Letters to The Sun, October 9, 2021: Property transfer tax adds to high cost of housing

Article content

Politicians continually complain that housing costs in the Lower Continent are excessively high. Affordability or lack thereof seems to be a part of whatever speech they are giving.

Article content

My son recently bought his first home. It is a modest condo on the North Shore.

He was very surprised when the realtor said that in addition to the sale price, he would have to pay a property transfer tax. In your case, this amounts to just over $ 10,000. When young people struggle to save enough to buy their own home, this tax only adds an additional burden. If politicians were really concerned about the high cost of housing, they would eliminate the property transfer tax for first-time home buyers. However, with their outrageous spending practices, this is unlikely to happen and they will continue to speak from both sides of their mouths.

Robert Fairweather, West Vancouver

Thanks for the memories John Mackie

Re: Vancouver psychedelic relic appears on the prairies

Article content

The Mackie story was a true blast from the past. I never knew the drummer, but I did know Lee, Tapanila and Danny Mac. We lived on the same block and we all drank at the Anchor Hotel, along with the group that went out to lunch. They were our country house and acid band like Fireweed in 1970-71.

Lee Stephens was a terrific bass player. He played as Phil Lesh. Tremendous waterfalls of sound and rhythm. Danny M got louder and more emotional as the night wore on. Tapper sat on top with fast, tight licks. When Danny Tripper got drunk, he played loud, sloppy blues. When they cooked, they could be a magic carpet. I kept a lot of ephemeral things from that time.

I gave some posters and clothes to the Museum of Vancouver and sold a lot to Rob Frith. All my posters were used well so they weren’t particularly valuable. I still have some favorites left.

Article content

I have good memories of that time. We didn’t have a lot of money, but we had a lot of friends and we were able to have fun.

I last spoke to Danny Mack and Dan Tapanila around 2010 and we compared years of sobriety. Mack was making music to the end. I’m glad the Australians recognized it, but it’s telling that they sent their ashes here and scattered them on Kits Beach.

Thanks for the memories.

Mel Watson, North Vancouver

Premier should listen to the Fairy Creek protesters

Re: BC judge refuses to extend warrant in Fairy Creek

On the same day that the Fairy Creek blockers celebrated a major victory with Supreme Court Justice Douglas Thompson’s refusal to extend the injunction against the old logging protesters, Prime Minister John Horgan deceptively dismissed them. and ultimately counterproductive.

Article content

Referring to the recent postponement of logging in the Fairy Creek Basin, Horgan called out to the squatting blockers that they would not take “yes” for an answer. This line can work to persuade those who have not been following the controversy that the blockers have achieved their goal and are now perversely persisting with their protests.

But Horgan should know better. From the beginning, the Rainforest Flying Squad has tried to stop all logging of old trees, taking their actions well beyond the immediate vicinity of Fairy Creek.

In my time in the Fairy Creek camps, the many young men I met (very few Blockers are over the middle of my 74 years) greatly impressed me with their unity of purpose, ingenuity in peaceful civil disobedience, and tenacity in the face of rising aggressiveness. Police app Thompson called.

Article content

The Fairy Creek protesters have developed a strong and legitimate voice that deserves to be heard. Rather than denigrate them, Horgan should better listen to these determined land advocates and include them in any discussion about the future of logging old trees in BC.

Andrew Clement, Salt Spring Island

Re: proportional representation – be careful what you wish for

One author of a letter notes that right-wing parties have a place in parliament under proportional representation. I have three rebuttals to this. First, there will be a threshold, say five percent, for any party to win seats. Second, the vote would be totally different under PR. Now voters vote to gain representation, which is why the major parties get the most votes. If minority parties had a chance to win seats, there would be fewer strategic votes and more support for smaller national parties, perhaps not so much for the Bloc. And finally, why use the voting system to restrict extremist parties? If 10 percent of people have those views, they should be heard. It is up to 90 percent, the education system and the media to reject those views with sane arguments. A proportional system would reflect the diversity that Canada is, and politicians would have to recognize that diversity and obtain a true consensus on the bills they enact.

Tony Burt, Vancouver

Letters to the editor should be sent to [email protected]. CLICK HERE to report a typo.

Is there more to this story? We would like to hear from you about this or any other story that you think we should know about. Email [email protected].