Government must stop that logging
If our provincial government doesn’t change course, B.C.’s most significant old-growth forests will be gone in a few short years.
The government faces challenges to protect old growth while compensating those who earn their living from logging.
Though it’s important to consider everyone’s needs, old-growth logging has been going on for a long time with little progress in ending it. And it must end.
Otherwise, we will lose priceless reservoirs of biodiversity, places of beauty and inspiration, and a vital resource to mitigate climate change.
This would be a great tragedy, and our generation would be responsible. Old-growth logging will end eventually, either through liquidating the last remnants or preserving them.
An important question is how to mitigate the impact on affected communities and companies. We elect governments to show leadership and solve such problems.
Leaders “take the heat” from and support those constituents most affected by tough decisions. This must be the case as we transition to an improved model for forestry in our province.
Fortunately, we still have some of the most iconic and ecologically significant forests on earth. British Columbians and our government must preserve these treasures and ensure a future of sustainable forestry.
We hope the government rises to the challenge. It won’t be easy.
However, there are many across the province who, like us, will support our government’s work to achieve a better future for our forests and all who depend on them.
Gregg Sheehy, Bob Baynham, Robert Sadee, Tony Copping
Victoria
I like old growth while it’s still a tree
We define as “heritage” a house built, say, 100 years or so ago. The house was constructed of lumber from Island trees. Now we have a “heritage” man-made structure, but the natural tree is long gone.
Can we not designate the old growth still standing as “heritage” before it’s cut down, before we lose its awesome beauty and environmental function to some man-made architecture with a plaque nailed to it. Honour the tree in the forest before it becomes a 2x4 in another subdivision.
Let’s put our little human brains together and figure out how to let Mother Nature do her thing while we creatures do ours … that means it can’t always be about the almighty dollar first and foremost.
James Marshall
Victoria
Lutz’s commentary draws praise
I appreciated the commentary by John Lutz, which provided some historical context for B.C.’s 150 years as a province.
I think a lot of us (myself included) lack detailed knowledge of our history and the past interactions with and injustices inflicted upon Indigenous Peoples.
The decimation of native populations through successive waves of disease was an eye-opener.
I would welcome more coverage of history in the Times Colonist, so we may all become a bit more educated about the past.
Dwight Owens
Langford
I’m not a settler, so do not call me one
OK, I think I get it. I shouldn’t mis-name, mis-identify, or mis-gender you.
If you claim you’re a woman, then I shouldn’t call you “he.” If you don’t want to be called an Indian (quite sensibly, because you’re not from India), and you prefer to be called Indigenous, then that’s what I’ll call you.
Moreover, I’ll do it willingly, out of respect for your wishes, and not because the government has passed a law dictating how I must speak.
But of course sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. And my polite but firm request to you — even if you’re an important person such as a mayor or a bishop — is that you not call me a “settler.”
For one thing, I’m not a settler. I was born here. That makes me (as we say in my mother tongue) a native.
For another thing, if you call me a settler, I get anxious that maybe you think I don’t belong here, which would be wrong — in fact, offensive. I do belong here. That’s not up for argument or negotiation.
Finally, like you, I have the immense privilege of sharing this country called Canada with millions of fellow citizens, some whose ancestors were here millennia ago, some whose parents or grandparents came fleeing various miseries elsewhere in the world, and some who arrived more recently, eager and grateful to share the blessings of this land—and to call it, as you and I do, home.
Dennis Danielson
Sidney
Keep Beacon Hill in mind when you vote
Longtime Fairfield resident, and I use Beacon Hill Park on a regular basis.
Sunday we had a picnic close to the petting zoo. It was great. No tents, campers or thugs — the park was almost back to normal. Then we get home and find out about the woman lighting fires in park within shouting distance of where we were sitting. Like Dolly Parton sang — Here We Go Again.
In the next civic election, voters please do not forget all of the city councillors who voted to allow 24/7 camping in the park. They must be replaced.
Especially Sarah Potts and Sharmarke Dubow, who still voted against a motion to prohibit camping in the park. They just do not get it.
Paul Baldwin
Victoria
Snowbirds spew greenhouse gases
The Snowbirds flew over Greater Victoria as part of Operation Inspiration — but nine jet-fuel burning aircraft spewing greenhouse gas into the atmosphere doesn’t inspire me one bit.
In fact it makes me very sad. Surely, surely there are more inspirational things Canada could do to inspire people than waste money like this?
When there are millions of people in the world barely surviving in refugee camps, with no hope of a better life?
When the world gets hotter and hotter and it’s going to cost money to make the technological changes necessary to fix that? Who dreams up such folly?
Anne Swannell
Victoria
Trepidation about those Americans
It needs to be said that not all share the “sigh of relief” regarding the return of American visitors to Victoria. It is an inevitability, but trepidation, rather than elation, is how I view this recent announcement.
I would guess that the Canadian Border Services Agency, like so many other government agencies, is underfunded and about to be overwhelmed when one imagines the potential floodgates set to open.
Given the announced strategy of random testing and the lack of standardized vaccination status records, I would guess that as a country, we are trusting visitors to do the right thing.
Imagine if you will, a Winnebago full of West Virginians wending their way toward our wonderful, whale-watching, Wet Coast (not-so-wet coast). What could go wrong?
At least there are lots of T-shirts to buy.
Mark R. Fetterly
Victoria
Low necklines are not appropriate
I will never understand how so many of our woman journalists, whether it be on the TV news or talking about sports, are allowed to having such plunging necklines and bare arms.
A man in the meantime has to wear a suit and tie.
It seems to be what is the style, for some crazy reason, to show your breasts. Dignity and respect no longer seem to matter.
It’s bad enough so that many non-professionals are showing their cleavage. Why are professionals acting so common?
Eileen Mae Nattrass
Saanichton
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