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Following are a collection of reader responses to stories or letters to the editor for the second week of April 2025. They have been edited slightly for readability. 

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

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iN RESPONSE to Friday, April 11 newsletter editorial on how far readers are willing to go to stand up to the US and whether they blame the US president or Americans themselves

Tariffs never work, as history reminds us, and I don’t think Canada should put tariffs on the U.S. What we should do is not buy anything from them, it’s not hard to do. Let them see they made a big mistake threatening us. — William Balyx, via email

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Having spent considerable time driving in, and via the United States and having met countless Americans, either on cruises or when my wife and I, for sixteen years, operated an orphanage in Mexico and we had many Americans come as volunteers to help in different areas of our project, I can only say that most Americans are among the kindest and most helpful people we’ve met over the years. Now, at age 84, I am still in regular contact with many of the folk we met over the years, and we hold them amongst our dearest friends. Not all, but by far the majority of them are totally opposed to Trump’s tariffs and the harm it has done to people on both sides of the border. — Robert Mason, via email

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On the one hand, I am annoyed that my can of cheap tuna fish has risen overnight to $1.47 from 97 cents. And of course other price increases or item disappearances are happening and I am not happy about that for my own personal experience. But then on the other hand, like the pandemic, as, in my opinion only, I feel that this potential hardship on us financially and the increased patriotism is good for us. The pandemic absolutely disclosed how unprepared many of us were to survive even three months with no or little income. Shame on us! And possibly not being able to just waltz into a grocery store of our choice and buy exactly what we want, as much as we want, for easy prices will stop some people from taking things for granted. When this is all over I hope we take lessons with us and keep our new appreciation for what we have at the forefront. I think it was time for a societal comeuppance! (Even if I don’t like having our country threatened and less jingle in my pocket!) — Helen Price, via email

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Hi Marshall. In response to your comments in the April 11, 2025 newsletter, yes, I’m willing to take a hit to stand up to Trump. I don’t believe it’s just him that’s the problem. He’s not bright enough to be doing all this on his own. There are billionaires aligned with him, and likely directing him, who are making huge fortunes off this deliberate manipulation of the stock markets and rampant insider trading. What bothers me just as much is that virtually no Republicans in the House or the Senate have the guts to stand up to this massive assault on the rule of law. There are far too many MAGAites who only follow FOX news and Truth Social so they don’t understand what’s really going on. There are millions of good, caring Americans who are starting to push back with things like protests in the streets but those need to grow dramatically to have any hope of making changes (think civil rights and anti-Vietnam protests of the past). As well, globally, countries need to unite with a common strategy to push back against Trump and his buddies instead of sucking up and trying to cut their own deals. — Rob Munro, Kelowna, via email

Kelowna proposes new protections for tenants impacted by 'demovictions' by developers

Developers wouldn’t have to give three months of free rent if there is a vacancy rate above four per cent. That should be a percentage within the same price bracket. If availability is super low for low cost renting and a low cost rental is lost, this will not help them in the slightest. Once again those with wealth have zero clue how it is for those without. For once it would be nice if they actually talked to people first. — Dick Dawson, via iNFOnews.ca

77-year-old cyclist killed in collision with pickup truck in Kelowna

I’m a driver and a cyclist and I have lived in Kelowna since 2007. There are a lot of very aggressive and dangerous drivers in the Okanagan. — Robert Bishop, via iNFOnews.ca

iN RESPONSE to Wednesday, April 9 newsletter editorial asking what readers are basing their vote on in this federal election

I’d like to give myself the benefit of the doubt and say my vote has always been about improving life in Canada, even if I didn’t understand how it was for everyone. I don’t think I have ever had a vain reason for voting. I have never belonged to a political party because I always saw them as part of the problem, more so than the various teams being the problem for one team winning the NHL Stanley Cup. I grew up dealing with the consequences of the ruling Liberals or Conservatives, but I also remember hearing prejudices about NDP voters and their lawns. I hated seeing politicians in my school annual. The Liberals have never given me reason to consider voting for them, nor have the Conservatives. I believe I as a person do not exist for them in their world views. I will not vote based on a coward leading our former neighbour south of the border. I will not vote for a party led by a corrupt banker whose dad was racist and colonialist - Carney in other words. I won’t vote for Singh’s party due to his carrying the Liberals to our detriment. I won’t vote for carbon copy Trump, Pierre Poilievre and his party. I am not sure that the Greens are not corrupt. I won’t vote for hateful People’s Party of Canada nor for anything resembling the Bloq Quebecois. Is there anyone I can vote for, is a valid question for me, perhaps all of my voting life? — Patrick Longworth, Penticton, via email

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Dear MJ, It’s really looking like election tampering to me. — Confused, Glenda McMillan, via email

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Regardless of party, I will be voting for who I judge to be the best Candidate to represent our riding. To me, that is our present MP, Frank Caputo. However, I do believe the strongest person to be our Prime Minister, Mark Carney. — Janice Crape, Kamloops, via email

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It was Poilievre's old boss, Stephen Harper and Preston Manning who encouraged the young politician to act like a little fascist. We got in this mess by Mulroney’s trade deal and subsequent dependence on America and the damage continues. We need financial prowess, not coffee shop bullshit. — Clint Price, via email

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Marshall, unfortunately, I agree the real issues lie in your comment: “In this campaign, it feels like major issues including the housing crisis, overdose crisis, climate change and wildfires, immigration, taxes and cost of living suddenly disappeared once Donald Trump got elected”. How quickly we have all forgotten the problem lies in Ottawa with what the leadership has done to this country over the last 10 years. Trump is not the problem – but the media will not tell you that. It kind of stems back to the comment (in your previous email newsletter editorial) about the CBC and how they are not a problem. When you are paid by someone, you tend to pull the line with whomever is signing the checks and you can’t be unbiased. That’s the way business works and government should not be involved in any news. Again, I believe it all stems from the media taking payouts from the government to state the news – not actually report it or holding the government accountable. I hate what this country has become and am thinking of my family’s options to leave – if I didn’t own a business I already would have left. I don’t want media that agrees with me – but I certainly don’t want media that does not report the whole story or picks parts that work for the narrative. I haven’t watched TV news since Bonnie Henry started her propaganda in March of 2020 and won’t go back. It all disgusts me that this is what has become of people that can’t critically think for themselves. Sorry – Trump is not what this election is about at all – he has highlighted the many problems we have, and he has in his own country (which is probably why everyone hates him so much as he is not scared to say the parts no one wants to). We need to get back to government doing government things – not thinking for people or saving them from what ever government-made emergency has been created. — Carla Gibson, via email

Kamloops councillors look to capitalize on BC's new involuntary care

Involuntary care is needed not only to protect the general public, but to force needed treatment. In a perfect world this would not be needed but we are not in a perfect world. I am not sure that people under the influence of drugs and mental health issues are capable of making rational and the best decisions. The issue is will government fund these places properly or will they just be a place to put people out of sight. For this to work we need proper funding, proper oversight and enough people with training to do the job. If it is done in a half-assed way it will fail. — Leo Bonthoux, via iNFOnews.ca 

'Sinister and disturbing': No jail for Penticton man who killed girlfriend's pet lizard

No jail time? Why do we even bother then? — Dick Dawson, via iNFOnews.ca

'Go for a roll': Kelowna photographer captures unique views from his wheelchair

Very unusual! But very interesting perspective. Well done. — Bonnie Derry, via iNFOnews.ca

BC insurance broker fined $10K for submitting 77 fraudulent claims 

Another fraud with a fine that hardly makes it a deterrent! — Don Frank, via iNFOnews.ca

iN RESPONSE to Monday, April 7 newsletter editorial gauging reader support for the CBC as an election issue

For us, CBC is a very good source of information due to the variety of issues and subjects covered, and the professionalism of the reporters and commentators. Our experience in the States has shown us that corporate-owned media can often tilt the news subject matter and viewpoint to favour the politics benefitting the financial self-interest of the the corporate media owners. That doesn’t serve fair and balanced reporting. Today, corporate media has set up a political war that divides Americans. I don’t want that circus to come to Canada. Canadians are getting a lot of bang for their buck in terms of government support for its public service broadcasters. CBC/Radio Canada receive far less government support than almost all other countries in a recent analysis. Yet they remain the most watched/listened to and the most trusted news source. Thank you for the opportunity to share a viewpoint with which you likely don’t agree. — Linda Netherton, via email

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I have listened to the CBC since the 1940s. In the interior of BC, this was the only contact at the time, (if you had a radio) in rural areas and the same when TVs first came in. I might not have liked some of their programming, but it was Canadian. Now, with the current situation in North America, this is not the time to dismantle our own news media as the rest are so biased and reflect the owner’s direction on what they report. Conservatives believe in the big lie theory, “tell it enough times, people will believe it”. I, for one, would like Canadian voters to give Mark Carney the biggest majority since the Second World War to defeat this greatest threat to our very existence since confederation. — George Miller, via email

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The CBC is the only broadcaster covering every area of Canada, which is important and critical to ensuring that information that is independent of advertising (to a large degree) and independent of USA influence (to a large degree) is accessible to all Canadians. The CBC is mandated to cater to a variety of different audiences, some of whom find the ‘arts’ programming very useful. Once in a while even I enjoy one or two of their offerings. Without the CBC, where will people be able to access ‘arts’ programs? Every Western democracy funds media and news organizations, ie the BBC in the U.K., ABC in Australia, etc. Even the USA funds (to a limited extent) PBS, although probably not for much longer. These outlets are a bastion against the huge USA-owned media outlets. So many Canadian radio and newspapers are owned by companies south of the border. Yes, the CBC is important and vital to maintaining some Canadian culture and identity and independence. Thanks for asking an important question. — Ken Middleton, via email

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I believe the CBC is extremely important (at least for us older folks). The sheer number of “news” sources online is mind-boggling. Fact checking everything I read is equally as tiring. Although CBC is somewhat biased, I believe it provides far more factual reporting than the TrueNorth News or individual bloggers. Without it, they will have us believing that today’s Conservative Party is driven by the same policies and focuses as that lead by Mulroney or Harper. We both know that is not true. Sad to say.  — Dianne Jackson, via email

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Dear Marshall, a well-funded CBC is the kind of news media that is of the utmost importance for any country. We need news that is independent of advertisers and needs to be publicly-funded because CBC acts as a watch dog for what governments are doing or not doing and more. When news media are controlled by companies, they tend to lean to what the company wants the public to believe. There is less objectivity. Instead, this kind of news media tends to please the advertisers and owners of the publication. — Hanny Kooijman, Vernon, via email

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Hello Marshall, for me, the CBC is about the culture of Canada as it has TV shows that shine a spotlight on a type of life in Canada. Heartland is a favourite drama about a ranching family and Still Standing shines a spotlight on towns in Canada that are endangered by economic circumstances. I don’t care about the news shows themselves but for the staff that would be endangered. I am tired of politicians appealing to our worst nature and cutting costs at the expense of lives and livelihoods. — Patrick Longworth, Penticton, via email

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The CBC is under attack by foreign interests who want to sow disinformation for their own political reasons. I know, because I was involved in reporting fake “CBC” stories that were pushed through YouTube that linked to Indian and Chinese fake CBC websites that pushed whatever propaganda they wanted to infiltrate into Canada. There is nothing more sacred or important as the truth. Canadians need a news source that they can trust to deliver that truth. If we are irritated by “culture” stories about the arts, or other things we deem unimportant, it softens us to foreign influence and makes us vulnerable to all kinds of foreign propaganda. I am firmly against Pierre Poilievre’s misguided push to “Defund the CBC”. That, and his refusal to get security clearance makes me wonder who is pulling his strings. — Jane Edgett , Penticton, BC, via email 

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The CBC is an extremely important part of life in Canada and I would never vote for a party actively pledging to destroy it. Furthermore, Pierre Poilievre would make a disastrous Prime Minister, CBC or not. — Marlene Wildeman, via email

Rise in number of U.S. doctors looking to move to Canada since Trump's election

This is a great situation for Canada. We may suffer financially from the lizard in the White House but we will get many immigrants from the US. We shall welcome them. — Robert Bishop, via iNFOnews.ca

Anti-trans activist to pay $7,500 for posting photo of trans woman as man online

It will be a lot more steps to actually enforce this judgement. I see that BT does not live in BC. I believe they will have to file in whatever province BT lives in to then seek to enforce the order. That’s assuming that BT lives in Canada. A judgement does not necessarily mean you’ll get paid. — William Mastop, via iNFOnews.ca

iN PHOTOS: Kamloops man captures beauty of night sky in the wilderness

I follow this gentleman on Facebook, his photos are spectacular! — Jo-Ann Swelander, via iNFOnews.ca 

How a Salmon Arm father became the subject of an Amber Alert

I disagree with both responses to this story. These readers feel sympathy for the LDS father whose son the ministry removed from the home because he wouldn’t allow a blood transfusion, even though doctors at BC Children’s Hospital insisted the transfusion was necessary. This is just one reason why I’m opposed to religion of any kind: major Western religions, where so many egos and so much money are involved, have caused more harm mentally, emotionally and physically than anything else in the world. (Don’t get me started on the abundance of abuse, misogyny, greed, and righteousness.) Both letter-writers on the subject felt badly for the father and believe the court system should be lenient with a father who would let his child die, putting his religious beliefs over the advice of doctors who have an abundance of knowledge and experience and an ethical need to save children’s lives. “These religious folks must learn they do not have the right to deny their children the medical care they need, especially in a life-or-death situation." Neglect is abuse. Parents who put their religion above their child’s care are abusing them due to the brain-washing effects of the church. In my opinion, the legal system should treat the father as they do any criminal who abuses children. This poor child does not have a voice but I’m guessing he doesn’t want to die. He’ll be grateful when he’s older that the government stepped in. — Karen Klein, Kamloops, via email

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I believe Karen Klein may be making unfounded remarks about the readers she responded to, even if she based her remarks on what they wrote, she certainly doesn’t have insight into their minds. — Patrick Longworth, via iNFOnews.ca

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.

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