Summer students are having a tough time finding employment in the Comox Valley. Nothing new, but discouraging for young people. In years past, every gas station had an entry-level job for students or older people who chose this career. Jobs gone, but oil companies are doing very well. Now there is a new approach to entry-level job reduction — the temporary foreign worker program. It would seem that fast food outlets could benefit from employing eager young Canadians, looking for summer jobs and work experience. Tim’s has been a supporter of this program and the BC Liberals are leading in supporting businesses who employ foreign workers. This is not a knock on foreign workers, but should not Canadian students have firsts crack at jobs supported by Canadian consumers?
I have a huge issue with the woman parked at the liquor store at Driftwood Mall on the weekend of the 8th and 9th. I came out of Quality Foods and your car was left running with all the windows down halfway (further advertising that it was unlocked). This in itself is just plain irresponsible. Where it became criminal is that there was a baby of what appears to be under six months old strapped into a car seat in the back of this ‘kidnap waiting to happen.’ Nevermind the fact that the seat was facing forward when for a child that young it should be faced backwards. I have no idea how long you were in the store since this was the situation when I came out to the parking lot, but I waited four minutes for you to come out with your ever-so-precious bottle of booze. A bottle that apparently means a lot more to you than your child or car. If there is a next time, I will call the police.
This is in response to Lorne Hepworth’s letter in the June 4 edition of the Comox Valley Record, claiming that the May 25 March Against Monsanto was unnecessary. What concerns me and many others is the smokescreen of propaganda and non-forthcoming nature of many biotech companies and supporters. These products mystically make their way onto shelves and into livestock feed unbeknownst to many consumers, as they do not currently require labelling by the FDA or Health Canada. Much of the public might be interested to know in detail, the steps and measures the CFIA is taking to ensure the factual safety of these products and practices. The underlying fact of the genetically engineered debate is that this technology is still in its very infant stages and there is no definitive way to know the long-term impacts of introducing laboratory created organisms into our diet and the natural environment.
Kindness is alive and well in the Comox Valley! A huge bouquet of thanks from the Comox Valley Children’s Day Care Society goes out to the following businesses and individuals who supported our Silent Auction and fundraiser — Katy Fogg of Living Earth Pottery, Red Tree Specialty Coffee, Thrifty Foods Ryan Road, PC Silver, Dalron Home Leisure, Lazo Barber Shop, Eby’s Business Services, Courtenay Grooming Salon, Jenn Ritchie, B. Tuck Photography, Maureen Eby and, of course, the Mex Pub. Thank you all so much!
The ladies and that “man” at the post office in the Comox Rexall store are so very pleasant and helpful and deserve a big bouquet of thanks.
There appear to be many more wild creatures behaving strangely. Has anyone checked them for mad cow disease? It is long enough since the outbreak in Britain, when they had been apparently selling bone meal and/or other beef products like tins of cat or dog food, Can it possibly be that these animals were either eating the cat food, or eating the affected cats or dogs? It is never revealed whether any of the killed animals who became aggressive had been tested on their brain etc? It is eight years or more to show the disease. Is someone forgetting to tell us? The current meat is not at risk, but are the animals a risk to us all if infected with the Prion? Just asking.
It was 1944 and the Second World War was raging. In the middle of the night we were standing fully clothed with packed suitcases ready to run if any bombs or airplanes would come down in our neighbourhood. I was only eight, but I still remember the tension that was building. The drone of many airplanes was overwhelming; the German army was trying to shoot down the planes. Angst was projected on the faces of my parents. That night must have been the worst, because my mother was anxious to leave our home and flee to her brother’s home, which was a 20-minute walk from us. Eventually, my dad agreed with my mother to leave our home, even though since seven o’clock in the evening we were not allowed to go outside. We arrived safely, walking through very dark streets while the onslaught was going on in the air. Looking back while watching the horrific explosions at the Boston Marathon; the memory, the fear of it all came back, because it can happen tomorrow in whatsoever place we might be. When fear is the dominate factor we are usually not at our best to make a rational assessment of any situation. I don’t think it was a wise decision to run out of fear, leaving the protection of our home. However, fear often weakens our ability to think.
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Do you have somebody to praise or something you have to get off your chest? Have your say by submitting to editor@comoxvalleyrecord.com. You can also get a written submission to 765 McPhee Ave., Courtenay, B.C. V9N 2Z7 or fax to 250-338-5568. If you wish to talk to the editor, phone Mark Allan at 250-338-7816, 2309.
