Voice of the People

WISE, CARING JUDGE

Re: “‘Jail is only a Band-aid that does not help with rehabilitation,’ Halifax judge says of crack addict with over 300 convictions” (Jan. 19 story).

I was impressed and moved by the insights and compassionate ruling of Judge Amy Sakalauskas regarding Craig Boutilier. Her comment as to “... whether we are simply a legal system or truly a justice system” was particularly germane and prescient.

Subjecting Mr. Boutilier, an individual with intellectual challenges and a lengthy record of incarceration, to further incarceration is a disservice to both society and the individual. Clearly, Mr. Boutilier is facing a variety of struggles and is both overwhelmed and unable to move ahead without assistance.

If one of society’s and the justice system’s goals is to reduce the likelihood of recidivism, then judgments that promote constructive interventions and, ideally, positive outcomes, are most helpful and productive. This is particularly important when dealing with individuals whom we might regard as uniquely vulnerable or disadvantaged. Geoff Atkinson, Halifax

NSP DOING FINE JOB

I support Nova Scotia Power and I think they are doing a fine job and should be given a break. They are good corporate citizens. (No, I never have worked for them and have no family or shares in the company.)

Unlike where I lived before, power transmission in Nova Scotia is extremely difficult. For one thing, transmission cables cannot be buried underground as they can be in Alberta, where there is only dirt to dig through. Nova Scotia is all rock, and blasting or digging out rocks is time-consuming and extremely expensive. Thus, wires are exposed to the elements where they are subjected to wind and heavy loads of ice and snow.

Twice, I had to call NSP out for issues that resulted, in one case, in a transformer being replaced and, in the other case, wires spliced and separated to prevent short circuits. The crews appeared within an hour of my complaint and actions were both completed in the evenings. I was very impressed.

Our power rates are not the highest in Canada. In fact, in Alberta, with all that natural gas for power generation and only dirt to put wires in, the rate for a kilowatt hour is two cents higher! We do not yet have the benefit of hydro, like Quebec, to get our rates any lower.

Frequently not mentioned is the fact that the roads in this province are lined on both sides with trees that have exceptional growth rates, requiring constant trimming. I don’t think they have that problem in Saskatchewan.

We had a power failure the other night. Our freezer is good for 12-16 hours keeping food frozen as long as the freezer door is kept closed, and for longer outages that are broadcast by NSP, I can fire up my generator to power the well pump, furnace and some kitchen outlets. You can buy three generators like this for the price of an iphone.

Bob Found, Indian Harbour

PERFORMANCE ON PAR

Recently, several letters and an opinion piece highlighting five main points have appeared in The Chronicle Herald, asking that the provincial government take ownership, in some way, of Nova Scotia Power.

The letter writers suggest that their main motivation is outages, not the cost of electricity. I would ask these people why they think that such a change, from a privately-owned to a publicly-owned utility, would reduce the number and length of the outages.

If I may add this: in comparison to other similar utilities, NSP charges near the average. Finally, folks should not overlook the fact that NSP’S dividends and growing stock price pay a portion of our public pensions. So, in a small way, governments already “own” a piece of NSP.

Gordon Boyce, Dartmouth

GETTING OFF EASY

Re: “Halifax Realtor suspended, fined for breaking quarantine rules” and “‘Where is Snoopy?’: Dartmouth Realtor suspended, fined for taking tenant’s dog” — your Jan. 19 stories about the Nova Scotia Real Estate Commission suspending two realtors. Am I the only one who finds it very convenient that the one-month suspensions run from mid-january to mid-february, a time when real estate sales are low? Not exactly “hard time.”

J.S. Martin, Halifax

PROPAGANDA BROADSHEET

I’m writing concerning delivery by Canada Post of The Epoch Times to our doorstep. This is a far-right paper published in New York as the media arm of China’s Falun Gong religious group. It is the Jan. 1-7, 2021 edition and contains the most vile propaganda and hate.

For instance, they state that Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg used $500 million to undermine the U.S. election in 2020. When I checked into this, I discovered Zuckerberg donated to various organizations to facilitate safe voting during the pandemic. The Epoch Times is selling this as “violating the law.” They say Zuckerberg sought to “increase voter turnout in key Democratic strongholds in several swing states.” There’s nothing illegal about this. However, a reader might believe Facebook violated a law to contribute to a fraudulent election.

This is retaliation against Zuckerberg because he banned ads by Epoch Times from Facebook for lying about their connection to Donald Trump and conspiracy content.

They also insinuate the coronavirus was created in a lab in Wuhan as a weapon against the world. There are some interesting articles about emasculating men and women, preferring the “days of chivalry,” and how socialism is a gateway to hardcore communism.

Every page of this rag pushes misogyny, hate, lies and fear. I used to have some sympathy for Falun Gong, but the organization has grown into a bizarre, racist, homophobic and alt-right hate group now centred in New York with an agenda to incite war between the West and Communist China.

I checked Canada Post’s list of nonmailable items and saw under article 3 (Criminal Code and other offences) that it’s an offence to mail “any article relating to schemes to deceive or defraud the public.”

Free speech is one thing, and criticizing your government is a healthy pastime (we do it all the time), but the publishers of The Epoch Times are misrepresenting themselves and their agenda. With the lessons learned from south of the border, it’s extremely distressing to think this kind of poison can leak into our country as well.

We all live by codes of conduct. By distributing lies, Canada Post compromises its own values and business ethics. I strongly urge it to reconsider distributing this dangerous propaganda.

Bonnie Lavigne, Avonport

MURKY CROSSWALK PROCESS

Re: “Armdale death trap” (Jan. 15 letter). I fully support the concerns raised by H. Marriott. I was also distressed by Sarah Richardson being hit by a van at Herring Cove Road and Woodcrest Avenue in Halifax in December. She was severely injured, and her unborn twin babies were unfortunately killed. I share the grief for Sarah and her family. I understand there is a Gofundme page to help raise money for them.

I am pleased to hear HRM council has recently decided to install crosswalk lights at this intersection. But what will it take for other similar dangerous intersections, such as the Armdale Roundabout, to be treated in the same way?

Calling the Armdale Roundabout a “death trap” is not too strong a term for this set of intersections. As a pedestrian, I can see how dangerous crossing the five major intersections can be, and how alert each pedestrian or cyclist must be. There are no overhead traffic signals on any of these major intersections coming into the roundabout, even though there are rectangular rapid-flashing beacons at some intersections near the schools in the area.

I, too, was also almost hit by a speeding motorist over two years ago, and I still see how dangerous crossing these intersections are.

When I inquired of my HRM councillor about the status of crosswalk lights, I was told that even though HRM staff have been investigating this request for two years, it is only the traffic authority (and not councillors) under the provincial Motor Vehicle Act who can approve this installation and have it funded.

This seems like a classic “damned it you do, and damned if you don’t” situation. Who is the traffic authority and how are they influenced? And more importantly, what level of tragedy must occur before overhead crosswalk lights are installed.

How do we as citizens get the opportunity to ask them to approve the funding necessary to install the long overdue traffic crossing lights? What process are they following, and how can we clarify what will need to happen next? Action must be taken soon so unnecessary accidents, injury and death are prevented.

Ian Johnson, Halifax

RESURGENT SWAMP

I loved Edd Twohig’s Jan. 19 letter. The newly inaugurated president of the United States will stop the Keystone pipeline, he will rescind the tax cuts, which will increase taxes on the middle class, he will welcome the millions of immigrants who are now marching towards the southern border — which will hurt the many Americans who have lost their jobs because of the pandemic — he will stop the construction of the border wall which has strengthened our border and made us safer, he will spend another $1.9 trillion on a relief package which includes bailing out bankrupt Democratic states, he will rejoin WHO, and he will rejoin the Paris climate accord, which disadvantages the U.S. to the exclusive benefit of other countries.

In other words, as Mr. Twohig said, he will give “the Swamp” what it wants. Donald Trump, we miss you already! Lucille Maranda,

Nova Scotia / Las Vegas