Greens have a tough stance on Saudi oil
A recent letter suggested the Green Party is unaware of the horrors of the Saudi Arabian regime. Please allow me to correct the record.
Since 2019, we have called for a ban on import of Saudi oil. We have opposed any military sales from Canada to Saudi Arabia. In 2018, we called for sanctions when the regime murdered dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
In fact, we have a stronger record than any other Canadian political party in calling for these measures in response to the human-rights abuses of the Saudi regime.
More broadly, since 2019 we have called for Canada to stop importing any foreign oil, but to use only Canadian fossil fuels as we rapidly phase them out.
We are in a climate emergency and we have to act like it is an emergency.
Elizabeth May
MP, Saanich-Gulf Islands
Appraisers help others make informed decisions
Re: “B.C. is paying too much for social housing properties,” commentary, March 5.
Simply put, appraisers do not have any stake in how high or low a property sells for.
Independent, third-party real estate appraisals are an essential component of sound lending practices, and on-site, in-person appraisals carried out by qualified professionals are an effective way to mitigate lending and property investment risk.
Appraisals ensure that properties are not overvalued and also assist in detecting and preventing fraud or other issues involving real estate property.
In short, appraisers continue to uphold independent, third-party valuation fundamentals and help mitigate risks by ensuring lenders, insurers, consumers and governments make informed decisions.
Edwina Nearhood, president
Appraisal Institute of Canada — B.C.
Amalgamated city would bring different council
Several letter-writers have expressed opposition to the amalgamation of Victoria and Saanich on the grounds that they fear Saanich would be subjected to an ideological and autocratic mayor and council like those presently running (or should I say ruining?) Victoria.
May I remind them that Saanich’s population is about 30 per cent greater than Victoria’s and includes many who work or own businesses in downtown Victoria.
With an expanded electorate dominated by Saanich voters, a smaller number of councillors per capita and a single mayor, it seems highly unlikely that some of the more extreme candidates who can get elected in Victoria would be successful in a more competitive contest with an electorate more representative of the region than Victoria’s rather limited demography.
John Weaver
Victoria
Let’s amalgamate, and end the free ride
I am a Saanich resident who wants to thank Victoria taxpayers for the free ride I am given.
Victoria is the region’s downtown and as such it has all the benefits of a downtown core. The jobs, the nightlife, the festivals, the events and more. All used by many thousands of regional residents.
Victoria taxpayers maintain the roads and parks, including Beacon Hill Park, used by the region, and provide police protection for everyone, regardless of which municipality they are from.
As the region’s downtown it also has the issues usually attributed to somewhat larger cities. The criminality, visible drug addiction etc. These are regional issues concentrated in the downtown core.
The only logical way to share both the benefits and issues is to amalgamate the areas that consider Victoria downtown. The main reason for people to say no to amalgamation is not that they do not want input, many do, so obvious when comment threads are read.
They want Victoria taxpayers to continue to subsidize them.
Veronica Green
Saanich
Canada should not betray Ukraine
Re: “Lethal aid from West could deter nations with expansionist plans,” column, March 27.
The defence of Ukraine’s continued existence as an independent country is the most important foreign-policy challenge of our time.
It is not helped by false optimism and wishful thinking such as that offered by Lawrie McFarlane.
The “near unanimity” of western economic sanctions is little more than a fraud: partial SWIFT; partial withdrawal of trade in goods and services and increased tariffs on what continues; uninterrupted import of a billion dollars a day of oil and gas by Europe.
The much-talked-about sanctioning of individual oligarchs and some officials is meaningless in the context of existential war. The ruble has declined in value, it is not in “free-fall”; Russia’s economy has been shaken, it is not “in tatters.”
Canada must act in concert with our allies, but we can advocate for and offer what Ukraine needs: tanks, long-range artillery, modern aircraft and high-altitude air-defence systems.
In this war, within the necessary constraints we must impose on ourselves to avoid the spread of the conflict, we must make full use every weapon at our disposal, as the people of Ukraine are doing day by day, with unimaginable sacrifice.
To do anything less is a betrayal of Ukraine and its people who are today fighting for the very values we claim to believe in.
Tom Masters
Chemainus
Biden was right to call Putin a butcher
As the White House PR staff scurry to soften and dial back Biden’s comments, wasn’t calling Putin a butcher and war criminal spot on? What the majority of us are thinking?
While not politically correct, my hat is off to him. He’s certainly no ordinary Joe.
Ted Daly
Saanichton
Reconciliation comes from the heart
I find it peculiar that so many people deplored the truckers‘ protest. What harm did they do?
Did they steal? No. Did they harm anyone? No. Were they trying to overturn the government? No. Inconvenience? Perhaps. Too noisy? Maybe.
At this time of year church goers are reminded of the parable of the prodigal son. True reconciliation comes from the heart. These were contributing working citizens who wanted to be heard.
To castigate such people is not really any part of our reconciliation times. Humility is the essence of life, it resides in caring people who are the salt of the earth.
Patrick Skillings
Victoria
Health risks with the time change
There are morning people as well as night people. These people who function best in the mornings may rise at 5 a.m. to run, walk, visit the gym and, yes, work. Even on standard time, the dark hours of winter are a drag.
Then there is the opposite problem of getting to sleep on daylight time in bright sunshine in summer, requiring a top-quality eye mask. People probably suffer unnecessarily from various ailments, including insomnia, due to not being aware of and managing their biological clock.
With permanent daylight time, for two or three months in midwinter, morning people will suffer up to four hours or more of darkness at a time of day when they are at their best. This is a frightening prospect.
Non-morning people, especially young people going to school, will not be at their best. To add to this picture, there are those with seasonal affective disorder who rely on early daylight to kick-start their metabolism and help alleviate low mood and depression.
Even with standard time in the winter, they often have to rely on artificial daylight devices for an hour or two.
It is unfortunate that this critical question was not raised in the government survey, with appropriate scientific input.
Andrea Ashton
Victoria
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