Fraud isn’t only way ICBC customers are being ripped off
It is refreshing to see that ICBC is hot on the tail of fraudsters who, according to their figures, are costing us all about $100 a year.
Interesting, though, that there is no mention of the hundreds of millions that are stolen every year by the provincial government, nor of the ICBC funds used for police overtime, road design and repair … and the list goes on.
ICBC in its initial concept was an insurance co-op, where payouts plus overheads would be covered by premiums — a company owned by its membership, you and I. Who gave the government the right to siphon off cash? To do so is illegal taxation.
Let’s not forget B.C. Hydro, B.C. Ferries, B.C. Lottery Corp. and all the other Crown corporations that are being fleeced of our money.
Let’s also not forget that the NDP was not that much better.
Gordon Swanson, Surrey
Prof can’t live in the past
While I respect aboriginal oral traditions, I do believe that University of B.C. law professor Lorna June McCue’s actions (no peer-reviewed research submitted in the last 11 years) appears to show she wants to remain in the oral history of her people’s past.
Civilization has moved on since the oral traditions of her people and I don’t think the university reflects any discrimination by asking for peer reviewed research as part of its tenure-qualification requirements. In fact, I think it is even silly to suggest “discrimination” on such a matter in 2016. We have also come a long way since stone tablets, Chaucer’s English and Robby Burn’s poetry.
Paul Moffatt, Richmond
Low oil is an opportunity
When the tide goes out in one part of the world, it comes in another.
A decade ago, explosive growth in the oilsands attracted workers from every corner of Canada but unintentionally cost thousands of workers in tourism and manufacturing their jobs as the loonie’s value soared. Today, the tide has turned and jobs are being redistributed away from oil toward businesses that can thrive with a lower dollar.
Rather than attempt to resuscitate the oilsands, it would be better to view the low price of oil as a market-driven opportunity to transition workers into industries such as manufacturing, tourism, infrastructure repair, construction and green-energy projects that do not threaten the planet.
Mike Ward, Duncan
Booze not a problem
Re: Fears pot shops are close to schools.
The Dover Arms pub/liquor store has been less than 40 metres, kitty-corner across Denman Street, from King George secondary school since 1975. That’s more than four decades with no apparent problems.
Peter Lipskis, Vancouver
Tolls everywhere a bad idea
I can’t believe some people want tolls on all Metro Vancouver bridges at a lower rate. How long would it be before those tolls would rise?
When has any government been responsible when given this type of option? Come on, people, this is not a solution.
Ray Harms, Surrey
Market will sort itself out
Let the market, not government intervention, sort out housing prices.
There are two key reasons for today’s property values. Excessive collateral, accumulated by baby boomers who have ridden the inflated property ladder for years and low interest rates.
Prices will fall without government intervention when there are fewer buyers than sellers. As the baby boomers retire, a lot of housing stock will flood the market. When that happens, the buyers will largely be immigrants and young people. Most of these buyers have little collateral and interest rates will probably be higher. The real-estate bubble will burst soon enough.
The editorial pages editor is Gordon Clark, who can be reached at gclark@theprovince.com. Letters to the editor can be sent to provletters@theprovince.com.
