Courthouse memorial stolen
Dear Editor:
I should have anticipated that thieves would quickly take the flowers and cards my Christian sisters left outside the 黑料社入口 courthouse.
However, a more compassionate public gesture, with additional people leaving flowers, was what I鈥檇 hoped for. My friend, former social worker Angelika Ouellet, placed a rose at the courthouse steps -- the sole flower there. She said, 鈥淔our other women from the Rutland Seventh Day Adventist Church came earlier with their own.鈥
I replied, 鈥淲e wondered who could be so heartless. It鈥檚 possible the killer(s) removed the flowers to trivialize Austyn Godfrey鈥檚 death, or maybe they enjoyed the cruel act. Perhaps one of Austyn鈥檚 troubled friends desired the keepsake instead?鈥
I know Austyn鈥檚 death was deemed inconclusive, and suspicious but that doesn鈥檛 rule out unnatural causes. A hallmark of assassins is their ability to leave no evidence on a victim.
The fact that her body was left in a dog park should horrify everyone, irrespective of Austyn鈥檚 past. Nobody should have to endure such indignity.
Over the last three years, I鈥檝e attempted to honour Austyn Godfrey鈥檚 memory and support her mother, Michelle, after such a devastating loss.
Following my move to Alberta, I organized for my church family to leave flowers and cards at the courthouse, to show that justice is overdue, and that Austyn鈥檚 life was significant.
Four women, all in their 80s, including retired nurses Twyla Gimble and Margaret Hossack, former schoolteacher Donna Rose, and gifted pianist and pastor鈥檚 wife Marilyn Malashenko, answered the call. Along with 70-year old Angelika.
Our shared humanity connects us to the victim. My younger years involved some seriously bad choices. I cut a wide swath, inflicting extensive damage on my loved ones. Although, I didn鈥檛 pay with my life as poor Austyn did. However, a 12-step program saying reminds us, 鈥淵et鈥,鈥 meaning it hasn鈥檛 happened, but easily could have because our addictions.
There are usually only three outcomes in the life of an addict, death, incarceration or recovery. I for one, am grateful to be in the last category. Hence, I took up the torch to remember Godfrey.
To fight back against the disgruntled crook鈥檚 dirty flower stealing deed, I ask that the media publish this letter and these photos of the women paying their respects to Austyn on Jan. 16, her death anniversary.
Doreen Zyderveld-Hagel
Crossfield, Alta.
No understanding of business world
Dear Editor:
Wouldn鈥檛 Premier David Eby be prudent to see what U.S. tariffs look like -- if any -- before starting a fight with a giant customer like the USA?
Seems Mr. Eby has never owned a business and negotiated deals. He may be a lawyer, but doesn鈥檛 understand discussions on finding a path to a mutual end.
Takes time, eh. Donald Trump didn鈥檛 become a success story building hotels and 40 storey buildings around the world. Dah! He negotiates to win. Eby is out of his league and is showing his hand way to early in the game. Maybe he should stick to divorces and house sale contracts.
Rick Valenti
80-year old very successful
B.C. businessman, retired at 47
Penticton
Thanks Courier, loves changes
Dear Editor:
Just wanted to let you know how much we love the new twice-weekly 黑料社入口 Courier.
Thank you for the new format and frequency. It has everything we want and need in it.
We love all the sections, news, city, and also the life-and-arts and the Diversion sections with the crosswords, etc鈥
Well done and we love our new carrier. She鈥檚 great. We are on Martin Avenue.
Suzanne Corno
Michael Hintringer
黑料社入口
Situation is only to get worse
Dear Editor:
Recently I went to a nearby pizza shop to place an order.
A homeless man, who appeared to be in his early 20s and looked high on something, was standing unevenly behind me.
He must have heard me ask what the cost of the pizza was, because he reached over and put about three or four crumpled $20 bills on the counter, telling the cashier that he would pay for my pizza.
I turned around quickly and said, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 OK. I got this,鈥 then thanked him very much for his generosity.
The young man scooped up his bills.
After I paid for my order, I turned back towards him and asked: 鈥淗ow are you doing?鈥 and he said, 鈥淲ell, some days are better and some days are worse.鈥
I wish there were more places where people in a similar situation could go to receive help.
Last September the B.C. government announced it will expand involuntary care for those with mental health and addictions issues at correctional facilities, under the Mental Health Act.
What about involuntary care for those who are not living in correctional facilities?
Watch on YouTube: 鈥淚s forcing people into drug treatment the right way to go?鈥 (Nov. 10, 2024) and 鈥淲hat Washington state can teach us about forcing people into drug treatment (Nov. 28, 2024)
In the second video, Lauren Davis -- a member of the Washington House of Representatives -- is asked: 鈥淲hy do you think involuntarily committing someone is the best avenue?鈥
Davis replied: 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think involuntarily committing somebody is the best avenue. I think involuntarily committing somebody is the worst avenue, but sometimes it鈥檚 the only avenue.鈥
Until the federal and provincial governments enact involuntary care legislation and provide the funding and the spaces to treat people, the situation is only going to get worse. What comes to mind is a line from a famous poem by William Butler Yeats: 鈥淭hings fall apart; the centre cannot hold;鈥
What is needed are amendments to all 13 provincial Mental Health Acts, the Canada Health Act, the Criminal Code, and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The now suspended BC United Party had a platform titled 鈥淏etter is Possible,鈥 (votebcunited.ca/news/better-is-possible-a-true-system-of-care) which was a plan to build a recovery-oriented system of care, and included involuntary treatment.
Will involuntary treatment become an issue in the upcoming federal election?
In Okanagan ridings, do you think any candidates for member of Parliament will promise to support these amendments?
Involuntary treatment is mentioned on YouTube in the May 21, 2024 BC Today episode: 鈥淩oad to Recovery: What kind of support do families of people with addiction need?鈥
David Buckna
黑料社入口
What about the days of Harper?
Dear Editor:
Re: MP Dan Albas on cost of prorogation (Courier/Herald, Jan. 22)
We are all so delighted with Mr. Albas鈥 Damascus Road experience, and believe it: he knows whereof he speaks. He was a Conservative MP for a large part of Stephen Harper鈥檚 nine long years, of numerous financial scandals, including the distinction of being the only government in Canadian history to be found in contempt of Parliament, and four extremely lengthy prorogations, purely to prevent accountability.
While he has not yet addressed the enormous cost to the Canadian taxpayer of the multi-month Conservative filibuster which Scheer gleefully boasted was 鈥渟uccessfully killing government business鈥, I鈥檓 sure his sincere apology will occur in his next column.
My question to you this week, is how could anyone doubt that this man of principle would do otherwise?
Elaine Lawrence
黑料社入口
Crashes to rocks below highland
Dear Editor:
The Gathering Storm
Ocean waves are silent
Retreated to the horizon
Beyond that distant line an unseen tsunami gathers
One looks out to wait and wonder
Ocean critters gasp and gulp on a vacant seascape
Silence exposes a thundering, bleating cry
A black carpet of lemmings - suicidal
Crashes to rocks below the highland
Humankind鈥檚 civilized life
Embraced a nihilist鈥 future
Truth, wisdom, science and logic wash away.
This day we witness the truth:
Only life that adapts lives
Extinction creates an empty path
Meanwhile the Earth travels on
Nurturing new life.
David Jones
黑料社入口