Letters to the Editor: March

The Editor:

Thank you to all the groups who joined us for the Community Guardians Day at the center. It was really nice to see all of us come together.

There is a new section on the park district website called “around the center.” I am dedicating this to all the user groups that use the center. If any of the groups would like to be added to this section, I will need your logo, an explanation of what your group does, a link to your website if you have one and contact information.

It is still a work in progress but here is a link: prparkandrec.org/around-the-center.

I also still have space at the center by the front door for community information if anyone would like to put pamphlets there.

Dee Gough, Point Roberts Park and

Recreation administrator

Point Roberts

The Editor:

As relatively new residents of Point Roberts, we have been making a concerted effort to learn as much as possible about our new home. One aspect of this effort has been to explore the area and check out community assets. One asset that particularly impressed us was the Seabright stairs winding down the southern bluff to the beach below.

Some of the most delightful days of our first two summers living at Point Roberts were spent packing a day pack with lunch, books and camp chairs and heading down the Seabright stairs to a particular spot on the beach. Sadly, we will not be doing this next summer because a major section of the Seabright stairs has collapsed.

Another aspect of getting to know Point Roberts is the more subtle challenge of getting an understanding of community values and character. Interestingly, these two aspects merge vis-à-vis this collapse of the Seabright stairs.

The steadfastness with which the community takes on the daunting task of reconstruction of the Seabright stairs will be a telling commentary on the values and character of the community. Based on some initial conversations with local old-timers, we two newcomers are hopeful.

Tom and Lenore Yeager

Point Roberts

The Editor:

For over 45 years, the Point Roberts Food Bank has benefited from the incredible support and goodwill of our community. For most (if not all) of that time we have been open on Wednesday mornings.

As of March 14, however, we will be moving our food distribution day to Friday, still at the community center and with no change to our usual hours (8:30 to 10:30 a.m.)

This shift to Fridays is a necessary move to allow us to offer a better selection of perishable foods each week. We are committed to providing the best possible resources to those in need, and this change will help us do just that.

The Food Bank has another significant change in the works, but not one that will directly impact our clients. We are making progress on our conditional use permit application for a food storage warehouse on Teller Road, with the next steps being some formal engineering work required for road access and storm water plans. Once the application has been finally approved, we will be able to pursue the actual construction of the building. 

 As we look to the future, the need for continued community support is as important as ever. Your contributions have brought this project to life, and ongoing support will make the vision of our new warehouse a reality. We invite you to join us in this next phase of growth.

Thank you for being such an integral part of our community’s heart and spirit. Together, we are making a difference.

Dave Lee

President, Point Roberts Food Bank

Point Roberts

The Editor:

A Mr. John Toomey of Point Roberts sent a letter to the editor of the Toronto Globe and Mail, considered by many to be Canada’s national newspaper. The letter was published in the Friday, January 31 edition.

Donald Trump is not evil. The world knows though that he is an unrepentant felon, a predator on the prowl, and so much more that disqualifies him as a member in good standing of our species. Have you all forgotten that he is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans with his antics during the Covid pandemic? Are you not concerned that his climate crisis denial could kill thousands more of you and some of us to boot?

Americans decided in November to turn the White House into a sewer and the world is reacting as you would expect. No Donald, you cannot have Canada and Greenland. No Donald, you can’t have the Panama Canal … by force? No Donald, you won’t “make America great again.” A joke? Maybe.

Mr. Toomey, I have sympathy for you and for the two-thirds of Americans who did not vote for Donald. But you have made your bed. Now, what is that old saying?

Charles H. Klassen

Toronto, ON

(Ed. Note: As published in the January 30 issue of Toronto’s Globe and Mail

“Canada, Mexico can avoid tariffs with border action, Trump’s pick for trade czar says”

I am a Canadian citizen by birth and a U.S. resident since 1997. I am shocked that Canadians do not seem to understand the risk to Canada’s future by governments that would ignore events and show little financial knowledge.

Doug Ford calls an election to fight tariffs? Justin Trudeau prorogues Parliament while his party chooses a new leader? Most Canadians think Trump is evil, that he is taking advantage of Canadian weakness. I believe all he wants is a secure border, not tariffs. But instead of demanding this as well, Canadian leaders cancel everything to respond to tariffs.

I think Canada is not a serious country anymore, and citizens have allowed this with their voting. The evil I sense lies within Canadians accepting the governments they have elected.

John Toomey

Point Roberts)

The Editor:

The emperor has no clothes.

I am reminded of this children’s fable frequently when listening to the daily news.

President Trump and his tool, Elon Musk (or is it the other way around?) make statements daily that defy logic or truth, fail to offer evidence of the fraud and abuse they claim to have found, and as of recently, seem to think that they can re-write the history of Russia’s war on Ukraine as if the American people and indeed the world don’t know that Russia invaded Ukraine three years ago and annexed Crimea in 2014.

Who do they think they are fooling? Surely the American public does not go along with this view or the assault on science, scientists, and common sense.

I am embarrassed by our president. He must be stopped before our status in the world is completely destroyed, before world dictators take advantage of his weaknesses, and before any more starving children are denied life-saving food in order to fund a billionaire’s dream of travelling to Mars and other such schemes.

Nancy Sheng

Bellingham

The Editor:

We have seen the kind invitation of the mayor of Blaine inviting Canadians to come back to visit and shop. She said that what we hear is not what they think and we should come back.

Well, I felt it necessary to respond to your invitation. My husband and I make it a weekend to visit Blaine and Bellingham for a shopping trip maybe four times a year. We have a lovely time. We stay in a hotel, eat at restaurants and shop. That isn’t going to happen again for the next four years.

We heard your kind invitation but we hear Trump and Musk running your country and threatening Canadians and the rest of the world. It is so sad. What we don’t hear is anyone saying “No, that’s not what we want.” You are letting him bully you and we’re watching. Sadly, the world is watching.

Canadians are polite but we have no problem saying that we’ll just stay home. We won’t go to the U.S. and we won’t buy U.S. products. No one has to lead us, it is just happening. Our grocery stores are only carrying produce from Mexico, Chile and other countries. Nothing from U.S. in Costco this morning. We’re reading labels on other groceries. Made in Canada is selling out while U.S. products are sitting on the shelves. We don’t protest with guns, we protest with our wallets.

We’re sorry but you voted them in, and you got what you asked for. We’ll watch in disgust but won’t be returning until Trump is out of your government.

I used to shop in Blaine.

Kathy Brown

Nanaimo, B.C.