Building ferries abroad not sensible
Re: “Building ferries overseas maintains low fares: CEO,” March 7.
Even if the federal government continues to turn a blind eye to import duties, building new ferries abroad makes no sense. The jobs and multiplier effect they would have on the economy far outweigh any shortsighted savings.
B.C. Ferries should be building smaller, more economical ferries in B.C. The ferries on the major routes should depart every hour on the hour all year. If travellers arrive at the terminal a half hour before the scheduled departure time and don’t get on, they should travel free.
Doug Poole
Courtenay
Delayed northern visit had unexpected bonus
What a fortuitous circumstance that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit to Iqaluit was delayed. It gave him an opportunity to apologize twice — the original one plus an additional one for being late.
Mike Harrison
Victoria
Victoria fortunate in medical specialists
Re: “When a doctor becomes a patient,” March 3.
Arriving home after a short out-of-town trip, I read through the most recent editions of the Times Colonist. In last Sunday’s paper, I read the alarming story of a friend and someone I admire, Dr. Paul Whelan. The article about the great doctor’s battle with brain cancer had me palpitating.
Whelan is one of our Island’s most talented urologists. I have been the beneficiary of that talent.
As the story told of the incredible surgery provided by Royal Jubilee’s team of neurosurgeons that saved Whelan’s life, I was reminded once again of our good fortune in having such an amazing medical specialist serving our community. Thank you for being there when we require life-saving surgery.
As the current Victoria Hospital Foundation’s campaign says: “You Are Vital.”
Mel Cooper
Chair, Telus Victoria Community Board
A bridge is the answer to Malahat problem
The Malahat problem can be solved easily with a bridge from the Mill Bay area to near the airport. Much traffic would then travel directly to the ferries and the airport without going through Victoria — thus freeing the present route of half of the existing traffic and providing a second route when a Malahat accident occurs.
It could even be a floating bridge with an opening for boat traffic, if necessary. There would be no environmental problems or First Nations concerns to address, if we locate it carefully.
A practical answer is in front of us, and federal help is there. Premier John Horgan also suggested this months ago.
Let’s get on it and address the future needs now. We deserve and need immediate action, not another study.
Bob Hamerton
Victoria
Lack of residencies worsens MD shortage
Re: “B.C. med students lobby for more residency spots,” March 5.
As one of the 700,000 B.C. residents unable to find a primary-care doctor, I was appalled to read this article. This crisis in health care has been ongoing for years now and has only gotten worse with each passing year, so it seems.
Although both provincial and federal governments pay lip service to the need to rectify the situation, to hear that dedicated medical students are being denied the right to complete their studies due to a lack of residency positions is nothing short of criminal. To give false hope to these students by taking their time (four to five years) and money ($158,000 as quoted) and then not following through with residency positions is, to me, a breach of contract.
Why would any young person take that risk? That fact that then our own Canadian residents might be knocked out of second-round placements by international grad students is totally wrong.
In my opinion, those international students should not be eligible for residencies until all Canadian students have been placed. Cannot the medical schools that accepted international students find them residencies in their home countries?
Jan Pelton
Sidney
Make ministers testify under oath
Re: “Wilson-Raybould cites veiled threats,” Feb. 28.
He says, she says.
It seems to me that the best way we will find the truth of whether Jody Wilson-Raybould was pressured to intervene in the SNC-Lavalin prosecution by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Finance Minister Bill Morneau and others, is to have all of them called before the justice committee and questioned, under oath.
Mike Spence
Victoria
Wilson-Raybould had expert legal advice
Re: “Wilson-Raybould must explain the logic behind her decision,” comment, March 3.
Generally, I am on the side of full disclosure.
However, in this instance I am willing to cut Jody Wilson-Raybould some slack in her non-disclosure of the pertinent facts that resulted in not proceeding with a deferred-prosecution agreement.
One must consider: She has the best legal advice in Canada guiding her; and if, by divulging, SNC-Lavalin’s already diminished reputation would take an even greater hit in the court of public opinion, I respect her decision even more.
K.H. Demmler
Victoria
