Taxpayers stripped of choice about donating to parties
One of the NDP election campaign promises was not to require taxpayer funding of B.C. political parties. I’m always amazed at the difference between pre-election promises and postelection actions.
Previously, we were able to financially support a political party of our choice and receive a political contribution tax credit on our income tax.
Now, apparently, we get to fund political parties without the benefit of a tax deduction. More money from our pockets to theirs.
Keith Lanphear, Abbotsford
Voters are suckers
In the 1920s, very famous Wild West entertainer Texas Guinan started each of her shows by saying, “Hello, Suckers!”
This is exactly how NDP Premier John Horgan should have started his announcement of the election finance reform bill.
Alvin Towriss, Hope
Pot notions ‘unworkable’
Op-ed writer Malcolm Bird does not so much discuss the legalization of marijuana as describes his vision of the regulations he thinks should be imposed after legalization.
His recommendation is to have bureaucrats decide who grows, sells, buys cannabis and even what strains can be grown. This action would place cannabis directly under government control, thereby increasing prices, convoluting regulations and driving marijuana users like me back to my local pot supplier. Bird wants to take away free choice, the entrepreneurial spirit of our society and eliminate our free choice of product types. He thinks we need more police and policies to allow police to determine which pot has been legally procured and which has not. How does this work with our legal right grow our own?
His idea of legalization is almost as unworkable as the current model of prohibition.
Mike Welsby, Duncan
Drugged drivers?
I have been thinking about the issue of legal marijuana use in terms of drivers overall, not just professional truck drivers.
I’m sure I am not the only person who is concerned about drivers in general being possibly impaired due to marijuana use?
Elly Stornebrink, North Vancouver
Canada ‘being destroyed’
We all know that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has opened a can of worms with his promise to legalize marijuana by next July.
However, as Malcolm Bird writes so well, he will be dumping the enormous task of legislating this on the provinces.
Lawlessness will prevail. The chaos has only just begun.
Canada, as I once knew it, is being destroyed. We’ve strived hard for a smokefree environment ... and now this?
Caroline Duncan, North Vancouver
Crosswalks not for rainbows
Crosswalks exist to insure public safety, not to display the political propaganda of interest groups.
They are painted white for a very important reason — to make them visible, not only for the pedestrians, but drivers, particularly during darkness.
Painting a crosswalk in rainbow colours may distract some people.
The colour white contains all the colours, making it perfectly neutral and a symbol of diversity and equality for all.
Bozenna Siedlecka, Port Moody