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Letters to the editor for the week of September 19th

Is UBCM convention money well spent? I'm writing to express my utter disbelief and disappointment with the mayor's decision to spend $15,000 worth of taxpayers' money to go to the Union of British Columbia Municipalities convention in Vancouver ( Piq
opinion_letters1

Is UBCM convention money well spent?

I'm writing to express my utter disbelief and disappointment with the mayor's decision to spend $15,000 worth of taxpayers' money to go to the Union of British Columbia Municipalities convention in Vancouver (Pique Sept.12).

I don't disagree that council should go, as I'm sure there will be useful information shared. But spending nearly $9,000 on accommodation for the five days is just plain insane (registration to convention is another $4,987). Surely at least a few Whistler councillors have family and/or friends in the city that they could stay with?

With the money saved they can donate it to local cancer battler Patricia Stoop and her family who are holding a fundraising hoedown on Sept. 29 to raise money for her potentially (fingers crossed!) lifesaving medication.

I know that I would much rather see my tax dollars being put to use saving a local mother's life rather than to shack up councillors in five-star hotels.

I hope that they think about this, as they lie snug in their downtown hotel's king-sized Simmons/Beautyrest beds.

Councillors: you have a choice.

Kate Turner

Whistler

FSC certification on the way

Thank you Louise Taylor (Pique Sept. 12) for your support for Forest Stewardship Council certification. The Cheakamus Community Forest has been working toward FSC certification for the last few years.

We are working with our partners Ecotrust Canada and FSC Canada to prepare of the certification within the next year.

Our Ecosystem Based Management Plan, our carbon credit program, and our FSC application are all recognized as world-class management of the forest. The CCF is dedicated to being the best-managed community forest in B.C..

Thanks again.

Peter Ackhurst

Cheakamus Community Forest

Miss Whistler!

For a small town filled to the brim with so many bros and dudes, one would think it was worthy of mention in either paper last week that this town just inaugurated its newest in Whistler Royalty... Miss Whistler a.k.a Rachel Thom!

Aside from the fact that she is drop-dead gorgeous and looked fabulous that evening, she also happens to be this town's best singer-songwriter and a phenomenal professional photographer.

What an array of talents to showcase to the world — that this town has strong, independent women, working hard every day to make Whistler such an amazing place to live!

On behalf of all the dudes and bros, and for the love of God, please post a picture of a beautiful woman when it's actual news, we've seen enough pictures of guys riding bikes this summer!

Mike FroMontreal

Whistler

Crankworx amazing

A very belated, yet very grateful thanks, to the organizers, volunteers, sponsors, reps and especially the athletes who all made Crankworx the height of an amazing summer for my boys aged 10 and 12.

The boys came home every day with news of their encounters with all the cool riders who spent the time and energy to interact with mine and others' children.

The level of athleticism and sportsmanship seen during Crankworx was mind blowing and the athletes proved themselves to be rockstars both on and off the field.

Kudos and thanks to all!

Jim Barrigan

Whistler

No food, no fun

Overall, I really enjoyed Whistler's first beer festival. The very large crowds reflect today's interest in craft beers and the support of local breweries.

This being their first year there will be some learning from this event.

Like why do we have to crowd all these breweries, and all these people in such a small area? And, as if the general noise of conversation wasn't bad enough, why did they have to blast loud music as well? It was nearly impossible to have a conversation with the venders to learn a little about their beers and the brewing process.

My major beef is with the after-festival activities.

The food voucher that was included with the entry fee was a great idea. My friend and I decided to take advantage of this and have dinner at the Dubh Linn Gate Irish Pub around 6 p.m. on Sept. 14.

I expected it to be crowded and it definitely was. After some delay in getting seated and ordering a pint, we were told that due to the crowds and the number of orders, the manager decided to close the kitchen. CLOSE THE KITCHEN! Wasn't he told that this might happen? Isn't his kitchen capable of dealing with a full house?

The cynic in me tells me that he was well aware of what was going on. He had a full house and all these people had been enticed to redeem a food voucher, that's a lot of $10 vouchers. Why not close the kitchen, invalidate all those food vouchers and since he has a captive audience, they will just drink beer. That should improve profit margins. Of course that's the cynic in me, I would never think that the manager would be that low.

By the way, we finished our beer and went somewhere else for a very nice, quiet dinner.

Daniel Jonckheere

Whistler

(Read related story on page 12)

Please return this family momento

On Sunday afternoon, Sept. 15, I forgot a decade-plus old, blue Gary Fisher "Sugar" full-suspension bike, which I lay in the bushes beside the Valley Trail.

I left it on the section on Valley Trail that runs between the village and Tapleys, and parallel to the golf course and St. Andrews Way. I put it down on the bushes beside the Valley Trail to run up to my house (which is right beside the valley trail) to get something. Unfortunately, I forgot I had left the bike there, changed my plans, and did not put it away. My mistake.

Somebody perhaps thought it was a free for all, as it was just lying on the bush of the trail.

But this bike is very sentimental to my family. It was my mom's first XC bike when we moved to Whistler 20-odd years ago. It means the world to her, and probably not much to you.

If you found it, or see it, please return it to us or let us know — no questions asked.

We make great jams and salsas... delicious preserves and love will be given to bike returners!

Call 604-938-6462, or drop it in the driveway at 6489 St. Andrews Way.

Jessica Braidwood

Whistler

Why are we paying?

Why are Canadian taxpayers paying for Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his pack of ministers and senior bureaucrats to travel to B.C. to shill for Big Oil?

The message has been loud and clear from B.C.: "No" to pipelines and by extension also "no" to any tar sands expansion. Over 160 First Nations have signed the Save the Fraser Declaration, prohibiting the transport of tar sands crude through their lands and waters. Please respect B.C.'s First Nations and their indigenous rights.

There is overwhelming scientific evidence that the tar sands are one of the biggest contributors of climate change in the world. And Harper calls this a nation-building project!

Get your head out of the sand, Harper.

Louise Taylor

Pemberton

Wildlife needs our help

A couple of weeks ago, the Vancouver Sun (Aug. 20) had an article about moose populations plummeting in the Cariboo. Why? Logging companies building new roads to get at mountain pine beetle-killed wood, (which makes it easer for hunters to access moose), (unregulated hunting) and First Nations not needing (to report shooting) moose.

This is a pattern that is going to happen throughout the province to wildlife if better management practices are not on the agenda.

In Granby to Gladstone Provincial Parks the grizzlies are protected, but outside the park boundaries the forest is being logged — cut into smaller and smaller pieces.

The land-use decisions that will determine their fates are being made now and it doesn't look good. Dr. Brian Horejsi, a wildlife forester and scientist, says that unless government changes its course and restricts logging roads in wildlife corridors that link the two parks, grizzlies will slowly fade away (Globe and Mail, Aug. 25). What can be done? A serious effort by our governments in Victoria and Ottawa towards grizzly-bear habitat recovery would be total withdrawal of road building and forest management activities in landscapes.

In the U.S., they have the full power of the Endangered Species Act and the citizen's right to sue government to obey its own laws.

Here in Canada, federal legislation to protect endangered species is weak and provincial laws even weaker.

What's worse, there is no way to force either government to obey its laws. Canada's record is not only worse than in the U.S. it's one of the worst in the developed world.

Do we want our grizzlies and wildlife to disappear? It wouldn't be B.C. without them.

I want everybody to put pen to paper and tell the Christie Clark and Stephen Harper governments to get working on protecting our wildlife.

Governments listen if enough people do it.

We are yielding too much of our wilderness to machines and roads.

Dave Bennett

Whistler

Where was the Pique?

For years I have been a huge supporter of Pique. I tell newbies and tourists alike that Pique is the place to go for all their needs, entertainment, housing, news, etc.

As of today, I regretfully inform Pique that it has lost my support. This is due to the complete lack of coverage of the Pemberton Grizzlies.

This football team has been incredible in uniting Mount Currie, Pemberton and Whistler youth. It has enhanced this part of the corridor and was developed by the unbelievable efforts of John and Anita Burleson.

This team has changed the lives of many boys in the corridor. Two weeks ago when The Grizzlies played The Howe Sound Sounders, uniting the entire corridor on one field, The Question ran a huge picture and a half page story on this amazing afternoon — I scoured Pique for a story and found one small picture with no story.

I was disappointed.

I called a contact at Pique and bemoaned the fact there was nothing on this corridor-changing team playing the Squamish team. I hoped the next game would be covered. Again, I eagerly read through Pique looking for something on these talented and determined young men. Nothing! And they won by a landslide against Coquitlam.

Considering these boys lost all but one game in their inaugural season, and they are bouncing back this year with two wins and zero losses (it's disappointing).

Sept. 19, the Alaskan government is flying them to Alaska to play one of the Alaskan high school teams.

Is this not a story? Is there no interest in the youth in our corridor doing something different, and through sheer determination and hard work, succeeding?

I'm sorry Pique feels no desire to cover this amazing team!

I myself will be there (in Pemberton at their next game) Sept. 28 to cheer them on again.

I hope your newsmagazine does the same.

Stephanie Reesor

Whistler

Making a difference

The Pemberton Philanthropists would like to thank everyone who volunteered, donated, and attended, the fundraising dinner for Pearl's Safe Home, Pemberton on Sept. 13.

In August of this year, three of us began a dialogue about helping survivors of domestic violence in our community. As a result, the "Pemberton Philanthropists" group was formed. Our goal is to support the Howe Sound Women's Centre in raising funds for Second Stage Housing in Pemberton — a facility offering long-term (three to 12 months) secure housing with support and referral services designed to assist women while they search for permanent housing.

Thank you to Howe Sound Women's Centre for giving us the motivation to do this. Thanks also for donations and support from Sea to Sky Community Services Society, Scott Downing (Sysco), Lea Hickenbottom, Pemberton Lions Club, AG Foods, PV Supermarket, Kristen Robinson (Whistler FM), Grace Chadsey (Question), Colleen Cann (Rona).

A huge thank you to our volunteers, James Linklater, Tanya Mullins, Katrina Ahern, Sara Bolton, Grizz Robinson and the Pemberton Legion for hosting. A special thanks to Adrian Ralph for signing up for the Walk-A-Mile event in Whistler on Sunday, and to everyone who gave such great moral support during the advertising campaign!

Please visit our website at www.pembertonphilanthropists.simplesite.com for information on future events and volunteer opportunities.

Steve Hitchen, Adrian Ralph, Cheryl Hooson

Pemberton