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Sunday letters

Gas in short supply? Buy electric heater Re: “Chilling out amid natural gas deficit,” Nov. 14. There seem to be two aspects to this story. 1.

Gas in short supply? Buy electric heater

Re: “Chilling out amid natural gas deficit,” Nov. 14.

There seem to be two aspects to this story.

1. It is time to visit your local hardware department to purchase one or more electric space heaters and transfer energy use from one utility to the other for this winter season.

2. My question is: What are the future projections for domestic supply when there are “contractual obligations” to supply overseas markets. It is amazing to think that the primary service for the province relies on one main line.

Harold McCarthy

Saanichton

Government should guarantee gas supply

Re: “Chilling out amid natural gas deficit,” Nov. 14.

It has been more than a month since the Enbridge pipeline explosion near Prince George, and yet we still have no idea what caused the explosion aside from hints of aging infrastructure. Our governments are apparently comfortable leaving this critical national infrastructure in the hands of a company that was responsible for the worst inland pipeline disaster in U.S. history.

Rather than investing tens of billions of dollars in the Trans Mountain pipeline so we can ship fossil fuels to Asia, perhaps our governments should invest that money to take over and rebuild critical infrastructure that would guarantee adequate gas supplies for the millions of Canadians who are dependent on it. The silence from our political “leaders” on this subject indicates their approval to leave us as hostages of these predatory corporations.

C.W. Wrench

Victoria

Mura had great life and final journey

Re: “Last travels with Mura: a love story hits home,” Nov. 14.

I wanted to express my appreciation to the Times Colonist for the wonderful story about the Japanese wolf dog Mura and her family. In this time of global climate change, imperilled democratic institutions, pipelines and the nonstop circus that is Donald Trump, it was nice to see this story of mutual unconditional love.

The story struck a chord with me, as we recently lost our beloved 16-year-old Westie, Tess. I know that there isn’t anything I wouldn’t give to spend just 10 more minutes with her and I am glad to know that Mura’s family gave her such a great life and final journey.

Len Dafoe

Nanoose Bay

Appreciate the work and sacrifice of nurses

Re: “Nurses’ union uses scare-mongering ads,” letter, Nov. 15.

The letter-writer apparently has absolutely no idea about the stresses the typical nurse might face in providing expert care for him and his family members should they need to be treated in a critical-care unit in Victoria.

These and other hospital units are grossly understaffed, and often nurses might work a 12-hour shift without being able to take a coffee or meal break because of this. Nurses frequently quit because of the immense pressures they encounter in their work, and replacements are scarce.

I have been in medical practice for 57 years and have nothing but admiration for the nurses I have worked with in various centres in the United Kingdom, Saskatchewan and Victoria.

Let the letter-writer, as he suggests, seek treatment in Syria and give us an account of his experience there. Then, most certainly, he will appreciate the valuable work done and the sacrifices made by our nurses here.

André B. Masters, MD

Victoria

Overworked nurses give brilliant care

Re: “Nurses’ union uses scare-mongering ads,” letter, Nov. 15.

I am not a nurse, and not necessarily a tremendous union supporter. But I have been to our local hospitals both as a patient and a visitor.

The nurses, in spite of being overworked and over-stressed, provide brilliant care, along with large doses of compassion and sensitivity. I dare the letter-writer to work a few days in their shoes.

Should he ever require urgent care, I will buy him that plane ticket to Syria and wish him the best of luck.

Susan Barcham

Victoria

Focus Legion services on current military

Re: “Does the Legion still matter?” column, Nov. 13.

The noted closing of the Britannia Legion facility is illustrative that local Legions matter more and more to fewer and fewer. The fewer, of course, refers to both those less fortunate former service personnel needing (and receiving) assistance often facilitated by local Legion outreach programs, as well as those senior members who find their local Legion a respite from an increasingly complex and socially trying society for the elderly.

The reported halving of Legion national membership numbers over 30 years is significant. Actual numbers more pointedly define the issue: From more than 600,000 members in 1984 to a total of about 275,000 today (of whom 45,000 are in B.C.). About one-half of all Legion members are 65 years of age or older. Many would consider such figures alarming.

Is it time to consider reorienting the Legion’s mission. Do serving military members warrant greater local (civil support) by the Legion concurrent with that provided to former service personnel? Is the Legion capable of such a new focus?

Ron Johnson

Saanich

Speed limits must be enforced strictly

Re: “Driving involves risk, as does everything,” letter, Nov. 14.

The writer admits that the higher the speed, the more damage in a crash. He also admits that there will always be people who do stupid things and cause problems no matter what the speed. Then he quotes a previous writer who stated that most drivers exceed the speed limit.

It takes very little observation to see that this is so and that large numbers of them exceed it not just by 20 per cent as on the Ontario highways, but by 50 per cent or more. This is flagrant disobedience of the law and it is partly because the law has not been adequately enforced.

Politicians have failed to enforce it for fear of losing votes, rather than doing what is best for the law-abiding public. Introduction of numerous speed cameras, in varying areas with no warning notices, accompanied by increasingly stiff fines for repeat offenders, would rapidly decrease the number and severity of crashes and of injuries and deaths.

Health-care costs would be reduced and so would ICBC premiums.

Reduction of speed limits is useless without strict enforcement.

Charles Simpson

Victoria

PTSD victims welcome to lay wreath

Re: “PTSD victims should have been honoured,” letter, Nov. 15.

As the master of ceremonies for the memorial service on the lawn of the legislature, I announce only the wreath-layers of organizations that have purchased wreaths from the Victoria Poppy Office. At the end of the ceremony, I asked for parents, grandparents and friends who want to lay a wreath for a loved one to do so.

If the PTSD victims want to lay a wreath, they should contact the Victoria Poppy Office next year, and I will gladly announce them.

Leonard Reid

Sidney

Orcas affected by more than oil tankers

Re: “$61.5M rescue plan unveiled to help endangered orcas,” Nov. 1.

I noted that there are 74 orcas — that would be about $831,000 per whale.

With all the shipping going on out of Vancouver and U.S. ports, it is insane that the one tanker from the Kinder Morgan pipeline will be the difference in whale well-being.

In the same edition, I noticed that Victoria celebrated a record year for cruise ships into Victoria harbour, up from 239 to 250 ships. The article also noted that many of those visitors will be taking whale-watching cruises. (I am sure that will have no impact on the whales or their feeding.)

 It’s ironic that the government wants to spend $831,000 per whale to study the impacts of boat traffic while Victoria celebrates the record number of cruise ships in the harbour. Not to mention the hundreds of tankers, barges and other vessels bringing products to the Island.

B.C. Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver must be smiling.

Glenn White

Shawnigan Lake