GOOD AND BAD MOTEL STAYS
Editor:
Our family recently vacationed in Osoyoos for the first time and thought we would share our experience with you.
We checked into a local motel on July 18th and everything was going good until we tried to have a shower the next morning. Both my wife and I had freezing cold water and then scalding hot water.
When I asked the manager about it and asked how we could possibly let our children have a shower without getting burned he said there was nothing wrong with the water, however he did not even go into our room to check it but instead called us liars and said we were trying to get out of our reservations because of the weather.
Having already paid for our entire stay in advance I asked for our money back and was told by the manager that there would be no refund as they do not give refunds because of water problems.
After a very heated argument with the manager in front of our children (who at this point were very upset and crying), we decided to leave “ and this is when our vacation in your town got better.
We checked into the Best Western on Main Street and were greeted by two of the nicest people that we met while in town. Jennifer (the manager) and Jennifer (the front desk person) made sure we had everything we needed and that the rest of our stay was a pleasant one.
The rest of our time in Osoyoos was great. We spent some time on the beaches and also Rattlesnake Canyon and other attractions in town.
We will be returning to Osoyoos for years to come as we had a great time, even though the weather could have been better.
To the management and staff at the Best Western we thank you for making the rest of our stay a pleasant one and to the management of our first motel, we thank you for helping us double the cost of our motel rooms, and for that we will be sure to speak to others that will be traveling through the area so that they too can have the pleasure of meeting you.
Bert and Shelley JameusrnKamloops
— (OSOYOOS TIMES — August 8, 2007)
[b]MP SAYS BILLS RECEIVE SUPPORT[/b]
Editor:
I have received much support from the constituents of BC Southern Interior regarding three Private Members Bills I tabled in the House of Commons this past spring.
Bill C-452 to return 100% of GST to school authorities instead of only 68%, tabled on behalf of a request by Canadian School Authorities, would benefit every school in Canada and eliminate a bureaucratic nightmare caused by a ridiculous tax upon a tax.
Bill C-448 to ban Terminator Seed technology in Canada, was tabled in response to hundreds of letters and many petitions my office received from concerned constituents and citizens across the country opposed to this dangerously unpredictable technology which offers no benefits to farmers or the environment.
Bill C-456 would require the mandatory labeling of Genetically Modified food, a secret ingredient found in over 70% of processed food on grocery store shelves. I agree with the comment by Penny Priddy, NDP MP for Surrey North and one time BC Health Minister, people have a right to know what they are putting in their body. Bill C-456 also responds to the recent poll which found that 79% of BC residents support mandatory labeling of GM food legislation.
The safety of eating GM food is far from certain. New evidence of toxicity in GM corn has been determined by the French research institute CRIIGEN which found abnormalities in the size of livers and kidneys, as well as in birth weights of rats fed Monsanto's NK603 corn, approved in Canada since 2002.
There are even those who would like to see a complete ban on GM foods, such as the Rice Producers of California, whose market study documents powerful opposition to this technology in several key export destinations such as Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and Turkey.
The widespread suspicion, leading to labeling requirements in over 40 countries, has been fostered largely by the culture of secrecy surrounding this technology. In a world where consumer confidence and public safety assurances are vital for the success of any industry, the purveyors of genetically modified food have been given a free ride. Without the traceability provided by labeling, GM food cannot be linked to any health problems it may be causing, and leaves society to pay all associated costs.
The biotech industry has a long way to go to inspire the public confidence needed to succeed in an informed marketplace. In the meantime why not put a law in place that ensures we are properly informed about what we choose to eat and make this multi-million dollar industry responsible for proving itself in the marketplace.
Alex Atamanenko, MPrnBC Southern InteriorrnCastlegar
— (OSOYOOS TIMES — August 8, 2007)
[b]AQUATIC CENTRE NEEDS ANALYSIS[/b]
Editor:
The rehashed Aqua centres in Osoyoos could be good for the community, but would not a YMCA that provides a broader wellbeing service to the community be better?rnWhat is needed is a prudent unbiased cost-benefits analysis so the community can discuss the proposals.
Kell PetersenrnExecutive Director
Okanagan Institute for Sustainable DevelopmentrnOsoyoos
— (OSOYOOS TIMES — August 8, 2007)
[b]POLITICAL KUDOS[/b]
Editor:
We are so very lucky to have hard working politicians in our area!rnCongratulations to MP Stockwell Day, MLA Bill Barisoff, our Mayor John
Slater and the RDOS for coming together with the commitment to sewer our waterfront from the Town of Osoyoos boundary to the head of the lake.
I sat on the Water Quality Board in the late '70s and early '80s to continually witness the frustration of the milfoil growth. We were working toward a sewer system at that time; to say nothing of all the hard work all the committee members have done over the past 30 years! rnThanks to everyone involved and continue the good work!
Carol Youngberg
Osoyoos
— (OSOYOOS TIMES — August 8, 2007)
[b]RDOS CRITIQUED[/b]
Editor:
[b]Re: Article in the Osoyoos Times, pg. A-5, Aug. 1/07 “ 'RDOS offers info and seeks public input on Area A development rules'.
This is an open letter to Director Mark Pendergraft and the Regional District Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) “[/b]
Yes, Mark (Pendergraft, Area A RDOS Director), we do understand how RDOS zoning works.
Government likes that once-removed situation and encourages it in every possible venue.
The CAO is responsible to the Act. Staff are there to do paperwork, to assist applicants, and assist board members, and to carry out their wishes re: local issues “ to keep proper records and be accountable “ NOT to push their own agenda.
By way of history, my late husband often said, I'd rather some SOB in Victoria turned me down, rather than someone local with the knife out.rnDr. H.H. Heal, at the first public info meeting in Oliver re: the implementation of the RDOS, stated, Once you let them get their hand in your pocket, you'll never get it out.rnPersonally I have dealt with issues vis-Ã -vis the RDOS over the course of time, which took some very strange turns.
You, Mark, in my opinion sit there with your hands tied “ as other than sewer extensions (ongoing for some years and perhaps years to come), generally the two main subjects a rural director has to deal with concern barking dogs and land.
I told you publicly at the Open House that as long as you and your family members own land on both sides of the valley you can not support (encourage, discourage, whatever) either side without affecting the other; and that you should have thought of that before running for office. This leaves you unable to vote due to the rules of conflict. Your personal attempts, in print, to thwart and disparage Adrian Erickson and Regal Ridge are well-known here on the mountain. Obviously you are not listening to the majority of the people. Who is your closest influence? Who is pushing the agenda?rnCalls to yourself are answered lackadaisically or not at all. Time seems to heal all problems for you. Promises made and promises broken. You had the chance to become a good regional director, and in my opinion you have blown it.
Governance is supposed to follow certain rules and people expect that applications will follow due course, and follow OCP criteria as written.
In our own experience (2005/2006) every roadblock was thrown in the way “ including right up to the last minute and beyond. Things do not always go from 'desk to desk' “ perhaps there are too many desks? Too many rooms? (back rooms?).
If you are ever lucky enough to get an employee to give you a straight answer, you never get to talk to them again.
Mark, you have had, so far as I know, two offers to increase and perhaps balance the number on your Advisory Planning Commission (APC). You have replied that you are considering several previous offers and that you have not yet made up your mind. What's to make up? Either you open up that committee or you keep it small, tight and ineffective.
The Open House concept opens up people's minds as to how staff, in a slick, polished manner, push things through to a blind end. Interpretation of the outcomes is always in their hands. People do not have the time or the expertise to watch-dog every move and soon find that civil liberties are dwindling at their own expense.
Open Houses should be to provide information, not to be used as proof of our 'seal of approval/consent' just because a few people were able to attend.
In closing, questionnaires consist of loaded and manipulative questions.
Buryl (Jonas) GoodmanrnAnarchist Mountain
— (OSOYOOS TIMES — August 8, 2007)
[b]PRICE OF BUILD-UP ON ANARCHIST?[/b]
Editor:
Adrian Erickson and John Nett of Regal Ridge argued the economic case for ongoing development on Anarchist Mountain in letters published in your August 1 issue.
I would like to raise the question: what is the real price of this development and also of allowing subdivision by Anarchist Mountain property-owners?
Do we want short-term economic gain at the expense of permanently damaging the natural environment on Anarchist Mountain? Do we want to build another Chilliwack, with housing sprawl all over the mountainside?rnMany of the people who moved to Anarchist came here precisely because it was not over-populated and was also inhabited by wildlife.
Advocates of development on Anarchist also need to address the issue of growing traffic on Anarchist Mountain.
The section of Highway 3 going over Anarchist is a very dangerous road, and I am really concerned about increased accident rates once there are hundreds of new houses on the Mountain, plus developments at Baldy, Bridesville and Rock Creek. The subdivision roads on the mountain do not have turning lanes and, with blind corners and trucks speeding down the mountain, turning across oncoming traffic can be a hazardous gamble.
The accident rate on Anarchist Mountain is already high, as we all know from reading the Osoyoos Times.
Finally, there is the vexed issue of water on Anarchist Mountain. While existing wells currently have enough water, there is no guarantee that the water will not run out when hundreds more wells start drawing water on a regular basis.
Robin ArnfieldrnOsoyoos
— (OSOYOOS TIMES — August 8, 2007)
