BOUQUET To Mr. Bamford, the man, the myth the legend, in his 45th year of teaching the wee ones at McGirr Elementary. How impressive. We thank you for all your hard work and getting our kids excited for school and music. Don’t retire.
BEEF To RCMP. In my last job I had to report many thefts and assaults and in my new job, road rage incidents. I give you full names, addresses, and licence plates and you never find anyone or make any arrests. A person assaulted and spit on my co-worker and you released him to his dad and he was back in an hour harassing us. I have zero trust or faith in our policing.
BOUQUET To city workers who have to clean public washrooms, such as the one in Maffeo Sutton Park.
BEEF To the woman leaving the grocery store on Valentine’s Day. You gave my young daughter the finger for not driving aggressively enough – she has a learner’s permit. I am teaching her to drive cautiously and responsibly, something you need to learn. Be nicer. Do better.
BOUQUET To the City of Nanaimo and parks and rec staff for hosting the most incredible Family Day events. We attended Oliver Woods’ free Family Day festivities and we owe a massive thank you for making the day so spectacular. Core family memories were made and it was so well-organized and executed. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to making the holiday so special for all of us.
BEEF To the jazz music hater. The devil loves hypocrites such as you. I am a long-time sober musician who plays jazz. Behind every person who thinks that they’re morally superior like Dr. Jekyll lurks a spiritual monster like Mr. Hyde. Alcoholism afflicts people from all walks of life, not just jazz musicians.
BOUQUET To Jason’s Computer Service for rebuilding my very old computer and restoring most everything I saved over the years. I cannot earn a living in my profession without it, and he did a spectacular job for me at a very reasonable rate.
BEEF To the city for trying to ram another palatial building down our throats at immense cost. I drive down the same crumbling streets, never saw a plow hit my snow-covered street this year and see the same garbage and graffiti on the street. $48.5 million won’t fix what’s wrong.
BOUQUET Thank you and farewell to all of the lovely clients and co-workers I have gotten to know over the last eight years at the hearing clinic. I wasn’t given any notice, so sadly I didn’t get to say goodbye. I will miss chatting with you all and wish you all the best.
BEEF To the elementary school for allowing parents to park on the only sidewalk on Jingle Pot Road when they pick up their kids. Little kids and passing foot traffic have to squeeze between oncoming cars and people parked on the sidewalk. A big log truck came so close to a little girl she started crying. I’m an adult and feel unsafe walking home.
BOUQUET To the wonderful couple who paid for our supper on Valentine’s Day. We were so surprised at the nice gesture. Thanks once again.
BEEF Went to a grocery store. Their tomato sauce at regular price is $1.97; they had a bulk sale for the same product for two for $5. I pointed out the error to the manager, he continued to say it’s a bulk sale. We all need to be mindful of this ridiculous pricing that is ripping off the consumer. Left with it being unresolved. Rip off.
BOUQUET To beefers and bouqueters. Everyone’s voice matters. Our strata lost our paper delivery person over a year ago and I would always read this section before anything else. It’s a humorous way to find out what’s really going on in Nanaimo. Love that I can read these online.
BEEF I see that other provinces are getting a carbon tax rebate. So how come our provincial government is not giving us the same rebate?
BOUQUET To all the new immigrants working hard and contributing to society without burdening the taxpayer. More than I can say for established Canadian n’er-do-wells.
BEEF In B.C. there is a large tax placed on vehicle fuel that was to pay for our highways. Yet electric vehicles pay no such tax yet use the same highways for free. About time to change what electric vehicles are paying for their power.
BOUQUET Thanks to Rebekah, Aaron, Denny, Kelly, Rosalind and the others at Van Isle Windows who helped me sort out an urgent window problem with fast, efficient and competitively priced service. These people were a breath of fresh air to deal with. As a bonus they make their windows here on the Island, so your money stays local.
BEEF To food-grade and cleaning containers that have lids and caps that self-destruct when you look at them the wrong way.
BOUQUET To the pharmacist for refilling my medication for a full three months after not being able to see a walk-in doctor at the local clinic. Beef to the B.C. government for mismanaging the health-care system making impossible to see a doctor for proper health care. People have been without a family doctor for over 20 years.
BEEF To the bylaws and officers who enforce them. If you aren’t going to enforce the bylaws why do we have them?
BOUQUET Grateful to my neighbour Shawn who shovelled my driveway all the way to the street after the big snowfall hit, and for all the help he and his son Connor have done for my wife and I with our yard maintenance during the most recent summer.
BEEF To the Bank of Canada for setting such high interest rates that make mortgages out of reach for so many people.
BOUQUET To R. Hospital gowns, recliner chairs, drag queen shows with no remote for the TV and de-population theories are the best conversations post-surgery. Thanks for the company, and I hope you had a great Valentine’s Day.
BOUQUET To the anonymous neighbour who came by with a tractor to clear their neighbours’ driveways and driveway entrances after the snowplows went by on the 13000 block of Cedar Road in January. Your kindness is much appreciated, especially by your elderly neighbours who aren’t able to shovel their driveways anymore.
BEEF To all my elementary school teachers for saying it’s i before e, except after c. I have found out over the years, most of the time that is wrong.
BOUQUET To the awesome staff at the Great Canadian Oil Change at Country Club Centre. When I heard you didn’t have my filter in stock I was wondering how many places I would have to go. Then you made the call to see if the other location had one. Not only did they, they brought it to me instead of sending me there. Way to go above and beyond. Thanks so much.
BEEF Nanaimo council needs to govern with a stronger regard for tax dollar spending. $48.5 million to upgrade a public works yard? Utilize companies paying taxes to the city; they have equipment and employees.
BOUQUET To Dayna B. for organizing a women’s indoor and outdoor soccer league. Your effort is so appreciated. We are all so grateful to have this soccer league in Nanaimo and for accommodating all levels of players. You are amazing.
BEEF Community tax dollar spending seems to be the only answer for councils. There are lots of contractors with equipment and employees, stop buying equipment and scale down employees, contract out snow removal, dump trucks, backhoes, etc. Rather than spend more tax dollars on public works yard upgrades, be responsible with tax dollars by looking at other options, times have changed so the thought process needs to as well.
BOUQUET To Rocking Horse Stables in Nanoose, my three girls had an amazing day at your day camp. Thank you for a special day, we will be back.
BEEF To my doctor. I sometimes wonder if you really are a qualified doctor. You don’t seem to know what is what half the time.
BOUQUET to the staff at M&M Food Market, they are always pleasant, friendly and helpful, it’s a pleasure to shop there.
BEEF To Beefs & Bouquets for never publishing my beefs and bouquets. Angry emoji.
BOUQUET To Wisteria Community Association’s Stone Soup kitchen for being out there seven nights a week handing out hot meals, coffee, water, clothes, tents, etc. Bless them for caring for people who are homeless and anyone who needs food.
BEEF During lunch today the price of gas jumped from $1.599 to $1.799 at our station to match the other gas retailers. That’s over a 10 per cent increase between driving to lunch and driving home an hour later. If that’s not price fixing, what is? The price of oil didn’t go up 10 per cent during that period.
BOUQUET To all the bus riders who pay to ride the bus. I know it’s frustrating seeing all the non-payers. And you keep paying. Thank you.
BEEF To the restaurant for not honouring a ‘free’ coupon that I was given to make up for a poor meal previously. Although it was signed by the manager and had no expiry date, I was told there are new owners, and I was refused my free meal. Poor customer service echoes forever.
BOUQUET To Andrew from Kangaroo Contracting, you did wonderful, precise work for us. You have such a pleasant personality, great having you in our home. Will contact again for our next project. Thank you.
BEEF To the mail carrier who loudly slams the apartment mailboxes every day, startling pets. Why do you continue if you hate your job so much?
BOUQUET To the team at Arbutus Music for fixing up my 25-year-old SWR bass head. Works as good as new.
BEEF To the naked people on my TV encouraging me to bet on sports. I did. I lost my whole paycheque. How do I eat and pay the rent?
BOUQUET To the man in the white SUV near Nanaimo North Town Centre who followed us for several minutes in order to give us back the baby toy that we had accidentally left on our car roof; you are a gentleman and our baby appreciates having her alien spacecraft back.
To submit a beef or a bouquet to the Nanaimo News Bulletin, e-mail editor@nanaimobulletin.com.