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This weeks letters

This is a copy of a letter sent to John Furlong and Jack Poole of the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee. I quite agree with the legacy that the Olympics will leave for Vancouver and Whistler.

This is a copy of a letter sent to John Furlong and Jack Poole of the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee.

I quite agree with the legacy that the Olympics will leave for Vancouver and Whistler. I personally believe that they will also leave a legacy for B.C. winter and summer sports as well as activities throughout B.C.

As you are aware, B.C. is fortunate to have both a summer and winter tourism industry. However, I do not think that the world – including the United States – realizes what we have to offer.

For the years proceeding the Games, Vancouver will host many tourists from throughout the world; we have a market to tap into. How? One can advertise and distribute brochures, but there is another tool we have sitting in storage somewhere in Vancouver: the old plywood model map of B.C. that used to be displayed at the PNE.

To get to my point, let’s find the model map and do some updating to show the locations of all the ski resorts throughout B.C. such as Big White, Silver Star, Apex Mountain, Mount Washington and so on. There are many that the general public and even some people in the ski industry are not aware of. Then let’s set the map up in the Vancouver International Airport.

In doing this it would show the rest of B.C.’s ski resorts that the Olympics are not just for Whistler and Vancouver. I'm sure the ski resorts would participate financially in such an undertaking.

I am willing to participate in any way that I can to see that this project succeeds. My background in skiing started 75 years ago on Grouse Mountain. I was one of 14 who built the Grouse Mountain chairlifts in 1949. I also owned my own ski shop in 1947 after serving in the RCA.

I've always felt that to have a successful Olympics, which I'm sure we will, we must always keep in perspective the citizens of B.C., and this I see the Olympic committee has done.

Sandy Martin

Whistler/Pitt Meadows

Faced with the escalating costs of meeting increasingly stringent federal emission standards and declining profits on full size and luxury vehicles the North American auto industry conceived and marketed the SUV in the early ’90s to take advantage of the lesser emission and safety standards imposed on light trucks and vehicles over 6,000 lbs. This strategy met with spectacular success, so much so that in recent years virtually every auto maker in the world has followed suit. In choosing the bottom line over reduced vehicle emissions the auto industry has in effect declared war on the environment and life on this planet. However, the success of this strategy could not have been achieved without a society that places a higher value on image than it does on the environment.

In very few situations can the driving of an SUV be justified by need. In the overwhelming majority of cases the motivation for driving an SUV is purely image based; that has a higher priority than the environment. And any posturing by manufacturers that the fuel efficiency of future generations of SUVs can be dramatically increased and emissions reduced is moot. The physics of the shear size and weight of SUVs ensure that they will always be more polluting and less efficient than smaller, lighter more aerodynamic vehicles.

Corporations like Intrawest and Whistler-Blackcomb can help by showing leadership. They have a need for some trucks. But executives of Intrawest, Whistler-Blackcomb and other prominent corporations in our community for the most part do not need to drive SUVs. Nor do they show environmental leadership by tying the SUV to their corporate image, the obvious intent of which is to portray it as an essential component of the mountain living lifestyle.

Until society learns to make better vehicle choices the environment will continue to deteriorate and global warming will become progressively worse.

David MacPhail

Whistler

 

I am writing this letter as a concerned citizen to condemn the recent public comments made by the Honorable John Reynolds, my member of parliament, in characterizing the Right Honorable Joe Clark as a "traitor".

As recently reported in the press John Reynolds branded Joe Clark a "traitor" and "bitter old man" after the former Progressive Conservative prime minister said he would prefer Paul Martin over Stephen Harper in the next federal election. Joe Clark said he would opt for "the devil we know," questioning Mr. Harper's views on a number of key issues including gay rights, health care, the environment and foreign affairs.

It is beyond belief Mr. Reynolds’s would accuse Joe Clark, a former prime minister, of being a "traitor". Mr. Clark was first elected as a Progressive Conservative member of parliament in 1972 and never once joined another political party. This is in stark contrast to Mr. Reynolds who has belonged to five separate political parties since entering public life.

Mr. Clark is not a "traitor" to his view of progressive public policy, which mainstream Canadians cherish. I am ashamed that Mr. Reynolds is my member of parliament as his remarks have lowered the debate on significant public policy issues.

Mr. Reynolds owes his constituents and all Canadians an apology for his divisive and hypocritical comments.

Elbert K. Paul

Bowen Island

The Whistler. It’s Our Nature speaker series wrapped up last week with a highly motivational presentation by Dr. David Suzuki. He is such a fantastic figurehead for the environmental movement For those of you who have ever seen Dr. Suzuki speak you know exactly what I mean. He leaves you awe inspired.

It was great to see over a thousand people or a tenth of the entire Whistler population in attendance. (Too bad about the number of folks who treated the lobby as a daycare). For anyone who thinks that the sustainability initiative is losing momentum, the speaker series was proof enough that it is alive and strong in the minds of many.

I must admit, however, that it is pleasing as well as troubling to see the same faces attending the speaker series. The terms "preaching to the converted" comes to mind. So, where are all the unconverted? Dr. Suzuki said that the greatest environmental challenge facing society today was the human mind. He was so right. Exactly how do we engage people who could care less about the environment? We all know who those people are. They drive everywhere with no thought towards carbon emissions or climate change. They build monster houses for themselves and live in them a fraction of the year. They can’t even bother to recycle. They put themselves above everything else and think only in the immediate. They have no idea about the ramifications that their selfish lifestyles are having on others, including the future of their own children. These are the people not in attendance at the speaker series. Too bad.

How do we get people to start thinking about the environment as an interconnected part of themselves? How many more speakers do we need to have to get these people to change their ways? How many more Ph.Ds and scholars with years of experience and knowledge do we need to hear tell us that we are facing a looming tidal wave of environmental problems? Even that 10-year-old kid at Suzuki who asked the question on monster homes was cognisant enough of the issues to see what lies ahead. Why can’t the adults?

Dr. Suzuki was right when he said that we need to shame people into changing their habits. I’m all for it. We need to start being more aggressive about promoting a less consumptive lifestyle and attempting to reduce the footprint that our community has on our local environment. To those of you who don’t care, when will you start? Hopefully, when it is not too late.

Theo Hudson

Whistler

Yet again, the community of Whistler came through like shining stars and helped Zero Ceiling raise over $3,500 at five fundraisers during the month of April. It was a busy month, but well worth it – these funds will greatly help us run our programs in the year ahead.

A huge thanks to our volunteers: Beth, Rochelle, Lindsay, Scott, Penny, Tammy, Melissa and Jory. Also, a big thanks to: Lisa Fernandez, W1, Garfinkel’s, Cittas, Sushi Village, The Crab Shack, Joey and Scotty at the Longhorn, Silicon Mountain Printing, Fourstar Distribution, Ellen Atkin and the photographers from Viseye Photo Gallery, Bonnie and Chef from Chef Bernard’s, Feet Banks and our friends from the Brett Carlson Memorial Fund, Mike Todd and the Sawtooth Film Festival, the Pique Newsmagazine, Colin Adair and SBC Media from Blades of Fury… and last but definitely not least, thanks to Kara-Leah Grant for her hard work and dedication.

In advance, from the disadvantaged youth who will come to visit Whistler in the next year to play — THANKS!

Chris Winter

Zero Ceiling Society

Dear Dom and Katrina,

Thanks for letting us know how you feel! Every once in a while, right here in Whistler, I am a happy, positive person. For some reason I forget that I am in a part of the world where Mother Nature is in charge of the weather, people make money and people spend money, roads and highways are upgraded based on safety concerns, Whistler-Blackcomb is not a fenced in private resort, we welcome people from all over the world to enjoy our powder, whether they are greedy people or needy people. To top it off, we teamed up with Vancouver to invite the best athletes in the world to come here for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, could it get any worse? Say it loud say it proud, I am a WHISTLERITE CANADIAN!

Leslie Weir

Whistler

P.S. In Sun Peaks I hope you take the time to let Nancy how you feel about the Games.

Why go virtual when the real thing surrounds you?

I proudly took my 75-year-old parents on a bicycle tour of our beautiful Valley Trail surrounded by snow-capped peaks on a crystal clear blue day during the Telus World Ski and Snowboard Festival. We stopped in to the village to soak up the energetic atmosphere created by all the people, music and performers. They tasted the free samples of hearty soup, granola bars and yogurt. They marvelled at the athletic manoeuvres performed at the Big Air competition and the balance and precision demonstrated at the bike trials demo. It was all so inspiring, invigorating and representative of what this place is about.

And then we smelled diesel fumes and my mother asked what the big black truck was doing sitting there idling in the middle of the square next to the climbing wall. So we walked around to the back of the truck and peered inside... and after our eyes adjusted to the darkness inside we knew. Too bad, those kids in there really were missing a great day outside. This isn't our nature.

Bruce Mohr

Whistler

Word finally made it 'down under'

Congratulations Max & Marlene.

One commitment down – time to make that career choice and settle down to those golden "tax paying" years...

Brian & Louise Buchholz

Melbourne, Australia