Goose Solution
I have memories of my cousin coming to visit us in Southern Saskatchewan for his yearly duck/goose hunting expedition. His pleasure was in shooting them, my mother’s was in harvesting the down for pillows and in baking them for our eating pleasure. I was a picky eater as a kid, and yet I remember enjoying these birds. With all the geese and ducks pooping all over our beaches, why are they not harvested, butchered by people who have the allowed facilities, and sold to the public? We would all gain.
Diane Koperdan
Feeding birds
The letter (April 13) by C.G. Lightfoot took me back two days to when I saw a young fellow feeding the ducks in Polson Park within 50’ of a conspicuous sign advising not to feed the birds and listing reasons why. I was tempted to speak up but then logic took over and I realized English was probably not his first language.
J.L. Mawle Vernon.
Candy-coated meds
Asking if pain killers should taste like candy seems like a ridiculous question doesn’t it? Until recently, every pain killer I have taken for my arthritis has not had a very good taste and I thought nothing of it. I bought a bottle of acetaminophen in a local drugstore with the store brand name Atoma. It is manufactured by Laboratoires Trianon Inc. As soon as I put it in my mouth I was shocked and then horrified to discover that it tasted as good as a candy. It is a round pill with a sweet red coating that reminds me of Skittles. If a child gains access to a bottle of most other pain killers and puts one in their mouth, chances are they will spit it out because of the unpleasant taste. But one taste of these Atoma pills would encourage them to consume the entire bottle.
I have spoken to the manufacturer. I was told that the reason they did this was due to the results of an opinion poll of Canadians by their marketing division. That we said yes, we would prefer a pill that tastes good. Who wouldn’t? But why did no one consider the increased risk to children with this product? This is completely unnecessary because we all know that an adults priority is pain relief, whether it tastes good or not. This sweet coating was approved by Health Canada after undergoing a “risk assessment.” Canadians should never have been given this choice.
Are we really so selfish that we are willing to purchase a product which increases the risk to our children just to avoid a little bit of unpleasantness?
Judy Galley
Sorrento
Social planning council
At the last Vernon Council meeting (April 9, 2018), the city administration sought a five year renewal of the professional services agreement between the City and the Social Planning Council.
In the discussion pursuant to approving this renewal, Scott Anderson reminded Ms. Annette Sharkey of the Council of one aspect of the agreement.
“Facilitate cooperation and coordination of efforts within the non-profit, government and business sectors to address social issues.”
During the discussion, the implication was that up until now, the only city partner involved with the Social Planning Council was the Downtown Vernon Association, which has been alleged, in other forums, to not have been representing all of the interests of the downtown businesses.
(This discussion by Scott Anderson, who was rightfully asserting the rights of the taxpayers, who finance this agreement, to a clear and accountable frame of reference of the duties of the Social Planning Council).
Councillor Cunningham suggested adding the Chamber of Commerce to the Council membership.
There are a number of people downtown who also feel, that their issues have not been addressed, in terms of advocating for their financial interests in response to deteriorating conditions exacerbated by the street-entrenched factors in the vicinity of many of their downtown locations.
That suggestion by Councillor Cunningham does not address the perception of the Social Planning Council being dominated by non-business interests who are more concerned with social justice issues than with the ongoing needs of business to be part of discussions which create scenarios that affect their livelihoods on a daily basis.
If the Social Planning Council is to be the beneficiary of the “Five Year Plan,” then the Social Planning Council should exercise due diligence in providing all of the services agreed to when the agreement is promulgated.
Dean Roosevelt, Vernon