sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½

What about asbestos problem at museum?

The news about reopening Old Town at the Royal sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ Museum, with the train station and other exhibits on the third floor, is awesome.

But wait … what about risk to the health and safety relating to visitors and staff at the museum?

Allow us to refer to a direct quote from an article published in the sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ on May 14, 2022:

“It’s considered outdated, insufficiently accessible and filled with asbestos, and officials say it’s putting the collections and the people who visit and work there at risk.”

Sounds like politicians’ talk to justify the actions they were planning on taking. Hoodwinking the taxpayers.

But, who knows, maybe a miracle occurred and the asbestos problem has disappeared on its own and the seismic problem has miraculously corrected itself also.

Pete Talavs and D.L. MacLaren

Central Saanich

sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½’s head of state deserves our respect

I am getting a bit fed up with writers who think we can change our constitutional system by merely getting rid of the monarchy like we might an unwanted guest.

I am all in favour of looking at practical options to convert sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ to a republican form of government which will clearly happen at some point in the future.

But, in the meantime, until that happens, may we treat our head of state, and his office, with some respect?

David Collins

Victoria

It’s not right to blame these workers

Re: “Public workers demanded too much, given too much,” column, May 11.

I can’t tell whether Gwyn Morgan has overlooked the rising costs of pretty much everything while begrudging the recent wage increases of the PSAC ­agreement, or if he just doesn’t like federal public service employees on principle.

He feigns to express concerns for the lower wages of private sector workers and depicts the PSAC as being “determined to increase that public/private compensation disparity with wage increases of 4.5 per cent in each of the next three years.”

It is disingenuous if not despicable to say that federal workers set out to increase any wage disparity between themselves and private sector workers.

They are workers using their ­collective power to achieve a living wage and pension security in order to meet the rapid increase in inflation and rise in the cost of almost everything. In other words, feed their families and pay their bills.

If Morgan was truly interested in the plight of private sector wages, he would cast an eye to banks and corporations that have made record profits during COVID and place the blame for low private sector wages where it belongs.

Yet he makes no mention of private employers who set salary amounts, nor shows any real concerns for liveable wages for their employees, instead doing himself a disservice by blaming one group of workers for the sorry plight of another.

Charlene Simon

Victoria

Don’t be so happy to see Uber arrive here

It’s odd to see people rejoicing at Uber setting up shop in Victoria. I would have thought local business leaders would have been supporting local cab companies.

Instead they are the first to throw local cabbies under the bus.

There is this idea that the public will now get discount cab service. But Uber has no magic vehicles. There are no economies of scale. Any saving comes off the back of the drivers.

The 25 per cent commission the drivers pay Uber leaves the community.

That’s money no longer circulating in the stores and restaurants owned by the members of the Greater Victoria of Chamber of Commerce.

It’s all about votes of course. The NDP likes to talk about “delivering rideshare.”

When I was in university, I spent a lot of time doing volunteer work for the NDP. As Corky Evans used to say, I liked their values.

But they have screwed thousands of sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ workers to privileged American rideshare companies.

These are values we can do without.

Owen Brandon

Victoria

Can’t spell or say names, what should we do?

I must say that I am not delighted with the apparent rapid decisions to use Indigenous names for parks, schools, streets etc. being made by our municipalities and our provincial government.

This is creating navigating issues for us locals as well as tourists.

If this is our future, imagine this scenario: You want to arrange for a hike with a friend, but the place you want to go to has an Indigenous name.

You try to pronounce it but cannot. Then you are asked to spell it and you cannot. So, your friend asks you if it is near a school and indeed it is

Yet once again frustrated, you can neither pronounce nor spell the name of the school.

Exasperated, you invite your friend to your home, and you choose another site to hike. Enough is enough!

Wendy Campbell

Saanich

Breaking news from the world of the tough guys

Re: “NHL enforcers die decade younger than mates: study,” May 11.

What a revelation! Toxic masculinity is bad for your health. Duh-oh.

Lori Hanson

Shawnigan Lake

Dogs are unpredictable, so be careful out there

I like dogs. I have friends who own dogs and I consider myself their dog’s friend as well.

I don’t own a dog, but I have in the past. That was more than 50 years ago. Yes, I am over 65.

I am not afraid of dogs and am friendly to dogs that are friendly to me. I have never been bitten by a dog or had a reason to fear or be suspicious of a dog’s behaviour — that is until this week.

When I was walking along the Esplanade on Willows beach one morning, coming the opposite direction, I was approached by two women and their standard poodle.

As we passed, the dog growled, jumped up and bit me on the side of my left breast. I’m five feet, two inches tall. It was a tall dog.

The women apologized and said that was the first time he had done that. Be that his first time or 10th time, it makes no difference. The fact is the dog bit me.

Had I been shorter, or a child, the bite may have been on my face. The injury I sustained may not have been major, but it was traumatic. Even after several hours I could still feel the spot where the dog had bit me.

What is to be taken away from all of this. Dogs are unpredictable. Dog owners need to take responsibility for their animal. Do not assume your dog will not exhibit dog-like behaviours.

For reasons unbeknownst to me, this dog did not like me. It could have been the hat and sunglasses I was wearing or the orange sweatshirt or perhaps he felt that I was too close to his master. The fact is that the dog bit me.

Sidewalks are for people. If you are walking your dog, you and your dog should make way for the pedestrian. The pedestrian should not be the one that steps off into the street.

I have been walking along that stretch of the Esplanade for several years. Walking along the Esplanade at Willows beach is a place where I used to feel a sense of peace and tranquility.

Now, when I am walking, I will be walking with caution and wondering if the dog approaching will be the next one to bite me.

Debby Pietraszek

Saanich

You can plug one ear, but definitely not two

Further to John Ducker’s Driving column about headphones, earphones, and earbuds, on Oct. 18, 2021 the Motor Vehicle Act (which also applies to bicycles and anything else that uses a roadway) was once again amended to:

“Hands-free use of electronic device

7 (1) Subject to section 6 and subsection (2), a person may use an electronic device in a hands-free telephone function while driving or operating a motor ­vehicle on a highway, if the device

(a) is installed in accordance with section 4 and within easy reach of the driver’s seat, or worn securely on the person’s body,

(b) is voice-activated or requires only one touch in order to initiate, accept or end a call, and

(c) in the case of a device that includes an earpiece, the earpiece is worn only in one ear.

(2) Subsection (1) (c) does not apply to a person who is driving or operating a motorcycle on a highway.

[am. sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ Reg. 235/2021, Sch. 2, s. 3.]”

So even if you only cover one ear, you cannot listen to music or a talk show with an earpiece.

But if you mount your cellphone on your handlebars or dashboard then it becomes hard at first glance for a police officer to tell if you are listening to music or whether you have a legitimate hands-free use setup.

For sure, covering two ears is a definite invitation to being pulled over whether you are a driver of a motor vehicle, bicycle, or anything else that uses the roadway.

Walt Hundleby

Esquimalt

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