Aleck Trawick wrote to the Times Colonist a letter which included comments such as:
The testimony at the Lee inquest makes it clear that Sunny Park, attempting to save her life and that of her six-year-old son, was shuffled from West Shore RCMP to Victoria police to Oak Bay police to report her husband tried to kill her and would again. They didn't co-ordinate.
When he showed up, the call went to Victoria police, rather than Saanich, which provides 9-1-1 service for Oak Bay. Although the call was passed along, "the gravity of the communication was lost," along with their lives.
This ridiculous split of jurisdictions has probably killed someone, and not for the first time.
Saanich and Victoria officers had to decide which department should respond to a case at the Royal Jubilee Hospital.
We are subjected to endless discussion about the Blue Bridge, but the real issue is that Victoria can't afford to support its infrastructure with its population.
The only sensible solution is the amalgamation of at least Esquimalt, Victoria, Oak Bay and Saanich.
Why isn't that happening?
If the citizens don't take the initiative to force amalgamation, we will have more tragedies, more unsolved crime, crumbling infrastructure and a downward spiral that will ruin the wonderful lifestyle the region offers.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
There is No Ability to Plan for the Future
The Chamber of Commerce has recently written that the greater Victoria area has done a good job of maintaining existing infrastructure but that their ability to plan for ten to fifty years in the future is inadequate. Clearly our city, with its divisions and lack of singular vision, will never, in the life times of anyone here, see light rapid transit, an Aquarium, Children’s Museum, open air concert facility, new concert hall, or regional facilities of any magnitude.
That is not to say that some smaller versions, less adequate, or subject to significant compromise, might not one day see the light of day. However, the Chamber has inferred that, without a vision that can be lead by a mayor and counsel looking at the good of the region for the future, we simply will not have any implemented plan for the future.
It is all well and good for different people, say the City of Victoria, to have a plan, but without the cooperation of the region which will benefit, it is unlikely to happen.
If a bridge needs to be built, it is for the benefit of all. Why are not all citizens involved in the debate? Why is it only those few that live in Victoria? Next time it might be an overpass on the highway. Why is it there and unfinished? Why do we have to drive by an unsightly area for years to come? Why have we no say in getting it cleaned up, unless we live in Langford?
That is not to say that some smaller versions, less adequate, or subject to significant compromise, might not one day see the light of day. However, the Chamber has inferred that, without a vision that can be lead by a mayor and counsel looking at the good of the region for the future, we simply will not have any implemented plan for the future.
It is all well and good for different people, say the City of Victoria, to have a plan, but without the cooperation of the region which will benefit, it is unlikely to happen.
If a bridge needs to be built, it is for the benefit of all. Why are not all citizens involved in the debate? Why is it only those few that live in Victoria? Next time it might be an overpass on the highway. Why is it there and unfinished? Why do we have to drive by an unsightly area for years to come? Why have we no say in getting it cleaned up, unless we live in Langford?
Monday, December 28, 2009
Recreation Passes for the Region
Recreation Passes for the Region
Recently eleven (11), not 13, municipalities have agreed to continue with a region wide recreation pass. This will allow someone to buy one pass usable in all our rec centres. Frank Leonard was quotes as saying that people look for opportunities and do not see a municipal border. Dean Fortin was noted as saying it recognizes that municipalities do work as a region.
It is hard to believe this took so long for the municipalities to realize that people do not see them as separate. It is sad that two municipalities are not involved. It is also clear that this issue had to take time from eleven different departments, to consider if they would participate, see if there was a benefit to them, decide how to share the revenue etc.
It may be considered that rec centres are a simple and identifiable service that, given this co-operation, do not reflect a need for amalgamation. However, rec centres are simply the easily observable service and the fact is that all the city services are similar in their scope. The need for amalgamation is reflected in the practicality of having a region wide pass.
We should all have a region wide pass for all municipal issues, to allow us to pay one tax, access one source of services and be managed by one set of politicians.
Recently eleven (11), not 13, municipalities have agreed to continue with a region wide recreation pass. This will allow someone to buy one pass usable in all our rec centres. Frank Leonard was quotes as saying that people look for opportunities and do not see a municipal border. Dean Fortin was noted as saying it recognizes that municipalities do work as a region.
It is hard to believe this took so long for the municipalities to realize that people do not see them as separate. It is sad that two municipalities are not involved. It is also clear that this issue had to take time from eleven different departments, to consider if they would participate, see if there was a benefit to them, decide how to share the revenue etc.
It may be considered that rec centres are a simple and identifiable service that, given this co-operation, do not reflect a need for amalgamation. However, rec centres are simply the easily observable service and the fact is that all the city services are similar in their scope. The need for amalgamation is reflected in the practicality of having a region wide pass.
We should all have a region wide pass for all municipal issues, to allow us to pay one tax, access one source of services and be managed by one set of politicians.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Letter to Editor in Times Colonist calls for Amalgamation
There is a Letter to the Editor today in the Times Colonist calling for amalgamation. It was written by Colin Nielson, who stated his support for amalgamation icluding:
The Blue Bridge is used by people from all over the Greater Victoria region. The city, with just over 24 per cent of the region's population, could be stuck with providing 100 per cent of the local contribution to costs.
This situation will never change unless the provincial government steps in and forces amalgamation upon, at the least, the core municipalities.
...
There needs to be a people's movement to push for a merging of the region's municipalities.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Former Saanich mayor calls for amalgamated policing
Mel Couvelier has an op-ed piece in the Times Colonist calling for amalgamated policing. As he puts it, "The need to seriously consider amalgamating municipal policing services is inching ever closer."
Mr. Couvelier is a former Saanich mayor and provincial finance minister. He ran for mayor of Sidney in the 2008 municipal elections.
Mr. Couvelier is a former Saanich mayor and provincial finance minister. He ran for mayor of Sidney in the 2008 municipal elections.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
More Issues on Traffic
Saanich Snarl worse than crawl, mayor says
With multiple municipalities, it seems necessary for Mayor’s to deflect critical terms from their area to others, hence the Colwood Mayor referring to the "Saanich Snarl" instead of the “Colwood Crawl”. This of course is an entire waste of dialoged, as the people know that the traffic slow down starts at least at the hospital and affects mainly those going to Colwood/Langford. Trying to change the name of the problem is plain silly.
This came to light while Colwood council, one of the 13 municipalities was considering the proposed Victoria Regional Rapid Transit Project route.
In that review they support, a rapid-transit line to Colwood Corners rather than down Wale Road to Langford. Now we will have to see what Langford says. They might be right of course. It may also be appropriate to consider these meetings as “community input” which is certainly required. Would it not be better though to have community input, but have the final decision placed upon one elected body for the region? Right now that will never happen.
On a related note, Colwood council does not seem to support Victoria's request to the CRD for gas-tax funds to offset the rail component cost of the Johnson Street Bridge replacement project. Colwood Coun. Brian Tucknott is quoted as saying: "The rail does not come anywhere near Colwood. Very few of our citizens would use it”. This is such an insular, unhelpful and narrow view of life in our city. No wonder little gets done in an effective way. Few citizens of Victoria will use the rail at all. They all live close to downtown. Yet they will clearly pay. If a rail line has benefits for the overall community, we should all pay. If it does not, then we should not build it. Whatever the decision, it would be best made by a city council representing all of us and our interests in a way that could reasonably debate the issue and vote on it.
Interestingly, Langford Coun. Lanny Seaton is quoted as saying: "This is a rare opportunity for Langford to support Victoria.” How sad that it is considered rare, for one neighbor (or perhaps the better analogy is, resident in the same house) to support the other.
With multiple municipalities, it seems necessary for Mayor’s to deflect critical terms from their area to others, hence the Colwood Mayor referring to the "Saanich Snarl" instead of the “Colwood Crawl”. This of course is an entire waste of dialoged, as the people know that the traffic slow down starts at least at the hospital and affects mainly those going to Colwood/Langford. Trying to change the name of the problem is plain silly.
This came to light while Colwood council, one of the 13 municipalities was considering the proposed Victoria Regional Rapid Transit Project route.
In that review they support, a rapid-transit line to Colwood Corners rather than down Wale Road to Langford. Now we will have to see what Langford says. They might be right of course. It may also be appropriate to consider these meetings as “community input” which is certainly required. Would it not be better though to have community input, but have the final decision placed upon one elected body for the region? Right now that will never happen.
On a related note, Colwood council does not seem to support Victoria's request to the CRD for gas-tax funds to offset the rail component cost of the Johnson Street Bridge replacement project. Colwood Coun. Brian Tucknott is quoted as saying: "The rail does not come anywhere near Colwood. Very few of our citizens would use it”. This is such an insular, unhelpful and narrow view of life in our city. No wonder little gets done in an effective way. Few citizens of Victoria will use the rail at all. They all live close to downtown. Yet they will clearly pay. If a rail line has benefits for the overall community, we should all pay. If it does not, then we should not build it. Whatever the decision, it would be best made by a city council representing all of us and our interests in a way that could reasonably debate the issue and vote on it.
Interestingly, Langford Coun. Lanny Seaton is quoted as saying: "This is a rare opportunity for Langford to support Victoria.” How sad that it is considered rare, for one neighbor (or perhaps the better analogy is, resident in the same house) to support the other.
Victoria police pulling out of regional expenses
The Victoria Police department is asking for a $2.35 million increase to their budget. They are also considering dropping out of the CREST radio system. They cite cost as the reason to pull out of the Regional Crime Unit. They also have to pay more for the computer access to share information between police departments.
So what is wrong with this?
First, if the police were amalgamated CREST, a separate agency put in place to manage the new radio system would not even exist. Thus while it could still have problems, it would be the police department that would be accountable for the problems, as they would have implemented what they felt was needed (or should have) in the first place. At a minimum the duplication and delay from having yet another level of management might have been avoided.
Second, if we have one police department protecting us in the area, no one would be pulling out of a Regional Crime Unit. The one department we should have for our region would hopefully be managing its resources to fight crime all over the city. They might change how they do that from time to time, but no one would be pulling out of sharing resources, knowledge and crime fighting.
Third, I cannot say that there would be a cost savings if all the departments regionally were one and thus already sharing information between departments, but one has to wonder if there are significant cost savings to be had through the use of the same technology in a larger department. Certainly the cost of soft ware licenses often gets cheaper as the number of units increases. Thus it is possible that cost savings might be found through a larger purchasing power.
So what is wrong with this?
First, if the police were amalgamated CREST, a separate agency put in place to manage the new radio system would not even exist. Thus while it could still have problems, it would be the police department that would be accountable for the problems, as they would have implemented what they felt was needed (or should have) in the first place. At a minimum the duplication and delay from having yet another level of management might have been avoided.
Second, if we have one police department protecting us in the area, no one would be pulling out of a Regional Crime Unit. The one department we should have for our region would hopefully be managing its resources to fight crime all over the city. They might change how they do that from time to time, but no one would be pulling out of sharing resources, knowledge and crime fighting.
Third, I cannot say that there would be a cost savings if all the departments regionally were one and thus already sharing information between departments, but one has to wonder if there are significant cost savings to be had through the use of the same technology in a larger department. Certainly the cost of soft ware licenses often gets cheaper as the number of units increases. Thus it is possible that cost savings might be found through a larger purchasing power.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)