CUPE playing fair?
I read the comments of representatives of CUPE 2010 in the papers last week with great interest and chuckled about Peter Davidson’s apparent concern about and for the community and those that live here. This has not been my experience in my recent dealings with CUPE 2010.
CUPE 2010 recently ran a series of ads on a local radio station using a fictitious "Whistler Mortgage Consultants" company that cast my business "Whistler Mortgage Company Ltd." in a bad light. The name used in the ad was so close to my company name that it resulted in a number of customers and friends calling me and demanding to know the meaning of the ads. They were offended and confused by the ads and thought my company "Whistler Mortgage Company" had placed the ads. The action of CUPE 2010 caused damage to my business.
My attempts to discuss this issue with CUPE 2010 have been met with unsatisfactory responses. A call to Peter Davidson of CUPE 2010, to request the ads be pulled, elicited the reply "that they were paid for and would run till they finished" and referred me to Robin Jones, the union negotiator. After leaving several messages, Mr. Jones finally called back and left me a message that he has nothing to say to me and to speak to the union’s lawyers.
It appears that CUPE 2010 feels it is okay to operate under a double standard. CUPE President Barry O’Neill and Peter Davidson apparently feel free to espouse "community values" but cannot deal with an issue in which CUPE 2010 caused damage to someone in the local community.
I am a small businessman who has worked in and for the community for 28 years. Is it too much to ask that CUPE 2010 should "Play Fair" and respect all of the community?
Roger Stacey
Whistler Mortgage Company Ltd.
In support of the concept
I was very pleased to read Alison Taylor’s report regarding the new conceptual plans for the development of lands at the Whistler Racquet Club. As an avid tennis player approaching senior-hood I feel the conceptual proposal would satisfy both groups. I was hoping that the Holborn Group would live up to its past promise of making the Whistler Racquet Club a world class facility. Their idea of creating a permanent roof structure with added indoor courts would be a great improvement over the current bubble; adding better heating, lighting and court availability.
In my personal experience the Whistler Racquet Club is in a perfect location. It is central and accessible to locals and tourists alike. It also offers the added amenities of the Wildwood Restaurant and Outdoor Patio, a TV lounge, a fitness room, an outdoor heated pool and whirlpool, change rooms and free parking. The proposal to upgrade and improve these areas would be much appreciated by all of those who work and use these facilities on a regular basis.
As an approaching senior I was also excited to read about the proposed seniors housing project. Every day I read statistics about the emerging baby boomer market. The community would be well served to begin construction of some senior housing. Seniors today are much more healthy and active. They are looking for multiple housing options that offer both affordability and investment opportunities. In addition they need accessibility to good health care, different modes of transit and venues for socialization.
I hope the Holborn Group and the municipality will continue to work with and consult both groups for the benefit of the larger Whistler community.
Mark Watson
Whistler
Time to deliver on promise
I was pleased to read that the Holburn Group, owners of the Whistler Racquet Club and surrounding land, have proposed building seniors’ housing on the site. They also said that they plan to make much needed improvements and an expansion to the racquet facility. But there are few details and we have seen no plans. 17 years ago, Park Georgia, the former owners of the property were granted over a thousand bed units for providing some first class amenities to the community; a world class tennis centre capable of hosting sanctioned televised events, a golf academy, a massive destination spa, and nature trails. None of these commitments have been realized. Park Georgia left town, pockets full, after selling 125 townhouses. The new owners want to build more townhouses and more carrots are being offered to the community.
Will we have to wait another 17 years before we realize, that once again, we’ve been duped? I believe that council has a duty of care to ensure that when a developer makes commitments to this community in exchange for huge development rights, that they are fulfilled in a timely manner. No more broken promises.
In 1988, council saw the need to improve the resort’s product, to make Whistler competitive with the world’s top mountain resorts. Unfortunately, we are still waiting for those amenities. Today, after four years of declining numbers, that goal should remain a top priority. We need facilities that are capable of hosting entertaining events that will bring people here when the snow is not flying. This time, I would like to see our elected representatives deliver what was promised before the developer leaves town.
Esther Gorman
Whistler
Help the little guy out
This is in response to the March 3 article concerning London Drugs and its landlord. As a former Vancouverite and avid London Drugs shopper, I have some concerns here. Councillor Gordon McKeever states: "You can replicate experiences like Starbucks or McDonald’s... but this will not make Whistler more unique." Has anyone been to Marketplace lately? We've already sold out to the large corporations.
So I must ask myself, what is the real reason why London Drugs doesn't belong? The truth is that London Drugs is a Canadian owned and operated company that offers great deals for its local residents. Denying its right in Whistler is absurd. But what am I thinking? One must not forget how the giants on top would like to stay on top and do so by charging ridiculous amounts for products. I am so sick of this "Whistler tax." Perhaps the only thing that makes me feel worse is the fact that people like Wade and McKeever are trying to convince the public that they are genuinely concerned with losing Whistler's uniqueness. Let's keep the lower class of Whistler poor enough that they keep our workforces going while paying our mortgages at the same time.
Jillian McBride
Whistler
Paddle boats or rainbow trout?
Council is to consider the rezoning application of Lakeside Park on March 21st to make way for a properly zoned plastic paddleboat and canoe rental business in this neighbourhood park.
A part of this rezoning process includes a plan to re-route what was once a very productive spawning stream away from its natural path. I would ask anyone with environmental concerns to view the negative impact this commercial venture has already had on a defenseless stream. The mouth of this sensitive stream bed is being violated by unaware boat handlers and unknowing wading visitors.
Alta Lake was once the basis for grand tales told by visitors to the Whistler area – delighted by its abundant Rainbow Trout population. These fishing stories were the origin of our unique and very successful community. For anyone to tamper with the natural flow of one of our few productive spawning streams, with or without environmental studies, seems to me, not only dangerous to the fish population, but also disrespectful of our heritage. An action somewhat reminiscent of an old fairy tale I heard when I was a boy; about a Goose and a Golden Egg.
The money required to re-route this spawning creek could be much more effectively spent on setting up a properly planned area for commercial watersport activities at a site where interference with nature is not an incidental cost.
The preservation of this natural wonder should be our first priority.
Lawrence Keith
Whistler
Sober second thought
G.D. Maxwell's March 10th column was right on target. Hazardous marijuana grow operations are a direct result of marijuana prohibition. Legitimate farmers do not steal electricity to grow produce in the basements of rented homes. If legal, growing marijuana would be less profitable then farming tomatoes. As it stands, the drug war distorts market forces such that an easily grown weed is literally worth its weight in gold.
Rather than continue to subsidize organized crime, Canadian policymakers should ignore the reefer madness hysteria of the U.S. government and instead look to their own Senate for guidance. In the words of Senator Pierre Claude Nolin, "Scientific evidence overwhelmingly indicates that cannabis is substantially less harmful than alcohol and should be treated not as a criminal issue but as a social and public health issue."
Robert Sharpe, MPA
Policy Analyst
Common Sense for Drug Policy
Washington, D.C.
Education is an election issue
As we approach the provincial election, B.C. Liberal supporters are claiming that there have been no cuts to education under the current government, and that any staffing reductions are because of declining enrolment. Data provided by the Ministry of Education indicates that since the government removed learning conditions from the collective agreement in January, 2002, one teacher has been cut for every seven students lost to enrolment. The total reduction in number of students is 19,274, a 3 per cent decline. The total number of teachers cut from the system is 2,609, an 8 per cent reduction. The rate of teacher decline is almost three times the rate of enrolment decline, which indicates that most teachers have been cut as a result of contract stripping and chronic government underfunding. Our previous collective agreement included firm limits for class sizes and protections for adequate staffing of specialist positions such as librarians, counsellors and resource teachers. Good working conditions for teachers resulted in optimal learning conditions for students.
The last three years have shown that the removal of working and learning conditions protections from teachers’ collective agreements has also had a detrimental impact on learning conditions in our school district, Howe Sound.
We have lost 35 full-time teaching positions since 2001/02, a 13 per cent decline. This is almost double the rate of the 7 per cent enrolment decline over the same period. Despite significant additional money generated by the international program compared to other districts, and repeated claims by administrators and school board officials that this money is protecting teaching positions, we have seen direct services to students decline at a significantly higher rate than the provincial average. The international program is clearly not protecting most District programs for students.
It is critically important that the public receive factual information about the impact of contract stripping and education underfunding, both provincially and locally. Teachers are actively involved in a Commitment to Public Education Advocacy Campaign to promote a strong, stable public education system with equity in program delivery for all students. We encourage all members of the public with an interest in education to become informed and engaged in the political process, and ensure that education is a vote-determining issue in the upcoming election.
Carl E. Walker
President
Howe Sound Teachers’ Association
Sense of place
As a limo driver who comes and goes from the community several times a week I feel I must comment on the two salient features that impress me on crossing Function Junction: the smell and the darkness.
If Whistler has any community improvement priorities prior to 2010, one of them should be the malodorous pong coming from the municipal dump and the other being the stygian darkness along the highway all the way through Whistler. The only redeeming qualities of these two shortcomings is that they do not concur. You can see where you're going in the daytime and the dump doesn't stink at night. Anyway, I am sure my passengers and all others would appreciate more definite signals that they had actually arrived at an Olympic site other than the stench of refuse or an ill-lit wooden sign on a darkened highway.
Graeme Foster
North Vancouver
People make for epic season
Almost everyone who has done a season or visited Whistler in the past has pretty much written off this season as the worst the mountains have seen in the past 15 years or more. But it isn’t always the snow conditions that make a ski season epic. The people who I have met and worked with all helped to make it the best ski season a ski bum can ask for. I would like to say thank you to Cory, Ginnneeettteeee, Karine, Katie plus the entire staff at Whistler Kids, and wish everyone good luck in there future endeavours.
Hopefully I will see you all next season!
Chris Hartley
Whistler Kids, Blackcomb
Real people, real interest
I just finished a Sea to Sky weekend blitz of slide shows based on new artwork and my recent conservation work in Namibia with the Rare and Endangered Species Trust. I was truly impressed with the people of Whistler, Squamish and Pemberton for their interest and for having made the effort to come out and see the show. Not only did they participate in the event but the question and answer period at the end of the show was filled with interesting comments and vivid insights.
Bravo for showing educated interest in things besides recreation and also for so generously donating money and climbing equipment to the cause.
Thanks go to Shelley Arnusch for writing an article... it was informative, timely and well written. Thanks also to Dusty's who really showed community support by putting on extra staff, and to Kirby Brown, Jeff, Leslie, Josh and Nick for being there to help. The Brackendale Art Gallery and the Pony Espresso were fantastically supportive as well, allowing me to have the event at their venues. Mountain FM did an impromptu interview about the event and Brad at Coast Photo kindly set it up. All this at very short notice, all done professionally and with great flair.
It is so wonderful to come back to this special place and know that there will be real people who support and care for the arts and world issues.
Christina Nick
Artist, the World
Yo knuckleheads!
Put it in your oversized jacket or double-sized snow pants. Pick up your s#!t. I don't want to look at it. Who does? Pop bottles, gum wrappers, cigarette packages, chocolate bar wrappers, coffee cups, fast food wrappers, dryer lint, old gloves, whatever! What's up?
Sorry to inconvenience you with a small bulge in your pocket, from your own purchase, until you can get to a trash can. Your mother doesn't live here and if she does... she's not impressed. Unfortunately the Muni crew, private owners and Transportation and Highways crews have to pick up after you. Maybe if individuals had a little more respect for nature and themselves everyone here would be a little better off. The Sea to Sky corridor could be so much more beautiful than it already is. Use your pockets in your expensive technical jackets. That's why they're there: to "put stuff".
Don’t litter.
And while I'm at it, if anyone feels they "need" a "living allowance" at taxpayers’ expense to live here.... move somewhere cheaper! Go away! Go live back with mommy and daddy until you are capable of surviving on your own! You chose to live here, choose to leave if you can't take the heat! If it's so expensive here, don't make everyone else here pay for you to be here. Suck it up!
D. Poisson
Pemberton
Sober second thought
G.D. Maxwell's March 10th column was right on target. Hazardous marijuana grow operations are a direct result of marijuana prohibition. Legitimate farmers do not steal electricity to grow produce in the basements of rented homes. If legal, growing marijuana would be less profitable then farming tomatoes. As it stands, the drug war distorts market forces such that an easily grown weed is literally worth its weight in gold.
Rather than continue to subsidize organized crime, Canadian policymakers should ignore the reefer madness hysteria of the U.S. government and instead look to their own Senate for guidance. In the words of Senator Pierre Claude Nolin, "Scientific evidence overwhelmingly indicates that cannabis is substantially less harmful than alcohol and should be treated not as a criminal issue but as a social and public health issue."
Robert Sharpe, MPA
Policy Analyst
Common Sense for Drug Policy
Washington, D.C.
Masterful
Re: Sad responses to a tragedy (Maxed Out, Pique March 10)
A masterful analysis! Thank you.
Alan Randell
Victoria
Mullet Manifesto
Business up top; party in the back, ape drape, Kentucky waterfall, hockey hair, Camaro cut, soccer rocker. A mullet by any other name is just as bitchin.
Not so long ago the mullet was the do of choice for hard working and rocking guys (and some classy ladies too). Unfortunately Billy Ray Cyrus and greasy guys in rusted out Thunderbirds have turned the sholo into a sad joke. These days the mullet has been relegated to the freak show, attracting gawks and giggles by passersby.
The time has come for a mullet revival. I implore everyone who has been rockin’ shaggy hair all winter to shave the sides and embrace your inner trailer park. Girls with long hair have a huge advantage in creating awesome femmullets that will drive the boys crazy. For those of you with short hair, fear not. Cultivation for a good mullet will take about six months, at which point you can harvest, and reap the rewards.
Let’s do it Whistler; let’s bring the mullet back in style. Why? Cause chicks dig it.
Charles Walton
Whistler
