Hawaii should join Canada
Dear Editor:
I think most Canadians are fed up with the rhetoric coming out of Donald Trumpsa国际传媒 mouth the last couple of weeks. Using bullying tactics to attack Canadians, we do not want to become the 51st State of the United States. Nor do we want our Prime Minister to become Governor of the great state of Canada.
What I would propose is would the people of the great State of Hawaii like to join Canada and become the 11th province of Canada along with the three territories? Letsa国际传媒 leave it to the voters of the Hawaiian Islands if this is something they might consider. I鈥檓 sure most Canadians would certainly welcome them in with open arms. Your thought?
Jeff Bryde
sa国际传媒
Whatsa国际传媒 happened to sa国际传媒?
Dear Editor:
What a stinging rebuke of the planning and policies of the Mattiussi-Gilchrist-Smith management regime at the City of sa国际传媒, and the past two mayors and councils.
The Globe and Mail study of the most livable cities in Canada was published Dec. 16. The results for sa国际传媒 were damning.
1. 100 most livable cities in Canada. sa国际传媒 not among them.
2. Top 10 cities for retirement. sa国际传媒 not among them.
3. Top 10 cities for entrepreneurs. sa国际传媒 not among them.
4. Top 10 cities for raising children. sa国际传媒 not among them.
5. Top 10 cities for young professionals. sa国际传媒 not among them
6. Top 10 cities for midlife transition. sa国际传媒 not among them
7. Top 10 cities for newcomers. sa国际传媒 not among them.
The arrogance of the decision-making, the variances given to developers for height or width, unwillingness to accept any advice from outside on any topic, particularly in the case of the UBCO building disaster, the placement and type of drug rehabilitation centres, the indifference to the concerns of people affected by the decisions. and so much more.
The report is an objective assessment of how the city administration has done, and the result is a resounding F for failure. The residents, other Canadians and the facts have spoken. We have gone from desirable to undesirable in 15 years.
Don Henderson
sa国际传媒
Time for mayor to make real effort
Dear Editor:
Did the city of sa国际传媒 really make a major effort to buy sa国际传媒 Springs Golf Course? I don鈥檛 think so.
Maybe Denciti really rebuffed the city of sa国际传媒sa国际传媒 offer to purchase sa国际传媒 Springs (鈥淐ity rebuffed in bid to buy golf course鈥, Dec. 11) but how much did the city offer? Half price?
We don鈥檛 know. Why is this a concern?
Mayor Tom Dyas stated that if Denciti Developments submitted an application for industrial development, 鈥渃ouncil will evaluate it with the upmost care鈥︹ What message does that send to the developer? That the city will consider industrial development.
If the city said 鈥渨e are not going to rezone this golf course鈥 what would the developer do? Cut his losses and sell it to the city, of course, at say $30 million (what he paid) plus interest, etc. Why would a developer hold onto a property if he/she couldn鈥檛 do what he/she wanted?
As noted in the article, there was a big hue and cry from the public when they got wind of what the city was up to so this became a 2022 election issue. Mayor Dyas said he would 鈥渇ight to save sa国际传媒 Springs if he became mayor鈥 鈥 he did. Where is the 鈥渇ight鈥 now?
We now know more about the importance of sa国际传媒 Springs especially its flood protection of the adjacent agricultural land and the downstream infrastructure including the airport which the City is spending millions of dollars on. This flood protection has been described numerous times including recently (鈥淲ater issue at golf courses鈥, Dec 11,). Why would the city even take a chance?
The City of sa国际传媒 doesn鈥檛 have a municipal golf course that would serve the public and tourism alike. It could purchase sa国际传媒 Springs using a part of the September 2024 budget of $358 million for new parks.
If Denciti Development doesn鈥檛 want to negotiate, the city has the option of expropriating sa国际传媒 Springs at fair market value of say $6 million without the ownersa国际传媒 consent鈥o protect city infrastructure from flooding. Would Denciti sell if he thought the city might expropriate the land in the best interests of the city? Of course.
It is time for the mayor to make a real effort to acquire sa国际传媒 Springs and confirm to the owner the city is serious about this. As a municipal golf course, this sensitive green space will be an asset to the city, including the residents of sa国际传媒.
Susan Ames, PhD, MSc, BSc
sa国际传媒
Ron Cannan voice of common sense
Dear Editor:
Mayor and Council seem oblivious of the realities of our world. The themes seem to be; 鈥楤uild, build, build, forget about infra structure鈥, and 鈥榯ax, tax, tax, theresa国际传媒 no tomorrow鈥.
The only voice of common sense and caution appears to be Coun. Ron Cannan. Yet, this poor council member is attacked at every turn by Mayor Tom Dyas, as a particular obstacle to the mayorsa国际传媒 apparent divine rule.
Special thanks to members of the local media who have successfully continued to eke out an existence as 鈥榠nvestigative journalists鈥 in an age of corporate digital centralization. Particular thanks to Ron Seymour and Keith Lacey of the sa国际传媒 Courier, and Phil Johnson of AM 1150 for scrutiny of council.
Apparently, after a mere seven hours of deliberation, with the mayorsa国际传媒 quick dismissal of objections, the citizens of sa国际传媒 are now forced to enjoy a tax hike that outstrips the inflationary pressures of our present existence; 鈥淭he tax hike, double the current inflation rate, was trimmed imperceptibly, from 4.36 percent to 4.34 percent.鈥
In raising objection to the increase, Cannan noted, 鈥淲e can鈥檛 raise property taxes that are double the cost of living鈥or a lot of people the reality is this has been a tough year, challenging for individuals and families and many businesses鈥eanwhile the city has been adding new employees at a rate that exceeds sa国际传媒sa国际传媒 population growth.鈥
鈥溾ince the current council adopted its first budget after 2022 civic election, the inflation rate has been 8.3 per cent but city taxes have gone up 12.6 per cent.鈥
Rather than question the amount or validity of any estimates submitted by the bureaucratic department heads, or seeking a determination as to 鈥榳hat is needed鈥 as opposed to 鈥 what is wanted鈥, the mayor put down Cannansa国际传媒 concerns with what may be characterized as a let-them-eat-cake response鈥. His spin on the concern of citizensa国际传媒: 鈥淲e鈥檙e not buying milk and eggs. We鈥檙e buying concrete, steel and machinery.鈥
No mention of the major expansion of the civil service, with pensions and benefits that outstrip private businesses. No mention that taxes and mortgage obligations come as a priority to food and clothing needs.
It is some time before the next election, but a mounting blemish for Mayor Dyas and his 鈥榶es minions鈥 on council.
Ian Sisett
sa国际传媒
Crown not doing its job on crime
Dear Editor:
On Thursday, Jan. 2, I was at the Tim Hortonsa国际传媒 located near Walmart enjoying coffee and a sandwich at approximately 7:15 a.m. with a group of my coffee buddies.
What appeared to be an addict was arguing with a staff member, but we couldn鈥檛 make out what was being said. My friends and I were the only other customers, so we decided to monitor the situation.
The person then left, but returned a few moments later and walked directly behind the counter, attempting to start a fight with a male staff member. My friends and I jumped up, ran behind the counter and placed ourselves between this person and staff members. We informed him he needed to leave immediately or else his day was going to get ugly.
He attempted one more time to start something with the staff member, but we eventually got him to leave.
Something has to be done in this province. Once again I put the entire blame on Crown Counselsa国际传媒 office for being far too lax with people like this. I no longer care if criminals have 鈥渕ental issues鈥. If they are a danger to others or themselves, they need to be institutionalized. Period.
People in British Columbia and Canada as a whole need to feel safe in their communities, and this is simply not the case anymore.
To Crown Counsel, all I have to say is that you need to grow a set, and laws have to change in this country so that criminals, no matter how petty, need to be held accountable for their actions, whether it be through community service, or jail.
I believe it was California that has recently passed a law that if you are caught shoplifting more than three times, it becomes a felony.
That would be a good start here.
Mark Billesberger
Penticton
Handing country to Conservatives
Dear Editor:
Justin Trudeau appears to be determined to lead the Liberal party into the next election.
What he doesn鈥檛 appear to realize is that, according to soundings made by local riding associations and others, if he is the leader when the next election is called, the Conservatives will win.
So he will effectively be handing the Conservatives a win on a platter. Is this really what he wants?
He really needs to take a peek outside the bubble that he has created for himself and realize that wishing that the situation he desires existed does not make it so.
Brian Butler
Penticton
Write
sa国际传媒: letters@ok.bc.ca
