Check the salaries of federal politicians
Re: “All that gravy is keeping our MLAs toasty warm,” editorial, Jan. 26.
It was interesting to see what our provincial politicians are being paid. Readers might want to know how this compares with our federal politicians.
Members of Parliament are paid $194,600 per year, ministers $287,400, and the prime minister $389,200 per year, or significantly more than their provincial counterparts. These numbers to not include a 4.2% pay increase scheduled for April 1.
Coming off of a particularly difficult economic cycle precipitated by the pandemic and other factors, MPs might have shown some empathy for the many who are still struggling financially, by putting raises on hold for a time.
(This was done between 2010 and 2013 under the Harper Conservatives, subsequent to the 2008-2009 financial crisis.)
Instead, since the beginning of 2020, roughly when the pandemic began, MPs will have enacted raises for themselves of $23,800, ministers $34,900, and the prime minister $47,600.
This might be perceived as being out of touch with regular Canadians, particularly given that according to Statistics sa国际传媒, the average full-time worker makes about $67,000 annually.
G.K. Schick
Victoria
Replacing fountain is simply wrong
Re: “Fountain is the beating heart of Centennial Square,” commentary, Jan. 27.
I strongly support Pamela. Madoff’s description of the proper role of council regarding public art “to be well-informed, to understand the importance of a piece and to follow best practices in ensuring its restoration and retention in situ.”
I appreciated her examples of past councils following this obligation with such great success. Replacing an iconic fountain with a splash pool – which belongs in a playground not a public gathering space – is just wrong!
Lisa Cowan
Victoria
Heart is breaking for the Centennial Fountain
I grew up in Saanich in the 1960s so was present when Centennial Square and the fountain became part of the revitalization of downtown Victoria.
I live in Ontario, however, my brother lives in Sidney so I visit the area.
I am greatly distressed to learn that Victoria councillors are considering removing the fountain and replacing it with a splash park. This landmark has been part of Victoria’s downtown since the 1960s and has been visited by locals and tourists alike.
Many friends I have here in Ontario who have visited Victoria and seen Centennial Square have been impressed by the area and often by the fountain itself.
The municipalities of Saanich, Esquimalt and Oak Bay all had financial input to the fountain and therefore should have a say into what will now become of it. Each of the three columns face the municipality by its size, the tallest facing Saanich.
Has Victoria council asked for input from the municipalities before making this disgusting and short-sighted decision to remove the fountain?
How, I ask, will a splash park “breathe more life into the square?” Losing the landmark of the fountain will keep people away from the area, and for tourists what will be the interest of a splash park?
I have directed people to visit Centennial Square when I learn they will be visiting Victoria and after they have returned the comments have been so favourable by those who did visit Centennial Square.
Only recently a good friend of one of my granddaughters, who attends the UBC Kelowna campus, visited Victoria for a few days and was impressed by the sights, one of which was Centennial Square and the beautiful fountain.
Why would anyone think a splash park is preferable to such a landmark?
On a personal note, when I was a teenager, I spent many after-school hours placing the tiles for the fountain columns on the drawings laid out on a very long trestle table in the commercial artist’s basement.
This made me aware of how much thought went into the design and artwork for the columns. My heart is breaking to think that this piece of Victoria’s history will be destroyed as if it has no value.
Lynnette Naismith
Carleton Place
Deal with root problems, not the fountain
Former Victoria councillor Pamela Madoff compiled a precise and insightful piece in the Saturday edition that should be take to heart by all on council.
Removal of the fountain and its obelisks is to remove something of immense historical, artistic and cultural value. How can council not be attuned to that reality?
And, that the city wants to spend well north of $10 million to remove it, in favour of a children’s splash park, has no grounding in reason.
How many children do you see parents bringing to downtown Victoria? How many parents would consider Centennial Square to be an appropriate place to bring their kids?
Rehabilitating the square will not deal with the elements that act as a deterrent to its use by others. Until that issue is addressed, there is no point in spending a cent for the square’s rehab.
Brian Kendrick
Fairfield
Biosolids should not be applied to the land
The Capital Regional District has launched an online survey to canvass the public about the long-term use of biosolids. Biosolids are the end product of the wastewater management process for Greater Victoria that was implemented several years ago to replace the old system where we dumped our sewage into the ocean.
I completed the survey and was shocked by the bias and lack of credible information that it contained. It appeared to present biosolids as a benign substance that could have beneficial use by spreading it on gardens and in forests.
But this is not true.
Biosolids contain forever chemicals such as PCBs, pharmaceuticals, and micro-plastics. Nicola Valley and other communities across North America have highlighted the risk that biosolids present to public health and the environment.
It is a risk that would impact future generations because we do not know how long these chemicals would remain in the soil and water table.
The CRD has a responsibility to ensure that the public are informed about this risk before deciding to spread biosolids around Vancouver Island.
A better choice would be to include biosolids in the gasification pilot that is planned for Esquimalt. The CRD must stop spreading biosolids at the Hartland Landfill and reinstate its ban on the land application of biosolids.
Nikki Macdonald
Victoria
Screen all arrivals from unfriendly countries
The Canadian Press is reporting that China is protesting the interrogation and deportation of their students seeking entry to the United States.
The United States is a sovereign nation and has the right to determine who may or may not enter the country. China needs to understand that it has no right to dictate to other countries how they deal with their borders and security.
It is rather rich that China objects to the U.S. determining who enters their country, and for that matter sa国际传媒 also. China has arrested, detained, and interrogated citizens of other countries for years on end. I would refer China to the case of the “two Michaels” amongst other.
Countries do not always know who is seeking entry to their countries or for what purposes. For security reasons, countries need to know. To do this, people need to be questioned and in some cases not admitted to a country.
It’s not like China lets any one waltz in and do what they please. China has not been known to be a good international player, i.e. spying on people of Chinese descent in other countries, trying to force people to return to China, attempting to tell other countries what their foreign policies ought to be, “invading” Hong Kong, threatening Taiwan.
We need to screen people coming in from China along with those from other unfriendly countries.
E.A. Foster
Nanaimo
A new drug with the same results
In the 1960s and 1970s a drug called methadone was supposed to get those addicted to heroin, cocaine etc. off their habit, it did not work.
There were a few homeless people at the time, so that part of society did not make the headlines. Instead, the cause of people dying from overdoses was restricted to the single working man or the well-respected family man.
Now, the same is happening again, either in a person’s secret life (not homeless), or now with the addicts who are homeless. For the homeless addict in the downtown core, in tent cities, a place where they can be brought to for rehabilitation purposes is needed, and I’m not talking about the corner “free drug policy store” now in place.
If we go on leaving these tent cities to fester, things will only get worse.
It is time to build larger treatment centres across sa国际传媒 to solve the problem.
Al Glass
Powell River
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