To the Editor,
British Columbians will soon be facing a recurring political dilemma. Deciding which provincial party to vote for is much like purchasing a new vehicle in a town with four dealerships. The smallest of the dealerships, which currently lacks a leader, sells high-end conservative vehicles while the other small dealership, which has an untested leader, sells eco-friendly electric and hybrid vehicles.
The second largest dealership, which has an inscrutable leader, sells station wagons and minivans.
Meanwhile the largest dealership will up-sells customers anything and everything and is stage managed by a leader who is brash, devious and self-serving.
What do you do when you are not in the market for what the first three dealers are offering, but hate the thought of being taken for another ride, i.e., ripped off, by the slick advertising and hollow promises of the deceitful boss at the largest dealership? Not buying anything is one option, but that will only perpetuate the status quo, allowing the notorious and glitzy operation to become even more arrogant, more secretive and more corrupt.
Apparently enduring honesty, managerial competence and fiscal prudence are too much to hope for.
Lloyd Atkins,
Vernon
To the Editor,
I listened to Mr.Steve Hunt of the steel workers union (formerly I.W.A) on the local radio station news March 29 saying how we lost 100 or more wood processing plants over the last 16 years under the “current regime”. It’s my firm belief that the reason for all those closures is because when the NDP was in power in the early 1990s they (for whatever reason) removed the appurtenancy clause from the Forest Act which said if a company had tree farm licence that company had to have mills to process the timber.
This move threw the door wide open for companies like Weyerhaeuser, TimberWest etc. to export logs.
By bypassing the processing plants these companies make nothing but money, no mills, workers, taxes to pay etc. Yes, they have to offer the logs to everyone on the open market but that is easy to get around by saying this mill doesn’t cut that size, species, or can’t buy because can’t get enough return on investment for price of logs.
And why build any mills here when companies can build mills overseas and make more money shipping the logs to themselves?
By removing that one clause the coastal forest industry lost thousands of jobs. No government can please all, but we need to make sure something like that doesn’t happen again.
Chris Forbes,
via e-mail
To the Editor,
Thanks to the city and highway crews for getting out and sweeping the streets. It was a pleasant surprise biking along Johnston Road and realizing that all of the gravel was cleared away. Same goes for 10th Avenue. And I’m sure many other areas.
It’s a pleasure riding along the city streets when they’re clear like this. Thank you for your work and for undertaking these small details which have a big impact on the walkability, cycle-ability, and livability of our town.
Sarah Thomas,
Port Alberni
To the Editor,
May 9, 2017 is election day in B.C. What party do you support? A political party that supports business or a political party that supports unions? Business gives out paycheques every two weeks. Unions do not give out paycheques. Common sense prevails.
Joe Sawchuk,
Duncan
