When protests step on others’ toes
The ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ reported that pro-Palestinian protesters at the Art Gallery of Ontario claimed that they were being vilified after blocking the entrance at which the prime minister was scheduled to attend a gala dinner with the visiting prime minister of Italy and members of the Italian community. The event had to be called off because of security concerns.
People were correct to criticize these “protesters”; they disgraced ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½. The right to protest ends when someone else’s rights are affected.
Protests are not peaceful when hateful speech is used, when threats are made or when right of passage is denied. The protesters constitute “unlawful assembly.” Police need to be more active, i.e. make arrests, when protesters break the law. In fact, the Criminal Code of ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ Clause 69 requires that “a peace officer who receives notice that there is a riot within their jurisdiction and … fails to take all reasonable steps to suppress the riot is guilty of an indictable offence.”
It is a shame that our police forces, including Victoria police, break the law in this manner.
Kenneth Mintz
Victoria
Where’s the evidence liaison officers work?
Re: “Police chief and school board remain at loggerheads on officers in schools,” comment, March 5.
Les Leyne continues to advocate on behalf of Victoria police in their quest to reinstate police liaison officers in schools. He is of the opinion that dropping the program was “ill-considered.” On what information did Leyne rely to have formed this opinion?
According to their website, the Greater Victoria School Board serves 18,000 students in 27 elementary, 10 middle and seven secondary schools located in the municipalities of Victoria, Esquimalt, Saanich, Oak Bay and View Royal. The province’s Human Rights commissioner, the school board and the staff in those schools requested cancellation of the liaison program because there is “strong evidence” that it causes “more harm than good.” Does Leyne have evidence to support his opposing point of view? Are the police in Saanich, Oak Bay and View Royal also prepared to provide personnel should “hard evidence” be presented to have the program reinstated?
To be clear, I am a white woman, nearing 80. I support the minority who are and have been traumatized, stressed or discomfited by a police presence. Having heard stories from older siblings about black-uniformed, black-booted, gun-toting invading soldiers occupying Holland in the Second World War, I understand the stress. Sidestepping minority concerns has led us into troubled waters in the past. Let’s take a deep breath and allow the research to speak for itself.
C.J. Van Elslande
Victoria
Police liaison officers needed in our schools
In light of the recent evidence of blatant gang recruitment in Victoria schools, I am astounded by the continued resistance to maintain police liaison officers. In this day and age when our youth are more vulnerable than ever, that should be all the more reason to have a police presence so children and teens feel like they have a safe place to turn if they feel threatened.
I am a mother of three boys (ages 21, 20 and 16) and I am well aware of the temptations kids face today and the added pressures of social media and pressure to “fit in,” and this is all the worse for the vulnerable kids who are preyed on by these criminals.
Do we really worry more about “hurt feelings” of the small percentage of students who might not feel comfortable with a police presence at school than potentially saving lives? Shame on you, Victoria school board and ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ Human Rights Commissioner Kasari Govender for not standing up and protecting our youth.
The police liaison officers do incredible work and provide a safe environment for kids to turn if they feel they are in trouble. Make our kids a top priority by reinstating the police liaison program, as it is wrong on every level to shut it down. Otherwise these gangs are going to gain control and infiltrate our schools, and you are making it easy pickings for them.
Jenny Bishop
Saanich
Turf opponents of liaison program
After reading Tuesday’s paper, I am requesting the termination of the Victoria School Board members and ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ Human Rights Commissioner Kamari Govender immediately. After repeated requests by police Chief Del Manak, Premier David Eby, Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth and the Opposition ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ United, all supporting the reinstatement of the police liaison officer program in schools, the school board is still denying this “based on evidence from elsewhere.” Well, this is Victoria and not elsewhere.
Diane Smith
Fairfield
Province must clarify types of e-bikes
Re: “Should mobility scooters and wheelchairs be allowed in ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ bike lanes?” March 4.
Many mobility scooter users already prefer roads and bike lanes in preference to sidewalks, which sometimes can be undulating, cracked etc. I don’t envision a problem with mobility scooters and wheelchairs on the bike lanes/paths, but do understand others’ objections.
But the real issue here is the lack of action by the Ministry of Transport in amending the Motor Vehicle Act to adapt to all the varied types of transport out there.
E-bikes seem to get lumped together and quoted as such, when in fact, there is a wide difference in the types of “e-bikes.”
Then we have all the other e-assist modes of transport, but the Motor Vehicle Act is not acting accordingly by classing the types of devices allowed on bike paths/lanes. In the EU and U.K., anything with a throttle that is capable of speeds greater than six kilometres per hour are generally classified as a motorcycle.
A class 1 e-bike is purely pedal-assist, which means that the rider must pedal to make the bike move, has no throttle, has a maximum speed of 32 km/h and a maximum of a 500-watt motor. Many of the e-bikes being sold in ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ have throttles, fat tires and certainly more resemble motorcycles, which they technically are, albeit electric. Should they be in the bike lanes and paths? Should they require a licence and insurance just as other motorcycles do? Just because the manufacturer cobbled some pedals onto them does not make them a bicycle.
Now we have the e-kick scooters and e-skateboards, which are even faster than some of the fastest e-bikes, throttled or not. Those users seem to ride where they want, be it sidewalk, bike path/lane or road, sometimes at incredible and dangerous speeds, especially to pedestrians.
Much better legislation is required, yet the Ministry of Transportation folks seem to be sitting on there hands with their collective heads in the sand worrying about mobility scooter users.
Adam Kanczula
Sidney
Finally, a good use for our bike lanes
Re: “Should mobility scooters and wheelchairs be allowed in ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ bike lanes?” March 4.
The traffic chaos and pedestrian hazard caused by the imposition of barrier-protected bike lanes onto numerous city streets may finally become justified by finding a reasonable number of users for them: riders of motorized-assist machines and micro-mobility devices.
Our roadways are clogged with vehicular traffic, and our sidewalks are crowded by pedestrians and panhandlers; but one can wait a long time to spot a cyclist using the vast stretches of our spacious and intrusive bike lanes.
There is no room for the growing number of motorized mobility users on either our roads or our sidewalks. Accommodating them in our seriously underused bike lanes may eventually render worthwhile the large taxpayer expenditure on their contentious creation.
Robin Farquhar
Victoria
Health care for healthy athletes
Re: “High-risk athletes should pay more,” letter, March 5.
To suggest that athletes should pay more because of risks they take is ludicrous. While I don’t partake in high-risk sports, I did have a major injury from a skiing accident. Broke my femur, ground ambulance, air ambulance, surgery to install hardware and surgery to remove it a year later. Nasty, but no other health issues before or after.
Why? Because I take care of myself. I exercise, I eat healthy, I don’t smoke, do drugs or drink to excess. Those that don’t take care of themselves through bad and unhealthy habits cause a bigger strain on the health systems than an athlete. How about those unhealthy individuals pay more? Their health needs are not one-offs. They are constant and ongoing. Frustrating for those who lead healthy lifestyles and have to wait in line with those that don’t take care of themselves.
Ron Vermeulen
Victoria
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