Letters  

Dear Republic:

I think it is heart-warming and commendable that local citizens, corporations and government have rallied around the Stanley Park Restoration concept. Indeed, Stanley Park is a “gem” and a treasure. Everyone who contributed, who even thought about contributing but couldn’t, or just appreciates the fact that community is surfacing and awareness is being raised, should be commended. My great hope is that caring, and the power of “we” does not end at Stanley Park. More extremely mature trees went down in Surrey alone last year as part of rapid building developments that profit developers. There was an outcry, but the “jewel” of having healthy, livable neighbourhoods was not as touching as a park some of us visit once a season. Nothing was done about that and it continues. Canada is not complying with the Kyoto agreement that we signed and now people are starting to take note of global warming and other significant issues. By ratifying Kyoto, Canada has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions to 6% below 1990 levels by the year 2012. Because Canada has procrastinated, emissions have continued to rise, and the actual level of reductions will have to be closer to 18% below today’s levels. Canada has been a notable exception regarding the Kyoto Accord and this is a lack of follow-through and commitment that one can also see at the local, municipal and provincial levels. That continues too. Our world is facing many challenges and ignoring them will not make them go away. Good for us for addressing Stanley Park—that proves we can do it, we understand we want a healthy world with nature in it. Therefore, we have many things to consider. It is time we asked our governments at all levels, and every person, including ourselves, to seek fiscally responsible, socially progressive, and environmentally sustainable policies and practices. Put the same caring expressed and felt for Stanley Park to work on a daily basis at community, provincial, federal and global levels. Those issues are as important as Stanley Park and truly are synergistically and symbiotically related. It was good to see people caring, don’t stop. Stanley Park is worth saving, and so are our communities and our world. We have a choice: do nothing or save all of our grandchildren and their children. —Dave Blair, Surrey BC

Dear Republic:

Was the military exercise carried out near Strathcona park on Jan 28th an ominous sign of things to come? With all the headlines warning of terrorism these days, now more than ever we need to critically ask which are the actual acts of terrorists groups and which are state-engineered false flag operatives manufactured to fuel agendas and control the masses through fear and propaganda. The hidden history of false flag operatives and their horrific consequences is well documented, yet the vast majority of sheeple have no idea how history has been contorted and manipulated by such. I cannot think of a more urgent time to see the documentary expose, 'Terrorstorm' showing at Pacific Cinematheque, (1131 Howe St) February 4th at 11:30 AM and 2:15 PM. An ignorant populace is an impotent one. — R.H. Enjjineer, Vancouver