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Regional policing makes the most sense

During the last municipal term of office, the then-mayors collectively worked on strengthening the regional policing units and worked with the province on an improved governance system to ensure that these valuable regional units would continue to exist and grow.

What a shame to now see the withdrawal of partners in some of these units which will likely lead to the unit’s demise. The regional crime unit was a successful unit that also collapsed in 2014 because various partners withdrew their funding and it has never been replaced although the need is clear.

On issues that are clearly regional in nature the units provide an excellent cost effective way of fighting crime across the Capital Regional District.

Let’s hope that all involved can see the clear need to work together on these important regional files rather than focusing only on their own jurisdictions.

David Screech

View Royal

Traffic decisions should be regional

I live on the fringes of the Shelbourne-McKenzie-Quadra road/bike and transit lane redesign and renovation. Although the time these things take here in Greater Victoria is unbelievable, I am not writing to complain about that.

What is surprising is that these projects, with major regional spillovers and impacts, and the consultations on them are largely being carried out by individual municipalities.

Why is Saanich’s mayor reconsidering Saanich’s plan to cut vehicle traffic lanes on McKenzie Avenue from four to two? Because of negative feedback on Saanich’s plan from Saanich’s residents.

This is crazy. Traffic and infrastructure revisions in the McKenzie- Shelbourne-Quadra part of our region should be considered, co-ordinated, and carried out at the regional level, with residents and commuters affected in all municipalities being consulted as well.

Chris Lawless

Victoria

Let’s get our rights back from those in vehicles

A recent letter asked: Are car drivers ready to lose their individual mobility?

To answer: The proposed plan for McKenzie Avenue still keeps lanes specifically for cars.

Bus lanes will improve the individual mobility of the large number of people who cannot drive, and who deserve individual mobility just as much as everyone else.

If the current bus infrastructure is sufficient, then why does virtually everyone who can drive not take the bus? It would be cheaper and safer. The main hold-up for buses is getting stuck in car traffic.

Providing space on public roads for transit is not a foreign concept. Streetcars used to run as far as Richmond Road. Additionally, a 1909 editorial in the Daily Colonist (TC’s progenitor newspaper) states:

“The autoist regards himself as king of the causeway. He proceeds on the assumption that other people, if they do not get into an auto or if for any reason, they cannot, they must give the fair way to those who can. […] The autoist, whether he likes it or not, must be compelled by law to respect popular rights which, at present, he flagrantly disregards in practice.”

I don’t know when we gave up our popular rights to the autoist, but for our children, elderly, those with disabilities, and all who for any reason do not or cannot get into an automobile, I hope that Saanich has the vision to bring those rights back.

Alexander Darby

Saanich

Widening McKenzie helped traffic flow

I lived in our family home at 911 McKenzie Avenue from 1954 to 1980. In the late 1970s, Webb and Trace Ltd. had the contract to widen McKenzie Avenue to two lanes in each direction through to the Trans-sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ Highway.

This was a good improvement and traffic has moved well to this day. Yes, there is heavier traffic early morning and late afternoon.

The schools along this road are Spectrum, McKenzie Elementary, St. Andrews, Reynolds, Braefoot Elementary and the University of Victoria.

This is a heavily travelled road and a main thoroughfare, returning it to one lane each way would be is a big step backward and would cause heavy traffic congestion.

With school students, university students and citizens going to work, this would create a backlog of cars. Not everyone takes transit.

Please review this suggested change. It does not indicate progress.

Joan Atherton

Saanich

Remember seniors in McKenzie decision

In all the discussion of reducing the number of lanes on McKenzie Avenue, little has been said about the impact on the elderly or disabled people.

Large numbers of people in Saanich cannot ride bikes and are unable to walk to distant bus stops. Yet these same people can get in their cars and drive safely and comfortably anywhere they wish to go, often using McKenzie.

Saanich purports to care about the elderly and disabled. They can demonstrate this by dropping the idea of fewer lanes on McKenzie, which will make life unnecessarily difficult for these folks.

Joel Newman

Victoria

Restrict all parking at the university

Here is a suggestion that will never get acceptance: No vehicular parking on the UVic campus or the surrounding streets.

Students, and staff, travel by bike or bus, with ample parking already available on campus for bikes.

Or, cars must have four people. Try something radical to improve traffic, but try something.

But not single-lane traffic for goodness sake.

Walking helps, too.

G.R. Greig

Victoria

We need to fight divisive rhetoric

On Remembrance Day we paid our respects to those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom.

Now, we must all “stand on guard” to make sure those lives were not given in vain.

We must “stand on guard” to prevent divisive political rhetoric and self-promoting lies, which corrode our freedom and the very fibre of our society.

This is already happening. There is an increase in racism, partly due to using fear of immigrants to cause discord and promote political unrest.

sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ is not immune to infection from the United States and we need to recognize that and “stand on guard” and come together, to preserve our core values and freedoms.

Dawn Devereaux

Victoria

Bravo Zulu to a great generation

What an excellent story about Don Nixon, one of our true heroes from such an incredible generation. My Mom and Dad were from that generation and served in the RCAF during the war.

My Mom was in administration and my Dad flew Lancasters out of England in bomber command.

The stories are incredible. So many of this “new generation” just don’t know what they went through for all of us, but it’s great, and encouraging, to see what some teachers are doing with their students to make sure they know about those people in those times.

Also so many people don’t know enough about “the forgotten wars” that Canadians took part in, Korea and even Vietnam, as well as the more publicized Afghanistan.

HMCS Terra Nova was involved in the ICCS deployment, Westploy73, as part of the overseeing of the ceasefire in Vietnam during the Paris peace talks in January to June 1973. Few Canadians know about that because it has always been “kept quiet”.

I’m proud to have been part of that Terra Nova deployment.

Canadians should be proud of what our military has done. It’s a shame to see what the government has let our military become.

Again, Bravo Zulu to Don Nixon and his generation.

Larry Zilinsky

Saanich

We are grateful for their service

I am grateful to have read Second World War bomber pilot Don Nixon’s account of his service in Britain.

He was only 19 years old as he flew 35 missions over Europe, which is awe- inspiring to think that one so young should be faced with such immense responsibility and bravery.

So many in the war were just teenagers. It is important that, in future years, we keep the war history alive so that young people can be educated about it.

Many will join with me in thanking all Second World War veterans and all military and naval personnel for their service and sacrifices.

Thank you.

Diane Wolf

Saanich

Trump let it slip: He lost in 2020

Did Donald Trump acknowledge that he did not win the 2020 election when he said in his acceptance speech thanks for voting him as president 47 and 45 and not mention 46?

Rob J. Hinton

Maple Bay

Blame the voters, not the victor

In all the distress and rhetoric being expressed on the results of the U.S. election the commentators seem to be forgetting one thing: He was democratically elected.

Like many people in sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½, I think the man is flawed (slight understatement), but he said what he believed in and the majority voted for him.

If you are unhappy don’t blame him — blame the American people. He represents what they believe.

They have that right even if we don’t like it.

Bill Gibson

Victoria

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