sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½

Trade war, finances should prompt a delay

Re: “City of Victoria’s pool information does not include risks,” commentary, Jan. 16.

Hats off to Alan Humphries, a professional engineer, who provided a terrific commentary on the inherent risks that are involved when undertaking a project of the size and scope proposed by ­Victoria’s mayor and council with the Crystal Pool replacement.

The commentary clearly outlines the budgeting weaknesses in the material supporting the project, and illustrates how the indicated costs of $209 million to $215 million could easily balloon to over $650 million.

As a retired commercial banker of more than 30 years, I fully believe that this replacement project is seriously overscoped for a city of less than 100,000 residents, and that the actual property tax increases that will result will place unwarranted financial hardship on the taxpayers, many of whom are seniors living on fixed incomes.

With the looming trade war with the U.S. and the perilous state of ­federal and provincial finances, I would like to think we are entering a time of financial ­prudence and that the mayor and council might show some political leadership by withdrawing the pending referendum.

This would allow the required time to establish a more reasonably based ­solution, along the lines suggested by Humphries, to be undertaken in a climate better suited for this type of ­project.

Mark Appleton

Victoria

Words can separate us, or bring us together

Re: “Trudeau won’t blame the person responsible,” letter, Jan. 9.

The author of this one-sided diatribe should be ashamed of himself for writing it and so should the sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ for printing it.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but these inflammatory statements serve no purpose other than to cause discord and malign a man who has given so much to his country.

This type of rhetoric is similar to a lot of what we hear from the president-elect in the U.S. — it’s divisive.

It is disheartening that there is so much uncertainty in our country.

However, one thing is certain. Words can separate us, or bring us together, and we need to choose them wisely.

Dawn Devereaux

Victoria

Heading for rough ride, dealing with bully

It is alarming that, though he is not yet in the White House, Donald Trump has caused chaos.

He has already brought so many alarming changes, including non-elected “experts” to formulate U.S. government policies.

I think that sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½’s response was too rapid and ill-considered.

Trump mocked Prime Minister ­Justin Trudeau’s visit to the U.S.. Trump is maintaining uncertainty concerning the tariffs, which is causing destructive chaos.

The institution of $1.3 billion to strengthen the U.S./sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ border is understandable, but causes me anxiety. It could set a precedent.

Any Canadian government policy which Trump does not like could be threatened with more tariffs. There is a real risk of the Canadian government being just like a puppet, with Trump pulling the strings.

The supposed joke of sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ becoming the 51st state is no joke. sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ has a wealth of natural resources much coveted by other nations.

Hey, come on! Let’s stand and sing O sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ at every possible occasion. Rather like in Britain after the Second World War, when the national anthem was played at the end of cinema and similar presentations.

We are all in for a rough ride, but it’s the only way to treat a bully — a ­narcissistic bully.

Chris Pengilly

Saanich

What to do with Donald Trump

Now that U.S. president-elect Donald Trump is a convicted felon, may I suggest that he immediately be banned from entering sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ at any time.

Rob McKenzie

Duncan

We’ll stop people when they stop guns

Re: “Is Trump kidding? Americans in sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ react to tariff and annexation threats.” Jan. 9.

The story included references ­sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½’s decision to spend (the story said “invest,” but it doesn’t meet my definition of an investment) $1.3 billion to strengthen border security over drugs and illegal immigrants crossing the border into the U.S.

In fact, there were far more illegal immigrants coming to sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ from the U.S. in 2023 than vice versa, and the amount of fentanyl confiscated at the Canadian border in 2023 was 10 kilograms, compared to 10,000 kilograms at the Mexican border.

But never mind that.

I propose that sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ cease attempting to stop any illegal border crossings to the U.S. until the U.S. stops the illegal exportation of guns into sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½. Fair is fair, right?

Ian Cameron

Brentwood Bay

Oil and gas revenue is needed to save sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½

President-elect Donald Trump has declared economic war on sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½, as of Jan. 20.

The aim of this economic war is to destroy the economy of sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ so the Canadian government will cry uncle and request the United States to incorporate sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ within the U.S..

The first shots will be an announced 25 per cent tariff on all goods and services that the U.S. purchases from sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½. The result of these tariffs, if sustained, will be the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs and the bankruptcy of tens of thousands of Canadian companies.

Unfortunately, it takes decades to find alternative buyers of our goods and services from offshore companies, especially since 77 per cent of our trade goes to the U.S.

That will result in a drastic reduction in government revenue, and thus a drastic reduction of funding for the many social programs that take vast amounts of government resources.

The only possible action available to the government in the short term is to use our ace of spades, our oil and gas resources.

sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ must pass emergency legislation to remove all regulations that prevent gas and oil pipeline construction. Program spending to build gas and oil pipelines to the east coast for offshore sale must commence immediately.

Likewise, a third pipeline following the new west coast transmission line terminating at Roberts Bank for offshore sale.

The plan for the north oil pipeline that was stopped by the Liberal government should be reinitiated, as well as the proposed northern gas pipeline.

The proposed LNG plants should also be expedited. A great nation like sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ can make this happen. The revenue produced from the sale of our oil and gas will save our nation.

Robin Allen

Victoria

Show us the receipt, then we can join

sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ will never be part of the United States. This hyperbole is a distraction by dictator-elect from all the domestic problems he will inherit.

But I would consider being the 51st state when Mexico pays for the wall!

Don Boyce

Victoria

Let’s trade people who want to leave

In order to accommodate those Canadians who are in favour of us becoming the 51st state, I propose that we initiate a “citizen exchange” program between the two countries, whereby one eager to be an American is “traded” for one desperate to become a Canadian.

I know a number of folks who fall into the latter category.

Susannah Mihail

Victoria

Beware intrusion, beware idealism

Re: “In the quest to remake Saanich, think small,” commentary, Dec. 29.

I appreciate the thoughtfulness that went into the opinion piece by Will ­Krzymowski. However, I have to point out the gaping deficiencies in his approach.

When he talks about making a lot of small changes to Saanich by bringing goods and services closer to people, he ignores the massive scale of government intrusion required to make this happen.

Development can certainly be ­encouraged in certain areas, but the unforeseen consequences of such tinkering with the delicate balance of supply and demand can be astronomical. I fear the idealism of making people into bike and bus riders is woefully misguided.

I fear this climate catastrophe mindset is driving us to extreme measures that common sense would never tolerate in less stressed times.

For just one example, the whole mad rush to EVs, when looked at under the hood, makes almost no real difference in the climate and creates many problems when scaled up.

We could make much wiser use of our funds to make a real difference.

Paul O’Brien

Saanich

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