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Friday, June 10, 2011
About Us THE NOW is published by the Coquitlam Now, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. Our offices are located at 201A-3430 Brighton Avenue, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5A 3H4
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Opinion
Evergreen Line sparks debate Re: “Evergreen Line held up until 2015,” Friday, June 3. I read this morning that construction of the Evergreen Line has been delayed again because of a disagreement over where the funding is to come from. The people in the northeast part of Metro Vancouver have been waiting for a very long time. That line is desperately needed and should have been completed by now. As I understand the To The situation, the balance is to be provided by the Metro Vancouver cities on a formula they are to agree upon — which is the problem. In my experience, they can’t agree on anything. So, not surprisingly, there is no agreement on how their share is to be raised. It seems to me that this farce has gone on long enough. Instead of a further lengthy delay, I would like to see some real leadership from the province. Give them a 30-day deadline to reach agreement and if they don’t impose a funding formula. Since municipal governments receive all their power by delegation from the province, the province can impose what ever funding formula it wants.
I am tired of everyone trying to blame everyone else. I say get on with the job. At this stage, I don’t really care how the money is raised — just get it done. Garth Evans Burnaby ••• Re: “Get on with Evergreen, now,” editorial, Friday, June 3. I have a mixed reaction to your Editor Evergreen Line editorial. I do agree politicians and TransLink have collectively failed to resolve the issue, but I see it in realizing this transit project is not feasible. Officials are out of acceptable funding options and face stiff competition from other transportation projects. I have never seen any ridership projections and polls from taxpayers to justify building the line. Rail transit into Coquitlam was a faulty promise made by a faulty government that has long gone. It is long overdue to start exploring alternatives. Vincent Lizee Coquitlam
Letters
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Our View
Tired consumers may need a rest
T
he first muted alarm bells began going off this week, as multiple reports of “consumer fatigue” began circulating. Apparently, Canadians are not capable, or perhaps simply unwilling, to spend the economy back to the stratospheric heights it reached pre-recession. Spending growth in the first quarter of the year was the lowest since about 1998. Canada’s economy spent much of the recent decade artificially juiced up. Largely due to the U.S. subprime housing boom and the rise of China, money was flowing in from every direction. Asia needed oil, minerals and, lately, lumber. Canada could provide them, and prices rose. At the same time, there was a sense that the good times were never going to end. So Canadians spent, and kept spending. And then it all crashed back down to earth. Canada was lucky, relatively speaking. Our recession was not quite as brutal. But the three-legged stool our economy was built on — Chinese demand, subprime mortgages and debt — is still wobbly. During those free-spending years, Canadian household debt reached new, shocking levels. The average Canadian owes $112,000. Debt is growing at more than six per cent a year, while wages are growing at about 4 to 4.5 per cent per year. In December, the level of Canadian household debt exceeded the American level. Yet despite these unsustainable numbers, we’ve got commentators worrying that Canadians will stop spending. Canadians will stop spending eventually, no matter what happens. They can either stop now, pay off the credit cards and work on saving, or they can stop later — when they go bankrupt. Frankly, we’d rather they slowed down a bit now, even if it does give the economy a bit of a shock.
Perspective
School comes and goes, but friends everlasting
W
“raconteurs,” who are inclined to chatter incessantly ith the end of the school year fast-approachabout every minute detail of their existence. You ing, feelings of panic are inevitably heightnever quite know what it is, exactly, that they’re so ened. animated about, but the bright side is that one day Normal students (in other words, those of averthey might actually say something useful. With a age intelligence) are wondering if they’ll make it bit of luck, you won’t have already, as the past tomorrow. Over-achievers (those British say, “popped your clogs” by the time with no social lives) are frantically that happens. calculating how many more scholarAnd let’s not forget the “back scratchers.” ships they can score before collapsing. Back scratchers are the friends who are And I’m counting down the days to willing to do anything and everything for graduation. you — well, so long as you return the good But when that final, blessed day of favour. An eye for an eye, a loan for a loan. hysteria arrives for senior students, we’ll be walking away from high My Generation The upshot is that if your back scratcher is credulous enough to be the first to lend school with more than just a severe Asrar Ahmed-Flores you a hefty sum, you can always change case of post-traumatic stress disorder. your name and relocate to some remote Everyone will have graduated with a core group of friends at their sides. Cynics claim that island in the Baltic Sea. Of course, you would no longer be that person’s back scratcher. this allegiance of unbalanced hormones will disband Adding to the list of valuable friend types, there once we embark on our post-secondary endeavours. are the “mimes.” The ones you can freely insult I beg to differ. because you know they will think you are joking. With the many benefits that friends offer to an individual, it’s difficult to imagine why anyone would The ones who don’t mind if you drank their apple juice, because you blamed it on the other guy. These want to distance themselves from their high-school are the friends who put up with your crazy antics, cronies. and even take the blame from time to time. In other Colourful are the various personalities that arise words, suckers. Unfortunately, and to my great disin a tight-knit circle of friends, and they serve as belief, there aren’t enough of these to go around. unrivalled sources of amusement. There are the
Finally, there are the “partners in crime.” These are the ultimate sidekicks, the ones who cannot be described adequately, for they are too unique and larger than life. Of all friends, these are the golden folk to hold steadfastly on to, especially when treading the dark waters of student debt and near desperation that await future undergrads. From Oprah and Gayle to Timon and Pumbaa, even Hollywood proves that unwavering bonds of friendship are essential in cutthroat environments. So, your circle of friends may consist of kids you met in Grade 2, a family who supports you or even fantastic teachers you bonded with over the years, but regardless of where life takes you after high school, that cosy circle is something to be treasured. And alas, while there are many other friend types than the ones I’ve already mentioned, I’m afraid that I’m hard-pressed for time and cannot indulge you much longer. What can I say but that I’m a busy girl, with places to go, people to see and a boatload of high school homework I’ll never miss. At least I’m not lonely in my misery.
Asrar Ahmed-Flores is a Grade 12 student at Dr. Charles Best Secondary in Coquitlam.