Letters

The recent letter calling the Royal BC Museum a monument to colonialism is a classic example of woke anti-colonial sentiment taken to the extreme and comes close to inciting violence.

I’d like to thank our Sidney town crews for plowing the streets so well. When we had a small reprieve from the snowfall I was able to get out on my scooter without a problem. Thank you so much.

I am opposed to the dismantling of the third floor of the Royal BC Museum. First, there is no plan for what will replace the present exhibits. What is the cost of leaving it open until we have one? None. Instead, why not have a community-wide discussion of what could go there?

It’s very easy these days to get caught up in alarming news headlines or stories we hear around the virtual water cooler. When things hit close to home, we often over-normalize them. This is where seeking out factual data from a few trusted and neutral resources may be more beneficial than a constant deep dive for information on social media or biased media outlets.

It takes about two minutes for a mortician to verify the identity of a corpse and make an ID tag.

Re: Home renovations fuelling Sooke’s building permit revenue boom ( News , Dec. 23)

Re: Home renovations fueling Sooke’s building permit revenue boom. Redevelopment and renovation seem to be booming, and that’s a good thing. Transition Sooke has said renos on existing housing are a way forward. So reno development permits are OK.

If the elected officials in Victoria, Sidney, Langford and elsewhere on the Island were serious about tackling the shortage of affordable housing, they would push for an immediate ban on all short-term rentals such Airbnb, VRBO, etc. Doing this would free up units for sale to those wishing to purchase them for their principal residence.

In your Dec. 23 issue you present an editorial reminding us that we may not feel comfortable being around friends and family, and that we may be concerned about spreading COVID to vulnerable family members. You conclude the editorial with a message about how we should keep ourselves safe so that we may come together again in the future.

In 2011, due to the disrepair of the railway, Via Rail and Southern Railway suspended indefinitely the Dayliner passenger service, the Victoria–Courtenay train. Via and Southern Railway did offer a bus service for several months after the closure, but the service was discontinued the same year as fewer than 10 people a day used their temporary bus service.