Thank you to the true truckers
There have been lots of letters about the frustration with the truck paraders, who often intimidate and harass ordinary people going about their business, not to mention the noise and disruption they cause wherever they go.
But in all of this, let us not forget that the vast majority of truckers are not in this small, obnoxious group. There are many hard-working truckers who are travelling endless miles every day in their rigs to bring us the essentials we need, and they have consistently done so throughout this pandemic, often experiencing intimidation and threats from this loud group of paraders, like many of us are.
True truckers are away from their families for days on end. They drive through all kinds of weather and conditions to bring us the things we need.
They are good drivers and responsible adults who care for others and they are vaccinated. Let’s focus some attention on them, and give them our gratitude and respect, and be careful not to tar all truckers with the same brush.
Anna Bowness-Park
Victoria
Russian disinformation and the convoys
It has been well established by both government agencies and private security companies that much of the COVID disinformation on the internet originates in Russian internet troll farms such as Russia’s notorious Internet Research Agency.
In spreading this disinformation, are the so-called freedom convoys doing Vladimir Putin’s work for him?
Jamie Alley
Saanich
Let the squirrels listen to the honking
Ron Clark was quoted as saying that the truck protesters could “do these rallies in the middle of a forest.”
I would tell them that if they can find private land in the middle of nowhere and get the owner’s permission to occupy that land, that would be a great idea.
I’m sure that they would have great support from the squirrels and their nuts.
Alanna Wrean
Victoria
Protesters, your help is needed in Ukraine
I have a further suggestion for these protesters. Instead of gouging deep ruts in Beacon Hill and honking around James Bay, go overseas and dig foxholes in Ukraine and help out the Ukrainians with their fight against the invading Russians.
Chris Garrett-Petts
Victoria
They scream freedom as they take it from us
I arrived home Saturday from the ferry just as the freedom convoy protesters were marching up Douglas Street.
Our bus could not let us off in front of the bus depot so it had to let us off on the street, leaving us and some very elderly people in the lurch.
Our freedom to depart our bus at the scheduled spot was taken away. We then tried to catch a cab.
No cabs were available near the legislature due to the protest. Meanwhile, I Want to Break Free by Queen was blaring from the legislature lawn. Free from what?
You come to our city and jeopardize our daily lives for your own pleasure, or what?
What exactly were you protesting to break free from? From where I was sitting, stranded, you looked like you were holding all the cards.
Linda Pierson
Victoria
American industries are profiting from war
Saanich-Gulf Islands MP Elizabeth May waved her finger at the Conservatives for their suggestion of helping Ukraine by building new oil and gas lines.
The group profiting from this horrendous war is the American industrial complex.
I realize that the brave and courageous Ukrainians need the weapons to defend themselves, but it doesn’t change the fact that every time one of the sophisticated explosives goes off, millions of dollars is profited by this conglomerate.
War is hell. Always has been.
John Walker
Cobble Hill
Shelbourne project and future growth
I can’t wait to see the invoice to Saanich council for the redesign of Shelbourne.
The cost of a room full of monkeys must have been a pretty penny. The planned addition of close to 800 new housing units at University Heights and the former gas station kitty-corner to the new complex will significantly change the density at that location.
The new residents with attendant cars will no doubt be delighted with single-lane traffic and limited egress to Shelbourne to face traffic islands and bike lanes. The only missing design additions are a couple of roundabouts.
It appears that Saanich must use a design criteria based on traffic in the 1940s as a reference point. Certainly there was no consideration of future growth.
It is unfortunate that in their rush to emulate Victoria and its war on cars they forgot that 90 per cent of the population don’t use bicycles to get to work or go shopping.
The traffic backups are problematic now during rush hour, and they will be interesting to say the least a few years out.
Chris Sheldon
Victoria
Pickleball is nice, but the noise is not
Pickleball would be a great opportunity to get exercise and socialize, if only they could modify the ball and racquet to stop the annoying noise.
In this day and age, surely there are materials pickleball balls and racquets could be made of that would result in quiet play.
S.I. Petersen
Nanaimo
Perhaps a toll to cut traffic volumes
A few solutions to the Colwood crawl come from those involved, nearly all being drivers with no passengers.
Would a toll at Uptown, demanding passengers in vehicles, decrease traffic volume? Buses, trains, ferries, but who is doing anything while uncontrolled construction goes on in the Western Communities?
Strangely, there are places in the world where development is seen as an urban problem. Not in Langford. Expect no solution.
G.R. Greig
Victoria
Others should follow Tofino in banning plastic
Tofino is wisely banning plastic utensils and other single-use plastics.
Cowichan should enact similar legislation to reduce plastic use and pollution, win tourist points, help save our local threatened ecology and reduce our annual $3-million-plus bill to ship plastics and other trash to a Washington state landfill.
Victoria and other forward-thinking B.C. communities have already banned plastics.
Please also help make Cowichan a showpiece for adaptive green thinking. We simply do not have time to get all local stores and businesses on side competitively to ban plastic bags and many other plastics.
Every day means more toxic plastics in our great recycling program, garbage-shipping loads, streams, rivers and along our sadly littered roadsides spanning the Malahat to Chemainus.
Peter W. Rusland
North Cowichan
Taxing used-vehicle sales makes little sense
Using average values to tax the sale of used vehicles is a poor idea, particularly when those vehicles reach a certain age.
ICBC’s public database shows more than 116,000 licenced cars and light trucks 25 years and older. These vehicles are traded regularly, incurring PST on each transfer.
In a market where condition and provenance are everything, both vary wildly. There’s a huge discrepancy in value between rustbuckets that will take tens of thousands to transform into something driveable to the winners on B.C.’s show circuits.
The same car worth $5,000 in poor and rusty condition could be worth $80,000 or more in show condition. Using average values to tax the transfer of old vehicles is irrational and poor policy.
Bob Wilson
Saanich
Maybe it’s an easy decision after all
Re: “No easy answers to Russian invasion of Ukraine,” editorial, March 10.
Do we agree, for example, with the Vancouver Recital Society’s decision to cancel a concert by Russian pianist Alexander Malofeev?
The society’s artistic director called the choice a “horrible” one to make. Leila Getz says she has been trying for six years to book the 20-year-old. Getz justified her decision on the grounds that Malofeev, who lives in Moscow, had not spoken out against the invasion. But did he dare do that?
Easy answer. Yes, he dare do that. The courage to be honest demands it. The buck stops. Just like that. Or not. The editorial rationalization is troubling.
Charles Ellis Harp
Oak Bay
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