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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - May 3 2005
To the Editor:Given his uncanny shrewdness its not surprising Jim Pattison is a Billionaire. Pattison's decision to give Glen Clark a job must rate as one of the most successful coups ever waged in the Province. By appearing to help a beleaguered champion of the working class, Pattison effectively hijacked the sympathy of the very people who have subsequently become his victims.
I know some of these people and I think we all do. Whenever Jim Pattison's name is associated with some form of anti social entrepreneurialism, they remember the break he gave Glen Clark and in turn give Pattison the benefit of the doubt. Well the sooner that stops, the better.
Mr. Pattison holds controlling interest in Canfor Corporation, he is also the owner of a media empire which includes a number of radio stations and, more importantly, television stations in Kamloops and Prince George. These TV stations are CBC affiliates, and though they are owned by Mr. Pattison, most people seem to think they represent the CBC.
Mr. Pattison's Canfor was the recipient of a $49 million dollar freebee from Gordon Campbell's BC Hydro ostensibly for the purchase of an electricity turbogenerator. BC Hydro then included the price of the generator in a rate increase and now the people of British Columbia are paying for Mr. Pattisonšs new generator.
The net result is that Mr. Pattison, should he decide to supply power to the grid which Gordon Campbell is determined to privatize, will be able to charge a higher base price for his privately produced electricity thanks to the public rate increase necessitated by the giveaway of the $49 million dollars in the first place.
The BC Utilities commission disapproved of the grants, but as the money had already changed hands, allowed the rate increase anyways...hollow comfort for those of us paying for the deal. Viewing this transaction in light of the fact that Canfor is the single largest contributor to Gordon Campbell's campaign clearly raises the spectre of conflict of interest and corruption.
What exactly did Gordon Campbell get for our money? A CBC website reported $90,000.00 dollars in Canfor campaign contributions.
Incidentally, Weyerhaeuser had already purchased a generator of their own, Gordon Campbell decided that the people of BC should pay for that one too, the result being another $18 million dollars in public rate increases. Weyerhaeuser subsequently gave Campbell at least $27,000.000 dollars.
This information came to be publicly available as far back as November 2004, perhaps earlier. I am not aware of there having ever been a discussion of this obviously scandalous affair on BCTV or any of Mr. Pattison's television stations. I can't help but wonder why.
- Robert McKay, Merritt
Editor:
Rollie Keith was dumped as the NDP candidate in Chilliwack because he said that Slobodan Milosevic, wasn't such a bad guy.
Keith was an official observer in Kosovo for the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development in Europe in the 90s. Keith spoke of his experiences at OUC Kelowna in a fair and balanced way.
The NDP not wishing to deviate from popular notions about Serbias leader in the war in Kosovo told Keith he was a liability to the current NDP campaign in B.C.
Gordon Campbell in a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black chided NDP Leader, Carol James, for not vetting her people very well. This, of course, generated catcalls about RCMP raids on Liberal appointed Legislative staff.
This morning I hear that Canadian Major General Louis McKenzie sides with Rollie Keith on the subject of what was what in Kosovo. MacKenzie was a Commander there. MacKenzie says hešs sorry Rollie got dumped for telling the truth.
Rollie Keith impressed me as an honorable man and also as a principled man. He must wonder why he joined the Liberal/NDP fray in the first place.
In any case, perhaps the bigger story is that Milosovic is still on trial at The Hague and he has been convicted of nothing so far, except perhaps being another zealous politician.
Welcome back to the saner side of politics, Rollie Keith.
With your penchant for truth-telling, have you thought of running for The B.C. Greens?
- Dave Cursons, Cawston
Dear Editor:
Before I comment on your editorial of last week , I would first like to compliment on your Liberal ad circulating in papers in the constituency of Yale-Lillooet.
It is refreshing to see a paper owner-editor take a political view outside the editorial page. Most endorse a Party by way of an editorial. You Mr. Elliott have taken this one step further by having your mug shot on an ad bigger than that of the candidate you are endorsing.
This leads to your editorial; how can you claim that you have a first come first serve policy when your Liberal ad is on page 3?
The second comment I would like to address is your statement and I quote."You know those more important things like gardening and Planning Summer Holidays, and other outdoor chores/ activities."
I would like your readers to know how you think down grading the Princeton Hospital to a mere First-aid station; closing the Princeton Courthouse; higher prescription drug deductibles, cancellation of free camping for disabled campers, doubling MSP, higher fees for fishing, and drivers licenses, along with parking fees in provincial parks; will make planning their important summer holidays easier under the re-election of Gordon Campbell's BC Liberals.
You now have the task as an out of the closet Liberal to defend these cruel Policies.
- Gary Gattrell, Keremeos
Dear Editor;
I know the R.C.M.P. is very busy locally with drug enforcement. I think we all agree this is an important and necessary use of their time....but....it would sure be nice to see random speed checks around the town. Just try doing the speed limit without almost being run over.
Apparently the nice weather brings out even more of the "hey dude, does that thing have a Hemi?" pea brains.
At least the speeders heading west out of town on Hwy. 3 have their own lane. Not so coming down the hill. Limit 60 km per hr. Today a pickup truck overtook and tailgated me down the hill only to turn into the Chevron. WHAT'S THE HURRY??? The same thing happened a few minutes later leaving town past the land-fill. Limit 50 km per hr. Another genius passed me in front of the fairgrounds only to turn left into the paddock area. AGAIN I ASK, WHAT'S THE HURRY??? Then there is Bridge St. PEDESTRIANS BEWARE - TRUCKS RULE!
We obviously can't rely on common sense, respect for life, limb and the law; so let's try enforcement. Hit them in the wallets. A little less disposable income for beer and weed might not be a bad thing. I can hardly wait for tourist season.
- G. Chamberlain, Princeton
Letter to the Editor
In this election, think globally as well as locally. What is happening in BC is a preview of the future for ordinary people. The people in power-those with money and connections-want a society where the privileged enjoy the good life, while others work longer and harder just to make ends meet. The few get to ski, golf, attend sports spectacles, travel, buy exotic trinkets, etc., while the rest of the masses get to experience such things vicariously through TV or gambling-the drugs of the masses. The few get better medical care in private hospitals, better education in private schools, better protection in private communities and so on, all subsidized by worker's taxes. These people don't like unions or progressive political parties because such organizations want resources shared more evenly and want equal access to a promising future for their children.
Don't think so? Then why did the Liberals expand the role of private clinics, cut pharmacare, increase tuition fees by up to 400%, increase funding to private schools while cutting the public system, close hospitals, close schools, sell our profitable public assets to private corporations, impose contracts on workers, build ferries in Germany, expand gambling and cut taxes for the wealthy and big corporations!
The future generation deserves better than $6/hr and no benefits.
Yours, Christine Harrington
To the Editor
During an election campaign it can be tough determining which political party is the wisest -- their ideas of the past -- forgotten? Build fast ferries -- NDP -- sort of.
Sell the Coquihalla Highway -- Liberals -- didn't happen.
Liberals and NDP to form rare alliance?
They sell the Coquihalla Highway -- pay off the fast ferry billion dollar debt.
Amazing what can be done when you work together (only in your dreams you say? Shucks, we're all Canadians -- aren't we?]
Regards, Joe Schwarz, Princeton
