Archives for October 18, 2020

Have you ever opened the door to a fridge full of food while proclaiming there was nothing in the house to eat? That was the feeling I had when I started writing this weeks column.

There are so many things happening with their own story line it is hard to concentrate on just one.

Therefore I will feature a contrast of two systems one functional the other, the opposite.

Our neighbors to the south have had an election campaign going on since February. Chaos, no central election committee or organization to ensure fairness. A campaign of distortions, lies, skullduggery and outright incivility.

Contrast that with what happens north in Canada and in BC. First we have Elections Canada and Elections BC. There are rules and consequences. These organizations are a third party so a particular party can’t bend the system to its will.

This is not to say we don’t have problems though it just means there is a set of rules and remedies. Not perfect but better than nothing.

There is one thing borrowed from our neighbors, that is creeping incivility. We had an incident of out of bounds comments by a Liberal Candidate surrounding a farewell roast. There were statements by a Liberal Candidate in the Fraser Valley that constituted the candidates removal from the party.

Then there is the the case of an NDP choice going out of his way to insult a Liberal Candidate. It is not a case of one being more guilty of bad behavior it is a case of, we should condemn all bad behavior. Some will say this is a naïve reaction, it’s politics.

Let me respond. At this time with all the problems we have we need to be respectful of each other.

The stakes for the combatants are high. The Liberals are trailing, they appear to be the architects of their own problems. They appear to have a leadership problem. They are making the kind of promises they once condemned others for making. The PST is a prime example. Eliminating it for a short time and then reducing it is questionable. Tax revenue will be needed to get out of the corona inspired debt we are in. if we reduce or eliminate taxes program cuts will be required. ICBC is another whipping boy. It should be noted the former government raided the ICBC revenue stream more than once to balance their budget. On one occasion they took more than eight hundred million.

Then of course the NDP is handing out a one time one thousand per family and five hundred for a single person to offset hardship. Both sides have a problem understanding it ain’t their money. The one thing I do like is voting by mail.

I am all for debate and even harsh criticism, but in the times we are in – those running for office need to set an example. How they behave now is how they will behave after we elect them. Keep that in mind when you mark your X.

Fred Steele

Where do I begin….

First of all I would like to let everyone know that I have personally contacted Surjit (Smart Look Barber), I explained to him that I made a mistake and the point I was trying to make did not come across the way I meant it to be.

Secondly, I would like to say thank you to every single one of you who have brought this massive lesson to my life.

I did truly have good intentions.

Some people said that I should have taken it up with the town hall and you are right….however things just came across completely wrong on my part and it was absolutely not my intention to come across in any way shape or form as a racist.

Again it’s a word that I’ve never been called in my life until now…as most other people during this unprecedented time… I have been through a lot in my life these past few months…I know for some people you won’t care and it might not make a difference…

But I have personally been under a lot of pressure stress and a lack of sleep due to my Mum having a heart attack, a stroke, a pacemaker all within one month….My dog being newly diagnosed with type one diabetes… A family member having a massive stroke the day after my Mum had a heart attack…and construction for my new Barber Shop location… as you can all imagine just those things that I’ve listed off have been extremely stressful beyond belief… as if COVID-19 wasn’t enough!

I know this won’t make a difference to some people but I hope most people can understand and relate.

I have always been the type of person to stand up for people when I felt they are not being treated fairly…from the kid in school who was being mistreated to standing up for others when other people are too afraid to say anything… my entire family has always warned me that by sticking my nose into someone else’s business is going to backfire on me… And backfire is an understatement as to what has happened right now and I know I did bring this on myself again. thank you all for the massive lessons that you have taught me… I know that I have to sometimes wind my neck in and mind my own business.

I know that the people who know me well know that I am a good person at heart…and that I’m not a racist…I am honest to a fault…I speak my mind to a fault… this is a character trait that I will clearly have to change going forward…. I know I have offended people of all colours and ethnic backgrounds.. please believe me that I did not mean to come across as racist or in anyway shape or form intend to have even the slightest undertone of racism…for this I am truly sorry…but I truly understand how everyone would’ve taken it that way.

Suzanne Gerrard 

‘Dirty Hairy’s Barbershop’

LEST WE FORGET

It’s that time of year again, we wear our poppy with pride and gather at the Cenotaph to watch the Legion present the colours and the laying of dozens of poppy wreaths.

How many of us actually gather there to remember what these symbols really mean. We repeat the words “lest we forget” but how many of us do forget within five minutes of leaving the ceremony?

The veterans on parade are often quite elderly, especially those from WW2, the horror of their memories, of experiencing comrades dying in front of them must haunt them constantly and I am sure their past wars are not just remembered on this one day of the year.

The younger men and women from more recent conflicts also have the memories that nightmares are made of, many of them suffering from PTSD who can never lead a completely normal life again.

Our world leaders make decisions that send thousands of men and women out to war zones in a way that a child plays with soldiers. Do they really think about the consequences of arming soldiers and sending them out to kill. What sort of victory is it when the battle may be won but a whole nation suffers the consequences of having so many citizens crippled either mentally of physically.

It is true that we should try to defeat our enemies but it is also true that those who we call our enemy have their own ideals, they may differ from ours but does that necessarily make them wrong?

World leaders just seem to be playing king of the hill, whoever gets to the top of the pile first wins, but are they really thinking about the consequences of what they are doing. Nothing ever seems to be actually solved by war, it just seems to slow down to a simmer until next time it heats up and boils over.

World leaders never seem to agree on how to solve conflicts peacefully, it honestly seems to be a case of play the game my way or I will take the ball and go home. The biggest bully wins. How many of these people in power have truly known the horror of war close up, how many have felt shrapnel falling on them or have had a friend die in their arms.

It is easy to parade round wearing a poppy but not so easy to truly remember, when you were never in the battle.

 

by Pat Whalley

from 2018

Superintendent Brian Hunter
Officer in Charge
Penticton South Okanagan Similkameen Regional RCMP Detachment

Total reported crime events in Penticton for the period was 2,054 which is down 15% from last year (2,405).

This change is driven largely by the decrease in Property Crime, which went from 1,561 to 1,152 – a decrease of 26% from the same reporting period last year. There have been several search warrants executed and arrests of chronic offenders, including known drug dealers, during this reporting period. Recidivism in the community remains a problem.

2020/21 Penticton Detachment Policing Priorities

• Crime Reduction (Property Crimes and Drugs): Identifying and managing prolific offenders through enhanced enforcement in partnership with community agencies (ie: Crown, Probation, Mental Health). The focus will be on drug and property crime offenders.

• Traffic – Road Safety: Increased enforcement, both tickets and written warnings. Reduction of Impaired drivers on the roads through criminal code charges and Immediate Roadside Prohibitions. Joint operations with South Okanagan District Traffic Units. Education and Awareness campaigns to be presented to the community throughout the year.

• Family and Sexual Violence: Focus on education, awareness and community support to foster a “wrap around” approach of harm reduction. Creating a supportive environment for victims of family and sexual violence to have the confidence to come forward and seek assistance from the police and community partners.

• Employee Wellness: Policing can be very stressful for both our sworn police officers and our civilian employees who support police operations. The effects of this stress can be devastating. The detachment will be forming a wellness committee whose objective will be to share wellness strategies as well as organizing wellness activities for all employees (workshops, group hikes/activities, etc.)