Pay attention to what young people are saying
Some advice to all the political parties. I hope you are paying attention to what’s going on with the youth of this world, our future, the world’s future.
It is finally being told as it should be told, by the people who will be affected most — our children.
And, more important to these parties, these young people will all be voting in a few years.
These young people have good memories and won’t be taken in by last-minute climate-change promises from parties who have done nothing up until now.
Lyall Eriksen
Colwood
How did they get to the rally?
Re: “Thousands gather in downtown Victoria as part of global climate strike,” Sept. 27
Although the goals are valid, I find that there are many who can talk the talk, but can’t walk the talk. Instead of using public transportation to get downtown many used private vehicles.
There were a number of mid schoolers who were lined up for buses but based on traffic and the number of demonstrators coming out of parking garages I suspect an equal number drove downtown.
A case of do what I say, not what I do.
Chris Sheldon
Saanich
Is there hope for a carbon-free economy?
Our leading federal election candidates (Justin Trudeau and Andrew Scheer) appeared totally unprepared for the force of Friday’s climate strike, as their ongoing attempts to significantly ramp-up energy production has been called out. Most Canadians cannot be blinded by thinly veiled political promises, divisive issues, environmental photo ops or the planting of two billion trees to substantiate corporate Canada’s ever increasing desire to grab its growing share of worldwide oil and gas sales.
We witnessed a dynamic shift in public attitude on Friday.
The question is: Can our governments and producers come up with a business plan that will address the needs of the planet by reducing overall oil and gas production in favour of alternate energy production?
If electrical grids and water sources throughout Canada were efficiently used to create and store hydrogen for electrical regeneration during peak demand periods, could water become the new oil?
Can major oil and gas companies reinvent themselves as energy companies to take advantage of this opportunity, as we convert to a carbon-free economy?
Al Heron
Saanich
Being a family doctor should be more appealing
Re: “Doctor growth in Canada more than doubles population increase over last five years,” Sept. 26.
While it might be heartening to know that the number of physicians in Canada is increasing at a rate faster than the growth of population, very few of these individuals are electing to work in family and general practice, and likely for very good reasons.
Recent medical-school graduates that I have met personally are very blunt about their reasons for avoiding family practice.
It is the most poorly paid of all sectors, it has to deal with extremely heavy case loads, long hours and the amount of bureaucratic paperwork makes it the least appealing of all the avenues of medical practice.
Like many others, my wife and I have been without a general practitioner for three years and have no prospect of ever having one, here or pretty well anywhere else in Canada.
It has always been my belief that the most important member of the medical professional is the family practitioner and why they are on the bottom of the pay scale and carry the heavy workloads, topped off with needless bureaucratic paperwork, is beyond me.
We can manifestly increase the number of physicians greatly but until family practice becomes an attractive choice for younger physicians, a bloody lot of good it will do for the thousands of us without a family doctor and absolutely no prospect of ever having one.
James P. Crowley
North Saanich
Lawyers are bleeding B.C.’s drivers
Re: “ICBC facing plenty of legal hurdles on the road to profitability,” Sept. 25
The Trial Lawyers Association of B.C. want the status quo to continue so they can directly bleed the drivers of B.C. through lawsuits, that result in horrendous premium increases, including the potential financial collapse of our only insurer. They don’t care about its solvency as long as their income stream is protected.
The time has come for a no-fault insurance scheme. However, the government doesn’t have the courage to stem the flow of drivers’ scarce dollars into lining the pockets of this legal profession. The trial lawyers are clearly too strong a lobby to affect real change and you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out why.
John Stevenson
Victoria
ICBC insurance is providing less protection
The article paints a picture of genius management at ICBC leading to a wonderful result (profit) for the insurer. What isn’t mentioned is that ICBC’s road to profitability will be paved at the expense of victims of car collisions. ICBC has done nothing to lower the number or severity of car collisions and instead relied on the B.C. government to play the Sheriff of Nottingham by limiting victims’ rights and taking $1.5 billion from them to balance ICBC’s books.
We should all get behind the wheel with the understanding that the insurance we buy provides us with a lot less than it did a year ago if we are unfortunate enough to become the victim in a car collision.
The lack of public outcry to the changes is disheartening given what is at stake. As is often the case, those who will be the most negatively impacted will be the most vulnerable of our society. I feel indebted to the Trial Lawyers Association of B.C. for taking up the cause on our behalf.
Nicholas Coleman
Victoria
Voting at age 16 and knowing everything
Re: “Municipalities want to lower voting age to 16,” Sept. 27.
I believe most seniors would agree that the age of 16 was the only time in our lives where we knew everything. I say let them vote.
Ed Bird
Saanich
No representation without taxation
The Magna Carta was passed in Great Britain in 1215. It was the foundation of English common law. The fundamental was “no taxation without representation.” I would suggest that it should naturally follow “no representation without taxation.”
M. M. Stevenson
Victoria
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