Nathan Cullen is traveling across British Columbia to promote Take Back Our Coast.
Have we lost our coast?
I assume the taxpayers are paying for his traveling in B.C. and promoting to oppose the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline project.
Mr. Cullen is opposing the pipeline from Alberta to the B.C. coast.
He states that the risks don’t outweigh the benefits.
Mr. Cullen is pointing out the risks, but no comment on the benefits.
We are not a manufacturing country like Germany, we have natural resources and have to sell to other countries in the world, and the federal government needs to approve the pipeline.
Mr. Cullen said, “If they can go about approving projects like this one, the way they are approving it over the strong objection of local people, it would mean it is open season on small towns, not just across B.C., but across Canada.”
Well, Mr. Cullen, I am one of the local people, and I don’t oppose the pipeline. It is not bad economics, it is not bad environmental policy, it is good all around.
Mr. Cullen said, ”We import the vast majority of oil from the Middle East for Eastern Canada,” and he was in support of a west to east pipeline.
How about the objection of local people in eastern Canada? It would mean open season on small towns from Alberta to Ontario. Is this OK with you?
Mr. Cullen, whose interest are you protecting?
Nick Siprak
Penticton
*****
Support teachers, raise taxes
We just need more funds to settle the B.C. teachers strike.
Simply raise the property tax 10 per cent, raise the fuel tax 10 per cent and raise the sales tax 10 per cent A 30 per cent tax increase should do it. It’s just money, it has to come from somewhere.
No one wants to see teachers in a food bank lineup.
Joe Schwarz
Penticton
*****
Public Forum on Medicare
Support Our Health Care (SOHC) Society of Princeton is holding a public forum on medicare, June 4 at Riverside Community Centre in Princeton, at 7 p.m.
The forum will provide information on the legal challenge to Canada’s public health care system, also known as Canadian medicare. For-profit clinic owner Dr. Brian Day has invoked the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to challenge the principles of the Canada Health Act. The case will be heard in B.C. Supreme Court beginning in September.
The panelists for the public forum include Dr. Duncan Etches, Canadian Doctors for Medicare (CDM) and Rick Turner, Co-Chair of the B.C. Health Coalition (BCHC). Both BCHC and CDM have given intervenor status in the case. Joint statements released by these two organizations indicate they will present evidence showing Brian Day’s plans to bring U.S.-style care to Canada will harm patients, disrupt medical practices, drive costs up, and weaken the Canadian economy.
This case is being described as the most significant constitutional challenge in Canadian history.
Edward Staples, President
Support Our Health Care Society
Princeton
*****
Murals answer to grafitti
I think if murals (done by local artists) were painted on the various walls throughout the city it would help to curb the graffiti.
Chemanius is a perfect example. There is wonderful art all over the town. There seems to be a respect for art on a wall. I lived in a neighbourhood that seemed to always have the garages sprayed with something or another, but not mine. I had painted sunflowers on mine, and it was never defaced.
Along with murals, there could possibly be a graffiti wall. Not all graffiti is unsightly, it is another expression of art.
This wall could be painted over more easily than doing many walls around the city if what was sprayed was messy or unattractive, for example the photo published May 21 in the Western News.
Murals are also very attractive to tourists.
There could be a art walk. It’s worth a shot. Video taping will only provide the graffiti victim a visual of their property being attacked, whereas the investment of a mural would promote our local artists and be pleasant to look at for a very long time.
Gladys Kusmack
Penticton
*****
Thanks for editorial
Just wanted to thank you for the supportive editorial in Wednesday’s edition; much appreciated by our board and me personally. Our association is still alive and we’ll hope to have teaching gardens again sometime, but this intransigence of the city has certainly set back our plans considerably. Community support has meant a lot to us.
Eva Durance
Past Pres., PUAA
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Albas must protect our privacy
Dan Albas has to step up and stop the government from invading the privacy of Canadians. Our taxes are being used to obtain our financial and medical information, our sexual orientation and even our religious and political beliefs.
An independent inquiry recently found Communications Security Establishment Canada guilty of misusing public funds and serious breaches of values and ethics.
Bill-13 must be killed. Harper has no right to stick his nose into anyone’s business through spying.
I encourage Canadians to learn more about our right to privacy at OurPrivacy.ca.
Larry Gilliam
Penticton