No need to replace Collins on council
Re: “Replace Collins with next candidate down,” “Save money, appoint Madoff to council,” letters, Oct. 29.
I voted for Laurel Collins in the federal election because I thought she could do less damage as an MP than she could as city councillor.
I am not impressed, however, with the figure of $200,000 for a byelection to replace her on Victoria council.
I was interested in a couple of letters to the editor with regards to appointing the candidate with the next-highest number of votes. However, this does not seem to be covered by the Community Charter.
The charter does refer to section 129 of the legislation governing local government byelections, where it does not require the vacant seat to be filled, as long as there are enough councillors to form a quorum in accordance with their bylaws.
As a supporter of less government, this seems to me to be by far the best way to go. Not only would we save the election cost, we would also save a councillor’s salary.
Ivan Crossett
Victoria
Election results like a Russian doll
I visualize our last election as opening up a Russian Babushka doll.
The big outer doll represents the election nationally. Some “progressives” would see its face as smiling. That’s because the Liberals — not Conservatives — won the most ridings, but with no majority. There is hope that this will force more Liberal collaboration with the NDP, Greens, Jody Wilson-Raybould and First Nations.
Inward from the national level, we find the Vancouver Island election doll. It has a rather calm face. That’s because the election map remains the same as before: the same two Green winners — and the rest all NDP.
Still further inside is the little doll representing just southern Vancouver Island — and the intense contest between the established NDP and the burgeoning Greens. Its face shows both grief and shame.
That’s because things got nasty, when the NDP launched an invidious and quite untruthful campaign against the Greens. Will destructive party games become more popular?
Oppositional and negative partisanship is dangerous. As we face environmental, economic and social justice crises, we urgently need politicians to co-operate across partisan lines. Without teamwork, we will all lose.
Kara Middleton
Sooke
Just provide housing based on need
Re: “Victoria ponders affordable housing for artists,” Oct. 11; “Affordable housing for hospitality workers,” letter, Oct. 17.
Victoria council has approved in principle the concept that artists should be given unspecified consideration or benefits concerning housing in Victoria.
A letter in the Times Colonist suggested that should be extended to hospitality workers in the city, as they are vital participants in the local economy and are also paid very low wages.
It’s difficult to be opposed to either of these suggestions. However, implementation might be difficult. First, we would need to identify and differentiate what is art and what is hospitality.
Some local artists are very wealthy, as are some who work in the hospitality industry. If reason for giving someone the proposed benefit is need, then why not just use that criteria and forget about special categories?
The process to assign and deny benefits under any proposed program would require a significant bureaucracy to implement and manage it, especially to police and recover abuses. All this additional bureaucracy would extract funds from the total city budget, which would merely be paid to new city employees.
Maybe the most cost-effective approach would be to identify those fields of work where the participants should not be given any special treatment. The ineligible list would likely be much shorter and thus, easier to manage.
I suspect many would say that such an ineligibility list would include anyone who works with hydrocarbons, manages money for themselves and others (i.e. capitalists), has a high income or owns residences cumulatively worth more than $300,000.
Jim Knock
Victoria
Shawnigan landfill could affect Victoria
Re: “Government delays closure of Shawnigan Lake landfill,” Oct. 29.
As someone who wrote about this toxic tragedy a little over three years ago, I am surprised, and deeply disappointed, at how the NDP government is allowing this landfill company to continue. Everyone living in the Greater Victoria should also be very concerned.
Shawnigan Lake does not just provide drinking water to the 12,000 or so Shawnigan Lake residents, but is also part of the Sooke Lake watershed area, the main feed for the Greater Victoria drinking water supply. So everyone’s drinking water is potentially at risk, caused by human stupidity.
What kind of nonsense is this, allowing the culprits to bring in more fill to cap the site? Asking them to check and fix any threat of leaks? Sounds to me some government folks are drinking something more than just fresh water.
And the toxic story isn’t over yet. With an apparent foreclosure looming for almost $40,000 in unpaid back taxes, guess who will end up paying to eventually clean up this mess? Yes, that’s right … you the taxpayer.
I would suggest every Greater Victoria resident get behind the Shawnigan Lake crowd led by Sonia Furstenau, and force a stop to this impending tragedy, remove the toxic waste and close the landfill … now!
Richard Chadwick
Halton Hills, Ont.
Shortcomings and benefits of EVs
Re: “Saving money by driving an electric vehicle,” “Long-term savings, not costs, with EVs,” letters, Oct. 27.
I read with some amusement two letters in the Sunday paper singing the praises of electric vehicles. I too, have joined the EV-car-owners club, and am getting a better idea of the benefits and shortcomings.
My car, a brand new Leaf, is a joy to drive, and has more bells and whistles than I can hope to master. It is indeed cheap to run, in part because electricity, needed to feed its ever-hungry lithium ion battery, is either free or cheap.
Mechanical maintenance costs, including brake upgrades, are a thing of the past. I, proud owner of a new luxury car, am benefiting from taxpayers’ largesse. It cannot get better than that. The car itself is not cheap, so it is not all sweetness and light, but a new car needed to be bought, with the old one dying: that is life.
From the outset, I knew that an EV car was not a good idea for regular trips to visit family in the Okanagan and beyond, certainly not if time is short and especially not in winter.
The challenge posed by the Coquihalla is daunting. Planning such a trip involves research to find conveniently located power and accommodate extended pit stops. Around town, “battery management,” now a regular weekly concern, does not present a problem.
As to the environmental benefits — my contribution to the fight against climate change — I am somewhat skeptical. The raw materials, including electricity, do not come without cost, environmental and otherwise.
Boudewyn van Oort
Victoria
Abortionist story; shaming of Scheer
Re: “Doctor who kept fetuses vilified in life, death,” Oct. 26.
I read with shock and sadness two articles in the Oct. 26 Times Colonist. The first article was on Dr. Ulrich Klopfer, who performed 50,000 abortions over 40 years.
When he died last month, 2,246 sets of preserved fetal remains were discovered at his home. On the following page, there was a sad picture of Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer, who was shunned by many for his “conservative” views: supporting the pro-life movement and not marching in gay pride parades.
My feelings of shame go both ways: shame for those who feel what Klopfer did was his right. Shame on those who persecuted Andrew Scheer for standing up for his own beliefs and not caving to political correctness.
Where has our sense of values gone?
Wendy Campbell
Saanich
Knowing when reconciliation is done
Re: “$100 million for First Nations sets stage for reconciliation,” Les Leyne column, Oct. 24.
The much-vaunted (and hugely expensive) process of “reconciliation” begs the question: “How will we know when we are reconciled?”
What specifically is the goal? Or are we simply committed to a perpetual process?
Ruth Robinson
Saanich
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