Too much over-reach by NDP government

I find it ironic that Premier David Eby’s rationale for Bill 7 legislation is that it allows him to move quickly to prevent harm to the B.C. economy. I would argue that Eby has caused more harm to the B.C. economy than any premier in modern history.

Bill 7 is just another insidious power grab, couched in protectionist language. We are already feeling the effects of provincial over-reach with Bills 44, 46 and 47, which have spawned the loss of property rights, dismantling of heritage protections, erosion of tree canopies and biodiversity and no commensurate infrastructure to support the unfettered development that has been foisted on our cities.

Let’s hope this is a precursor to an early election, as it is time the public told Eby that we don’t want to live under a dictatorship.

Nancy Di Castri
Saanich

Democracy dies with Eby’s Bill 7

The announcement by Premier David Eby of the imposition of Bill 7, the “Economic Stabilization and Tariff Response Act,” on British Columbians represents a dark moment in an increasingly dark time for Canada and the world, but especially for British Columbians.

No legitimate government has the right to give itself emergency powers without the discussion or the participation of a duly-elected assembly. And yet we are seeing this with increasing frequency in B.C., in Canada and around the world.

In Eby’s case, as with other political leaders, the intent of the legislation is to guard against theoretical dangers that may occur in a potential future.

Frankly, this isn’t good enough. It doesn’t meet the litmus test of democratic practice that we have spent centuries of legal precedent and untold sacrifice, not to mention war and blood, trying to establish.

What it does represent is an impingement on people’s democratic rights and the negation of their will. The imposition of this bill will cut even more deeply into the rights of citizens who simply want to live a good life under fair and balanced laws.

If, as British Columbians, we are willing to stand for this extraordinary imposition on our democratic rights, then we have no right to complain if, one day, those same rights disappear altogether.

Bill 7 is a thin edge of undemocratic authoritarianism inserted into our lives. It does not bode well for any of us, and it should be withdrawn or scrapped immediately.

Perry Foster
Duncan

Bill 7 pulls us apart during a difficult time

In a democracy, Premier David Eby’s proposed Bill 7 Economic Stabilization Act is not required.

Each needed action for change or response to trade and tariffs should be presented in the Legislature for a vote and if the majority in the house agrees, passed.

What is being proposed is nothing short of a dictatorship and welcoming to Putin’s Russia-style democracy.

At this time in history, we need to pull together rather than apart.

D’Arcy Morrow
Nanaimo

Nero fiddles while Rome burns

The King of England is figurehead of the Commonwealth, a group of nations fostering international cooperation and promoting shared goals such as democracy, peace and sustainable development.

Canada, a founding member and the largest member of the Commonwealth, is being economically attacked by the most powerful nation of the world with a stated aim of taking over the country.

What does the head of the Commonwealth do to organize its members to help Canada?

The head of the Commonwealth releases his favorite 10 songs.

Yes, Charlie fiddles while Canada burns.

John Barrand
Victoria

Today’s the deadline for voting no

Re: “Affordability crisis from Saanich council,” letter, March 15.

Saanich council is incapable or unwilling to make real-life decisions about what to give up in the budgeting process.

When families and companies are faced with tough financial decisions, as they are especially today about making ends meet, they are forced to dig deep and find things they can forego or postpone instead of spending money that we don’t have. Not so Saanich council!

Instead, council has chosen to get more money outside of the five per cent borrowing limit through an alternate approval process. The total proposed extra borrowing amounts to about $9.6 million at annual debt servicing costs of around $908,000. There is waste in some of those proposals.

For example, bylaw 10025, the second biggest item at $3.1 million, includes more money for cycling infrastructure, including bike lanes, etc.

From what I see in my area around Royal Oak, the bike lanes on West Saanich, Royal Oak, including Mann Ave. and the recently installed traffic obstructions on Old West Saanich and Oldfield roads were unnecessary and are an utter waste of taxpayers’ money.

They reflect an ideological rather than a business approach to managing Saanich’s financial affairs.

As well, the public was given inadequate notice of these extraordinary financial proposals. The public was notified only through newspapers and consideration of the item at council’s Jan. 20 meeting.

This is a highly questionable and cynical approach to managing Saanich’s finances. Deficit and debt financing must stop.

You can still vote “No” by completing the forms at the municipal hall or printing them on your computer and delivering them to Saanich. The deadline is 4:30 p.m. today.

Evert Van Eerden
Saanich

Americans have paid our ‘tariffs’ for years

In response to recent letters about tariffs, let me point out that B.C. and Victoria have had “tariffs” on American property owners for several years. They are known as “speculation tax” and “property transfer tax.”

Until December 2024, we had owned a residence in Victoria for more than 30 years. During that time, laws were passed saying if we sold the place, gifted it to our children or died, we would pay a 25 per cent tax on the gain between the current value and our cost.

If we died or gifted the property, we would have to find cash elsewhere to pay the tax.

Also, beginning about eight years ago, we were reclassified as “speculators”, even though at that time we had owned the place for more than 22 years and it was enjoyed by four generations of our family. The speculation tax alone was almost $20,000 per year, and was in addition to paying the full amount of property taxes, with no exemptions.

In December we decided we could no longer afford the taxes and sold.

At the close of the sale, the B.C. government withheld 25 per cent of the gross selling price. At some point we might get roughly half of that back.

During those 30 years we put lots of money into the Victoria economy. Our family will miss our regular visits to Victoria, but with the attitude of some of the letters to the editor, we would be reluctant to admit that we are Americans.

Please don’t get mad at Americans, most of us don’t agree with what is happening. Remember, this too shall pass. Let’s stay friends.

Daniel Cunningham
Fresno, California

We don’t want to be like Puerto Rico

In keeping with the U.S. cry of “no taxation without representation” I think that the U.S. has much better candidates for statehood than Canada.

Washington D.C. has a populace of 700,000 (more than both Vermont and Wyoming) with no governor or fully-elected representation in both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives.

Similarly, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico has a populace of more than 3.2 million and no representation. The U.S. citizens of both jurisdictions are subject to U.S. law without representation — ideal candidates to become the 51st and 52nd states.

I hope that this process would occupy the White House for the remainder of the term. In keeping with the current U.S. vogue of re-drawing the world atlas, should Ottawa consider offering provincehood to Alaska and Hawaii?

Paul Morgan
Central Saanich

Many fortune seekers travelled to the Yukon

With the recent report on the Trump family fortune beginning with a “restaurant and brothel” in the Yukon more than 100 years ago, it is hilarious the way left-leaning journalists spend their waking hours trying to trash Donald Trump constantly.

If they were true journalists and readers of history, they would know that the Yukon Gold Rush in the 1800s brought fortune seekers from second sons of England’s landed gentry, to adventurers, to down-and-out hopefuls, along with women of ill repute, women hoping for rich husbands — all streaming up from the U.S., Victoria, Vancouver, the Chilcotin and many other points.

They all hoped to make it big, with many enterprising men and women providing supplies, rustic hotels and raunchy women for the influx of all the dreamers. Persevering through awful northern wilderness conditions, history has applauded their ingenuity and doggedness.

We pampered folks in this century couldn’t manage without our cars, face creams and cappuccinos.

Well done, to the Trumps and their contemporaries of old!

Barbara Zielinski
Victoria

U.S. financial collapse stopped Harper’s plans

Re: “Stephen Harper’s memory is not selective,” letter, March 15.

Based on my recollections of the time leading up to the 2008 financial crisis, my impression is that individuals do have both short and selective memories.

Stephen Harper advised us that his government was on a path towards deregulating Canada’s financial institutions. By what seemed more like good luck than good management, he was “saved by the bell” with the financial collapse in the United States that year, before a Canadian de-regulation plan could be enacted.

Laurie McDonald
Gabriola

Let’s rebuild trust to weather future storms

During the COVID pandemic, it wasn’t the vaccines, masks or social isolation that I was afraid of, but their mandatory imposition.

I remember, early on in the vaccine mandates, trying to understand why we were threatening individuals with job loss and social isolation for not taking one of the new vaccines — while at the same time many individuals around the world wanted access to vaccines but were unable to get them.

When I tried to ask my MLA and MP for a pointer to whatever cost-benefit analysis had been done, they said it was a medical decision. When I asked my family doctor and Healthlink, they said it was a political decision.

My fear is that due to the imposition of mandates in the past, individuals will be less trusting of guidance in the future.

My hope is that, with a bit of contrition and humility, we can rebuild a level of trust that will let us weather future storms together.

Scott Newson
Nanaimo