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This week's letters

The recent decision by the Squamish Nation to outright reject the amended plan for a gondola project in Squamish was not the first such action by local aboriginal people to kibosh tourism infrastructure projects.

The recent decision by the Squamish Nation to outright reject the amended plan for a gondola project in Squamish was not the first such action by local aboriginal people to kibosh tourism infrastructure projects. In addition to Al and Nancy Raine's Cayoosh Project, the Garibaldi at Squamish proposal and the Shannon Falls gondola mentioned in last week's Pique article, a natural hot springs spa at Shovelnose Creek and a zoning amendment to bring Callaghan Country's existing facilities at Alexander Falls into compliance have also been summarily rejected by band councils recently.

In one small region of the province where substantial economic growth has come from sustainable tourism initiatives, this signals big trouble. In Whistler, with its predominant youth culture, this loss of potential opportunity spells disaster. Clearly, our elected officials are failing to see the signals here.

To say that the process is derailed is an understatement. It's a wholesale #!&%*@ trainwreck, complete with a smoking shell of public policy and a landscape littered with bloodied and dazed citizens. If the current provincial government is to make due on its announcement of increased tourism opportunities then it will first need to make a demonstrated commitment to ensure a reasonable chance for success for Crown land applicants. The current charade of pitting individual proponents against Band Councils has promoted practices which will not fare well under the closer examination and brighter lights of open public process.

The intent of the Legacy Agreement signed between the province and both the Lil'wat and Squamish Nations in anticipation of the Olympics was to usher in a whole new relationship between the corridor communities based on mutual respect and opportunity. It would be refreshing to see some evidence of this.

Now I’m no civics teacher, but I do believe that prescribed public processes must be seen to be fair and transparent and that it is our elected officials’ duty to safeguard and ensure this. First Nations must be consulted in a meaningful dialogue over a prescribed time period and a forum established to focus on identifying and solving real issues. After which, touch decisions have to be made in a timely fashion.

World tourism is one of the planet's bright economic spots. We on the South Coast of British Columbia are positioned perfectly to capitalize on this in the coming five years. It is up to all of us to at least give fair hearing to qualified proponents. In the spirit of the upcoming Games we must each ask ourselves, "Is this my best?" We owe that much to all of our children.

In the interim, we, the non-aboriginal members of the corridor, would be wise to borrow a page from the strategic playbook of the First Nation people and adopt their respect and guidance offered through the wisdom of their elders. Al and Nancy Raine and Peter Alder are internationally renowned tourism leaders and are senior community members of Whistler. Together, they have played significant roles in transforming the corridor's economy from a rapacious resource-depleting monster to an imperfect world model for sustainable tourism infrastructure. We would be wise to at least listen to what it is they have to say. We would be even wiser to ensure we elect and retain officials blessed with this understanding.

Brad Sills

Whistler

RE: Gondola Proposal to the top of the Chief/Shannon Falls

Paul Mathews and Peter Alder really do seem to have selective hearing and vision. Apparently the "climbers and bikers" – the physically fit elitist clan that was so vehemently opposed to the original proposal, I assume – are being "very supportive" of the revamped Shannon Falls proposal. Really? I have heard none of the like. There are mixed opinions about a potential gondola location on the west, Echo Lake side, of the valley. The Chief and Shannon Falls Provincial Parks are fine just the way they are, thank-you very much.

I quote Mr. Alder: "these Indians" who have a "political agenda" have single-handedly shut the revamped proposal down. I’m assuming Mr. Alder is referring to the Squamish Nation, the original inhabitants of this area – lest we forget – and a vital component of the present town of Squamish.

A big thank-you to the Squamish Nation, for putting an end to a locally very unwelcome idea. It is unfortunate that the gondola proponents didn’t do their footwork. A quick survey of local residents, regular folks included, would have let them know that their idea wouldn’t hold water.

I think Mr. Mathews and Mr. Alder owe the community of Squamish, and, in particular, the Squamish Nation, an apology. The manner in which they have referred to several groups of residents, and their complete disregard for local opinions is shocking. As successful consultants to resort management and development they have shown a very elitist top-down approach to starting new projects. Get the community’s support first, and things will go a lot further!

Christopher McCrum

Squamish

I would like to give a big thanks to all of the community members in Tapley’s Farm and all their friends who helped out putting on the best Halloween event ever. The Harry Potter houses and all the people involved were an incredible hit with the kids. The effort involved by everyone in the area was phenomenal! All the hot toddies and gluvine was greatly appreciated by all the chaperones as well.

Thank you so much from my kids, their friends and me!

Heather Lynskey

Whistler

Watson's not so excellent adventure

At around 7 p.m. on Halloween night, while out for his evening business, Watson was spooked by the firecrackers and bolted. For those of you that know Watson, the little Jack Russell who enjoys sitting on the heating pad and watching TV, spending the night out on the town must have been a traumatic experience.

He was found, much to my relief, the next morning in the village. It wasn't like him to take off like that, but it was like him to go find people.

So, Watson, Soda and I would like to say a HUGE thank-you to Nancy Otten and Mike Kirkegaard for helping Watson find his way home!

Cori Ross

Whistler

I agree with the lofty intentions of the OCP and it would be magnificent if a visit to our fair "village" was indeed a unique shopping experience rather than a stroll along "Robson Street North," but the reality of the situation is the ubiquitous infiltration of chain-branded stores, which are the direct result of mass marketing and consolidation in the retail sector.

Whistler is not alone in the demise of unique retail experiences; pay a visit to many quaint places in Europe and you will be greeted with a Disney store! Now I am not advocating that our present version of predictable retail experiences is inherently bad, nor am I defending the idea that London Drugs is a reasonable proposal given the OCP guidelines. The fact that London Drugs is expressing local retail interest is a direct correlation with our shopping habits.

The retail world of Costco, Loblaws, Wal-Mart, etc. exists because many people shop there. If major retailers cannot locate directly in Whistler Village, then they will, in all probability, eventually locate in either Squamish or Pemberton. Ultimately, anyone who expounds the virtues of the OCP while bulk shopping at big-box retail is effectively guilty of creating and feeding the system they denounce.

Keith Kennedy

Vancouver

I am writing in response to last week’s letters from Bob Lorriman, Ken Davey and general opposition to having London Drugs come to Whistler.

The village is what we all refer to when we are going to go into the centre of town to go shopping, meet friends, go to work, to the bar etc. We call it a village purely out of nostalgia and force of habit. But the truth is that Whistler Village is far from being a "village" and lost the "village" definition a long time ago when we moved over for stores like the Body Shop, Birks, Le Chateau, Guess, GAP and not just one but two Starbucks.

Having something like London Drugs come into town is not your typical ski village merchant but since when is Whistler a typical resort? Since when do multi-million dollar hotels like the Westin, Four Seasons and Pan Pacific fall into the category of rural households? I do not think that having London Drugs is to say that Wal-Mart will be next or that it will turn the village into a mall. Its is easy to foresee that businesses like the photo developers, hardware store and pharmacies will no doubt face some fierce competition but sorry, that is business.

Villages turn into towns, towns turn into cities, when a place such as Whistler has so much to offer there is no choice but to grow. I think the London Drugs will benefit all of the average locals who choose to live here and accept exorbitant prices. Maybe now some of the overpriced groceries and other every-day essentials will be off set by London Drugs.

When businesses that are normally seen in the cities come here, the local businesses are forced to rethink their sales strategies and become more competitive and this can only be seen as a positive thing. If there are those locals here that are so anti-corporation then they need to wake up and think about the fact that Whistler resort exists because of a major corporation.

Andrea Hoy

Whistler

No one gets left behind

I have chosen to write this letter to the editor to share with the community the optimism I experienced in hearing the following story. About five weeks ago our nanny, Helen, received a call from the Philippines announcing the sudden and unexpected death of her mother.

After three difficult weeks of grieving Helen boarded a plane back to Canada. Her plane hit a tropical storm over the China Sea and was forced to make a death-defying emergency landing in Japan.

The shaken passengers emerged from the plane and found themselves stranded in the airport. The airline did not feel compelled to offer any assistance to the passengers flying economy. They were not supplied any food or lodging and they were expected to wait and fend for themselves indefinitely.

For the next two and half days, about 30 women and children banded together. They pooled their food and shared it amongst themselves. They took turns babysitting the children so the mothers could get some sleep. They helped each other move children and luggage to different locations in the airport. But most importantly they negotiated with one voice with the airlines.

The airline’s actions demonstrated that they were not terribly concerned for the well being of the passengers. The women did not want to run the risk that some of the mothers and children would be left to fend for themselves. So they used an all or nothing stance to negotiate their flights home with the airline.

By doing so I believe they forced the airline to take some responsibility and made it a priority for the airline to get the group on their way.

This teamwork and caring is also very evident in the Whistler Filipino Community. We as a community and a country are enriched by their presence and have a lot to learn about taking care of each other.

Tim Regan

Whistler

For the first time in a number of years I will attend Remembrance Day services elsewhere than at the Whistler Cenotaph. I know that, as always, the Whistler community will turn out in large numbers.

Here in Australia, Remembrance Day is the more secondary memorial event on the national calendar. April 25, ANZAC Day and the Dawn Service, is the most recognized and significant national day of remembering. It honours the day that ANZAC troops bravely stormed ashore on the Gallipoli Peninsula during WW I as well as the sacrifice and losses of Australia’s war dead since South Africa. For many, the Australian "mateship" phenomenon‚ stems from the sacrifices at Gallipoli. The "Diggers" may be gone but the collective Australian memory lives on.

In England, Remembrance Day is recognized at the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month, as it is in Canada. Though not a national holiday, every year London and all of England comes to a respectful and contemplative halt for two minutes at 11 o’clock.

Veteran’s Day is the Americans’ day of national remembrance – where the country pauses to reflect, remember and pray for peace.

Around the world, from Canada to Australia, from Hong Kong to India and beyond, the world takes time – perhaps too short a time, to pause, remember and offer their grateful nations’ heartfelt thanks.

It does not matter where, how or how diversely we share in that Remembrance, share it across the years and miles we do together none the less.

Young Canadians (often ridiculously young), from Alberta cowboys to Nova Scotia university students to Ontario farmers and Quebec businessmen, left their safe and secure lives and ventured across the globe to places never dreamed of, let alone heard of. In places like Vimy Ridge, Hill 23, the Ypres Salient, Sicily and Singapore these Canadian soldiers, sailors and airmen were called upon and volunteered to do their best while dictators did their worst.

In total, more than 100,000 young men and women left Canadian shores, left to serve and defend in the best way they knew how, never to return.

This November 11th, take more than just a minute to remember the fallen, not just as soldiers lost in the major wars of the last century but remember them too as the sons and daughters, brothers and fathers – lost to their families and friends as well as to all Canadians. Lost not just in global conflict but lost as well in peace time, peace keeping and in lesser conflicts which demanded no less sacrifice and suffering than did the major battles of history.

Across time and across the oceans, We Will Remember Them.

Brian Buchholz

Melbourne, Australia

Re: Dog ban debated, Pique Oct. 29

This was about pit bulls and outlawing them.

This is absolutely, totally "doggie racism". There is no way that a dog can be blamed for an owner's lack of attention and training. People know that pit bulls can be crazed, however, with the amount of people that I have met with these dogs, I can honestly say, none have been vicious; all have been total lap dogs and some of the nicest animals I have hung around with.

If anything, we need to outlaw stupid pet owners.

C. Southall

Pemberton

I agonized over writing this letter because it might appear I've taken sides in the impending canine crusades. My view is that in real life there are no sides and each time we draw a new battle line is another depressing piece of evidence that life has moved farther away from the real, from what it could be. Not wishing to support either side, I hope my best will blur the line.

My 14-year-old indoor cat offers its condolences to Richard Gagne and his family, but I reminded her there are bird lovers that, though not condoning the dog's attack, are thinking one less cat outdoors, at least one more robin.

I do support Richard’s effort to have the leashed dog bylaw strictly enforced if that's what it takes to keep dogs out of my garden. Most dog owners know instinctively that they need to keep their pets on a leash. For the few who don't I put up some signs, a non-confrontational way of trying to persuade them to keep their dogs out of my garden. It didn't work. Despite the signs with both graphics and words the occasional unleashed dog left its owner’s side to make a pit stop in my garden. Each time this happened I was tempted to ask the owner which part of the sign they didn't understand, but I hate confrontation. Retribution can be so harsh. I assume at least one dog was so incensed I was infringing on its perceived right to piss and shit anywhere it wanted, it stole two of my signs. It didn't have to come to this. Richard and I agree, a simple leash can change a dog's nature.

If I don't see any changes in human nature next year, I'm not sure what I'll do. Motion detectors, sirens, lights, water cannons, electric barbed wire, armed guards are some options to protect my garden against the dogs that are free to roam 24/7, or just as destructive, those that are released from their homes at 6 a.m. During the day, despite my aversion to acts of aggression, I'll probably keep running down my driveway, swinging the first tool that came to hand, screaming words that I don't normally use, trying to put such a scare into the offending animal it won't risk a return visit even if its owner misses the point.

Although still unsure of how to protect my garden against unleashed dogs, if I were the muni I know what I'd do about random dog shit. I'd be patrolling the neighbourhoods and valley trails looking for people walking their dogs without poop bags. For the first offence of being caught without a poop bag there would be a fine of $500 or 5 lbs. of roadside dog shit delivered to the bylaw desk, subject to random DNA testing to catch the cheaters. For the second offence the fine would be $1,000 or 10 lbs. of dog shit, and the fines would continue to escalate. This should get the attention of offending owners, clean up the mess and plug the source.

If we do resort to this form of control it will be another sad day, for a poop police patrol should be as unnecessary as needing to enforce a leashed dog bylaw or banning pit bulls. With all due respect to Dr. Lane, I believe a ban on pit bulls is not "doggie racism" but due rather to this recognition of the pit bull as the superior attack dog. If I remember correctly, the Ontario stats were that the pit bull, at 1 per cent of the dog population, is responsible for 50 per cent of all dog attacks. They deserve to be feared. They were bred specifically to tear other dogs to shreds in pits for the entertainment of a bunch of guys missing part of their frontal lobes. Today's pit bulls are not the offspring of losers. They are containers of attack genes, the biological version of nitroglycerine. I am willing to bet I will never read the headline "Chocolate lab mauls 2 year old in stroller." The only uncertainty in hearing about pit bull attacks is how many. This said, I would still not be happy to see the process of banning pit bulls begin. Surely we have frontal lobes. We do not need another battle line.

Already news of our daily activities is depressing enough. We can't keep deluding ourselves indefinitely. There is a point of collapse. How much more unreal can life become?

Doug Barr

Whistler

I am no different than most my age trying to make a living in Whistler. I live in a one-bedroom basement suite where my partner and I are on pause until 1. We move to Squamish or 2. Whistler council or WHA or whoever is in charge of affordable housing in Whistler creates new options for us to live. My problem isn't as much about who is in charge but more so with the type of affordable housing most likely to be created.

I moved to Whistler, like most, for the outdoor recreation options it affords me. I want to get married, have kids, maybe a cat and a dog. My partner is a carpenter here so we'll need a garage. How am I supposed to do that in a small apartment building? I can't. I hope that "whoever" is in charge will realize the need for affordable housing for the locals who would actually like to raise a family here.

Time is ticking and Whistler is losing a lot of good people because they can't start a life. Whistler needs to grow up like a lot of its long term locals have and realize that it can't stay single and partying forever.

Bree Thorlakson

Whistler

I was extremely disappointed with the poor light in which Whistler-Blackcomb staff housing, a.k.a. House, was painted in the segment CTV News aired on Oct. 28th. I feel that House was grossly misrepresented by the incomplete picture presented in their piece. The focus seemed to be solely on how small and barely basic the facilities are.

House has never claimed to be a five star hotel. It does, however, promise a safe, healthy, affordable home for the residents. Yes, House’s units are small and basic but where they lack in size and lavish amenities, House compensates for in the group of House employees who dedicate themselves to making each resident’s stay a positive experience.

Everyone who works at House, from the front desk staff who strive to make the new residents’ first impression a good one, to the maintenance and cleaning teams who are committed to keeping House clean, healthy and in good working order, is continually looking for ways to go above and beyond for the residents.

House does not just pack these kids in and leave them to fend for themselves. The House Advisor program is an integral part of the residence community and their goal is to continually foster the residents’ growth through planned programs in areas such as orientation, recreation, social and educational, as well as peer support and community outreach.

House has been working extremely hard over the past few years to establish, not only House as a whole but the HA program as a valuable, contributing member of the Whistler community. House is trying to move away from the "ghetto" perception of the past toward a more positive image and I feel that CTV's one-sided report has only served to perpetuate the notion of House as a ghetto.

If the reporter had taken the time, as she should have, to go into the House office to talk with any of the supervisors and/or the manager about what House is actually about and what they are trying to achieve, her piece would have presented a more balanced and complete picture.

I would suggest that if CTV News does a story on House in the future, that the reporter takes more time to do a more thorough job of his/her fact gathering before presenting such a blatantly biased piece. Do not judge a book by its cover; there is more to House than just its physical appearance.

Melanie Trotto

Whistler