LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
- December 11, 2007
Letter To The Editor:
Guilty until proven innocent pet owners this could happen to you!
"Hello, this is Constable W from the SPCA. Do you own a dog named Trapper? We have received an anonymous call from Ontario from a person who has not seen Trapper for 18-months. Apparently he is in severe distress, seizuring and has not seen a Vet. The seriousness of this report has prompted my immediate dispatch from Kelowna Saturday, November 24th to your home in Princeton. I am a block away I must see Trapper."
Shock, disbelief.
Trapper is 84 (human years) and is somewhat short of breath on exertion.
Seizuring, this is a surprise to me. Constable W is sure of this she is on my doorstep. I am not obligated to let her in, I later discover, I am not thinking straight as dozens of emotions flood over me. I become a babbling idiot.
Trapper is dozing happily and barely notices her existence. He is dreaming. Well, she says, "I don't know what to do here, your pet is obviously well cared for and not in any distress."
This is where the investigation should have ended, but no. She has come all this way on a fruitless mission. I am ordered to see a Vet ASAP. Trapper is being treated by a Vet this is not good enough he must see one in person. Now.
So what if he gets stressed in a Vet's office, he has been ordered to go. I say reluctantly that I will do this, I am not believed, the person in Ontario is believed, but not me.
The Vet is contacted well in advance of my visit and told to contact them. This is unwarranted harassment by the SPCA. I am angry, enraged. I visit the SPCA website and discovered my rights so, pet owners here are your rights: In order for an SPCA Constable to enter private property it can only be by 1) consent of the owner; 2) a right of inquiry; 3) upon observing an animal in critical distress (as defined by the Act and does not apply to entry into a 'dwelling house'); 4) by Search Warrant; or 5) right of inspection.
When the SPCA gets a complaint they must investigate, no matter how ludicrous. They must respond. It is what they are all about.
How about cruelty to responsible pet owners who are falsely accused? Please, revise your inquiry of a complaint and have the courtesy to call the pet owner. You could have saved yourself a trip and an unnecessary investigation.
Is this how my donation is spent?
Thank you for reading this.
- Thea Adamo, Princeton
Dear Editor:
Please don't read this unless you care Part 5
First of all Thanks to the Princeton Arts Council..who are offering their help to get this town back on track by working on the 'zig zag' area in town in 2008.
It would be great if others came forward and offered to help with smaller or bigger projects. And - it would be great to hear from one business owner especially that he will be supporting the
'paint the town weekend' publicly. It would be an honour to have him sign up first as a statement to all in town to follow. I think one of these days we have to set up an email address to get more useful feedback from everyone.
Today's subject is RUMOURS. Hmmmm...there are certainly enough going around in this town lately - more than ever I believe and in a way it's a good thing...as long as we speak our mind and make some rumours happen and others not!
Let's start with the coal power plant last year. There was a rumour going around that it will happen and 200 or so people will find a job there year round. What nobody knew or expected was that it wasn't a
'state of the art' coal power plant a plant that could have been an example to show the world that it is possible to have the cleanest air with a coal plant working close by.
They (the planner) probably thought 'hey - it's Princeton and they are all desperate for jobs there' no matter what we offer them! That town took all the bad Vancouver chicken years
ago so let's try and open up a plant that just runs on the edge of what is allowed pollution wise...well they wasted years...THANK GOD.
In the long run we would have had 200 more jobs on that end and we would have LOST 400 people living here because of
it WHY am I talking about that stupid rumour idea of the power plant? Simply because now a rumour circulating around that says Mr. Pattison bought the old hotel piece of land.
Which is just what I was hoping for actually BUT instead of a 'Save On' we might have to put up with a Coopers? Well THAT is kind of like the power plant
idea if it's not the newest kind of store a trendy store like Jim has everywhere since 6 to 10 years already it is not something we should just take because we get something new for free more or less!
A brand new Coopers or Overwaitea is like buying a brand spanking new 1970 car as a daily driver! It makes absolutely no sense to do that and it's a new OLD store for 30 years to come the day it opens. Or in kids language it's like your son wants a PS 3 and you try to give him a brand new PS 1 - 9 out of 10 kids will toss it back at you.
Rumours are out there to get a feel what some guys can do with Princeton people again it wouldn't hurt to let a few people know what we all want. We deserve it!
I honestly believe that if we all sign up at the Overwaitea for a change in the right direction it will happen! A letter containing 1,000 signatures can produce wonders. More people will consider moving here because we have some style food store starting with J. P.'s new 'Save On'!!!
Rumour #2 is a Zellers on the old Overwaitea lot not sure what to think about that because it could cause tons of traffic with 2 big stores in that area never mind how the 'Western town' look would suffer from that idea...so maybe west of Irly Bird towards the Esso somewhere would make more sense and there is more money to be made because many out of town people drive by there every day.
Rumour #3 is to move the new downtown bar to the old sushi place on Vermilion
Avenue now that is another thing that bugs me never mind that it is not fair to John and his family business already close to the highway having a great bar it would defeat the whole idea of us having this 'Western Town' with not even the original bar where it belongs and that is downtown!
In order to attract people day and night into downtown to walk around, wine and dine with dancing the
'built in old style' bar should be in the middle of town for us and as a tourist attraction with lots of seating
outside.
Well maybe all of these rumours are...JUST RUMOURS!
- Stefan Dietz, Princeton
Santa Claus
North Pole H0H 0H0
Dear Santa,
I know this is the time of year when most of the letters you get are from children telling you what they want for Christmas. We know you deliver gifts all around the world at this time of year.
I just wanted you to know that here in Princeton you have a crew of helpers who generously give gifts of time, money, food, and a wide variety of articles that the school needs. I hope I don't miss anybody in this list but if I do I am sure you will already know who they are.
- All our parents and grandparents for more than can be listed here
- Overwaitea food and beverages and barbecuing skills
- Mac's Auto Parts high visibility vests for our supervisors
- KG Designs raffle basket
- Bud Sadegur Remembrance Day Assembly speaker (for several years)
- Princeton RCMP colour party at Remembrance Day Assembly and bike rodeo volunteers
- The Similkameen News Leader and The Similkameen Spotlight for covering all our events and publishing pictures of our students who love to see their pictures in the papers.
Please give these wonderful people and businesses a gift of thanks from all the students and staff at John Allison Elementary School.
Yours sincerely,
Bonnie Jesten
Principal John Allison Elementary
PS: Santa, as a personal request from me could you please send a gift of thanks to the awesome staff I have to work with?
