Opinion

Dispossessing the homeless of their belongings does nothing to address the address

A column by Bruce Uzelman

Re: CRD water project under fire for cost, ‘flawed’ process ( News , Dec. 6)

MLA Ravi Parmar claims that the $85 million of federal and provincial money just spent to widen Sooke Road “will allow folks in the region to move around safely and more effectively.” But this very expensive project seems to have made traffic worse, not better. Nobody should be surprised by this result, you can’t build your way out of congestion with wider highways.

We’ve been reading about the upcoming cull of fallow deer on Sidney Island, where shooters will spray deer with rapidly fired shots from a helicopter. My stomach knots up.

The editorial in the Nov. 23 Oak Bay News paints a picture indicating civic politicians’ concerns are about protecting their community’s more affluent neighbourhoods. It states these elected officials want them to remain “safe enclaves for the crisis unfolding outside their stately doors.”

Having read Langford Mayor Scott Goodmanson’s and former mayor Stew Young’s interviews in this week’s Gazette, I observed a few interesting things.

Why is Coun. Nathalie Chambers constantly using the media to try and justify her positions? If you continually have to explain and defend your positions, it’s because you are making poor decisions contrary to the wishes of your constituents. It’s that simple.

The District of North Saanich is proposing to upgrade access to the Briarwood Place beach in response to complaints of day parking potentially blocking emergency vehicles.

I noticed that Beach Drive is being repaved. The question is why? Oak Bay has some of the worst roads in the CRD. I would think that paving Beach Drive would be the last choice!