Editor:
Re: The article about John Slater in the Osoyoos Times, June 30/2010
There was an item that he forgot to mention—-All this H S T stuff started when our Premier PROMISED he would NOT put this tax in force during his election talk and after he was elected, BINGO––here we have it in place as of July 1.
This is the same type of LIE he told us prior to the sale of B C Rail to C N Rail. Both of these items are over the BILLION DOLLAR price.
The last paragraph of your article says––“That I was elected to represent the people of this riding the best I can.”
SLATER has fallen short on this.
Instead, he has chosen to follow a leader who has lied to the people of B.C.
In the third paragraph of your article it says as of June 29, 2010, “12,005 signatures have been added to the petition in his riding.”
Enough said.
Dale Hopkins,
Osoyoos
OSOYOOS TIMES-July 7, 2010
MACHINE GUNS AND SIRENS HARD ON NERVES
Editor:
Machine guns, sirens, bombs!
Every night… right here in Osoyoos.
Just outside your bedroom window, starting at 4 a.m. and non-stop all day is the assault on your senses and psyche.
These noises, meant to deter birds from eating cherry crops, are inhumane to both people and pets. They are producing anxiety, headaches and stress.
If the orchardists must use noise as the only answer to preserving their crops, they should at least use types of noise that do not produce anxiety responses in people and dogs.
This is cruel and unusual punishment.
If you are bothered by these sirens and other violence-related noises, please contact the Ministry of Agricultural and Lands office in Kelowna toll-free at 1-888-332-3352 or the Farm Practices Board at (604) 356-5131.
Unfortunately, there is nothing that the local bylaw officer can do.
Jan Robinson,
Osoyoos
OSOYOOS TIMES-July 7, 2010
CHOOSING TESTALINDEN DISRESPECTFUL
Editor:
We are very sorry the editor has chosen to adopt the official “proper” name for Testalinda (probably changed by a clerical error – governments do make mistakes!)
We find it sad that he cannot bring himself to trust our local and historically “proper” name of many, many years.
Those of us who spoke up have been labelled as not only unfeeling, but “agitated.”
By continuing to use the government’s “proper” name, none of your readers are being given the courtesy and respect they deserve.
So be it.
In the meantime, for those of you unsure about how to help our neighbours, we understand you can donate at either CIBC or Valley First Credit Union where trust funds have been established.
George and Ellen Fraser,
Osoyoos
OSOYOOS TIMES-July 7, 2010
YES TO DOCKS, NO TO MARINA ZONING
Editor:
Visitors to Osoyoos desperately need the use of public docks for 60 to 90 days a year.
Developers want a place where their purchasers can keep boats over the summer months.
However, the ‘Marina’ zoning allows for the sale of marine fuels.
For the following reasons, NO FUEL SHOULD BE DISPERSED OR STORED AT THIS LAND:
- Public health
- Lake water protection
- Public Safety
- Negative environmental impact
- Liability
- Inability to deal with fuel spills
Fuels should not be stored or dispersed next to a public park, swimming areas and sailing schools when there are alternatives.
There are existing marinas with fuel presently available.
This past weekend, a major fuel spill at this proposed marina location prompted calls to the RCMP and affected 40 to 50 people, the lake and wildlife.
The water was covered with a thick oil slick and the air was so heavy with fuel fumes to the point of causing eye watering and a sickening taste in the mouth.
Although the Town emergency responders have plans to deal with fire, there is no real method of dealing with fuel spills.
Not only does this impact environment, but it also brings up the issue of liability.
As well, rural residents that use lake water for drinking could be extremely affected.
Council and town planners should also consider the impact of docks on the existing land/water users and property owners near Lacey Point.
Public docks should be built to accommodate our summer/weekend traffic as well as local home/condo owners of both sail and powerboats.
The marina land can be beautifully landscaped to visually blend into Lions Park to the north and the sailing club to the south.
However, more docks equal more boats.
The wakes will have negative shoreline impact if speeds are not limited within 200 metres.
This poses risks to swimmers, paddlers and sailors currently using the area.
The docks bring with them the responsibilities of the Town and its planners to provide the necessary staff or responsible agency to ensure the safe operation of any dock facilities built on this land.
Town Council and Planners: NO to Third Reading until “Petroleum Products” is removed from Zoning Bylaw #1085.82.
Provide a new zone ‘designation’ or perhaps have a park with concession that excludes fuel sales or distribution.
Thank you to the Town for having such a responsible public process on this marina property bylaw.
Robert Johnson,
Osoyoos
OSOYOOS TIMES-July 7, 2010
ANTI-HST CAMPAIGNERS SAY THANKS
Editor:
As the first phase of the Fight HST campaign winds down – with 705,643 signatures now delivered to Elections BC – we offer the voters in the Boundary Similkameen and Penticton ridings our sincere thanks for their support.
We must also thank the great teams of canvassers in both ridings for their unwavering determination to see the petition succeed.
From Christina Lake to Hedley and Osoyoos to Kaleden; and from Naramata to Peachland, we could not have succeeded in collecting the 12,005 signatures in Boundary-Similkameen and 11,074 signatures in Penticton without a tremendous team effort.
Our gratitude extends to former B.C. Premier Bill Vander Zalm for uniting the province and organizing such a powerful grassroots movement.
His willingness to lead an ideological fight – when it would have been much easier to enjoy life as a private citizen – deserves our respect.
Those who dismiss the petitioners as “tax whiners” are clearly missing the point.
The Citizen Initiative Petition to End the Harmonized Sales Tax was about more than opposition to a tax shift from business to consumers at the worst possible time.
The HST petition was about holding politicians accountable to the voters.
The majority of people we saw signing the petition expressed their frustration at the government’s unwillingness to hear them.
British Columbians feel betrayed by a dictatorial government for moving ahead with a policy they were not given the mandate to implement.
Even if we believe Premier Campbell’s line that they truly had no plans to introduce the HST before voters went to the polls in the last election, why would the government not take the HST to a referendum after the election?
And if Campbell expects to sway public opinion in favour of the HST by using lines like businesses will “pass the savings on to consumers,” or the HST will stimulate the economy and create over 100,000 new jobs, he is also clearly underestimating (or insulting) the intelligence of British Columbians.
As British Columbians, the Recall and Initiative Act is our only democratic tool to hold any government accountable to the electorate and isn’t it sad that we actually had to go through this process in order to send the Liberals a message?
Sadder still, if the government continues to ignore the people, it will force us to follow through with recalls on those MLAs who are not standing up for the citizens they were elected to represent.
Paul McCavour and Julie Turner,
Fight HST Regional Organizers – Boundary-Similkameen and Penticton
OSOYOOS TIMES-July 7, 2010
