Senator endorses valley Liberals
Dear Editor:
It has often been said 鈥渨e live in interesting times鈥, which is true today, but they also may be the most trying times Canadians have faced in recent memory.
However, I believe we are fortunate that Mark Carney 鈥 a man of extraordinary experience, integrity and temperament 鈥 has stepped forward to lead Canada through the challenges we now confront. In the short time he has been our prime minister, he has demonstrated the decisive and inspiring leadership needed for the job.
National political polls show that the Carney-led Liberals are favoured to form our next government. On April 28th 乌鸦传媒 has an opportunity to fully participate in this government by electing Stephen Fuhr in the 乌鸦传媒 riding and Juliette Sicotte in the Okanagan Lake West-South 乌鸦传媒 riding.
Many will remember that Stephen served as our Liberal member of Parliament from 2015 to 2019. During this period he was a very productive member of the House of Commons and was a determined advocate for local projects for 乌鸦传媒 and area.
Stephen has spent most of his life serving Canada, not only as our outstanding MP for four years, but in his previous career as a fighter pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force. I believe that we should take advantage of his commitment during this time of national crisis to serve, once again, the country that he and we all love.
We are fortunate to have Juliette Sicotte as the Liberal candidate in the riding of Okanagan Lake West鈥揝outh 乌鸦传媒. Juliette has called 乌鸦传媒 home for the past 30 years, and having valuable experience in small businesses, she knows that they are the backbone of our region and our country.
She is an advocate for removing interprovincial trade barriers to boost the Okanagan乌鸦传媒 business activity, strengthen national unity and help to protect Canada乌鸦传媒 sovereignty. If elected, I believe Juliette will be a hardworking MP for all the people in her riding and community.
With the Mark Carney led-Liberals ready to form the next government, I believe 乌鸦传媒 and area would be well served by electing Stephen Fuhr, 乌鸦传媒 and Juliette Sicotte, Okanagan Lake West-South 乌鸦传媒 as our representatives in Ottawa for the next four years.
The Honourable D. Ross Fitzpatrick
Retired Senator (1998-2008)
乌鸦传媒
Confusion over Canada gun laws
Dear Editor:
Canada gun laws certainly offer a lot of room for confusion.
鈥淚n Canada, pellet guns are generally legal if they don鈥檛 resemble regulated firearms, and their muzzle velocity and power are below certain thresholds. Specifically, airsoft, BB, and pellet guns resembling regulated firearms with velocities below 366 fps (airsoft), 246 fps (BB), or 2.71 joules (paintball) are considered replica firearms and are prohibited鈥.
At the other end of the scale, I read almost weekly about someone or a group that are apprehended and found to have prohibited weapons and drugs. The weapons are real and most often loaded handguns along with assault rifles and piles of ammunition.
In almost every case the suspects are released pending charge assessment.
鈥淚n Canada, possessing an unregistered firearm can lead to imprisonment, with the maximum penalty being 5 years if prosecuted as an indictable offence. If prosecuted as a summary conviction, the maximum penalty is two years less a day and/or a $5,000 fine.鈥
I believe it would be safe to assume none of these people hold a firearms licence or would qualify for one. More likely to have a firearm ban registered against them.
So why are the courts saying go home now, have a nice day. See you in a few months.
I understand from recent reporting that the bail system is likely to be revised to put the onus on the accused to demonstrate why they should be released. That is a good first step.
I suggest they go further and once convicted the maximum sentence for the crime should be the starting point. The defendant should have to convince the judge why they should have a reduced sentence. Perhaps they could provide police information on where they obtained the firearms and drugs, where would they find more etc.
Judges that lean to house arrest or ankle monitoring should be dismissed. They can go and work as defence attorneys.
Gord Marshall
乌鸦传媒
The Conservatives grasping at straws
Dear Editor:
Is Poilievre grasping at straws to get more votes? With so many issues facing Canadians-homelessness, a health care system needing improvement, tariffs, unemployment etc., he chooses to talk about removing the ban on single use plastics and will bring back plastic straws.
Guess he is trying to appeal to voters who are unaware of serious issues or do not care about our environment. He went on to say this 鈥榮traw ban鈥 was merely 鈥榲irtue signaling鈥 by the leftists. Really? We thought virtues were a good thing.
Mr. Poilievre may have heard the 鈥榮table genius鈥 (as Trump calls himself) state in a recent interview, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think plastic is going to affect a shark very much as they鈥檙e munching their way through the ocean鈥. Really? The only truth to his statement in his interview were his first 3 words-鈥淚 don鈥檛 think鈥.
Disappointing that with so many issues to address, Poilievre chose to 鈥榩romise鈥 the return of plastic straws.
鈥淔un Fact鈥 for Mr. Trump and Mr. Poilievre-Plastic takes 20 to 500 years (depending on material details) to decompose. It is estimated that over two million tons are dumped into the world乌鸦传媒 oceans in one year, which has a devastating affect on wildlife-but of course wildlife doesn鈥檛 vote.
Does Poilievre own a plastic manufacturing plant? Maybe this is why he refused to get his security clearance, which most parliamentarians have. As of March, 2025 Poilievre did not have security clearance. He stated some vague reason for this, which, to many people, made no sense.
Remember, Poilievre spoke out against raising the minimum wage, voted against providing meals to hungry school children (they cannot help it if their parents cannot provide this), voted to raise the age that one can collect their Canada Pension, he has never had a job other than professional politician -presently is paid $300,000 per year and has a great pension plan-all of this paid by us, the taxpayers. He is a multi millionaire, all via being 鈥榦ur鈥 politician. He wants to increase jail time -- just as the U.S. has done-do you feel any safer in the U.S. than in Canada? Poilievre stated Canadians are afraid to go outside. Fear tactics and spreading of prejudices worked for Trump- Poilievre is trying it here.
Sandy Hayes
Penticton
The comforts of Conservatives
Dear Editor:
Re: 鈥淣ot sold at all on Carney,鈥 by Allison Budd (letters, April 16).
The premise that Carney乌鸦传媒 academic and economic credentials indicates dishonesty is interesting. At no time has Carney suggested he was 鈥渢he most influential鈥 regarding the 2008 recession. Harper乌鸦传媒 鈥渋nfrastructure program鈥 resulted in a lot of meaningless Economic Action playboard signs across Canada, with a few Tory ridings recipient of any benefit.
The 鈥淐anada Jobs鈥 program cost advertising millions, provinces and employers, rearing back expected to pony up for costs, hence no job training, but a huge number of Temporary Foreign Workers. The Employment Insurance Program was gutted to provide funds for the final Tory budget, six of the nine of which were deficits.
Ah, promises, promises. Veterans were abandoned and, ensuring that, in 2011, the Veterans鈥 advocate乌鸦传媒 own confidential medical records were released in an alleged smear campaign. As for quoting Liz Truss, that delightful lady was the shortest-serving Prime Minister in British history at 50 days. I鈥檓 not entirely sure she乌鸦传媒 the best authority. Carney乌鸦传媒 position there proves he is undaunted by difficulty.
We now learn that many Canadian Official Opposition members, including its leader, were without protest, lucratively invested in Brookfield Asset Management.
As to Carney乌鸦传媒 shameful environmental bent, it is obvious the writer did not lose their home or watch in terror, as I did , the fire coming over the hills, or note Lytton burning to the ground.
There is, of course, a solution. 鈥淏alance the budget,鈥 like 1929. We don鈥檛 need OAS. Let the old blisters starve. We don鈥檛 need Health Care. You鈥檙e unhealthy, disabled? We don鈥檛 need you. Can鈥檛 afford pills? The life span of 40- 45 was good enough for our forebears and it乌鸦传媒 good enough now.
Reproductive health? Too many women anyway. Should be at home having children? When they succumb at that task, another can take over. As long as they鈥檙e not in the work place. And CPP. Just a tax .
Those of the Official Opposition persuasion fervently take to heart the Biblical Parable of Talents. For in truth, they 鈥渞eap where they have not sown, gather where they have scattered no seed, yet require the proceeds with interest,鈥 the premise being that to those who have, will be given, those who have not, all will be taken away.
Comforting, isn鈥檛 it.
Elaine Lawrence
乌鸦传媒
Green leaders belong at debate
Dear Editor:
The CBC ditches the Green Party leaders (albeit within their regulations), but retain Yves-Fran莽ois Blanchet, the leader of what is in reality a provincial party.
This travesty has been indulged ever since Canadian Confederation.
Same old tail wagging the same old dog.
Tom Crawford
Penticton
Gray乌鸦传媒 comments extremely lame
Dear Editor:
Even the most dedicated Conservative must be disappointed with Tracy Gray乌鸦传媒 responses in the recent question-answer article published April 16 in The Courier.
For example, when asked to identify one particular federal program/grant that you鈥檝e helped to bring to 乌鸦传媒, the response was blah-blah 鈥渞each out and engage... to hear concerns and ideas...鈥
I ask, then what?
And two questions were left with no answer provided! Come on, this was a great opportunity!
By the way, Stephen Fuhr succinctly answered questions with real information such as 鈥渢hree things that the federal government has done in the last six years that disappointed you?鈥 He did not shy away and he answered honestly.
Thank you Stephen Fuhr for your full and considered responses. Tracy Gray, you need to do better.
Brenda Elmore
乌鸦传媒
Remember which riding you鈥檙e in
Dear Editor:
Even though the boundaries of this riding have changed significantly over the years, the Liberals have never come close to winning or even being second for that matter. Recently it has been the NDP beating the Conservatives.
Personally I believe Mark Carney is the best choice to lead us through the perilous times our country faces over the next few years. Nevertheless today I cast my vote for the NDP candidate Linda Sankey. The NDP are obviously not going to form the next government but it is vitally important that the Conservatives also do not form the next government. The best way to ensure that is for all progressive voters in our riding to vote NDP. It doesn鈥檛 matter if you have voted Liberal or Green in the last 25 elections, now is the time to put your country before your party and deny the Conservatives a victory in the Similkameen-South Okanagan- West Kootenay riding.
The way to do that is to vote for the party with the best chance to beat the local Conservatives and that is the NDP.
Penticton voters, do not forget that you are now part of the SSOWK riding.
Robert Handfield
Kaleden
Save the 400 乌鸦传媒 ostriches
Dear Editor:
I am opposed to culling farm animals simply because a few in the herd or flock have become ill.
Culling is just another word for killing, and it is not pretty when the lives of thousands of animals are taken. There is little a farmer can do against a death order from the CFIA. There appears to be no wiggle room to spare healthy animals.
While I disagree with culls of factory farm poultry, where thousands must die, I cannot grieve for the animals because they are all destined to die anyway, being raised for their flesh or for the eggs they produce. I don鈥檛 know how much it matters to birds if they die from flu, cull methods, or in an abattoir for the dinner plate.
That said, Universal Ostrich Farms Inc., whose owner has been trying to reason with CFIA to spare the lives of her 400 ostriches, is not a factory farm. The farm lost 10% of its flock last year as a result of flu thought to have been contracted from wild birds during migrations. The remaining ostriches are healthy. Since almost five or more months have passed without any other ostriches becoming ill with bird flu, I think the CFIA should reconsider its order to kill the 400 ostriches.
No humans on the farm have been infected either.
The CFIA may be unaware that Universal Ostrich Farm Inc. is participating in an inter-national study of COVID-19 antibodies in ostriches. If the 400 birds are spared, the results of the study could determine how avian flu spreads and how to protect flocks in future.
If the birds are killed, nothing can be learned from their death. Would they have remained healthy if allowed to live out their lives? I鈥檓 in favour of allowing the international study of COVID-19 antibodies in ostriches to continue. The research will die with the birds if CFIA wins to cull the flock.
Helen Schiele
乌鸦传媒
Is Poilievre an environmentalist?
Dear Editor:
Pierre Poilievre is not an environmentalist. I fear that he will bring back plastic bags and plastic straws and also to allow unrestricted fracking.
Obviously, he is oblivious to the accumulation of plastics in our oceans, microplastics in our drinking water and that fracking pollutes the ground water without any way to remove the chemicals once they are introduced to water. Who wants such a dangerously ignorant man to be Prime Minister of our country?
May Taniwa
Summerland
What has Gray accomplished?
Dear Editor:
One question keeps coming up in conversations across our city: What has Tracy Gray done as MP for 乌鸦传媒?
After six years in office, the answer is very little. There is no legacy of achievement. No record of delivering for our community. She cannot point to a single major federal project and say, 鈥淭hat was me.鈥
When 乌鸦传媒 needed federal support on key files -- housing, infrastructure, the environment -- she was either silent, absent, or actively opposed.
At the recent all-candidates debate, she did not mention Pierre Poilievre乌鸦传媒 name once. If she were truly proud of her leader and his platform, she would have said so.
But she knows what many in this community already suspect: Poilievre is not fit to lead this country. His politics are divisive, his policies are reckless, and his temperament is entirely unsuited to the serious challenges we face. Yet, Gray has tied herself completely to him. She echoes Poilievre乌鸦传媒 talking points, votes as he tells her, and has never demonstrated the independence or courage to speak up for 乌鸦传媒 when her party takes the wrong path.
Whether it is her denial of climate science, her failure to support evidence-based public health measures, or her refusal to advocate for federal investment in our region, the pattern is clear. She is not working for us. She is working for them.
After six years as our member of Parliament, Gray has not received the public backing of a single previous MLA, city councillor, or prominent local leader. No former council colleagues have come forward. No provincial allies have raised their voices.
Aside from a few partisan foot soldiers, her campaign is running in isolation. That speaks volumes. In politics, silence can be deafening.
乌鸦传媒 is a growing city with complex challenges. We need serious leadership. We need collaboration with all levels of government to ensure the needs of our community are addressed effectively. We need someone who shows up, understands the issues, and knows how to get results. We need representation that reflects our values and believes in science, democracy, and respectful, effective government that will build a stronger community for all.
Gray has had six years to prove she could do the job. She did not. 乌鸦传媒 deserves better, and on April 28, we can choose it. That乌鸦传媒 why I鈥檝e thrown my support behind Stephen Fuhr, he乌鸦传媒 proven he can provide the leadership we deserve.
Amarit Brar
乌鸦传媒
Canada under attack by U.S.
Dear Editor:
Canada is currently under attack by an American president in ways which we have never seen before in the history of our country. To survive we must come together as a nation and choose a leader who has the best chance of seeing us through the present crisis. Nationally, Mark Carney has the proven intellectual and economic leadership skills to steady the ship during these turbulent times. Locally Stephen Fuhr has the political experience, solid understanding of our 乌鸦传媒 issues and the strong communication abilities to best represent our interests in Ottawa.鈥
Paul Stephenson
乌鸦传媒
Not for your consideration
Dear Editor:
Helena Konanz. First she was not even picked in a proper Conservative nomination meeting, even with four others who had all been campaigning hard.
Then she steps down for a leave of absence from Penticton city council and could potentially trigger another byelection.
Now she does not even show up for the all-candidates forums.
What a chicken.
She doesn鈥檛 deserve our consideration.
Alf Norrish
Penticton
Accomplishments of Liberal MP
Dear Editor:
During Stephen Fuhr乌鸦传媒 term as member of Parliament for 乌鸦传媒-Lake Country (2015-2019), he was able to facilitate several federal investments in local infrastructure, housing initiatives, and airport expansion.
Fuhr said the federal infrastructure investments he brought to the region totalled $160 million.
What follows are 20 accomplishments of Stephen Fuhr that I was able to find:
鈥 Chair of the Standing Committee on National Defence
鈥 Re-opened the 乌鸦传媒 Veterans Affairs office
鈥 $22 million for Mill Creek flood protection
鈥 Nearly $31 million in clean water and wastewater improvements
鈥 More than $700,000 to the Okanagan Basin Water Board, including prevention of zebra and quagga mussels in the Okanagan
鈥 More than $4.8 million for affordable housing and homelessness
鈥 $166,595 to support the 乌鸦传媒 Women乌鸦传媒 Shelter, for women and children fleeing violence and abuse
鈥 More than $46 million to UBC Okanagan
鈥 $3 million for a state-of-the-art training facility at Okanagan College
鈥 Doubled the number of jobs for students created through the Canada Summer Jobs Program
鈥 Over $1.4 million for local arts and culture
鈥 $4.2 million for the BCFGA to support development of innovative Canadian-bred apples and cherries
鈥 New market access for local businesses and farmers, including cherry growers
鈥 $1.8 million to help the community to complete the Okanagan Rail Trail
鈥 More than $2.5 million for high tech firms, including Accelerate Okanagan
鈥 Support to improve accessibility in local workplaces and community spaces
鈥 $5 million for Lake Country乌鸦传媒 multi-generational activity centre
鈥 More than $400,000 for local seniors programs through New Horizons
鈥$81,000 through the Women乌鸦传媒 Entrepreneurship Fund
鈥 $840,000 in funding for the Saskatoon Airport Authority in partnership with the 乌鸦传媒 International Airport, to promote tourism and trade through developing and sustaining trans-border air routes for Saskatoon and 乌鸦传媒 airports.
According to 338Canada -- an independently owned media website about politics, polling and electoral projections -- the April 21 projection for the 乌鸦传媒 riding is a 鈥渢oss up鈥 between the Liberals and the Conservatives.
The most important question a Canadian needs to answer before entering the voting booth: 鈥淏etween Mark Carney and Pierre Poilievre, who is best qualified to negotiate with American president Donald Trump, and to protect Canada乌鸦传媒 sovereignty?鈥
David Buckna
乌鸦传媒
Impressed with NDP candidate
Dear Editor:
I write today to urge progressive voters in Similkameen鈥擲outh Okanagan鈥擶est Kootenay to unite behind NDP candidate Linda Sankey, ensuring that our community continues to support Mark Carney乌鸦传媒 vision for a more compassionate federal government.
Voting for Linda does not weaken the progressive coalition鈥攊n fact, it reinforces it. Thanks to the NDP乌鸦传媒 Supply and Confidence Agreement with the Liberals, Canada now benefits from accessible dental care, universal pharmacare, $10鈥慳鈥慸ay childcare, and stronger workers鈥 rights, achievements we all cherish and must protect.
This riding is not the 鈥渟afe鈥 Conservative fortress portrayed by national models. In 2021, redistributed votes show the NDP at 39% and Conservatives at 37.5%.
If Liberal and NDP ballots divide, Helena Konanz could slip through with just 39%鈥攁 victory born of our own vote-splitting. For over 50 years, SOWK has elected either NDP or Conservative MPs; a Liberal has not represented us since 1967. Let us not revive a party that has never truly served our region.
Nationwide, the Liberals under Mark Carney are on track for a majority. They do not need this seat to win. But we do need solidarity here to stave off a Conservative takeover.
If you oppose Poilievre乌鸦传媒 agenda鈥攄efunding key social programs, undermining worker protections, and privileging billionaires鈥攖hen cast your ballot for Linda Sankey. Her decades of leadership in social services and supportive housing make her the ideal voice for our communities in Ottawa.
Linda Sankey is not just a candidate; she is our candidate. By voting NDP on April 28, we reaffirm our commitment to progressive progress and ensure Penticton乌鸦传媒 family values and social safety net remain strong.
Corinne Durston
Penticton
We only have so many hours left
Dear Editor:
What a way to go.
You have limited time left on this earth and who shows up in your waning hours, none other than J.D. Vance.
Is there no God?
Paul Crossley
Penticton
Crickets coming from OK Falls
Dear Editor:
Why has nobody from Okanagan Falls commented on the vote to become a municipality? Come on Falls people, let乌鸦传媒 hear from ya.
Alan Airlie
Okanagan Falls