sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½

sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½-built ferries will last longer

I guess many of us can remember the (Socred/Liberal/united party) complaining about the fast ferry mistake by the NDP. Guess what? We can all make mistakes.

The Spirit vessels built in B.C have proven to be the most reliable vessels ever to ply the Coastal waters. Also, if they did require repairs, it could be done by local British Columbians.

My dad was a welder and helped build many of the ferries that served the system. As shipbuilders they all contributed to a prosperous and growing economy in sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½

These foreign-built Coastal vessels run rough and break easily. When they need repair parts come from afar as well as the shipwrights to fix them.

Build the ferries in sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ by British Columbia workers using sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ shipyards and Canadian materials. It’s a triple bonus for all British Columbian workers and residents.

I am not saying the vessels are lemons. I am saying build in sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ by sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ labour and materials.

Canadians need to develop a higher level of technical expertise now. Yes, it will cost more money, but the benefits to sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ and sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ will be tenfold.

Harold Wickstrom

Victoria

Uniting athletes and boosting our community

With a remarkable participation of 2,450 cyclists this year, the Tour de Victoria left me brimming with elation and gratitude.

This event, an inspiring blend of athleticism and community spirit, showcased the best of our region.

Ryder Hesjedal’s presence added an unforgettable touch. His participation, starting with every group and supporting young cyclists in the Kids’ Ride, brought a sense of unity that lingered even after the ride. A brief roadside chat with him will remain a cherished memory.

The ride’s essence was captured from the start — a meticulously planned route along scenic country roads, expert traffic management, revitalizing feed stations, and satisfying post-ride meals.

These elements solidify its position as the premier Fondo in British Columbia.

A special salute must be extended to the City of Victoria and all involved municipalities. Their unwavering support has transformed this event into more than a bike ride — it’s now a cornerstone of tourism.

Cyclists are drawn to our area, ­boosting hotels, restaurants, and our sense of community.

This economic ripple effect even extends to ferries and bike shops, ­positively impacting countless residents.

In a world often divided, the Tour de Victoria stands as a beacon of unity. Beyond cyclists, it unites entire communities, illustrating the power of collective goals.

As this year’s event concludes, gratitude fills my heart for organizers, volunteers, and municipalities who made this possible. Each pedal stroke champions both sport and our local economy, ensuring a brighter future for all.

Barry Lycett

Oak Bay

Turning challenges into opportunities

Once a crisis is in motion, turning it into an opportunity often requires new ways of seeing, thinking, and responding.

Crises also opens political systems up to scrutiny. In this way, events can become symbolically important for ­politically marginalized groups and can catalyse political organizing and dissent.

Achieving sufficient buy-in to try new approaches, requires trust and confidence in the capabilities and vision of the leadership.

When distrust prevails, a crisis can emerge within a crisis.

Several of our most daunting current crises across sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½, and the globe, could help reverse negative forces and promote more positive conditions.

New approaches require challenging deeply held assumptions about how the world works and what are acceptable outcomes with astonishing breakthroughs to unseen levels of cooperation.

Our challenge is to rise above the self-centred, and be true to the human ­capacity to develop a consistent self that seeks to control a shared destiny rather than remain a pawn of situational forces.

And, I do mean to imply to recognize the heroes, not reward the villains – specifically, Politicians must serve the people; not serve themselves.

William Perry

Victoria

Totalitarian regime in sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½’s health care

If a private corporation is being poorly managed, the board of directors have the authority to fire and replace the CEO and other people charged with the responsibility of properly running the company.

The shareholders of the company have power to ensure that the company is run in a fashion which benefits them and have power over the board by appointing or electing directors as well.

This ensures that poor management can be replaced in an effective manner to everyone’s benefit.

To be sure, Canadian health care does not operate in this fashion.

Inadequate administration of our system is evident by the numerous studies done on Canadian health care which rates our system near the bottom of all advanced countries in the world.

There are daily reports concerning the inadequacy of the system’s operation, to the detriment of the citizens of sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½. However, the shareholders ( i.e. you and I ) have no power to effect a change in the leadership of the system … because our health-care system is in effect a totalitarian regime.

We cannot replace the health minister or the chair of the Medical Services Commission. We have no power to make constructive changes to the system and we have no option in sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ to go elsewhere in our country to obtain the care we need and deserve.

Politicians have enacted laws which prevent you from obtaining health care outside of our publicly run system. It is a bitter irony that we can neither receive care from within the system nor can we receive care from another source.

Therefore, we have no option in sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ except to bear the burden of substandard leadership in healthcare. So … get used to it, because unless you decide to go out of country for health needs, you will be saddled with this mess in our country, and can expect to not receive the care which you deserve.

Robert H. Brown M.D., C.C.F.P.

North Saanich

Mixed economy is wonderful, in theory

When a letters extols the virtues of the mixed economy, I have to wonder what economy the writer is referencing.

He mentions “housing, health care, and education,” but I don’t see much socialization of housing these days. As for health care and education, are either of those in line for bragging rights lately, with regard to cost or performance?

Are the safe supply sites celebrating their resounding success? Have are courts cleared the streets of dangerous repeat offenders? Not exactly.

How about other industries that have been “socialized,” like ferries or insurance. Are sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ Ferries or ICBC picking up awards for outstanding performance or public satisfaction?

I wonder where the problem could lie. Could it be the ballooning administrative bureaucracies they all seem to share?

How about the uncontrollably rising labor costs that seem a fixture of public services? r maybe the zero accountability of executives, immune to penalties for poor performance. Even should someone actually be shown the door, you can be sure it will be with a golden parachute.

The social part of the mixed economy once sounded pretty good in theory, but is looking mighty threadbare in practice lately.

Michel Murray

Saanich

Time to consider personal responsibility

So much hypocrisy around climate change. Are we sucking or blowing?

We wail about forest fires while building mega-homes in long-known drylands, reliant on using threatened water sources.

The mainstream media zealously promotes tourism, urging us to travel long and far, creating tonnes of pollution via cruise ships, jets and vehicles while preaching the horrors of melting ice caps and searing heat.

Driving an electric vehicle doesn’t cut it when you live in a sprawling house full of luxuries. And while our purported leader flies 4,000 kilometres for a holiday on a private jet, forests burn.

Are we willing to shift from self-centred personal “rights” to self-examining personal responsibility?

Shannon Moneo

Sooke

Udderly shameless trade legislation

Maybe it’s just me. But was Parliament in a deep slumber in passing an amendment to our Trade and Development Act in June?

Canadians are well aware that the bloated dairy cartel, through the government-supported supply management system, has been “milking” Canadian consumers for way too long. (The OECD estimates Canadians pay an extra $2.5 billion a year as a result of the cartel’s price fixing.)

And with each trade deal sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ signs, the cartel, dominated by Quebec and Ontario farmers, extorts billions from our federal government as taxpayers pay hundreds of dollars in subsidies — for each and every Mooing Bessie!

But guaranteed exorbitant prices and billions in compensation is just not enough for these thirsty bandits. Now the cartel has bullied its way to get yet another of its ubiquitous demands — right through to the Senate and right under our noses.

Yes — the Bloc’s Bill C-282 will in effect again protect the industry by preventing foreign access to dairy products in all future trade agreements. Not only is this unfair to other sectors of the agriculture industry (e.g. the cattle industry), it forever binds the hands of our trade negotiators.

When the legislation passes, sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½’s future trade agreements will be prohibited from having any dairy products up for negotiation. Udderly shameless!

It is obvious that the forever-at-the-trough Quebec/Ontario dairy lobby holds reign over most members of Parliament. But the sooner we Canadians wean ourselves off fatty dairy products, the better — for our environment, our health, and our wallets.

It is well past time to put the dairy cartel, and its pandering political pawns, out to pasture for once and all.

But maybe it’s just me.

Gordon Zawaski

Parksville

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