Letters to the editor

No exceptions to pesticide ban

To the editor:
RE: Kelowna advocates pesticide-free living

The headline read "Kelowna advocates pesticide free living" however in the article it clearly states all the exemptions from the bylaw include certified pesticide applicators or better put businesses that charge you to spray and City of Kelowna lands.

How can the City force us not to use pesticides when lands owned by the City are exempt from the bylaw? The bylaw is obviously all smoke and mirrors. Furthermore, the bylaw is all fine unless it affects someone's pesticide business then all bets are off and it is spray as much as you want. If the City is going to make a bylaw banning pesticides then it should apply to everyone, businesses and city lands included.

Jack Gilbert

Different breed of rabbits

To the editor:
RE: Not your regular roast and potatoes

After speaking with numerous "rabbit and animal experts" in Kelowna, it is my understanding that actually these types of rabbits would not produce quite the feast you are describing. They do not have a lot of meat and it is tough and not tasty. They are the same breed as domestic rabbits, not wild ones that people hunt (therefore the meat is different).

Do you know what TRACS stands for? It really does not make sense to kill a bunch of rabbits and put the money towards TRACS. Perhaps you should go to their website and read more about them and what they stand for.

TRACS

Courtney Morgan

Red Wings were awesome!

To the editor:
RE: Red Wings thrill thousands at practice

I'd be the first one to admit, I used to absolutely dislike the Red Wings with a passion. They are the team Canuck's fans are supposed to hate. But I went to see the practice because how many times do we get to see an NHL team in Kelowna? Besides the brains of the operation (Ken Holland) is from Vernon!

So I went down there and wow it was awesome! The players showed class. They came on the ice early and they stayed out late. After practice they goofed around, joked with the fans and each other...and even did some showing off!

Needless to say my attitude towards the Wings has changed slightly. No worry fellow Canuck fans, you won't see me cheering them on any time soon! The icing on the cake was when I saw Ken Holland, the Vernon boy walking in the hallway like he was just another fan, and not one person recognized him, even people sporting Red Wings jerseys! I just had to get a picture with him. And he said sure, asked me where I was from, was a very pleasant man. There should more of those guys in the NHL. I didn't stay for autographs, pictures are worth more to me ...but the kids had a great time, some came out with free sticks and pucks...smiles all around!

Thank you Red Wings for stopping in Kelowna. I hope you guys come and visit during the summer and hang around a bit longer!

Thank you to the people of Kelowna for donating (on the first day) 25,000 worth of food donations! We rock!

Alicia Ferri, Kelowna

To be Canadian

To the editor:
RE: They Came

This is in response to the poem "They Came" written by Rosalie Chalmers.

I would like to extend a very sincere thank you for publishing the poem that you wrote.

I had not supported the Olympic Committee with their gestapo like regulations, like trying to go after Olympia Pizza, etc., or having our souvenirs made in China.

However, I always supported the athletes and their families for the sacrifices, their work, their talent, and their dedication to the sport they loved.

Yes, we are saddled with a large debt, but when the games began I became a proud Canadian and BC Resident. I watched as many events as I could, cheering on our Canadians, even if they couldn't hear me. But I also applauded any athlete who excelled in their sport.

My eyes welled up when our beautiful and inspirational Joannie Rochette took to the ice, rose to the occasion and carried her bronze medal with such absolute grace.

And I have to say...I was doing a lot of woo-hoo's when Canadian hockey dominated.

But I was very proud when US journalist/anchorman Brian Williams left his thank you note. We are different. Canadians are a proud bunch but we don't have to shove it in everyone's face. (Okay, well maybe the men's Hockey Game against the US is an exemption to that rule). But he let his Country know that indeed, we are a caring, friendly people. That we don't need soldiers front and center with their automatic weapons on display for all to see. And he even mentioned that if someone got sick or hurt, they didn't have to figure out if they could afford to go to the doctor or not. Maybe it didn't snow when we wanted it to, but we did the best we could.

Your poem reminds me of what it is to be Canadian. And for that, I once again say thank you!

Annette Oystryk

Poor quality for top dollar

To the editor:
RE:
SD23 needs to trim another $4.5M

Rolli Cacchioni, does it always have to come down to teacher salary or teacher benefits or teacher pensions when we speak of a shortage of money? When we have a shortage of money (as all of us do right now) can't teachers go without (as all of us do right now) an increase for a year?

I am sick and tired of it always boiling down to some benefits or perks or salaries that must go up every year! Who says?

Public workers are robbing us blind! It is happening in America and it is happening here too. People love government jobs because they know it is minimal skills for maximum pay! And the shoddy workers of them are protected by the Union!

Now they must do some "entrepreneurial things" to make some money. International Education Program? You think our education system is really that good that it is worth it for foreigners to come here for an (expensive) education? Knowing what I know about our education system, I would
not pay for it. We have a 30% dropout rate. We have people that can barely read or write after finishing. I know of a student in Grade 12 that had
a 40% mark in a course (a fail) but they "bumped" the mark to 60% and voila--you passed!

I wish our school system could be re-vamped to be all private. That way, if one school is not up to snuff, you can go to another one and pull your dollars out from the first one. That would make them be better! But the way it is set up now, as with all government things, it is poor quality for top dollar. The only other choice we have right now is to continue to pay into the public schools and then go and pay for a private one.

Don't worry, Rolli. I am confident you will find the money somehow. It has always happened in the past.

Pat York