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LETTERS: Private funding of Okanagan jail not a good idea

Letters to the editor from the Penticton Western News April 16 issue.

Private funding not a good idea

(re: Jail builder to issue bonds, Western News, April 4)

The article by Joe Fries, indicating private funding for the Okanagan Correctional Center shocks me deeply.

If the Government of Canada deems it necessary to build new, up to date institutions, the government has all the means to issue bonds to finance these and insure that the contractors are doing a job that citizens can be proud of.

As soon as private funding is required for construction, the next step is private funding for security, for running the operation and what else will be involved.

As long as our Prime Minister can dole out half a billion Canadian dollars to Iran, Palestine and other very handicapped countries, Canada should be able to build what is deemed necessary at home.

Peter Newport

Osoyoos


No hyphens in Canadian

Here we go again.

I’m so sick and tired of the hyphenated nationalities that we put up with in Canada. If you are a citizen in Canada you are not a French-Canadian, Irish-Canadian, Indo-Canadian or any other so-called half-breed.

You are a Canadian and should be proud of this fact.

You should also be proud of your heritage but leave it at that.

How many in Quebec are French?

If you are so proud of being French, then by all means move to France. If you are so proud of being Scottish then move to Scotland.

Revere your ancestors, but somewhere along the line your ancestors decided to find a better place to live so emigrated to Canada. They became Canadian citizens and therefore Canadians of whatever heritage, but Canadians first and foremost.

My folks were born in Iceland, but they did not consider themselves Icelandic-Canadians. Once they became naturalized Canadians they were Canadians and proud of it.

Three of my brothers served in the armed forces during the Second World War, not as Icelandic-Canadians but as Canadians, fighting for Canada and our democratic way of life.

So let’s get away from the hyphenated attempt at suggesting that you are better than someone else just because of your heritage and concentrate on making Canada the best place on earth to live regardless of where your ancestors came from.

Donald E Thorsteinson

Penticton

 

Quitting shouldn’t entail perks

I call this theft.

I read in the Province, on the morning of April 8, that Michael Graydon, the  now ex CEO of the BC Lottery Corp quit his job.

I should like to know, how does one quit his job and still receive such gratuities as  $86,000, and also an iPad, an iPhone and a laptop?

And the paper also reported Michael Graydon will be having some connection to an up and coming new casino.  Don’t the casinos in B.C. have some connection to the BC Lottery Corp?

Now, I wonder how that all came about.

Do tell.

Joan Johnson

Penticton

 

Welcome sign in wrong spot

(re: PHA counters claims, Western News, April 9)

As per your recent story reporting that $200,000 of tourism monies remain unspent, I wish to address the point of the Welcome to Penticton sign that is located in the wrong location as far as I am concerned.

It is a long ways after all the billboards on Highway 97 as you approach town, around the bend past the golf course, and well hidden on the left side at the lights to Westminster Avenue.

Why there?

As a new resident to the area, I think this is a poor indication of what city you are approaching.

To promote Penticton it should be well spotlighted on the highway well in advance.

Especially coming from Summerland, Peachland or Kelowna, who all have very good landmarks.

Penticton’s is tucked away and hardly visible — bad location.

Maybe it could be relocated before the bend into Penticton and also prior to all those billboards.  Yes, everyone sees the Penticton sign across the lake on Munson Mountain, but it that where Penticton is located and starts?

Helena Tomczuk Christiaens

Penticton

 

Harper plays tough from a distance

Wow, Canada has a Prime Minister in the name of Stephen Harper whom visited the Ukraine for six hours and has now become an expert with all the answers as he aims his lips and noise in the direction of Russia.

Harper can bang the drums all he likes but if  Canada stood alone his lips would  no doubt be sealed.

Enough of our military personnel died for nothing and those still above ground made it home with hearts stained with memories of an invasion gone wrong.

Harper and company should enlist and take basic training as dirty words uttered from miles away toward Russian President Putin are from a man I presume couldn’t fight his way out of a paper bag.

However, he has a place he could stick his noisemaker and fight for air.

Harper is no David who slew Goliath and Canada alone talking tough and carrying a small stick is like the flea taking on an  elephant — it ain’t gonna happen.

Tom Isherwood

Olalla

 

ALR information meeting full of misinformation

The mayor called an information meeting to clear up some misinformation about the proposed agricultural land reserve swap.

I started work in Summerland in 1967 and moved here in 1973. In that time I have seen the changes.

The mayor stated that we have lost three packing houses and two canneries from our tax base. The fact is that of the three packing houses amalgamated into one.

The land from one is now the site of the Sun Gate Plaza and on another is the site of the Builder’s Mart. The land from one cannery is now a town house complex.

How is this a loss to the tax base?

The mayor stated that the enrollment was down in the high school and we will lose the high school. Enrollment in Trout Creek and Giant’s Head are up.

Some day these young people will move on to high school.

On page 77 of the Summerland MCA Housing report, it shows a total of 1,112 building sites that are not in the ALR.

At 30 building permits per year, that will last 37 years or until 2051.

By taking the ALR land this is a gain of 871 building sites that will make a total of 1,983 building sites at 30 per year that will last for 66 years or until 2080.  We do not need this land for more growth.

Council stated that just because the land is removed from the ALR it can still be used as farmland.

How long before the new neighbours smell spray at 5 a.m. or hear the wind machines in the night or smell the animals and complain to council. Will this council be there to fight for the former who will be forced out.

How can this council say that they are working in the best interest of the residents of Summerland after receiving a petition of over 2,000 names against the removal of land from the ALR? How can this council base their decision on a survey that had only 152 replies? Of the 152 replies how many were in favour of removing the land from the ALR?

Robert Drummond

Summerland

 

Embezzlement is embezzlement

This morning, on a whim, I looked up the definition of embezzlement in the dictionary.  It is defined as the theft or misappropriation of funds placed in your trust or from your employer.

Does this not fit the bill for Duffy, Wallin, Brazeau, Redford, Kwan and all the other of Ali Baba’s thieves?

It sure sounds like it to me. Maybe someone from Crown counsel can respond to this letter and explain why no criminal charges have been filed on any of these crooks. I am perplexed to say the least.

Mark Billesberger

Penticton