Support for UBC professor Pinder
Dear Editor:
Re: 鈥淯BC prof in hot water over Trump,鈥 (Herald, July 16.)
Bang on, professor Karen Pinder!
Paul Crossley
Penticton
Mission Group owns crane tragedy
Dear Editor:
鈥淥n a worksite, the owner is ultimately responsible for health and safety. In many cases, the owner is also in the role of employer. If you鈥檙e both the owner of the workplace and the employer, you must meet your responsibilities for both roles.鈥
This statement, from WorkSafeBC describes the obligations of Mission Group at their construction site on July 12, 2021. On that date in downtown sa国际传媒, a crane collapsed during dismantling, killing five people, including one man who was working in his office.
I am attempting to obtain a copy of the completed WorkSafeBC report on the accident but it has been given to the RCMP to determine if there is sufficient evidence to trigger criminal negligence charges.
Many rumours mixed with facts circulate, but the calamity begets the question: where was the supervision?
Whether there will be criminal charges or not, as noted above, this is not the responsibility of sa国际传媒 residents. Mission Group is a private business and the incident is between them, the victims鈥 families, the family business that was hired to do the work, and the RCMP.
A well-known similar accident occurred on the Bentall Centre construction site in 1981 and the company built a small memorial at the site.
Why should our mayor and council destroy a large section of a neighbourhood park (Knowles) at Bernard and Ellis Streets and donate our tax dollars to the memorial project?
Mission Group has made tens of millions of dollars from sa国际传媒 development projects in the past 10 years through the generous interpretation of Official City Plans by our mayors and councils. Mission Group can, and should, pay for a site and memorial for this tragedy that happened on their watch and property.
This is not about what families want, it is what Mission Group wants, and our mayor and council just can鈥檛 seem to say no to them. Why?
Don Henderson sa国际传媒聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 sa国际传媒
Misses old restaurant, but enjoys new one
Dear Editor:
Like many sa国际传媒 friends, a memorable chapter of my life came to an end when Rod Butters and Audrey Surrao announced last November that our townsa国际传媒 best restaurant was closing its doors.
My wife and I signed the papers for our home purchase 20 years ago at a back table in Fresco, and for the next two decades we experienced countless evenings basking in the friendly atmosphere of Fresco and Raudz, every dinner a culinary adventure, always leaving well-supped and lavishly irrigated.
When friends and family arrived from out-of-town, it was a given that a Raudz dinner was on the itinerary.
Why?
Because hedonism, thy name was Raudz!
So it was with trepidation and a nagging sense of infidelity that my wife Heather and I crossed the old Raudz threshold into Der-ricksa国际传媒 Steakhouse last week.
We were comforted by the fact that the room has retained its casual elegance, and we made a beeline for our favourite seats at the bar. My wife was interested in a zero-alcohol wine to start (me, not so much!), and within moments, there were five bottles arrayed in front of her.
The friendly and gregarious owner Ross Derrick introduced himself and was immediately in his element, discussing the merits of the wines, all done in a non-invasive manner.
We mentioned our historical affinity for Raudz, and Ross told us that Rod and Audrey have been good friends for years, with his wife Chef Kelsey crafting her wonders at The Okanagan Table, and that it was no coincidence their daughter was christened Audrey.
(A nice added touch -- an 鈥淎udreysa国际传媒 Smile鈥 mocktail on the menu).
Suddenly our evening felt like a homecoming.
Atmosphere and nostalgia alone do not make for a wonderful evening. But if you add a splash of attentive service from our bar-tenders, and food courses that are visually appealing and a treat for the most discriminating taste buds, you have a recipe for a successful restaurant, in what surely will become a dinner destination for discerning diners in sa国际传媒 for years to come.
Two recommendations 鈥 the beet salad, which arrives looking like a well-groomed garden, and tastes like a healthy dessert.
And the steak.
As my wife who suffers from vegetarianism says to me, 鈥淚f you鈥檙e going to have steak, make sure itsa国际传媒 a good one.鈥 And my strip-loin was a great one -- cooked to perfection, as I desperately tried to hide my enjoyment from Heather.
And for those who are wondering what my lovely vegetarian bride thought of her steakhouse trip, Derricksa国际传媒 salads easily won her over.
Although Rod and Audreysa国际传媒 culinary handiwork can still be enjoyed a block away at The Okanagan Table, we have to accept the fact that the legendary Raudz is gone.
But if the creators of Raudz are like us, they can rest assured that their tradition of delightful and memorable dining in down-town sa国际传媒 is alive and well at Derricksa国际传媒 Steakhouse.
Well done, folks.
Tim Simard
West sa国际传媒
Americanizing Canada
Dear Editor:
Consider the events of the past several days: the supposed assassination attempt on Trump, by a Republican supporter, using his fathersa国际传媒 rifle. No time was lost in trying to pin it on 鈥淪leepy Joe.鈥
Shades of Jan. 6. 聽鈥淗ang Mike Pence,鈥 鈥淜ill Pelosi鈥. Well, what do you know?
They tried. Sarah Palinsa国际传媒 target on Gabby Giffords鈥 head, led some obliging misfit Republican to carry it out. In the recent incident, as on Jan. 6, people died. Trump has incited violence from Day 1.
It gets him publicity. No one, apparently, sees the hypocrisy of him doing this with a Bible in his hand. Listen to the 鈥渁nalysts鈥 on the street, a prime example being the driver of a red half-ton, wearer of a MAGA cap, truck emblazoned 聽with (more explicitly) 鈥淔- BIDEN鈥. When asked if this wasn鈥檛 symbolic of the violence accompanying Trumpsa国际传媒 campaign (where nomination was occurring in an 鈥渙pen carry鈥 state), his reply: 鈥淣o, I鈥檓 being DIRECT鈥.
It has been the mission of our Northern Republicans to Americanize Canada, slavishly copying Republican tactics and innuendo. Guns are advocated for, social services derided. The threat made by Stephen Harper (2004): 鈥淲hen I鈥檓 done with Canada , you won鈥檛 recognize it鈥 should ring in your ears as his protege courts 鈥渇reedom鈥 convoy affiliates in his bid for power.
These are not thinkers. These are followers. They don鈥檛 value Canada , science, medicine, or vaccines; yet readily access our medical system and our social services while waving flags copying a low class from south of the border.
Those who are not lemmings recognize the childish imitation of Trump in Canadasa国际传媒 Conservative leadersa国际传媒 inflammatory hyperbole, which his two predecessors in Opposition also indulged in verbatim. Following the Trump incident, Pierre Poilievre remarked, 鈥淚鈥檓 happy the suspected shooter is dead.鈥 聽Not wondering if he had acted alone, or what had led him to this act. After all, 鈥渄ead men tell no tales鈥 聽and Trump stood victorious, fist in the air, people injured and dead around him, as he shouted 鈥淔ight! Fight! Fight!鈥
Our friend John Rustad, here in sa国际传媒 has been echoing Poilievresa国际传媒 slogans 聽and now his exact sentiments on the death of the shooter.
That devout admirer of the U.S., Harper, doesn鈥檛 live there. While living in Bragg Creek area of Calgary in a multi-million dollar home, attending millionaire weddings in India, he is dissing the Canadian values that have made it all possible for him.
Do these Northern Republicans emulating American vernacular on 鈥渟ocial鈥 media, move States side? Not on your life. Our medical system, our decent country, are too appealing. Yet they are determined to destroy it for the rest of us, and 鈥渇ollowers鈥 will unwittingly help them.
Elaine Lawrence
sa国际传媒
Liberals, NDP call election now
Dear Editor:
After watching another YouTube video exposing Justin Trudeausa国际传媒 incompetent, worst Canadian government ever, how can he justify his obscene overspending and waste of our taxpayer dollars?
Take a look at the YouTube video through the link: 鈥淐ANADIAN JOB NUMBERS: Private sector slows, civil service grows under Trudeau鈥 (Toronto Sun).
I challenge and dare you Mr. Prime Minister to call out and correct these stats if they are not correct.
From the polls, your disapproval rating is off the charts and getting worse with every day. You are distrusted, disliked and disrespected by many Canadians and foreigners alike. You and the Liberals have done a terrible job and we deserve better.
Jagmeet Singh and the NDP, mistakenly believe by not forcing a vote of non-confidence, he will mistakenly further his own socialist agenda and benefit at the polls next election.
Continuing on this path also shows a lack of respect and caring for Canadians.
Why don鈥檛 you do the right thing and call an early election, Justin? Why don鈥檛 you, Jagmeet, force the Liberals to call an early early election?
Our great country is becoming a banana republic under Liberal governance (or lack of it).
We Canadians work very hard and yet you spend, spend, spend our money until it runs out and then have the gall to raise taxes even more to pay for it.
Thatsa国际传媒 just what socialists and communists do.
Call a federal election. Now!
Greg Snider
Creston
Diabetics would like free insulin
Dear Editor:
I am slighted by Dr. Bonnie Henrysa国际传媒 颅proposal to provide free drugs to addicts.
I have been an insulin-dependant diabetic for more than 60 years.
How wonderful it would be to have the same largesse extended to those of us with chronic conditions that require medication to allow us to live.
Jennifer Underwood
Mill Bay
