Conservatives cut CBC funding
Isolated communities all across Canada, including Powell River, depend upon CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) Radio to stay connected to other Canadians. In fact, because of the vast geographical region Canada encompasses, it was created to provide a sense of cohesion for Canadians to learn about and enjoy their Canadian culture.
I am deeply concerned by recent cuts in the federal budget [“Federal budget doesn’t count pennies,” April 4] because a reduction of $114 million will threaten many key services, and is equivalent to almost the entire cost of producing CBC Radio.
I urge all Canadians, especially people living in our community of Powell River, to send a message to the Conservative government.
Rosemary Bjorknas
Seton Avenue
Writer unclear about democracy
I found the tone of Cleve Hamilton’s letter to the editor, “Mysterious petition,” of March 28 rather disturbing, particularly some of the unsupportable allegations he makes against Sean Dees.
Unfortunately Hamilton reveals something of his true nature when he states that Willingdon Beach was left to the people of Powell River, not City of Powell River council and the chief librarian. He seems unclear about the democratic process we as a society have chosen to embrace as a means of governing ourselves.
The democratic standard allows Hamilton and others who object to the site choice to freely voice their opinions and try and convince others of the value of their points of view. But another cornerstone of democracy is elected representation. We elect those who we feel will best represent the needs of our community because going to referendum on every item of business is a cumbersome and very expensive process.
To imply that council made the Powell River Public Library site decision in a closed room without full and careful consideration of all relevant factors suggests Hamilton has a fundamental disrespect for the democratic process if the result does not meet with his approval. I would like to think that those who object to the new library site have more respect for the democratic process than Hamilton.
John Wilkinson
Taku Street
Poorly directed appreciation
Recently I received a letter of appreciation for my service as a teacher to the children of British Columbia, from the Honourable George Abbott, minister of education. I actually retired nearly seven years ago so the words of appreciation were a bit late.
I cannot believe that the ministry has the funds to send out thousands of form letters to retired teachers but is adamant that there is no more money to improve the working conditions of currently employed teachers [“Teachers rebel,” March 21]. They are the ones who need ministry support and appreciation. I certainly do not need a letter from someone who does not know me and who has no idea of whether or not my contribution to the education system was valuable.
The demands on a teacher today are enormous; they have taken over so many of the duties that were formerly performed by families, churches and other community support systems. The classrooms of today are active, vibrant learning situations and, in my opinion, vastly superior to the regimented, rote-learning classes of the past.
However, I am dismayed by the number of my colleagues who are leaving the profession and/or burning out trying to meet the unreasonable expectations of providing appropriate and varied learning opportunities to students with a huge variety of educational needs. They are expected to be everything to everybody with less and less support. Today’s students are assertive and worldly (not bad traits) and classroom dynamics are very different from a few years ago.
The recent new government initiatives for individualized programs, which are exciting, will only exacerbate this situation. The promised increase in technological support must be accompanied by lower student/teacher ratios and more personal support for students with special needs.
I encourage the minister to spend some time in today’s classrooms to see first-hand how hard teachers are working and how challenging their working conditions can be.
I hope that no more of my tax dollars will be wasted sending meaningless and gratuitous letters to those of us who are no longer facing these challenges.
Selina Smith
Crowther Road
Home birth options
I am writing in response to some of the concerns the home birthing article brought up [“Area lacks home birth options,” March 7].
In British Columbia, publicly funded and regulated midwives have been recognized for 14 years and offer home and hospital births. The University of British Columbia Midwifery Program offers a four-year degree through the faculty of medicine. Currently, the 200 registered midwives in BC deliver 10 per cent of the 40,000 annual births.
Midwifery care is recognized by the ministry of health as being an important and safe maternity care option (as supported by research, see links below). For women choosing home birth, the midwifery scope of practice obligates a mother be transferred to hospital if signs of complications arise. Registered midwives are trained and skilled, and carry medical equipment (suction, oxygen, intubation, and medications) to deal with emergency situations at home. The best outcomes for mothers and babies are found in communities where the entire maternity care team works together in a collaborative fashion.
Regarding expressed concerns surrounding past experiences with midwifery in the area, I can assure you that Powell River has never had a registered midwife. Therefore, the outcomes in question are not representative of the scope and quality of care offered by professionally trained, regulated midwives.
We are lucky to have very skilled physicians serving Powell River; however, a portion of the community remains under-served. Registered midwifery care is a safe option for low risk pregnancies.
Here are some resources for those who would like to inform themselves as to what registered midwifery care is:
www.vancouversun.com/health/empowered-health/Video+Empowered+Health+benefits+using+midwife/6274327/story.html, http://www.bcmidwives.com/, http://www.cmbc.bc.ca/, http://www.midwifery.ubc.ca/midwifery.htm, http://www.cmaj.ca/content/181/6-7/377.full.
Powell River is a wonderful town with a great future. It is important for our community to strive to offer safe and effective options for women and welcoming a midwife will be an effective way to enhance the scope of services currently available.
Laya Bourguignon
Vancouver
Former Powell River resident
Westview library
Why was the site for the new Powell River Public Library chosen before the public was consulted [“Architects unveil library design,” March 28]? This would seem very presumptuous and extravagant.
Why was an American firm chosen rather than a Canadian?
Volunteer ladies worked for years at the library and were given courses by a very knowledgeable gentleman, Golden Stanley. He said the greatest damage to books is moisture. Now it is proposed in an area subject to fog, mist, sea spray and a moss roof. The resident geese at Willingdon Beach park will think they’ve died and gone to heaven. They love this type of building and we all know what problems they present.
The glass frontage will cause several real problems. It will be costly to prevent sun damage, whether using expensive glass or blinds. Also, there will be a very large cleaning problem.
It will also be very open to vandalism and unfortunately this does happen.
A covenant, defined legally as a written agreement, as a contract under seal, is over the land. Is nothing sacred anymore?
Who will be left with the financial burden? The taxpayer.
Rosemary B. Hawkins
Manitoba Avenue
Catalyst salaried employees and pensioners
In addition to the financial obstacles suffered by Catalyst Paper Corporation, I can’t swallow the property tax issue [“Pensioners worry about retirement,” April 4].
Catalyst is a foreign-based company claiming ownership of some of the most prime industrially zoned waterfront real estate in the province and Canada, declaring it can’t even pay the taxes. If I don’t pay my property taxes, that property is forfeit; not only are we to forfeit a large portion of promised pensions and benefits, but will soon bear the brunt of our town’s unpaid tax burden. I don’t think so!
Our newspapers have never been so thick; directories and catalogues are still here. Would someone please tell me where the profits are going?
Is it time to expropriate the property in question, or is it time to encourage bankruptcy, thence handing the management over to the employees (who actually want to make paper and maintain equipment)? At least then some of the profits will go back into the towns that support the industry.
Naïve? Perhaps, but our townships have little left to lose.
Timothy French
Hammond Street
