Opinion

Due to climate change, forest fires are becoming more of a problem every year. We need to have more resources available to react quickly and effectively. And Canada’s military has helicopters that are being used mostly to prepare for war. Although this is a necessary and difficult task, during heavy forest fire season these resources could be better used for fighting the more dangerous and potentially immense forest fires. Helicopters may be used with buckets or belly tanks and other uses.

BC Housing scandal an appalling mess.

I would like to point out the mixed message Oak Bay council is sending to the community around climate change and their declared “Climate Emergency”.

The consultant’s final recommendations in Saanich’s People, Pets and Parks (PPP) study, will be considered by Saanich council on June 26. Our society has serious concerns about its recommendations for PKOLS-Mount Douglas Park related to dogs, the damage they have done to the park ecosystem and the lack of recommendations within the report that will address this.

B.C. has gone too far. Provincial legislation must apply equally to the entire province. So when B.C. applied a speculation tax on certain municipalities but not others, then threatens to undermine democracy by overriding 10 specific democratically elected local councils, red lights flash!

A recent letter writer was indignant about being ticketed for a seatbelt infraction. The fact that they were ticketed on Mother’s Day is irrelevant.

I read your recent editorial on the loss of parking and agree totally. I also think there are several more problems that you could have added. I am only hoping that your words might help change some of this silliness.

After reading the article in the May 10 Saanich News about UBC’s Paul Keyshaw advocating for a surtax on homes valued at over $1 million, I had several questions.

Re: Our View: “Loss of parking spaces limits tenants’ options.”

Building homes for cars as a condition of building homes for people is a bundling problem that increases the cost of much-needed shelter.