Editor:
I had occasion to read the last defence by our esteemed Premier on the HST on the home page of my computer and I have to say that if this is the best defence that Mr. Campbell can mount to encourage the public to “think like a finance minister” when they vote on the HST, I believe that he is definitely going to have a problem selling this tax to the voters of this province.
In the first place, I don’t believe that this tax affects the politicians in this province anywhere near as much as it does the average British Columbian.
If you and I go out to lunch as private citizens, the extra 12 per cent that we have to pay comes directly out of our pockets.
If you are retired or on a fixed income, that hurts.
Not so with politicians.
They already have a nice expense account that covers these lunches and all their other expenses that may attract the HST.
That money already comes directly out of our pockets!
As for the argument that the low-income folks won’t be getting the HST rebates if it is repealed, well, if they didn’t have to pay the HST, they wouldn’t need to get the rebates would they?
In closing, I recall a statement made before the HST was implemented that this tax was “revenue neutral.”
When the cost of living index went up approximately two per cent in British Columbia and the reason given was the implementation of the HST, how can the claim be made by the government that it is “revenue neutral?”
What absolute nonsense!
I can only hope that the voters remember this when the time comes to vote this tax away.
We still don’t have a legitimate reason from the government as to why it is going to take a year to hold this referendum.
Robert J. Dunn,
Osoyoos

OSOYOOS TIMES-October 6, 2010

HARASSMENT SUIT BRINGS UP QUESTIONS

Editor:
I read your front page news article “Harassment Suit Filed Against Trio Of Local Mounties,” Sept. 22, 2010.
I realize the details of the lawsuit cannot be revealed per se in the article, but after reading it, I am left with a number of questions concerning the whole matter.
In checking on “harassment,” in the legal sense, it is behaviour which is found threatening or disturbing.
It is also thought to be doing or saying things to make one feel uncomfortable.
In my opinion, anyone who doesn’t get along with someone else or is questioned about one’s behaviour, can then say he or she is being harassed?
Seems like this could easily get out of hand.
Regardless, after reading this article, I wonder:  Are RCMP members getting full pay while on medical leave?
Are the members being replaced by a temporary officer while on medical leave, especially extended medical leave, in order to ensure the overall detachment is not short staffed?
And if not, why doesn’t the RCMP have such provisions?
And if the answer to these two questions is yes and no, respectively, then does not the supervisor have the right, if not the duty, to find out when the member will be available to work?
And if the answer to the second question is no – they are not replaced – then what happens if half the members of a detachment are on medical leave at the same time?
Do we ever know how many are away?
Are the taxpayers not entitled to expect to have the best value for their money by having a full or near-full detachment capacity?
And with this issue, why could it not be handled internally.
I have worked with many RCMP officers and supervisors over the years in Osoyoos, including most of the ones mentioned in your article, and I have the most respect for all of them, especially Sgt. Kevin Schur; however, your reporting raises numerous questions about the members’ conduct and the apparent lack of ability for the supervisors to indeed, supervise.
In my opinion, this issue should have been resolved without court involvement.
I have been in the business world for over 30 years and can assure you that in business, employees are expected to provide reasons and explanations for their absence from work and this is the case in many public organizations as well.
No business could survive without the ability to plan and count on their work force.
And in business, I wonder how many of them get full salary by their employers while on medical leave.
Joe Simoes,
Osoyoos

OSOYOOS TIMES-October 6, 2010

GRATITUDE FOR TERRY FOX RUN SUPPORTERS

Editor:
I would like to express my sincere thanks to all the participants in the community Terry Fox run on Sunday, Sept. 19.
It was especially great to have 25 Osoyoos Coyotes join us, to make a total of 33 runners.
The citizens and businesses of Osoyoos generously donated a total of $5,114.
Special thanks to Bob Knight and Zoltan Szucs for their especially large contributions.
The Terry Fox Foundation has asked me to express their appreciation to everyone for continuing to help promote Terry’s dream of finding a cure.
Sy Murseli,
Osoyoos

OSOYOOS TIMES-October 6, 2010