That’s another man’s opinion
Ben Meisner may have coined the phrase “that’s one man’s opinion” at the end of his radio and print editorials but he certainly wasn’t the only one with views about Prince George. Longtime resident Svend Serup died on Sunday at the age of 93. Regular Citizen readers over the years will certainly recognize Serup’s name from his many letters to the editor published, going back to his very first in 1970.
Earlier this year, Svend started a petition in opposition of the result of the pool referendum and in support of a community pool to be built in the Hart. He submitted the 1,600 signatures he collected to city council in February.
Like clockwork, Svend always called The Citizen whenever his latest letter hadn’t appeared within a few days, politely asking if it had been received and, if so, when it might be published. He adapted with the times, as well, moving from mail to fax to email to send in his opinion.
We published Svend’s last letter, Reconciliation needs truth, on April 12.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Julia (also a longtime letter writer to The Citizen),and a large family, including son Paul, who has followed his father’s footsteps in often airing his political and social views to Citizen readers.
Svend’s funeral service is at 1 p.m. today at the First Baptist Church.
In tribute to Svend, here is a sampling of his letters to the editor from over the years:
“It seems to me that Prince George city council is not performing to well when it approves without question a tender for the expansion of the library at $12,650 above the estimated cost. No doubt a few frills could have been cut off the plans to help stay within the estimates.
Plans for city hall and the senior secondary school were both cut down extensively to stay within the allotted funds and I am sure everyone will agree that the end results in both cases serves the purpose adequately.
Just because there funds which can be borrowed without a referendum should not mean that city council should not practise frugality.
The argument, by some council members that since Mayor Harold Moffat had not objected when work on Third Avenue had exceeded the estimated cost, that there should be no objections to this either, does not say much for their judgment. In my opinion, if council wants to base their decision on the assumption that two wrongs make a right, they have hit a new low.” — May 31, 1971
“Re: HIV Positive man gets more than three years to child sex assault and child pornography (Canada section of The Citizen, Feb. 14).
I am responding to the report about the trial of Warren Allen who received a sentence of only three years and three months for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old boy, and bragging about it on the internet.
This man, who had a collection of thousands of images of children involved in sexual acts with adult males, should be jailed for life.
Judges who cannot understand that there is a need for long sentences for a pedophile – such as Warren Allen – in order to deliver a message that society will not tolerate gross child abuse – such as the like this man is guilty of – should not be on the bench.
Perhaps it is time for legislation to have judges elected by the people, with the provision that they can also be recalled, by a majority of the voters.”
— Feb 22, 2012 “I enjoyed reading Art Betke’s letter of April 7.
Not everyone, however, agrees with his well thought out remarks about the over reaction on this side of the border about the new president of the United States of
We published Svend’s last letter, Reconciliation needs truth, on April 12.
America.
Two letters have now been published in The Citizen opposing Art, including personal attacks, calling him a fool and lunatic for not thinking the way they apparently do.
Such personal attacks could indicate that these letter writers lack rational arguments to put forth.
There have been some news media reports of Americans fleeing to Canada and Justin Trudeau has proclaimed that Canada’s doors are wide open.
In view of this, some statistics quoted by a letter writer in the April 15 National Post are interesting.
He states that last year, 15,000 Canadians applied for and received permanent residency in the U.S. while only 7,500 Americans sought and received the same in Canada.
Adjusted for population, this means that Canadians are 20 times as likely to flee their home country as are Americans, so it seems that Canadians are using Trudeau’s wideopen door policy to escape to the land of the brave and the free.
Of course Donald Trump has his faults, as Art Betke stated but when it comes to unqualified leaders, Canada elected one a whole year before the U.S.”
— April 20, 2017 — Editor-in-chief Neil Godbout