One of my very favourite politicians, Harold Steves, has announced he’s retiring and won’t be running for Richmond city council in 2022.
At 83, he’s spent half his life as a Richmond councillor with time out as an MLA in the Dave Barrett government.
A longtime strong and vocal advocate of agriculture and local food security, Harold was instrumental in forming the Agricultural Land reserve in 1973. His family were founders of Richmond, and Steveston is named for them. Harold farms on the original family land in Steveston.
In a recent news release, Harold repeated what he’s been saying for 40 years. “It’s time to adapt to our changing climate and rapidly changing world.”
“We should have started 50 years ago.” I agree.
The problem is, politicians of all persuasions and at all levels of government don’t always have a vision beyond their next election date.
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It just keeps raining all the time, with a few peeks of sun here and there. As I write this it’s pouring. Dreary weather is one thing, but COVID-19 is in no hurry to go away either. We can’t do anything about the weather, but I wish the pandemic deniers would help try to curb it instead keeping it going.
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Remember, back before electronics, when a piece of equipment failed, a good smack sometimes fixed it? My electric coffee pot got gummed up and I did all the usual things, vinegar and water, etc. to fix it with no luck. Recruited GD#5 to help. She’s too young to remember the smacking cure, but nothing she tried worked either until she gave the machine it a good whack. It’s been working fine ever since.
I wish smacking a fitted bed sheet would make it easier to fold.
Diana French is a freelance columnist for the Tribune. She is a former Tribune editor, retired teacher, historian and book author.
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