A 4 www.ash-cache-journal.com Published every Tuesday in Ashcroft by Black Press Ltd. Founded in 1895 Editor: Wendy Coomber

COMMUNITY

Tuesday, February 28, 2012 The Journal

VIEWPOINTS

The Editor’s Desk WENDY COOMBER

You don’t know who’s watching In an ever-changing world, there are some things that just don’t change. Nobody likes being watched by strangers without their knowing it. It makes us paranoid, afraid, and not because we have something bad to hide. There is all sorts of protection for our electronic identification on banking websites and health databases. And privacy laws make it impossible to access even needed information. But there seems to be no interest in protecting the general public from electronic surveillance. Many stores have surveillance cameras now. Schools are moving there. We see them at traffic intersections. Governments reason that they need to watch everything that’s going on in order to maintain law and order. While that may sound reasonable, putting everyone in jail will also maintain law and order. The question is always, how far do you want to go? And are there alternatives that don’t impinge on people’s basic rights? Last week CBC carried a story about an Ontario man who found an unmarked GPS tracking device attached to his truck. No one can tell him who put it there or who it belongs to. But someone was gathering information on him for unknown reasons, and no one is accountable for it. Not only are we easier to find in this electronic world (try “Googling” a name), but the chances of misinformation are also much increased because of the ease of finding it and also because of the sheer volume of information out there. Ten people with the same name suddenly share a criminal record; a casual comment by an acquaintance gets you banned from crossing the border or bording an airplane. News travels fast(er) and you never know who is sitting in front of the monitor at the receiving end. We used to call it spying. President Richard Nixon got in trouble for it. Now it’s rather common, though still unwanted. And while bad enough, the misinformation generated in this fashion leaves its thumbprints all over the electronic world and can never be eradicated. They’re always watching.

Journal

A LITTLE GLITTER and some squiggles send the imagination off on a creative tangent

TALKING STICK Steven Rice

Area I Director steverice53@msn.com

Desperation breeds reforms Do you recall receiving your first Algebra book in school and mumbling to yourself “What the heck does this mumbo jumbo mean?” Depending on your diligence, you soon began to figure a few things out and have some success. This is where I find myself at this point. An intense, but exhilarating learning curve that I continue to climb. At this point in my journey, one thing has become perfectly clear... To do the TNRD job right, you cannot go it alone. In this modern day information age, the tools are at our disposal. The key is

to use them effectively. High speed cable, email, Blackberry, even an old fashioned phone call there is no reason not be at the cusp of issues if you have your communication toolbox at your side. To this end, I would like to extend an invitation to the constituency in Area I to keep eyes open, minds busy. If you see something that needs attention - a project, an idea that might fall within the TNRD mandate - give me a call, send me an email. No promises, but if we don`t talk, it ain`t gonna happen! The first project in Area I has

taken root with the implementation of the Clean Air Wood Stove Replacement Program. Facilitator Tim Larsen is very knowledgeable in all facets of the program and any questions can be directed his way: Tim Larsen at 250-378-8216 or tlars@merrittbc.net . The Spences Bridge Community Club has formed an Archie Clemes Community Hall *Wish List* Committee to address and submit for bid, upgrades to the hall. Once completed the application will be submitted to both the TNRD and Northern Development Initiative Trust (NDIT) for acceptance. On the same subject, I have been invited to meet with the folks at Walhachin to take a tour of their hall, which I plan to do when a compatible date is determined. Stay tuned…

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402-4th Street, Ashcroft, BC PO Box 190, V0K 1A0 Ph: 250-453-2261 or 250-453-2655 Fax: 250-453-9625

Dear Editor The Council of the Village of Cache Creek made changes to their Procedure Bylaw in the previous term allowing council members to attend by means of electronic or other communication means, ie: Skype. They do not even have to be present to vote on Village issues - which usually involve interactive discussions. There is no mention of maximum times allowed to be physically absent, which means they could be absent all year. I believe these changes to the Village’s Procedure Bylaw were unnecessary in the first place as councillors were already allowed to be absent for three consecutive meetings and were allowed, by permission of Council, further absences. eg: medical issues or other extenuating circumstances that legitimately prevented them from attending. We need our elected councillors to be living in our community in order to be active on necessary committees to further the development of our area. Why do we have councillors whose main residence is in another city? We tolerated the absence of two councillors last year as it was thought to be too expensive to hold a by-election for one year’s service. Also, it is unfair to other councillors having to take up the extra work load due to absent councillors. Let’s stop these absent councillors now. Please come out to the council meeting on Monday, March 12 at 7 pm and, by our presence, let council know we wish them to reject this bylaw that allows attendance at council meetings by electronic means. Dorothy Maksymiw Cache Creek

EMAIL:

ASHCROFT W CACHE CREEK

The

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Electronic attendance no substitute for being there

PUBLISHER

EDITOR

Terry Daniels

Wendy Coomber

PRODUCTION

FRONT OFFICE

Anne Blake

Lee Berdan

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