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This week's letters

Imagine relying on two RCMP, two Search & Rescue members or two firemen to safeguard an area stretching from Squamish to D’Arcy, plus all the urban/industrial settings and remote valleys that branch north and south.

Imagine relying on two RCMP, two Search & Rescue members or two firemen to safeguard an area stretching from Squamish to D’Arcy, plus all the urban/industrial settings and remote valleys that branch north and south. How vulnerable would you feel?

While it is brighter news that we now have two Conservation Officers to patrol this immense area, protection of the water, fish, flora and critters can simply not be met with only two officers situated in one office at the southern end of the region. The geographic challenge is magnified by the sheer numbers of people (local and tourists) and the broad range of activities that spread them all over.

Remember too, that until municipalities have resources to handle bear issues on their own, one officer will continue to be out of action during much of the year responding to unending bear complaints. While he's doing this, five gypo contractors will be dumping building refuse in your favourite remote meadow, mentally challenged, mechanized warriors will be tearing up a spawning channel and poaching will be in full swing on the narrows of the Lillooet River.

Then there is the safety issue for the officers themselves. The work is often dangerous due to remote travel, long days and bad weather. They are frequently challenged by people or animals. If two officers need to team up, then the entire rest of the area is left wide open.

We live in "Super Natural B.C." and if we love it, recreate in it or make money from it we need to be aware that it is under patrolled and thus under protected. We need another conservation officer stationed in Pemberton and/or Whistler. The value of the resource is just too great to leave it so unattended.

D. Harkley

Pemberton

A real Whistler welcome

Welcome to all you newcomers to Whistler. I truly hope you have a great experience here, with lots of snow, fun, new friendships, good memories and life lessons learned to help you in the future.

If you've read the Nov. 5 issue of Pique and G.D. Maxwell's Maxed Out column entitled Welcome to the Promised Land, my suggestion is that you disregard all his recommendations that are morally bankrupt.

Instead, turn to page 20 of the same issue, which has an article about the very worthwhile Welcome Week events. Get involved with these activities. This is the side of Whistler that most locals want to display. Good, clean fun without wasting money and your life on being wasted.

And dear, one-in-a-million Max. You've done it. Accomplished your miserable mission, stirred up controversy… you got my goat!

Before I start ranting, let me say there are times that I've thoroughly enjoyed your articulate style and wit. You write very well. But then there are those other times – quite a few actually – when I want to take your head and tap, tap, TAP it against the wall. This is one of those times.

Even though your intentions may be totally tongue-in-cheek and filled with sarcasm, I'm sure all the community-minded folks working their ***** off at the food bank and all the parents of young people visiting and working in our fair town do not appreciate your recommendation to abuse community services and to fraudulently beg for money.

You're not being a positive role model, Max. You're wasting your God-given talent dishing out the negative. Stop it. Maybe you think you're just painting the picture as it lays before you, but it's within your ability… and moral responsibility… to help raise the standard.

Ah, the power of the mighty pen, the power of the media. It's an awesome responsibility. We will all be held accountable for our actions, our words. Everyone's heard the saying "If you're not part of the solution, then you're part of the problem."

Maybe it's time to give the inside back page over to voices that encourage ways to foster healthy community lifestyles.

Yes, welcome to Whistler. We're glad you're here!

Let me leave you with a recommendation of life-giving words from our Lord and Saviour who came to earth and lived in the real promised land:

"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God will all your heart and with all you soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no commandment great than these." Mark 12:30-31 NIV

Pauline Wiebe

Whistler

I have written this letter to say thank you to McDonald’s for selling 11 cent burgers last week.

I have a couple friends in Whistler who are struggling with their finances and such a good deal really helps ease their burden. They both work full time but are forced to spend almost all of their hard-earned money in rent on four walls (without insulation) and a yard and cash is often tight for bags of food.

But, when McDonald’s started selling cheap burgers they stopped in to save a few bucks by purchasing Big Macs to take home, where they were enthusiastically wolfed down in the hallway.

I really appreciate McDonald’s helping them out, its very difficult in such a dog eat dog town.

Bjorn Gimse

Victoria

Re: Whistler McDonald's prepares for another rush on burgers

How sad that McDonald's is corrupting the diets and spirits of our village's young seasonal workers with 11-cent burgers. How much more land could be forested and full of diversity rather than reduced to "cow meat" factories were it not for Rotten Ronald's and their countless brainwashing advertisements and promotional schemes/gimmicks?

Meanwhile hundreds of young workers scrounge for affordable accommodation while mansions sit empty all around. Are there no shelters for the homeless in Whistler? Twenty-five dollars per night for a dorm bed is way too high. Where is all this money going? Straight into the greedy pockets of filthy rich landowners.

Also, there is too much diesel in the air at Whistler for my tastes. Let's levy a village diesel tax and the money can go to create/subsidize workers’ shelters.

There's a lot more to life than money folks. Wake up!

Ross Victor Hermiston

Whistler

It’s a Canadian game

Hockey is arguably this country’s number one pastime. It may take a back seat to the mountains here in Whistler but I don’t think anyone will dispute its popularity. Whistler has numerous minor teams, a Women’s league with six teams, Men’s A with another six teams, Men’s Rec with 10 teams and an Old Timers division with eight teams. Pretty impressive numbers considering our population. Our willingness to play at 11:45 p.m. or practice at 6 a.m. also demonstrates our love for the game.

As a young hockey player I was always excited to pick up a copy of the Kanata Standard, my community newspaper, and read the articles on the local hockey games that had taken place the previous week. My hope, to see my team and hopefully my name in the paper. My mom still has some of the clips in a scrapbook. While back in Ontario this summer I was able to read a few and they brought back great memories. Those glory days are of course long, long over. I am however concerned that in the 70 to 80 odd pages of your paper, not one mention is made of any of the local teams. I am sure there are many parents and players alike who, in these dark NHL void days (another issue in itself), might appreciate reading about the accomplishments of our local teams and the players on them. Maybe even see their name in print!

Greg Martin

Whistler

I pledge this is my last letter on the Pemberton slope. With two letters published, I wasn't going to push my luck with a third. However, I can't very well duck the first pop quiz ever directed at me – even at the risk of stretching editorial indulgence past the breaking point. (Pop quiz, hotshot… Lloyd Guenther, Oct. 22.)

I had trouble with the quiz. Question 1 asked: of the 13 per cent of land the province set aside to preserve forests how much is "commercially valuable ancient temperate rainforest ecosystems?" More thank 13 per cent, 6-13 per cent, or less than 6 per cent? The correct answer indicated in the quiz: Less than 6 per cent. The inference was that the province has been remiss preserving rainforests. Unfortunately, Question 1 viewed the rainforest hectarage preserved on a provincial basis, while the rainforest is a coastal ecosystem. Hence the unattractive and misleading figure of less than 6 per cent. Viewed in a coastal context, the percentage would be much higher.

Question 2 asked: Why are old-growth forests so much more valuable to logging companies than working forests? The correct answer given: Because of superior wood quality. But wood quality isn't the only reason or even the most important one. Some other stand characteristics that can make old-growth more valuable: species composition – the more cedar, red and yellow, the better (commands premium price); low-elevation, valley-bottom location (easier road construction and cheaper logging); higher timber volume per hectare (cheaper logging); bigger average log size (cheaper logging and milling).

Old-growth isn't always more valuable than a working forest. For example, offered a stand of mechantable-sized, second-growth Douglas fir on the valley bottom or an old-growth stand with little cedar, in goat country, I would pick the working forest.

Question 3: Logging close to town is always a good idea because… was loaded with the word "always". Of course it isn't always a good idea. One wouldn't want to log because it provides timber for local mills, and work for local loggers, mill workers and tree planters in the short term; the area will grow a new stand of timber that provides work for local foresters, brushers, juvenile spacers, commercial thinners, timber cruisers, etc. in the long term; because young forests are more fire resistant; because logging won't keep tourists away (nobody plans a vacation by crossing say Pemberton, Whistler or Powell River off their destination list just because of clear cuts nearby).

I seemed to detect an undercurrent of disdain for working forests in the quiz. It's worth noting that Europe has no commercial old-growth left. Most of its forests are working forests that do very well commercially, environmentally, esthetically and recreationally. Our working forests do likewise.

Joe Bako

Vancouver

Before blankets of winter snow layer our mountain playground, I must make a summer reflection of gratitude to a special group of community volunteers. This group is known as HIT (Habitat Improvement Team).

HIT is a Whistler-Blackcomb facilitated, community involved grassroots volunteer team that focuses on restoring, protecting and enhancing fish and wildlife habitat in Whistler.

This past summer, eight projects were completed with a team of well over 100 volunteers. This diverse group of volunteers through their actions demonstrates a strong community spirit and commitment to protecting our natural environment. The work they do is anything but glamourous yet humour, work ethic and project completion prevail.

Thanks team for being part of what makes Whistler a special place to live!

Arthur De Jong

Whistler-Blackcomb

We in the Upper Squamish Valley would like to thank all of those who have helped us to save the Ashlu River. Sufficient public interest can save a resource. The District of Squamish has said no. The majority of people in the community have said no. The provincial government’s Land and Resource Management Plan, in a recently completed two-year study, has said no to IPPs in the Ashlu. The last step in saving the Ashlu is the SLRD public hearing on the re-zoning application.

Please help us to end the rezoning application process by attending the public hearing at 7 p.m. Nov. 17 at the Sea to Sky Hotel in Squamish.

Trudy Bayers

Upper Squamish Valley

First off I would like to express my deepest sympathy to Martha McLellan. I was heart broken to hear about Bozeman. If this happened to any of my guys, Tonka and Tyson, I would be beside myself. Tonka and Tyson are our dogs. Tyson is a pug and Tonka is a Presa Canerio.

This brings me to Bob Penner. As I read this article about poor Bozeman and came to Mr. Penner’s opinion about Presa Canerios I just became furious. He says he felt like a prisoner in his own home because two Presas lived down the street from him. He didn't even want to leave his house. He has no idea how his racist remarks make owners like me feel. He is putting my dog in a category that does not suit him. Penner didn't ever say those two Presas growled or attacked him. Just because they lived by him he had to put up a fence. Give me a break.

My Presa Canerio is the best dog I have ever known. He is 118 pounds of a gentle giant. His best friend is a 12 pound pug and he's a huge suck and loves every one. I wish Mr. Penner could meet my dog and see that not all Presas, Rotties and so on are bad dogs. I agree with our vet and WAG that this is an owner issue. Just like humans, there are some bad apples but with proper upbringing this can be fixed.

Jackie Elliott

Whistler