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A scary introduction for space aliens

Wow! Reading the Comment pages the past few days, I had the thought that if aliens landed here, and all they read were the Letters to the Editor, they would ­conclude that we are governed by a bunch of jackasses.

Norm Morrison
Saanichton

What about your home insurance?

Oh please! Would the wonderful residents of Victoria and subscribers of this newspaper occupy themselves with some subject other than Clover Point? Many of us in the rest of this island would be hard-pressed to point out this place on a map let alone find it on the ground.

How about home insurance, for instance? We live in a single-family home in Nanaimo. Our house insurance quote has arrived, the quoted amount has increased 10 per cent since last year and is up 49.6 per cent from the past four years.

We insure with a reputable company and have for many years and receive many discounts. Are others having the same experience?

Richard C. Parsley
Nanaimo

Parking restrictions and a village idiot

As most people know, parking is impossible in Victoria now, so why the council is reducing spaces is anyone’s guess. As the population of Greater Victoria grows we need more parking, not less.

I live in Colwood and enjoy using all the parks, but restricting my access with a car is elitist. Do I have to live in the neighbourhood to enjoy Clover Point?

Maybe here on the West Shore only residents should use our parks since you are blocking us from using yours.

Don’t come out to Witty’s. We will tow all non-residents cars.

Of course, that can’t be done, but that is essentially what you are doing to us. Maybe if we amalgamated, we would not suffer from this village idiot mentality.

Share the parks, selfish people!

Kurt Sproat
Colwood

With the bike lanes, where will they park?

It is challenging to drive a vehicle on Government Street in James Bay because the allowance of street parking, much of which is resident only, narrows the roadway so much that southbound drivers and northbound drivers hold their breath as they barely manage to safely pass each other.

To introduce north/south bike lanes on Government Street north of Dallas Road, be they protected lanes or otherwise, will require the elimination of dozens of resident-only street parking spots.

What does Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps and city council mean when they claim they are seeking public consultation on the matter?

In the end, it will be this: thanks for your input, but like it or lump it, just as with Clover Point, Beacon Hill Park, the never built replacement Crystal Pool, etc.

Trevor Amon
Victoria

Remember our own Alex Leatham

The loss of Canada’s hockey father, ­Walter Gretzky, reminded me once again of the dedication, passion and enthusiasm volunteer coaches and supportive parents provide for youth in sports.

Gretzky was a well-known hockey ambassador across our nation. Our city has been served by countless women and men supporting athletes in a variety of sports.

One such local name, Alec Leatham, was that figure in arenas; not only in Victoria Minor Hockey, but around ­Vancouver Island. He truly had a love for the game and for the athletes who laced up their skates.

Alec had the ability to make those young athletes feel significant and ­valued. Alec passed away in November 2002. As with Gretzky, his impact had profound influences on youth, as do so many coaches in our community.

I was most fortunate in my playing days, to be associated with many coaches like Alec.

So in memory of Walter Gretzky, a word of gratitude and appreciation to all coaches and parents for supporting children as they pursue their passion for sports.

Joe Cardle
Oak Bay

Royal Bay school could be a solar panel model

Thanks to Geoff Johnson for illuminating what is possible in “Designing schools as living textbooks is not a futuristic dream,” Feb. 28.

School District 62 is in the midst of a building boom, struggling to keep apace population growth on the West Shore.

I hope trustees (and other decision-makers) will not miss the opportunity to make these schools living textbooks for the next generation (such as by implementing renewable energy systems; providing innovative waste and wastewater treatment solutions; planting trees, gardens and designing rainwater catchment systems).

Royal Bay Secondary School (in the centre of what was once a forest, then a gravel pit, and now one of the largest development areas on Southern Vancouver Island) is an ideal location for a model solar panel installation.

All teachers know, actions speak louder than words. Be innovative. Lead by example. And involve students to realize the dream of building, and living, within our planet’s limits, so that they can have a future.

Karyn Woodland
Colwood

No limit needed when spending our money

Reading about the new $157-million lakeside “campus style” correctional centre planned in Nanaimo, I was shocked to see that there will be 165 staff for 202 inmates.

Is this a prison or a spa!?

Perhaps a better use for this money would be to sell the land and build a larger higher-capacity facility out of town. But then these days it seems no one in government really cares about how much taxpayers’ money they are ­spending.

Leslie Barclay
Nanaimo

Society pays for crime in many ways

Re: “Campus-style design planned for correctional centre in Nanaimo,” Mar. 5.

The report says that a new correctional centre for 202 inmates at Brannen Lake in Nanaimo will cost $157 million.

It is excessive to spend $777,000 per inmate.

It was stated there would be ­“opportunities for inmates to feel as though they are connected to the outdoors and to enjoy water views.”

The cost of crime is high and the ­taxpayer always pays.

Wayne Cox
Saanichton

Yes, there is a sign on the Pat Bay Highway

That’s an interesting conspiracy theory, that there are no “Welcome to Victoria” signs because cars are unwelcome here.

Either the letter writer hasn’t actually driven south on Highway 17, or he kept his eyes closed. That’s a pretty big sign.

Stephen Pierrot
Saanich

Let’s all be kind to the health officials

It is a disgrace, and very sad, to hear that Dr. Bonnie Henry and her staff continue to be threatened and harassed by people who don’t like the COVID-19 restrictions that have to be imposed in order to safeguard the health and life of B.C. residents.

It is hard to imagine the struggle that she and Health Minster Adrian Dix, and their respective staffs, and the medical profession at all levels, face on a daily basis.

I’m reminded of the old saying: “If you don’t like riding on the railroad, just be glad you’re not running it.”

I’m trying to be kinder/more patient than before COVID-19!

Patrick Wesley
Victoria

Canadian seniors unfairly punished

Our government has decided, even though international flights are only responsible for only one per cent of all new cases of COVID-19, to abandon and abolish taxpaying Canadian citizens from returning to our own country.

If somehow we can return before April 30, even with a negative COVID-19 test result, we will be charged $2,000 per person and forced to isolate for three days before we can go home to isolate for another two weeks.

I wonder what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is doing to the other 99 per cent who are causing the spread by not wearing a mask, not social distancing, going to large gatherings, etc. Odd that we don’t hear any government strategy to combat the real reason the virus is still spreading.

Spread the news! This is how our Liberal government treats seniors who have worked their whole lives in Canada and have paid taxes their whole life to support Canadian programs that a majority of Canadians are benefiting from.

Should we be punished because we are now retired and have saved enough each year for a little holiday … isn’t that what we work our whole lives for? A little relaxation time?

Mark Carlow
Victoria

‘Buttergate’ and the dairy market

Re: “Dairy farmers urged to ditch palm as group investigates ‘buttergate,’ ” Feb. 26.

The answer to “buttergate” is quite simple: end the Canadian dairy cartel.

Called “supply management,” this was put in place decades ago to protect smaller dairy farmers from wide price swings.

Now, however, dairy farming is a large farm industry that sets its own industry-wide pricing — hardly fair to consumers — resulting in retail prices often close to twice that paid in the U.S.

A move to an open market would not only help consumers generally, but producers of butter without palm oil might find a ready market. Ah, the wonders of the free-market system. It’s past time to try it out.

George Manning
Victoria

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