Tuesday, February 19, 2013 Williams Lake Tribune
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Encourage Reasons for decisions understandable small local business for goods Editor:
Editor: The current myth that giving large corporations free access to our natural resources will produce jobs and a reasonable distribution of wealth is out of touch with reality. The paradigm for operating our economy to provide goods, services, and jobs has become brutally distorted. Over many years it has become monopolized by large corporations who mainly serve themselves and their goal of profit at any price. Free enterprise is only practiced by small community businesses, and many of them operate under a burden of regulations, inflicted on them by our bought-out layers of government. But our electoral system has become manipulated by dirty tricks and the power of money to a point bordering on fascism rather than democracy. Many people have lost hope that our society will again be managed in the interests of the majority of citizens. Are we “being served” by big business and government in the old sense of that term? I think not. I believe the only solution in a reasonably short term is a grassroots revolt against buying from these giant money grabbing companies, and preventing their further growth in any way we can. Plus we need to encourage small local business dedicated to the community, and co-operative businesses for the larger and more complex goods and services. A paradigm similar to the Transition Town movement in co-ordination with co-operatives could create more jobs. Particularly if their focus was to only return their cost of doing business, rather than maximum profit. Bernie Littlejohn Chimney Valley
Letters aLways weLcome
When the board made their decision a couple of weeks ago regarding which school would be better suited to house a middle school and which a senior, I wasn’t taken off guard. And I certainly was not surprised by the vocal outcries of opinions from parents, students and teachers. However, even before the board released its initiatives supporting their decision to the public, I had done my own investigative research. My thoughts were of the countless young pedestrian students (grades 7-9) that live in the neighbourhoods surrounding Columneetza. I thought of its location to these
neighbourhoods and how it created a sense of belonging to the masses. As a parent, and a resident of these surrounding neighbourhoods, I thought how convenient it would be to have the surrounding neighbourhood kids’ walk to school, rather than taking a scheduled bus to Williams Lake Secondary. In fact, most of the parents I have spoken to in my neighbourhood are in full support of the board’s decision. As a teacher I thought of the countless vulnerable students, particularly the young ones, (grades 8 and 9), and how keeping these kids away from the distractions and temptations of the downtown prox-
imity is critical. Then I thought of the government’s new “personalized” learner’s initiative, and how kids in grades 7 to 9 be best engaged is by having them exposed to as many options as possible. What better way to create a foundation of engagement than by having these young minds exposed to the state of the art facilities in the Columneetza shop, The plan is to have students “hooked” by the variety of options and facilities offered by Columneetza. It is my belief if a student is hooked (engaged) at a young age, whether it be fine arts, music, sports
or particularly in the trades (as many young minds in Williams Lake realize), by the time they are in their senior years, having to travel to another facility to fulfill their requirements is a non-issue. Any way you look at the recent decision one thing is clear, change is imminent. Changing of culture, belonging, leadership, team and student learning is certain. But, change for some, including myself, is not always easy. It can be fearful, and full of uncertainties, and in some cases misconceptions prevail. Tim Hurley Teacher at Columneetza Williams Lake
Don’t destroy high school trades program Editor: Williams Lake Secondary School and Columneetza Secondary School are both excellent schools. Teachers and staff working in the buildings will be changing. The only constant are the physical buildings. The trustees have decided WLSS will be the high school and Columneetza will be the middle school. This decision will have a huge effect on our trades programs in a time when trades education is extremely important. Trades careers are in high demand in our province. The district career development staff has worked tirelessly to promote and expand high school involvement
in post secondary programs. Opportunities are now being developed that are seeing secondary students enrolled in concurrent studies at the Thompson Rivers University campus; other initiatives are also in the works. Opportunities are only possible because of the close proximity of Columneetza to the TRU campus in Williams Lake. The automotive, metalwork, and carpentry facilities contain state of the art equipment and are the best facilities in the province. The trades classes are full, and students are receiving great training for careers in the trades. Without providing students with full and open access to trades training in their senior years, the conti-
nuity of training will most certainly diminish. Currently, over 150 students in grades 10 to 12 are taking trades courses at Columneetza. Only five students are from WLSS. Students don’t want to travel to another campus — they want to stay at one school! Our trades programs will decline if WLSS is the senior high school. At the last board meeting, the school trustees voted to expedite the building of an auto shop at Peter Skene Ogden secondary school in 100 Mile House. In January, in response to ministry concerns, the trustees resolved that: “The BCSTA advocate on behalf of secondary students to the Ministry of
Skills, Training, and Labour to provide equitable and sustainable opportunities as a solution to the skilled worker shortage.” This was passed because there is a “huge skilled worker shortage” and “they want a seamless transition to post secondary.” Why then, are the board members putting huge obstacles in front of the students in Williams Lake to take trades training at high school? Please voice your opinion at PAC meetings or the next school board meeting on Feb. 26. Let the board know how you feel about the decisions that they are making! Sharon Smith Columneetza counsellor Williams Lake
Marketing fossil fuels dangerous for future generations Editor: For the commonwealth, hug a billionaire, hug a millionaire, hug a “wanna-be” in this perfect climate storm? Rely on oligarchs, aristocrats, plutocrats? Even through the global “recession” they caused from unregulated greed in 2008, the one per cent still got richer while the rest of the world still struggles on the “edge.” Wall Street seems too rich to fail... too powerful to jail. They remain unregulated. Since 2000, Canadian corpo-
rate tax rates “slid” downward from 28 per cent to 15 per cent in 2012. Federal and provincial governments faced larger deficits. Since 2001, B.C. has closed 194-plus public schools and plans more closures. B.C. poverty still grows and we have no plans, timelines, or legislated targets to reduce(end) B.C. poverty. “Disaster capitalism” cuts earned benefits now called “entitlements.” Canadian health care, social security, social “nets” are under larger threat. Shrink the middle-class? Increase poverty? With “effective” looks and
feelings of deepest heartfelt sincerity, Christy Clark markets fossil fuels to “save us.” “Crisis capitalism” at finest work? Marketing fossil fuels will likely put a socially just habitable planet out of reach for future generations, our children, our grandchildren. Sir Nicholas Stern warns us to expect 4 C to 5 C within this century because we won’t switch to low-carbon economies as soon as possible. Is he lying? Should we expect 1.6 C around 2026? Will we surpass 2 C around 2030? What is the “truth” about pass-
ing 2 C? 4 C by 2050? Surpass 6 C and 1,000 CO2 ppm before 2100? Human climate change will get out of human control. Period? “Hoax” climate and ecological science? Oligarchs standing on guard for thee? Who should care ... for others ... for our future generations? Now, only a well-informed general public “idle no more” can overcome “special interests.” Move ASAP to a low-carbon economy, or be “no more” caused by our generation. Herb Nakada Williams Lake
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