News Leader News
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - November 15, 2005
To The Editor;
Princeton elections bring out those who would shape its future and solve the problems but do we have any?
Former Mayor Mr. Randy McLean and present Mayor Mr. Keith Olson and their respective councils should be congratulated for their foresight, integrity and trust as they haven't been touched by the federal Gomery scandal investigation or implicated in the U.S. White House Scooter Libby indictments.
With such a foundation the new incoming Mayor, Mr. Randy McLean, will be hard to restrain as he vigorously carries out his office. Princeton is no longer a one horse town. When's the last time you've looked down Bridge Street and seen a lone horse tethered outside the "Lost Nugget" saloon at high noon and the old cow poke shootin' up a couple.
Doesn't happen anymore.
Now we do have a serious problem. Especially in the summer or major holidays -- "Gridlock on Bridge Street."
No this is not a seductive 'who done it' title the Princeton Writers group is working on. No, it's too many cars, unable to move on Princeton's only main street.
Several solutions have been offered: (1) "Park and ride" on the outskirts of Princeton with a shuttle bus. Want to drive into the Princeton city core? It'll cost you twenty bucks.
(2) Change the name of Princeton to it's original name of Vermillion Forks and those travelling to Princeton will end up in Princeton New Jersey U.S.A.
(3) Build a new Princeton bypass, bridging the river at the mine hill and follow Wolf Creek to Highway 3. The Coquihalla is obsolete.
(4) Make Bridge Street one way traffic. Problem was where to find a street for return traffic. Lime Street was selected but a new bridge twinning the old wooden bridge would be required. If they can twin the Port Mann Bridge they can do it here. Paint one C.P.R. red and the other lime green to help those who don't know if they're coming or going.
We may be a small town but we're mighty big on ideas and compassion. An interesting side light about this election. It was reported, Princeton icon "Peter Pine" was going to run but boughed out.
It's not surprising he's had the bug for some time but he's on sabbatical doing research on the pine beetle pandemic with a willowy associate, 'Ms. Alder Wood.' With all the excitement it's fitting the election follows Remembrance Day.
If you listen in the quiet you can hear those who gave the ultimate, whisper, "We gave so you could freely and happily pursue your destiny, --- honor us by voting."
Regards,
Joe Schwarz, Princeton
Dear Editor:
The Poor Mans Philosopher
The present polls, if played out at the coming election, will give us another minority government. All the rhetoric we'll hear between now and then will have little impact. If I may borrow an old axiom, lets just say that the die has been cast. All the money spent on advertising, while a boon for the PR firms (Liberal-friendly ad firms exposed by Gomery come to mind), will do nothing for the rest us.
Some of us, especially in the west, will renew our efforts to get rid of the present graft-ridden leadership, conveniently forgetting that the replacement party is the same gang that brought us Mulroney, GST, and free trade, only now wrapped in religious garb.
Whether Liberals or Conservatives have the most seats will mean little, because the balance of power will be held by either the Bloc or the NDP. What that means is, a Conservative minority will legislate only what a separatist party feels is good for Quebec. A Liberal minority, with all its faults, will be kept accountable by the NDP as we have seen since the last election.
A study of recent Canadian political history shows us that minority governments have brought us the social benefits that we cherish the most, while keeping the ruling parties scandal free. Minority governments are good for us. Check it out. And by all means vote, but vote for a minority!
- HPToews, Princeton
Dear Sir:
AIRPORT, AIRPORT, AIRPORT:
Who is going to pay? After reading the biographies of all the candidates, it disturbs me as a property owner to see incumbent Ray Jarvis's main concern is in his words in The Similkameen NewsLeader Nov. 8/05 "My big push is the airport."
Well we all have dreams and then reality sets in. It is called Property Owners Tax dollars.
As a property owner I would like to suggest that the airport improvements at this time be put on the back burner until the tax base of the Town of Princeton can afford it.
In my opinion it would be far smarter to work with incoming Mayor Randy McLean on the Community Plan and pushing of the Business Park.
When the Business Park is up and running, then let's come back and look at improvements to the airport.
There are only so many taxpayer dollars to go around.
Unless the people of Princeton are prepared to take a big hit in their taxes.
Airports do not come cheap. You could be looking at anywhere from $300,000 to $700,000 to pay for it, depending on what improvements are made.
These are my personal opinions and do not reflect on any candidate in the upcoming elections. Sometimes it pays to stop, take a second look at things and then proceed slowly.
Yours truly,
Don & Julie Fleming, Princeton
Dear Editor:
It was interesting to read our MPs comments on the NDP in his latest report from Parliament. He appears to take every opportunity to attack Jack Layton and the NDP Better Balanced Budget, calling it a make-believe budget or publicity stunt. The fact remains that $4.5 billion has been set aside to ensure that Canadian tax dollars are reinvested in communities on
priorities such as the environment, affordable housing, education and training.
How do we know that this is actually the case? Is this money actually going to be spent? On June 1st Minister of State John Godfrey announced that he has started negotiations with the provinces and territories to invest up to $800 million, over two years, in public transit.
On October 6th, $100 million was announced for home energy efficiency as part of the fuel rebate package. On October 7th , Human Resources Minister Belinda Stronach announced that $1.5 billion will be released to the provinces for tuition fee relief. In regard to foreign aid, the Privy Council Office made this announcement on June 6: When we pass Bill C-48, we will have the authority to spend an additional $500 million over the two coming fiscal years.
The bottom line is that the Bill C-48 money has already been approved and has already begun to flow. Mr. Gouk can only spout sour grapes as his party does not offer any positive solutions that will make a difference for people here in the Southern Interior riding.
As far as Mr. Gouk's claim goes that I have some kind of blind idolization of Jack Layton, this is sheer nonsense!
If we look seriously at what Jack and the NDP have been able to accomplish, we can see that the NDP gets things done for Canadians. We have made minority Parliament work, and our budget stopped a May election threat by shifting corporate tax cuts to delivering investments for people instead.
In regard to the next election Jack Layton and the NDP have a compromise solution that avoids going to the polls during the holiday season. The NDP will introduce a motion saying the election should be called in early January for a vote in mid-February. The more NDP MPs we elect, the more chance there is that Parliament will actually serve the people that elect
it.
- Alex Atamanenko, NDP Federal Candidate, BC Southern Interior
