Highway blockade drove us apart
Re: “Indigenous leaders gather on Pat Bay Highway in support of Mi’kmaq fishermen,” Oct. 23.
Yes, we are all connected and those connections are reflected in the shared infrastructures and systems that support our society.
A denial of service attack, which is what a highway blockade is, does nothing to support or strengthen those connections, but that is not the intention of the blockade. The intention is to disrupt and provoke. The question is: Does the provocation bring us together or drive the wedge deeper?
The recent blockade on the Pat Bay Highway did nothing to educate and precious little (if any) to garner support for the treaty process in general or the ambits of Indigenous lobster harvesters in Nova Scotia in particular.
We surely didn’t need a denial of service attack to remind us of treaty issues — we were already painfully aware of them. And as for the blockade being about more than the issues that flow from them, that is sophistry indeed and an insult to even the meanest understanding.
The issues in Nova Scotia aren’t complicated: The federal department of fisheries imposes a seasonal halt to commercial harvesting of lobsters during their molting (mating) season to protect the stock for all fishers.
Local Indigenous tribes want to commercially harvest lobsters during the off season. Either the closure to commercial harvesting is necessary and all commercial harvesting should cease, or the closure is unnecessary and should be open for all.
Exceptions don’t support harmony – they result in broken connections and the resulting push-back we’ve seen.
As for the road closure being a small inconvenience, that will provide precious little comfort to my mother-in-law, 78 years old, who was returning from hospital and was unaware of the pending road closure.
She had gone to the hospital earlier in the day with a severe bladder infection, was given a prescription to alleviate the condition and was then forced to sit in agonizing pain for an hour and a half because of the blockade, unable to fill her prescription.
It doesn’t help that Central Saanich police said they “supported” the protesters and thus chose not to enforce traffic laws. Since when does the police decide which protests to support and what laws to enforce and for whom?
I thought the police responsibility dodge was always: “I don’t make the laws, I just enforce them.” Apparently that’s no longer the case.
A.F. Carlson
Saanich
A fitting honour for a war veteran
My dad, Robert Lyle McCartney, was just 18 years old when he joined the Royal Canadian Navy. It was 1944 and Canada had been officially involved in the Second World War since 1939.
He volunteered to become a signalman and after training for a few weeks he was deployed to convoys crossing the Atlantic Ocean.
He worked mostly on British ships, making the crossing several times. My dad didn’t talk too much about his experiences in the navy until he was much older. I think those memories became more vivid in his mind.
He passed away in 2015. It took me several years to decide how to honour his memory. It was while I was searching how to have his ashes interred at the small Veterans Cemetery in Esquimalt that I spoke with the padre at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt. He was very kind and generous with his time and offered to do some research into the process.
When he called back he mentioned that he usually only dealt with burials at sea. What? This was not something I had considered as a possibility. I immediately knew that would be perfect for my dad.
On Oct. 17, 2020, my father’s ashes were committed to the sea. The ceremony took place on board HMCS Calgary and was presided over by Padre Lieutenant Wilson Gonese, who had been so helpful to me.
I want to send a heartfelt thank you to all onboard the ship, including Commanding Officer Mark O’Donohue and Padre Gonese. Thank you all so very much for honoring my father, a veteran of the Second World War, in such a personal and compassionate way.
Molly L. McCartney
Victoria
Charity steps in when government fails
Congratulations to Raincoast Conservation Foundation for purchasing hunting rights to half the Great Bear Rainforest and shutting down trophy hunting in the area.
Shame on the B.C. government for making it necessary for a charity to purchase hunting rights in an area where trophy hunting should never have been allowed.
Sandra Matthews
Victoria
All artists are idiots (No, not really)
I find it amazing that the artists responsible for including “All Cops Are Bad” on their public art consider it inappropriate for the police chief to complain on behalf of his officers.
How would they feel if some unenlightened fool posted a notice that “All artists are idiots”?
While I am as disturbed by examples of individual and institutional bias, some of which I have witnessed first-hand, this long-time supporter of social justice wonders how return bigotry will win any new allies in our struggle for equality.
Are all artists idiots?
Of course not, just these ones.
Most of us listened to our elders when they explained about the futility of catching flies with vinegar, and all of us should be self aware enough to recognize when we are part of the problem.
Perhaps while we wait for the system to self examine we might do so as well.
David Lowther
Mesachie Lake
Victoria council just can’t say no
Someone has done what I feel so many would liked to have done to this mural.
Victoria council has repeatedly not stood up for the Victoria Police Department.
There should have been an unequivocal NO to the ACAB in the mural right from the start, not weeks and hours of talks since August.
To think that a further insult has been allowed defies belief.
Perhaps council should concern itself with governing the city, standing up for our police force and not aligning itself with any protest group.
From defund the police to ACAB to this latest insult, our council has been sadly lacking in the backbone to say NO!
Merle Somers
Victoria
Drivers, watch out for cyclists
Drivers need to keep being reminded to watch for cyclists while driving in our cars.
I was almost killed while riding my bike along Dupplin towards Burnside. The driver was turning right onto Dupplin and said he didn’t see me coming, but I was directly in front of his car when he hit me.
He didn’t realize he had hit me right away and for another few seconds, continued to accelerate.
I do not know what distracted him, nor will I ever know, but I do know this; he proceeded into the intersection without paying attention to what was in front of him.
I was sent flying into oncoming traffic and luckily the driver coming the opposite direction saw me and had time to stop.
I still can’t walk properly and I may have issues for the rest of my life because of one error made by this driver.
He meant no harm, and felt badly but the damage had been done.
Drivers, please remember that every time you move your car, you have the potential to kill someone.
Our city is filled with cyclists and it’s imperative that you make sure there are none coming before you proceed.
You may not know me, but pretend you do.
Tell your friends and family that someone you know was almost killed and remind them to pay attention when they’re driving.
Especially with the time change and it gets dark earlier.
Pay attention to the road.
You can ruin so many lives including your own by not heeding this advice.
Tammy Rubin
Saanich
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