Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

Letters to the editor

I want to make a clarification regarding remarks I made about the flooding and the dredging of certain creeks.

I want to make a clarification regarding remarks I made about the flooding and the dredging of certain creeks.

To begin with I never made any connection between the tragic loss of four lives at Rutherford Creek and DFO’s refusal to approve dredging in the Pemberton Valley Dyking District. When I said DFO put fish ahead of lives I was referring to how the flooding might have caused less damage if DFO had approved dredging as had been requested.

And I was definitely not blaming civil servants; I was putting the blame squarely on the shoulders of those who are to blame, the Cabinet Ministers in charge. When I was a Minister in government, I always shouldered the blame and in opposition my aim is always to make a clear distinction between those who give the orders and those who carry them out.

DFO employees are not to be maligned for the wilful neglect and indifference of the Cabinet Ministers to whom they report.

John Reynolds, MP

West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast

I have been overwhelmed and amazed in the last week at the resilience, strength and kind-heartedness of the people in this corridor. Just when I think whistler is losing its small town feel; just when I think it might be time to move on, tragedy strikes and, yet again, I am reminded of how the people in this area so freely open their hearts and wallets when it’s needed the most.

Our friends were missing and we were gathering each day on Citta’s patio trying to figure out a way to help. We were told that it was too risky to aid in the search, and we couldn’t get to Squamish or Pemberton to even fill sandbags. We were frustrated. Through that frustration grew the idea to fundraise. Volunteers sprouted up from all directions and the next thing I knew we were pounding the pavement asking for donations.

Sure we expected some support, but we did not expect generosity of this magnitude! We were, and continue to be, absolutely "blown away!" Thank you to everyone who donated, to everyone who made bids, to everyone who participated in the raffle and in the Casino Night, and to all of you who showed up at Moe Joe’s on Friday night.

I would like to personally thank Dave Wellensky, a real hero, for planting the seed in all of us. I would also like to thank the following people for putting ideas into action: Tannis Ryan, Matt Steele, KJ Johnson, Pete Morry, Jeff Morgan, Julie Tanas, Kenny Shook, Katie Norton, Little John, Mikey G., Angie Aiken, Alicia Brooksbank, "Raffle King" Ryan, Caroline Budgell, WDC, Ryan Pepper, Carrie Hunter, Sarah Moodie, Traci Despatis, Tara Revitt, Micah, Jodi Hallett, Jaclyn Allison, Deanne, Citta’s and Crab Shack staff, and our support crew: Johnny Comedy, Q, Nolan. I’m sorry to anyone I might have forgotten.

To Kiwi Dave, Sandra Borton, and Moose, who were amongst the many as moral support on the Pemberton side, I extend a huge thanks.

Andy Flynn you are a king amongst men! You and Sandy have been our pillars of strength. I would also like to extend my gratitude to the staff of Moe Joe’s, The Boot, Gaitors and The Shoestring for keeping your doors and hearts open during this difficult time. You have been tireless in your resolution to keep going.

Eddie and Jamie I will miss you. We all will miss you. But I know somehow that we will see you again. We will feel your spirit in the kindness of this place; we will hear you in the laughter of all those who love you, and we will see you in the smiles and faces of the friends you have left behind. You will never be forgotten.

Casey: I would like to thank you for teaching us to believe in miracles.

I’ve learned a lesson this week, a monumental one. Although the face of Whistler is changing its heart is only getting bigger.

I guess I’ll stay a little while longer.

Take care of each other.

Angie Nolan

Whistler

I am sick and tired of reading about the Neanderthals that continue to leave garbage in inappropriate places, causing unnecessary bear conflicts, and subsequently, bear deaths. The pathetic $200 fine that bylaw officers are allowed to enforce is about as an effective deterrent as deet is against a charging grizzly. Is $200 the value we place on a bear’s life? And why wasn't any action taken against PCL Construction, after the repeated garbage violations at their Four Seasons site resulted in a young bear’s death? I suppose the futile matter of its demise must not get in the way of Whistler's development!

Finally, I have to ask why the "conservation" officer, that turned up at the Four Seasons site, had forgotten to bring his tranquilizer gun with him? (as reported in the Oct. 9 edition of The Whistler Question.) I'd be pretty pissed off if my house was ablaze and the firefighters had forgotten to bring a hose with them!

Harvey Lim

Whistler

I was shocked when Whistler Taxi drivers showed up to pick me and my infant son up without a car seat. This was after they offered to provide one.

When I provided my own seat I was met by a grumbling driver who advised that it took mothers too long to get their seats into the cars. This was time that he could have been picking up more trips!

And then he had the nerve to suggest that I travel with my son in his stroller and he could wedge the stroller into the back of his mini van. I was advised that this was what all the mothers were doing to save time.

A world-class resort and we can't even get it together to get infant seats in public transport!

Marnie Lee

Whistler

The other day I had breakfast at the Double D. While I was there I had a good conversation regarding the railway passenger service that we lost last year. I was told that in Europe, they have excellent rail services. Yet, even though the highways are over crowded, people drive anyway and the railcars are mostly empty except for a few tourists.

After this conversation I realized, people just don’t get it. Everyone knows that tourists prefer railways to buses. This is supposed to be a world-class tourist destination. Yet we are forcing a majority of the tourists to see the Sea to Sky from the inside of a bus on a highway that is not all that safe. Most people who are reading this have experienced this ride at least once. Now compare that with the last time you rode the train between Vancouver and Whistler. If you have never done it, it’s because the service was never really provided, was it? Did you know that the International Youth Hostel, which had its own railway station, was often refused service?

A passenger train is a more pleasurable experience for a tourist then any bus. Does anyone understand that by providing the tourists with a passenger service we will be enhancing the over-all "Whistler" experience? Not to mention reducing highway congestion at the same time?

Whistler often touts the performance of the local transit services. It is these same people that would benefit from a publicly funded passenger service. The system was already in place. BC Rail, being a Crown corporation, funded the entire service with its profits. After the railway is sold, no other corporation will provide us with a passenger train. If we ever want an affordable passenger service again, it will be funded by you. The taxpayer.

Bjorn Gimse

Whistler

Re: Get a grip (Pique letters Oct. 24)

Just trying to keep the dialogue going a little bit further. I am certainly not advocating filling in the golf course full of roofs and roads. I don't have that "rape and pillage" attitude that all developers seem to posses.

One thing for sure is that between now and 2010 we will all be losing some part of our own personal green space. "For the benefit of the community," we are told! Wow! Anybody really believe that crap?

I can’t talk for all of us but I moved here for the peace and quiet, and to be outside, close to nature doing whatever it is I feel like. All that seems so threatened lately. With all the mega hotels, mega homes stuffed full of anal money, traffic congestion and the Olympics. What’s left for the working families?

What's needed here will never be built; it just doesn't fit into the "bottom line".

When did I fall asleep and wake up in Burnaby?

See ya all at the CSP.

Guillermo Bright

Whistler

Last Sunday I spent nearly three hours on the Whistler Air dock waiting for my partner to get a flight down to the airport for a family emergency. There was a long line of people waiting to check in and get on The List. This line extended right down the dock and almost to the grass at the edge of the lake. It didn't matter if you had made reservations or not, everyone was flying stand-by and it was essential to get on this list. There were hoards of people who had already checked in and were waiting for their plane to load on to. Milling about everyone were dogs, kids, and luggage stacked all over the place. It was a zoo.

What was amazing was how well the staff of Whistler Air organized and pulled this monumental task together. They had staff outside calling names and placing people in pods for their plane to arrive. Once the plane arrived – and at times there were up to five planes at the dock – they would get everyone efficiently loaded. I left my partner on the dock at 5 p.m. and it looked like they were successful in getting the masses of people down to Vancouver. Likely they have seen several days like this one over the past week. I would like to not only commend the professionalism of Whistler Air, but also, to say how much your hard work was appreciated. Thank you to all the staff, the pilots and all the charter companies who came to help.

Jenny Angus

Whistler