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Opinion: Letters to The Vancouver Sun.
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Re: Email shows B.C. energy minister wants ‘big and shiny affordability measure’ linked to climate plan.
It was definitely time that the carbon tax was outed as a “slush fund.”
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By suggesting a “clean B.C. rebate” amid a search for affordability options for British Columbians, government reveals the knowledge that the tax is crippling and is simply trying to gain support with a rebate.
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If indeed government was honestly trying to seek affordability options for its citizens, cancelling the tax would be the best and most effective option. We can certainly put in place pollution controls to change that which is possible to reduce human impacts on the climate.
No tax required, just leadership.
Silvia Dyck, Chilliwack
How is this still democracy when voters can be overruled?
Re: B.C. government poised to ramrod Surrey police budget.
Premier Eby created legislation to force all municipalities to adopt the NDP’s one-size-fits-all format for zoning for housing construction going forward. Then the NDP passed legislation to allow Mike Farnworth to simply override the wishes of the electorate in Surrey to impose a policing solution that the majority of the voters in Surrey didn’t want.
None of this overriding legislation existed before David Eby because all prior premiers understood that, in the carrot versus the stick of intergovernmental talks, the stick only existed to ensure the arrival at a bigger carrot. Instead, Eby replaced the stick with a sledge hammer, and used it directly.
Informed Opinion
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The normal process of municipal elections was followed in Surrey. The voters, unhappy with prior Mayor Doug McCallum’s policing changes, voted him out. Brenda Locke was elected mayor to keep the status quo.
Be forewarned: If this can happen in Surrey, the second most-populous municipality in B.C., then it can happen in any municipality, for any issue on which the provincial government chooses to take exception. The precedent, including enabling legislation, has now been set.
How is this still democracy when voters can be overruled? Are not votes sacrosanct?
Bruce Strang, Vancouver
Government shirks flood-control responsibility
The Vancouver Sun has featured several articles in recent months about the catastrophic failure of flood prevention in 2021 after the province downloaded responsibility to municipalities. We have also seen many articles about drought and streams damaged by water shortages.
The province’s response to water issues has been to suggest local watershed governance boards. These boards should be seen for what they really are — yet another example of the province abdicating and downloading responsibility.
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The Salmon River in Langley and the Nicola area were test cases in the 1990s with similar roundtables to put together watershed management plans. These groups accomplished little. The unpaid environmental volunteers at the table were unable to counterbalance the self-interests of user groups who managed to skew the process and the results.
And the reason we don’t have enough volunteers?
Many are interested in preserving the environment but too often end up discouraged and drop out as they watch governments shirk their responsibility to protect.
It’s especially discouraging to see the province continue to try to download responsibility to local watershed governance despite the failures of downloading flood protection and the failures of similar governance attempts in the 1990s.
Doug McFee, Langley. McFee is chair of the Salmon River Enhancement Society
Few can afford electric vehicles, even with rebates
I have no personal doubts about climate change. I looked seriously into buying an electric vehicle but can’t justify it.
We did buy a plug-in Prius, which my spouse drives to work. I drive an older hybrid Camry. We are stuck on the eternal waiting list for a RAV4 Prime.
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Problem: no electrical outlets at home or at my place of work.
Moreover, I’m in no rush to replace a 14-year-old Toyota with under 100,000 kilometres on it.
Meanwhile, food bank demand is soaring, and people struggle to find affordable housing.
Most people can’t afford electric vehicles, even with government subsidies, that cost $73,000. They either take public transit (which is facing funding shortfalls) or continue to drive old clunkers.
John Shepherd, Richmond
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Comment: Eby should axe the tax on home heating
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