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Books not closed on Martin Mars yet

Should the provincial government overrule Transport Canada’s in determining if the Martin Mars water bomber is fit for service?

To the Editor,

Should the provincial government overrule Transport Canada’s expertise and inspections in determining if the Martin Mars water bomber is fit for service?

If the Mars is as good or even beats the competition, is mothballing it considered age discrimination?

If contractors must compete for work and the low bid wins, should CEOs also bid on WCB, ICBC, BC Hydro, ferries, hospital and government jobs?

Since the government doesn’t have to compete because it’s a monopoly and it simply raises rates and/or taxes, should government workers be paid as much as the private enterprise export industry that determines Canada’s currency? An industry that must compete on the world market and for which the work is statistically more hazardous, strenuous and stressful.

International Woodworkers of America (IWA) members got three days’ bereavement, while Ontario teachers are allowed up to six weeks. The same IWA members seeking better pensions were asked by a MacMillan Bloedel bean counter if they wanted their earnings to go in their pension or wage pocket.

If pensions are a deferred wage, should tax money fund government pensions and benefits that private sector can’t afford? If the private sector got parity with the public sector, would annual sick pay take up the time allotted for it and could 10 per cent more people be hired?

Do we not all bleed the same, and will private sector always be relegated to the back seats on Canadian buses?

To attain the one big union Red dream, should everyone join a government union or would it break the country just like the USSR? Which political party will free us at last?

If the playing field was levelled, could retirees get parity with some overpopulated, resource poor European countries that are paying higher pensions than Canada?

R. Frankow,

Port Alberni