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Letters Sept. 10: Two triumphs, ID for spray paint, policing costs

Two reasons for Canadians to be proud Re: “Celebrating two triumphs, Jeanne Socrates and Bianca Andreescu,” Sept. 8.
a11-09102019-socrates.jpg
Sailor Jeanne Socrates, aboard her boat Nereida near Race Rocks, slowly moving through Juan de Fuca Strait on Saturday to the finish line at Ogden Point breakwater, to complete her round-the-world journey. Sept. 7, 2019

Two reasons for Canadians to be proud

Re: “Celebrating two triumphs, Jeanne Socrates and Bianca Andreescu,” Sept. 8.

What an interesting juxtapositioning of the two main news items in Sunday’s edition, both stories of which all Canadians must be proud. It also points out the different valuations to our current society of different news stories.

We are all no doubt aware that the Andreescu story — deservedly in many ways — will continue for many years. She has been well rewarded (earned over $6 million this year already) and need never work another day in her life, but we know she will.

Contrast this with the almost superhuman efforts of Jeanne Socrates — how far, wide and for how long will her story resonate in this world of short attention spans? And what is her reward — much from a spiritual viewpoint, but from a tangible reward angle, a carton of milk.

Geoff P. Williams
Victoria

Celebrating a sailor and a tennis player

Re: “Celebrating two triumphs,” Sept 8.

Can’t top that!! Two women. One a teenager, the other is 77. One from Romania, the other from England.

How can you do this so young and so old?

Oh Canada!

Dan Edgar
Courtenay

Making a racket about racquet

Re: “Andreescu’s historic win celebrated in Canada,” Sept. 8.

Come on! We’re Canadians — we know how to spell correctly, unlike our southern neighbours. I’m referring to the article from The Canadian Press in Sunday’s Sports section, regarding Bianca Andreescu’s fantastic match on Saturday.

I’m sure Tennis Canada vice-president Tulla Bateman, who is Canadian, does not spell the word that refers to the bat-like device for propelling balls and shuttlecocks, “racket,” (which is either a loud annoying noise or a dishonest pursuit usually performed by gangsters) but “racquet.”

Tut!

Norman Stewart
Victoria

Beholden to the corporate sector

Re: “The old-growth logging showdown,” Sept. 1.

Anyone who really cares about the state of our forests would be disheartened upon reading Judith Lavoie’s article. For some reason, the NDP government is reluctant to rein in the B.C. Timber Sales outfit, created by the Campbell regime.

But then, the NDP have done nothing to hold Imperial Metals to account for the Mount Polley disaster. Like the disgraced B.C. Liberals, these NDP operatives appear to be as beholden to the corporate sector as the right wingers.

Lorne Finlayson
Cumberland

China is not our friend

China has repeatedly demonstrated acts of intimidation, violence and deceit to further its global goals. China’s humanitarian record is dismal if not non-existent. Its moral and ethical values are diminished compared to other world values. It is a nation that through espionage, deception and stealing others’ ideas, promotes its own industrial base.

Further, it holds other countries’ citizens hostage without just cause to obtain its objectives. Untold tons of fentanyl are shipped to other nations, causing pain and suffering and its government apathetically does nothing to curtail this practice.

We deal with China because we have to; let’s stop the practice of falling for China’s deceit by curtailing contracts and trade agreements that are not in the best interests of our country.

It is time for all countries to stop the hands-off approach to China and its tactics. It is time to stop putting ourselves in compromising positions with China where they are essentially blackmailing us and our economy.

Ron Jeffrey
Victoria

Require ID when buying spray paint

“Tagging” is frustrating and annoying anti-social behaviour. It stains our beautiful city, diverts our valuable resources and endangers those who remove their dirty work.

Could the city ask those places where paint spray cans are sold to co-operate for the greater good of the community?

Ask them to ask the purchasers to produce and record their ID. Normal law abiding citizens have nothing to fear to show their ID.

It could deter some “taggers.” Maybe they have no ID to show considering the type of people they are.

E.S. Lai
Victoria

Region shouldn’t pay for Victoria’s policing costs

Re: “City fires volley at province for rejecting single police force,” Sept. 6.

I have severe issues with the basic premise that Victoria city council believes that their police force enforces the laws for the “region’s downtown.”

The influx of workers who daily commute to Victoria are the cause of this delusion, as almost all of them go home daily without patronizing any of the establishments (business licences issued by the City of Victoria) which the police force often attends. Those same workers do not remain in the downtown to become part of the homeless population. Those same workers do not contribute to the police calls for mental-health issues. The most that can be said for policing the downtown during the business day is traffic issues, whether vehicle, bicycle or pedestrian.

In the evenings, the bars and restaurants thrive and while some of the police calls may be in response to folks from outside the city of Victoria, my guess is that does not constitute the majority of the police calls. My guess is that the overwhelming majority of the police responses are to address issues of Victoria residents, including domestic situations, property crimes, etc.

Stephen Sawyer
Metchosin

This bridge idea won’t float

Re: “Build a floating bridge across Saanich Inlet,” letter, Sept 7.

If the gentleman from Cobble Hill thinks he can make it convenient for him to live in his bit of paradise by pushing a freeway through our bit of paradise, he should expect serious pushback.

NIMBYism — you bet!

Doug Row
North Saanich

Right wing versus conservative

Re: “Pontiff unfazed by attacks from U.S. Catholic Church right wing,” Sept. 7.

I must take issue with this headline because it is inaccurate and unfair. Those members of the Catholic Church in the U.S. and elsewhere who take exception to some of Pope Francis’s initiatives (I don’t, by the way) are conservative, in the sense that they adhere to traditional teachings of the church. That does not make them “right wing.”

Words have connotations, and the connotation of the term “right wing” is of wild-eyed radicals spewing hate in one form or another, such as white supremacists and other unhinged specimens.

It is simply irresponsible in a reputable journal to conflate the two terms, “conservative” and “right wing.”

Tony Parr
Duncan

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• Email: letters@timescolonist.com

• Mail: Letters to the editor, Times Colonist, 2621 Douglas St., Victoria, B.C. V8T 4M2.