To the editor:
Our provincial government is starting a crackdown in the valley about signs along the highways erected in order to inform people about what, and where, different services or products may be procured.
It is says these signs are distractions to drivers and sully the landscape and therefore must be removed by the farmers and businesses who put them up in order to try and make a living and pay their taxes to this same government. Or is the question a matter of the government didn’t get their cut from these hand crafted signs?
Isn’t this somewhat like shooting yourself in the foot? The reduction of business means fewer taxes paid by these hard working self promoters.
On the other hand, we have a great swath of signs right next to the highway, both north and south of Kelowna, along with an electronic sign (which is most distracting to motorists) and, I would imagine, is non-taxable but seems to be deemed safe and acceptable by this same government. (Or maybe it doesn’t want to get involved with that contentious concern.)
Maybe, it is a case of size does make a difference—or the bigger the less detracting and the law does not apply equally to all.
This looks like bullying to me as if they pick on the little guy they have the immediate resources and laws in place to force them to capitulate to their demands. If the provincial government picks on the larger adversaries, who have the funds to contest them, they stand to lose a great deal more and they don’t want to aggravate that relationship.
I am definitely not in favour of a cluttered mishmash of signage along our highways but shouldn’t the law be applied equally to all Canadians trying to improve their living standards?
John D. Grant,
West Kelowna
