Emily Carr topic of interest in Manhattan
When I was living in Manhattan in 2001 I dropped by a Barnes and Noble in midtown just as Susan Vreeland (who has since deceased) was arranging her book reading called A Forest Lover, about Emily Carr.
I introduced myself to Vreeland and mentioned that I knew about Carr’s fascination with French modernism, including the Fauve movement that held artists like Henri Matisse in thrall for a time.
I told her I was from B.C. and loved Carr’s work. I was aware of her passage through France into Brittany, where Paul Gauguin and others were inspired, and also into Collioure on the border of France and Spain, where a Fauve colony existed for a time.
Susan asked me if I would give a talk on Emily Carr before her book reading and so I did. I love Carr’s painting, and as this article points out, it was critical to her overall development as a painter to have studied in France as well.
I can’t wait to see this exhibit!
Jennifer Chapin
Victoria
Still have work to do as a nation
It is personally gratifying to see the Remembrance Day poppy prominently displayed on the Times Colonist masthead.
It makes up for some of the derogatory comments often aimed at me over the 30 years I wore an army reservist’s uniform. In particular, I would hear: “Why should Canada have an army? The Americans will defend us.”
It is less common to hear it now because our service is measurably more valued but, the sentiment, regrettably, continues in another way. Millions of Canadians seem transfixed by the outcome of an American election but fail to even vote in ours.
The true validation of service to the nation would be a broad social commitment to its values. It seems we still have some ground to cover here.
John Appleby
Duncan
Saanich should look at 30 km/h limits
Re: “Pilot project to reduce speed on Saanich residential roads to 40 km/h gets OK,” Oct. 28.
In addition to Ned Taylor, other councillors including Rebecca Mersereau and Nathalie Chambers, also expressed a preference for 30 km/h, on at least two occasions.
Some others may have done so, but these three councillors come strongly to mind. Mersereau, to her credit, asked questions of staff about the degree to which 30 km/h had been discussed at staff and regional levels. The answer was inconclusive.
The bottom line is that this council voted unanimously to move ahead with a speed reduction pilot program application, without broadly consulting Saanich residents before setting its parameters.
We do not know the reasons for this, but “regional consistency” seems to be playing a large part. We understand that councillors weigh many factors before they vote. However, if this pilot is to be successful it needs more work before an application is submitted.
Livable Roads for Rural Saanich will continue to advocate for greater consultation, consideration of 30 km/h on unlined roads, and a pilot which actually addresses speeding on narrow lined rural roads as well, which this pilot project does not do.
This topic is worthy of far greater and more nuanced discussion regarding where the speed problems are and how to address them.
We also continue to recognize the councillors whose vision was for a more bold approach. We look forward to a time when the vision matches the voting.
Pam Harrison
Livable Roads for Rural Saanich
Victoria
Mural’s acronym was simply hate speech
The now-removed offensive acronym in the Bastion Square artwork meets the definition of hate speech. The fact that it was sanctioned by the City of Victoria does not exempt it from such, but rather makes the city complicit in promoting hate speech.
One’s personal experience does not validate hate speech just as a case of food poisoning does not rationalize “all food is bad”. By all means, work towards reconciliation and truth – but please, do not condemn “all”.
In spite of Mayor Lisa Helps’s apparent bewilderment of the hate speech issue as the source of the public’s ire, the vast majority of people fully support “more justice, more peace” and the need to raise awareness of injustices suffered by Black and Indigenous people and people of colour.
Rather than promoting “more peace”, the acronym incites hatred. Removing it is not – and should not be construed as – censorship. Hate speech is not free speech.
Stan Davis
Victoria
Ban large transfers to curb laundering
Can money laundering not be stopped or greatly reduced by making it illegal to make large cash transfers, over a certain amount.
If all transfers over a certain amount, say $5,000 or whatever is considered appropriate, then all these larger amounts would all be recorded and traceable. Either that or go to an entirely cashless society where all transactions are recorded, as is the case of all credit and debit card transactions are now.
This to me is a no-brainer and leaves me feeling somewhat suspicious of our government and law society of perhaps having a vested interest in maintaining the current situation.
John Martin
Nanaimo
OK, OK, our Senate defies explanation
Before we offer opinions on other country’s electoral systems, let’s explain our Senate.
Peter Foran
Victoria
Maine has an answer for electoral reform
After the recent B.C. election, some readers have expressed concerns over MLAs being elected with less than 50 per cent of the vote in the riding. For many years, B.C. has been thinking about changing from First Past the Post, but this has always been voted down.
Several years ago, Maine adopted ranked balloting, which ensures the elected representative receives the approval of more than 50 per cent of the voters. It allows voters to vote with their true feelings by giving first choice and it provides good information to all political parties regarding the interests and views of the voters.
If second or later choices are needed to reach 50 per cent, the decision is delayed a bit, maybe several days, but that doesn’t really cause a problem.
This was used in Maine for the first time in the 2018 election and had an impact on one of their two districts. This year, it will be used for the Houses of Representatives, one Senate race, and the presidential election.
I urge all readers to watch check out how the vote proceeds in Maine because I think provides a good model for future elections in British Columbia.
Chris Jones
Victoria
Will Canada stand up for whales?
United States Navy tests pose a threat to orcas and other marine mammals. The threat became clear in 2001, when whales in the Bahamas became stranded, with several deaths, as a result of the navy’s use of sonar in the area.
Since then the navy has worked to mitigate the harm it causes to marine mammals with its weapons testing.
But a U.S. Navy application for permission to conduct tests of rail guns (which can fire projectiles up to seven times the speed of sound) and other weapons would allow for harassment of marine mammals, ranging from disrupting feeding, breeding, etc. to death — for the next seven years along the Pacific Coast, including the Salish Sea.
Elizabeth May wrote to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Oct. 2, urging them to intervene to protect marine mammals. She pointed out that Washington state’s government has made its concerns known to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, but Canada has yet to do so.
I’m left wondering if Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, Fisheries and Oceans Minister Bernadette Jordan or Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan even care.
Jan Slakov
Salt Spring Island
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