Dear Editor:
Interesting letter, Mr. Stawychny, (in the January 3rd Pioneer) regarding free trade and the post office. However, a few things seemed to be missed in your rant against everything dealing with commerce and people and how the government is after our lives and our souls.
For instance, you rail against NAFTA as a means for Pitney to sue the feds over Canada Post and its profitable operations. For one, anyone can sue anyone for anything, its simply a matter of whether they might succeed. Canada Post gets close to $1 billion per year in subsidies and you state its profitable?
I will grant you that having 22 vice presidents would be insane but then, that is not government but bureaucrats doing what they do best: feather their own nest.
Do you really think, Bryan, that anyone that is negotiating multi-billion dollar agreements is going to let anyone know what the nitty gritty is during those negotiations? It will be debated in Parliament prior to being finalized, thats the way the system works in Canada and the U.S. and Britain.
Privatize Parks? Again, I dont think so. Privatize the hot pools, not even close. Allow private enterprise to long-term lease the hot pools, yes, absolutely.
Public Health and education being privatized? You know, that might be a good thing given how poorly the two systems work when compared to other jurisdictions such as France and Germany. Take a look some time as to their systems and weep in frustration for what is current in Canada. We already have privatized and alternative health care systems in place in Canada see the Armed Forces system, WorkSafeBC, and private MRIs and CAT scans that work so well. Privatizing, at least to some extent, should be good for citizens in the long run. And no, Im not advocating the U.S. system, heaven forbid that scenario.
As to education, have you seen how the Montessori system works? Thats private and works far better than what the teachers union is always advocating. Or at home schooling, that is the max of private schooling and look how good that is relative to the public system.
I realize that you dont like the concept of being out of the loop and feel there are conspiracies everywhere, but maybe its time to think a little deeper on actions of others and the overall benefits to the whole.
Its not all bad Bryan; in fact what is happening in Canada and B.C. is really really good versus whats happening in Africa, South America and many parts of the U.S.
David Pacey
Radium Hot Springs
