Saanich, forget climate and focus on responsibilities

Saanich council intends to spend millions of dollars reducing greenhouse-gas emissions with the goal of reaching net zero by 2050. I might support this if I could see any benefit to us taxpayers, but all I find is alarm over climate change. Is council aware there is nothing Saanich can do that will have any impact whatsoever on global climate change, let alone any climate/weather impacts on the municipality?

The example given of electric vehicles and heat pumps using less energy than their fossil-fuel equivalents is irrelevant. Electrical energy demands in B.C. are forecast to increase 50% by 2050, coincidentally the same year Saanich expects to reach its net zero goal. To provide this extra electricity will require significant provincial spending on infrastructure such as dams, small nuclear reactors perhaps, turbines, hydro lines, and all the other equipment needed, plus ongoing maintenance. This will necessitate an increase in greenhouses gases to which Saanich will be contributing.

Please, Saanich council, concentrate on your prime responsibilities such as roads, sewers, water, schools, police, etc. Leave the climate change issue to those in a position to do something about it, assuming something can be done, which is another issue entirely. We do not need a district manager of sustainability with its associated staffing and other costs.

Brian Summers Victoria

How can anyone trust B.C. Hydro?

B.C. Hydro cannot be trusted. Years ago, they brought in E-Plus, which had customers like me spend lots of money on the conversion. Yes, it did save money, but after the conversion, Hydro threatened to eliminate the program until customers came out fighting. They kept the program but increased the Level One fee to a point where it is now only a few cents cheaper. The program is going to be cancelled in a year.

Now, after offering the solar panel program to help with hydro bills, they are cancelling the buy-back except for those who already are on the program. That is only for another 10 years for those customers. Their solar panels probably will not be paid off in 10 years.

How can anyone trust what B.C. Hydro has to offer customers?

Using a spectacle to distract the masses

Re: “Trump reminds us of Roman Empire days,” letter, June 23.

The letter is correct to advance the idea of Roman “bread and circuses” in the context of contemporary politics, and U.S. President Donald Trump as a lead player in this modern-day arena of obfuscation.

Canadian politicians have been quick to exploit the spectacle to distract from their own failures and excesses at home. The misdirection has proven a winning election strategy.

Scanning letters to the editor on any given day shows “plebeians” are........

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