FILE PHOTO

Following are emailed reader responses to stories or letters to the editor for the second week of August 2024. They have been edited slightly for readability. 

Got something you want to add? Send an email to editor Marshall Jones at mjones@infonews.ca.

—

Low water levels affecting salmon migration in B.C. streams: DFO

It may be past time for the fish to spawn elsewhere? The extent we've gone to help these fish spawn in rivers they clearly couldn't get to otherwise is getting a bit ridiculous. Several canyons of just "fish ladders" so they can make it? Maybe they weren't meant to go there. — James Penner-Power

THOMPSON: Right wing grift goes with right wing propaganda

WOW, it's about all I can say. The ignorance is frightening. - Bonnie Derry

Lack of 'Build Kamloops' business cases no cause for concern: councillor

Does he really think the people of this community are that stupid that they would provide approval to this dysfunctional council to spend an undermined amount of our dollars on his say so. Dream on. — Arn Kidner

Good to see the admission the projects will not be profitable for the taxpayers of Kamloops. But that doesn't mean there won't be quite a lot of profit made off of these projects. Designers, developers, construction companies, trades companies, future six-figure salary employees, CUPE, approved acts, lawyers, accountants, banks and bank employees - there is a lot of money to be made off these tax funded projects. — Marshall Krueger

Coun. Mike O'Reilly's comment: "As for the rink, [O'Reilly] said its planned location was decided with the expectation that visitors would spend money within the city at nearby businesses, like at Aberdeen Mall or the hotels across the highway from Kenna Cartwright Park" raises concerns. If Mr. O'Reilly expects such spinoffs for nearby properties then surely he should recuse himself from all discussions of the multi-rink facility, since he is CEO and part-owner of a property that is adjacent to the proposed multi-rink site. If he is compelled to recuse himself from all multi-rink discussions, this begs the question of how he can properly perform his duties as chair of Build Kamloops. — Bronwen Scott

Official bilingualism in Canada a 'myth,' says new poll

The best thing about bilingualism is it affords us all the right to choose. Nobody if forced to use French who doesn't want to and nobody is forced to English. Individuals get to choose. — Richard Pelland St. Albert

Diver finding assortment of treasures, garbage in Osoyoos Lake

Dear Mr. Jones,

I am a retired archaeologist with past experience with the N'kmip 1st Nation.

I learned of Mr. Charron's diving for 'treasures' via the Penticton iNFOnews.ca online article by Shannon Ainslie (18 August 2024).

I am a bit concerned for the safety of Mr. Charron should he dive anywhere along the banks and shoals of Osoyoos Lake that are Reserve Lands.

There are a few areas in the lake shallows that contain archaeological materials including, but not limited to, artifacts, features (fire-cracked rock hearths), and most importantly - human remains that have eroded from some lakeshore areas.

These pre-Contact/pre-Colonial artifacts, features and Ancestral human remains should not be recovered but their locations noted (hopefully photographed), located on maps or via GPS - and reported to the N'kmip Band office at a minimum. The Archaeology Branch of the B.C. government should also be notified, and/or a qualified archaeologist who works with the Band.

If human skeletal remains are located, they should immediately be reported (without collection) to the RCMP, Archaeology Branch, local Coroner's office, and the N'kmip Band.

If not, Mr. Charron could find himself in breach of the Heritage Conservation Branch.

I have some knowledge of areas that he should avoid and I am willing to discuss this with him.

However, and most importantly, anything he finds that pre-dates 1848 AD - and especially any bones - should be left in place and reported.

Regards,

Stanley A. (Stan) Copp
Langara College (retired), former heritage consultant, currently and Independent scholar

—

iN RESPONSE - Newsletter

Hello Marshall,

I don't think it is wrong to report those things wrong with the system. After all, even when employed the medical system didn't work very well for me, especially the insurance premium payments part or the way that revenue services are like credit card collections firms.

Sincerely,
Patrick Longworth

Vernon's Shanda Hill takes on the Triple Deca Ultra Triathlon in Italy

That is one amazing race, the distance is unbelievable. Good luck to the contestants. — Stephen Henshaw

Kamloops man's innovative solution to housing, drug crises gains ground, literally

Congratulations Trevor, I believe you have discovered the most-likely plan to help our drug crisis and I thank you for your hard work. — Ruby Hrycenko

Good luck. All these folks who think harm reduction should be part of any recovery model are delusional. Harm reduction has been and will always be a massive fail and until these folks, whose hearts are in the right place, realize this and exclude it from recovery models, we will see little to no success. Having people using, contemplating the idea of quitting and those who decide they want recovery all living in close proximity is also not a recipe for success. It has been proven by every single service provider lack of success in BC. Good luck sir, but there is nothing new here. — Glen Crichton

Tenant rights to pets? Some Kamloops landlords are pushing back

Why don't landlords in other provinces look at the successful Ontario Pets on Rental Housing Act. It does not strip landlords of their rights, and since it came into legislation there have been far fewer incidents of tenants allowing their pets to ruin landlords property.

Pets are seen as family and are a lifeline to many. More dogs and gets euthanized because of owner surrender because they can't get housing for them and their pets

If this new Canadian Renters Bill of Rights included a ban on no pets clauses, the bill could also include higher pet deposits and a rule that tenants with pets must have apartment insurance that covers any pet damage, say up to at least $5,000.

There are citizens sleeping in cars and are homeless because they won't and can't surrender a beloved pet.

It's not a black or white issue. The federal government should create a task force to look at this issue before this new act goes to the senate. And then amend the Renters Bill of Rights in such a way as to protect property owners, too.

The Pets in Rental Housing Act introduced in Ontario is a perfect example of this and should and must be considered with regards to the feds creating this new Renters Bill of Rights. Property owners check out this Ontario Pets in Rental Housing act please.

Sarah Jane West

Kelowna woman who duped seller with edited photos wins in court

This is why I have a realtor and a lawyer involved when buying or selling property. I just don't know those little important details that can crop up in a transaction. — Bill Silversides

Who were the realtors involved in this case? Why weren't they mentioned? Braden Messenger should be able to recover from his realtor for bad advice. — Doug Roe

Thieves steal telescopes worth $11,000 during Okanagan Observatory break-in

This a good organization, I believe. So sorry it happened to them. My husband and I just donated equipment to them, but not enough to make up for their loss. Damn. — Janis Joanne Thompson

Tenant advocate decries 'troubling' ruling that let landlord hike rent by 27 per cent

This is the craziest thing I have ever heard. Rental costs are already outrageous and allowing landlords to increase costs by 27% will increase our already high homeless population.

In the end increasing rent means more money for the landlord but if no one can afford to pay the rent on your property is it really helping? Now your just paying a mortgage on an empty house and not getting any money for it. Most landlords have more then one rental property plus their own mortgage on the house they live in, increasing rent on the rental properties could just mean a landlord now has mortgages on three-plus properties and won't be able to pay any of them because no one can afford to live in them and now the owner is claiming bankruptcy or they are losing all but one of the properties to the bank for defaulting on their loans.

Something needs to be done or the majority of our population will be forever homeless and we have nothing but tent cities everywhere making our town unappealing to tourists which then in turn hurts our tourism industry. There are so many factors to think about what this increase will do to our entire economy.

Get your head out of you A$$ and put a stop to all this inflation, there is no reason for it.

Joann Defauw

To contact a reporter for this story, email Marshall Jones or call 250-718-2724 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. SUBSCRIBE to our awesome newsletter here.

News from © iNFOnews, 2024