Editor:
Re: Watts’ terror warning ‘fearmongering’, Sept. 23.
In my opinion, candidate Dianne Watts’ anti-terrorist brochure is appropriate and timely, if not late.
Humble and peaceful Canada of yesteryear is now under threat of extremism and it’s high time the naysayers took their heads out of the sand to see today’s realities. We need more intelligence distributed to the masses, not to instill fear, but to be informed enough to support those willing and able to protect our liberty.
I will support the policies of the political party with the gumption to put those policies into action. I’m not impressed with everything about the Conservatives but won’t have to hold my nose when voting for them either.
Ted Rutledge, White Rock
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I always like to check my figures, and so should political candidates.
In 2004, Judy Higginbotham lost to Russ Hiebert by 3,149 votes which happened at a time when no one really knew Russ as yet.
In 2008, when Russ had become heartily disliked by many of his constituents for his free-spending ways, he managed to beat Judy by 19,701. This was purely due to the fact that most of us voted for the party, not the individual.
This time around, Judy, I would not count my eggs before they hatch.
Regarding the not-so-appreciated flyer from the Conservatives – it is odd that people on the receiving end of these missives do not make their way to the Conservative office and let fly with their opinion.
Why complain at the Liberal and NDP office? It did make for nice headlines, though, didn’t it?
Purely political machinations which personally turn me right off.
Edie Williams, Surrey
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In your column (Political missteps and missed opportunities, Sept. 25), you chide South Surrey-White Rock candidates for waiting for someone to ask for their opinions.
Is it not your role, as a newspaper, to ask for their opinions?
When I inquired of one candidate why I hadn’t seen letters to the editor from him since the campaign started, I was told it is your policy not to print letters from candidates during an election period. I found that surprising but, if this is the case, it seems even more important that your paper be more proactive in asking all candidates for their views before printing an article.
That appears not to have happened with the Sept. 23 article, as neither Green party candidate Larry Colero nor Libertarian party candidate Bonnie Hu were even mentioned.
(Editor’s response: The letters page is for voters, as candidates have many opportunities to be heard. Dianne Watts’ leaflet targeted the Liberals and NDP, so their responses were integral.)
Hopefully your paper will provide more balanced coverage of our local candidates and act as a platform for them to express their views.
Marilyn Koyanagi, Surrey
