LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
- June 12, 2007
Dear Editor,
Thank you to Mayor Randy McLean and Councillors Ray Jarvis, Pam Jones, and Jim Manion, and Town Administrator Patrick Robins for rising to the challenge and participating in Accessibility Awareness Day.
Thank you also to Gordon Comeau, George Elliott, Joann Gabriel, Brian Liberatore, Lynn Pelly, Debbie Schwarz, and Tory Small for accompanying the participants.
The purpose of the day was to raise awareness of accessibility issues.
To help raise their awareness, we asked our elected leaders to move around downtown Princeton while using a wheelchair.
It was a pleasantly warm morning to learn about accessibility in Princeton. For the most part, people greeted us with positive words of encouragement, and when necessary, assistance. Participants traveled with their support person, but independently of each other, to many different locations.
Each participant completed a feedback sheet about each specific location and a general feedback sheet regarding the condition of the streets, curbing, and other 'access' issues. As expected, some locations were easily and fully accessible, while other locations were not accessible.
A final compilation of this data and a summary report will be presented to Town Council at a later date.
However, at this time it can be reported that two members of Town Council earned blisters on their hands, while a third member of Town Council had the unfortunate and dangerous experience of flipping the wheelchair.
Princeton is not yet an accessible community, but it does have several businesses and public buildings that are accessible. The challenge is to identify the attributes that make a location accessible and apply them to the inaccessible locations. Full accessibility will not be achieved in one year, or even in many years; it is a long term goal.
Is Princeton up to this challenge? We believe, without a doubt, that we are headed in the correct direction.
We thank Town Council for their participation and look forward to working with them to meet Princeton's accessibility challenges.
On behalf of the Accessible Community Committee,
- Laurie Quick, Princeton
- Ken Carlson, Princeton
To The Editor;
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PEOPLE OF PRINCETON
The people of Princeton Pentecostal Church are wanting to thank:
- the individual who spotted, and promptly reported, the fire which very unfortunately gutted the kitchen of the Belaire Restaurant on the morning of Saturday, June 2nd,
- the members of the Princeton Fire Brigade for preventing our church building from being destroyed by fire. These volunteers are to be highly commended for their knowledge and skill, their bravery and courage as they place their own lives at risk in serving our community,
- the members of our local detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the members of Citizens on Patrol, who responded so very quickly to this emergency,
- the employees of Persona and Telus who worked hard to ensure that services were restored in a timely manner,
- the people of Living Water Foursquare Church, together with our Christian brothers and sisters of the wider Christian community, who were faithfully praying for God's mercy and protection at the time of the fire, together with,
- any other individuals whom we may have unintentionally failed to acknowledge.
Our hearts go out to the Willis family, and to all of their employees who have lost their employment.
We shall be praying that our Lord shall guide and direct you as you come to make agonizing and important decisions regarding your futures, and that He shall provide for you, in the days which lie ahead.
Above all, we thank and glorify our Heavenly Father for His mercy and compassion, His protection and blessing upon us all. We praise Him that to the best of our knowledge, no one was hurt or injured physically as a result of this fire.
With heartfelt thanksgiving and gratitude to God, and to you all,
- The Church Board, on behalf of the people of the Congregation.
"Give thanks to the Lord; for His mercy endures forever." (Psalm 136:01)
To The Editor;
This letter is to ask the Governments (both Provincially and Federally) to reconsider the penalties they have bestowed on smokers.
Cigarettes are sold in most grocery stores, drug stores and service stations. This is a legal substance in which the governments gather millions, if not billions, of dollars and yet they are making it so difficult to have a relaxing smoke, and the price of cigarettes is phenomenal.
If the price of cigarettes keeps going up, the smokers will have to look to the illegal smokes for their enjoyment. The illegal cigarettes may cost less than the legal ones, so what is the alternative? Where are they going to get the taxes then?
If smoking is so terrible, why are the tobacco companies still in business? Car exhausts give out more pollution than a few puffs on a smoke, and yet the car manufacturers are spewing out millions of cars each year. What gives?
Smokers' rights are being compromised. Is the Charter of Rights only for the immigrants and non-Canadians? I have paid taxes for over 50 years and it seems like my rights are being ignored.
It certainly is criminal to deny the life-time smokers the privilege of enjoying the remainder of their lives. It just boggles the mind at what hypocrites we have running the governments.
Buy smokes, but don't smoke. Is that the motto these days?
Thanks for taking the time to read this letter. I am sure someone can come up with a reasonable solution - like legislating the tobacco companies to manufacture safe and tasteful cigarettes. There is no need for all the chemicals to be added - which are addictive.
Also, there could be restaurants, bars, nightclubs, etc. that would have a sign on their front door that says 'smokers only.' Then both worlds would be happy.
Smokers have a right to smoke just as non-smokers have the right to not smoke. Is this a democratic country, or what?
- Beverly Steer, Osoyoos
