College Students Will Appreciate Sound of Sirens

(published in the Comox Valley Record, December 4, 2012)

Dear editor,

I was recently at a neighbourhood Christmas party and the dinner topic turned to ‘the best location for the new hospital.’

Dave said that he wrote a letter to the editor stating that the latest location was bad but they wouldn't print his letter. I asked why not?

He said it was because he called the decision-makers ‘dumb asses.’

As I later reflected on what others at the table described as better locations, I then realized that the location next to NIC is in fact a great location.

Dave stated that Ryan Road and Lerwick will no doubt become the busiest and most dangerous traffic intersection locally. Hey, Dave, they won’t have far to go to get emergency care.

And with such a busy intersection the police will be able to give out many tickets without having to travel to more remote areas.  A more congested North Island College (NIC) campus will mean more parking spots. You know, all those trees have become such an eyesore, so it will be nice to see them gone along with the odd cougar, bear and locals walking their dogs.

Getting rid of the neighbouring playing field is a good idea — better to spend more time driving to a distant one. Helicopters flying in with patients will provide a pleasant distraction.

What about this idea that not enough land will be available for the new hospital? No problem, they just have to build more underground. We don’t get that much sunlight here in the winter so what is the big deal?

The students will come to appreciate the sounds of sirens to supply that needed break from their studies or paying attention in class.  Those living near the hospital, every time they hear a siren, will be happy to say: "I’m glad that’s not me in that ambulance.”

And for those who are getting tired of that small town feeling they thought they were catching by living in that local area: Don’t worry; it will soon be gone.

Not Needing Oil Has Cost for BC

The following was published October 19, 2012 in the Comox Valley Record.

PREMIER CHRISTY CLARK's stance toward Premier Alison Redford of Alberta (right) comes with a cost, notes Ed Zirkwitz of Royston.  (appeared in Comox Valley Record October 19, 2012) -Black Press

It seems that our Premier, Christy Clark, as of late, is going around the province bragging how great our provincial economy is.

  Is that a great thing to do when she in effect has prorogued the fall sitting of the BC Legislature?  

Recently in Nanaimo, she addressed a Vancouver Island economic summit.  According to the Edmonton Journal: “…Premier Christy Clark took aim at Alberta Tuesday in an election-style speech where she boasted her province doesn't need oil to be the country's top economic generator… She drew mild applause from the business crowd when she said B.C.'s job creation numbers are currently tops in Canada, ahead of Alberta, and B.C. has done it without oil revenues.“

  I thought I would check the facts.

  According to the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers BC produces about one per cent of the oil produced in Canada.  However, BC produces almost 25 per cent of Canadian natural gas, according to the NEB.

  Then there are plans for 8 new mines and upgrades to 9. Hey, we may even get the Raven coal mine here in our own back yard. 

Apparently there could be more coal extracted from there to exceed ALL the coal ever previously mined on all of Vancouver Island.  Yes, we may not need oil so our premier is able to tell Premier Alison Redford to shove it.  

 But this wonderfully rosy picture rests strongly on natural resources.  Also, don’t forget the forestry and the fisheries.  

So what if we are still hewers of wood and drawers of water you might ask?  

I suppose it is important for the economic pundits to tell us to strike while the iron is hot.  After all there are more seniors and up and coming seniors to support.  

Educate the younger workers to work in the resources and constructions sectors.  That will allow more seniors down the road to work in the service sector.  

Who doesn't want to flip burgers at McDonalds in their retirement years?  Now wouldn’t that be grand?

Happy New Year Comox Valley!

The late Jack Layton, Canada's 2011 Newsmaker, in Courtenay

With 2012 upon us there are many predictions floating about.  Although 2011 was a much more globally eventful year-- no doubt than most people could have predicted -- what can we expect in 2012?  This island life of ours has been a relative safe haven on the world scale and even on the Canadian scale. We have been cushioned from earthquakes, major storms, famines and flash floods or widespread pestilences.    No terrorists lurking in our back yards.  We have survived strikes at Air Canada and Canada Post.

My close friend just canceled a trip to Christchurch, New Zealand because in the last few months Christchurch has had over 6,000 earthquakes.  Our son and his family are on their way home from the Philippines where they have experienced some of the strongest out-of-season typhoons in recorded history.

Financial chaos, for the most part, has not crossed our paths. So what is there to complain about?  Of course there are our politicians. But no Arab Spring in our country.  And then there are our neighbours to the south digging themselves into a hole.  We can, I suppose, take the position that with things so bad around the world things can only get better.  That, naturally, depends on how we define 'better'.  Most events in life seem beyond our immediate control or sphere of influence.  And even though our world is groaning -- but not really so much locally-- we are in some ways affected by circumstances beyond our invisible borders. Mark Twain said that history does not repeat itself but that it rhymes.  Perhaps we can latch onto Biblical prophecy that predicts a world that is going to keep on getting worse.  However, if that will be the case, even in our own neck of the woods, within that scenario, as long as persons within a society care for a better world and step forward, there will be bright spots within the supposed gloom and doom.  Happy New Year.