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Letters Jan. 24: A stick library for dogs; city hall lunch; daylight time

Stick Library is a doggy treasure chest A great big thanks to whoever created and placed this Stick Library in the Dallas Road Dog Park. Already it has gathered a lot of four-footed interest and much appreciation.
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The Stick Library at Dallas Road Dog Park. January 2020

Stick Library is a doggy treasure chest

A great big thanks to whoever created and placed this Stick Library in the Dallas Road Dog Park. Already it has gathered a lot of four-footed interest and much appreciation. The treasure chest is located where the sidewalk splits at Dallas Road and Cook Street.

Blake Handley
Saanich

Natural turf fields have own dangers

Re: “Ditch artificial turf? Red flags waved,” Jan. 23.

Anyone who has ever played sports in this town must be gasping for air because of Ben Isitt’s position on the turf replacement at Finlayson Field.

Clearly, he has never picked up a staph infection as a result of seagulls feasting on worms forced to the surface to avoid drowning.

Imagine Lisa Helps worried about what to do with the plastic 20 years from now, but unconcerned about thousands of active people having to quit what they are doing just because the rain won’t.

Ross Manson
Saanich

A prince’s need for private security

Re: “ ‘No other option,’ Harry says,” Jan. 21.

Will Harry get the peace he’s seeking?

No, he won’t if he has to pay for private security like all the other wealthy, rich and famous people in this world. Almost all billionaires and some millionaires privately employ more than a single bodyguard.

He may decide his £3.2-million stipend was perhaps more profitable.

Susan Doherty
Victoria

Thoughts on the free lunch, in verse

Re: “2 Victoria councillors try to end free lunches for themselves; they are outvoted,” Jan. 18.

With apologies to Lt.-Col. John McCrae:

Past City Hall the potholes grow,

Up Fort, down Yates, row on row,

They’ll get deeper I’ve a hunch

While council ponders “What’s for lunch?”

P.G. (Phil) Leith
Victoria

Daylight time means dark mornings

So, so glad to see daylight before 8 a.m., even if it is a bit dull with the rain.

I can’t imagine what December and January would be like with sunrise not happening until 9 a.m.

I don’t know why the premier has his knickers in such a twist about daylight saving time. His survey was poorly designed and biased toward the answer that he wanted.

There should have been three items: standard year round, standard time changing to daylight saving in the summer and daylight saving year round, and respondents should have been able to rank their answers as 1, 2 and 3.

Fran Wertman
Mayne Island

Hey, Victoria: Keep sidewalks clear

What is it about Victoria property owners who let their shrubbery overgrow sidewalks?

Their negligence manifests an indifference to walkers and even an attempt to appropriate property to assuage inability to possess more. Their complaint against the mud-track detours that skirt their intrusion seems to gratify passive-aggression.

I wonder that the city does not maintain civic duty and enforce nuisance and trespass bylaws. Such lackadaisical disorder does not encourage purchase here as I look to relocate.

Dr. David Heinimann

Terrace

Protester arrests a waste of police time

The assurance that our police are working to provide safety and order in our city is understandable, but the gross display of police force that was used to arrest a few unarmed and non-resistant citizens who were demonstrating their right to disagree with a disputed government action is beyond ridiculous, wasteful and downright stupid.

If this is how the Victoria police force conducts itself, I doubt that any reasonable increase in the police budget would ever be enough.

We can’t afford this type of display, nor do we need it. Call off the dogs.

Georgina Kirkman
Victoria

Stories reflect province’s sorry state

If you read the Times Colonist on Jan. 21, this is what you would have learned:

ICBC’s woes — according to ICBC — were the result of inefficiency or dishonesty in the accident repair business (page A1).

The forest sector remained shut down because the NDP government couldn’t afford to offend their supporters in the forest unions (business section).

A former premier of Newfoundland couldn’t get anyone in a position of authority to answer his questions about the failure of health services (comment page).

Supporters of a group of disgruntled “hereditary” chiefs, acting contrary to their elected councils, had managed to shut down the ferry service, in spite of court rulings allowing the pipelines to go ahead and against their efforts to obstruct it (page A3 — bounced from its rightful place on page A1 by a story about a fellow proposing to his gal on a ferry).

Where are we headed, and why are we in this handbasket?

Michel Murray
Saanich

All of that sugar is not good for children

Re: “Tims targets next generation,” Jan. 14.

If the title of this article is correct, the next generation of kids is in deep trouble. The perils of too much white sugar in children’s diets are well-documented.

According to the Government of Canada website: “Obesity rates among children and youth in Canada have nearly tripled in the last 30 years. Children and youth who are obese are at higher risk of developing a range of health problems, and weight issues in childhood are likely to persist into adulthood. Obese kids are more likely to develop high blood pressure or heart disease; type-2 diabetes; sleep apnea and other breathing problems; and bone and joint problems.”

I was floored by the author’s brazen trivialization of Tim Hortons’ goal: “introducing sugar-loving tots to the Tim Hortons brand.” Where is the accountability here, and who is looking after the health of our nation’s kids?

Maybe Tim Hortons should be creating products high in nutrition, to fuel a new generation of physically and mentally healthy kids. Toss the sugary Timbits Cereal idea in the boardroom trash can. And start thinking “outside the cereal box.”

Adults can choose what they eat. Children cannot.

Doreen Marion Gee
Victoria

Andrew Weaver’s word on speculation tax

I truly believe that our word is the most important thing we have. Before the speculation tax was put into law, I attended a riding meeting at Oak Bay High where MLAAndrew Weaver was asked if he was going to vote in the speculation tax and he said he wasn’t.

He then attended a meeting at Bayview with real estate agents and developers and again said he would not vote it in.

He also went to the Union of B.C. Municipalities meeting that year and again went on the radio and said he would not vote it in.

Well it’s been in for two years and could not have passed without his vote. This law, which is only for Vancouver, Greater Victoria and Nanaimo, has stopped so much development.

The same government he is keeping in power says that we no longer have to pay Medical Services Plan premiums and they are making it free. It totally isn’t free, because businesses and local governments have to pay a health tax that’s a percentage of their payrolls. That has caused the price of things to go up, because no one can afford to just eat the tax within their organization.

Keith Dagg
Victoria

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