follow the beautiful game is the fact it ended.
For a month, the world was given a break from the trauma and heartbreaking events around the globe, as they took time out to follow the sublime entertainment, the colour and drama of the games.
Having Canada competing with the world’s best was a bonus. Not to worry about Canada’s result: As my old coach and former Scottish pro Archie Taylor would yell out from the sidelines when things weren’t going our way: “Hard Lines, laddie, hard lines, there will be another day.” Yes, there will be. Keep the faith.
Barrie Moen
Oak Bay
Where have all the duck hunters gone?
Print. Inflate. Tax. Spend.
While one can be critical of Trudeau’s economic policy (The PITS), he deserves praise for his long-gun initiative.
I drove through downtown Victoria early this morning and did not come across a single duck hunter.
Ed Bird
Victoria
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