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Beefs & Bouquets, Oct. 23

To submit a beef or a bouquet to the Nanaimo News Bulletin, e-mail editor@nanaimobulletin.com
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BEEF To the people of Nanaimo who have taught me to hate, to fear and to not trust. These are gifts I will take wherever I go for the rest of my days.

BOUQUET To Kim of Kim’s Cardio for offering her incredible enthusiasm and upbeat energy to students in Nanaimo schools. The combination of physical engagement and thumping tunes is always a blast. Keep on rocking.

BEEF To the people of Nanaimo who have taught me to hate, to fear and to not trust. These are gifts I will take wherever I go for the rest of my days.

BOUQUET To the four women who rushed to my aid when I fell recently at Southgate Plaza. First one woman, then another, then Teresa and her daughter Caitlyn, who stayed with me and saw me safely aboard the ambulance with my purse and cane. Other motorists also slowed down to offer help. Such kindness from strangers is above and beyond and so appreciated. God bless you all.

BEEF To those who constantly whine about cyclists. The reason bikes are found on sidewalks and crosswalks is sometimes it’s too dangerous to ride on the road or to make a left turn. Try walking on a busy street with your back to the traffic and you’ll get my drift.

BOUQUET To Christine with Ocean Graphics for going above and beyond with all printing product and design needs for our celebration of life, our family can’t thank you enough.

BEEF To the non-enforcement of traffic laws on Vancouver Island. My wife was almost killed today crossing an intersection in south Nanaimo. It pains us to see everyone at any given time running red lights speeding like there is no tomorrow, running intersections when pedestrians are crossing and they must jump out of harm’s way. I must ask, when are the police going to ramp up and help solve any of these issues?

BOUQUET To owner and staff at Ajac’s Equipment. Thank you for the great service, always.

BEEF To neighbours who try to put out over-filled waste collection bins. We cluck our tongues as we drive by in the morning and then point and laugh when we see that the bins went uncollected while we’re driving by in the evening.

BOUQUET To Pat who made my time in the office so special and memorable. She is truly a ray of sunshine, always brightening the day with her contagious smile and positive energy. Thank you, Perky Pat. See you around.

BEEF To the family who wrote a beef to B.C. Ferries. You should have made a reservation and escorted your poor mother home, how dare you blame someone else for your lack of planning and not helping her home.

BOUQUET To our awesome Canada Post letter carrier Kim. We hear there is a shakeup coming and everyone may change routes. Don’t go; we’ve enjoyed having you.

BEEF To parents dropping off your kids at Pleasant Valley School, you show your true character by not using your phone or turning left illegally, but only when you’re not being watched. I guess no one’s safety is above you driving and texting and backing up traffic.

BOUQUET To the extraordinary medical staff and volunteers at the NRGH palliative unit. The care received by my mom, Gerry, was kind, caring and professional. The compassion extended to our family was much needed as we navigated a terminal cancer diagnosis which came as a surprise. Blessings and bouquets to each and every one of you.

BEEF To the contributor saying the carbon tax has helped, please give one example.

BOUQUET To my 80-year-old husband who has the reflexes of a 16-year-old driver and probably saved our lives. On the old Island Highway, he and a driver in the passing lane swerved out of the way of a driver of a dark van who barrelled through the red yield sign off of Highland Boulevard. The van continued to tailgate us all the way to Norwell.

BEEF To the mom of the teen who verbally abused a senior in the emergency waiting room during the wee hours. To avoid escalation, I quietly returned to reading my book. A quick apology, woman to woman, would have gone a long way.

BOUQUET To Tala at Country Grocer. She is quick, efficient and witty too. All key elements to make my shopping experience more pleasant. Thank you for making my day.

BEEF Those of you who think all these carbon taxes (which are forced upon us) are working and a good idea need to wake up and smell the roses. Carbon taxes are just another tax grab by the politicians in power to squander as they see fit. It just helps raise the price on everything you buy.

BOUQUET To the City of Nanaimo for the traffic-calming measures on Princess and Needham. It is greatly appreciated the changes made to improve pedestrian safety. 

BEEF To supporters of injection sites. When did indulging in illegal street drugs become a protected right? Along with our absurd catch-and-release system, my, how far we have fallen as a society. We need fully funded rehab centres for those who are addicted who wish to regain sobriety instead of kicking the can down the road.

BOUQUET To the cycling ambassadors out there who don’t fly through stops, don’t impede traffic flow, use a bell, control their speed and make themselves visible on the road. Thanks from a fellow rider.

BEEF To those trying to force a candidate to withdraw from a campaign due to comments made years ago. Hypocrisy comes in all colours. Who are they to judge? What gives them the right to determine what is politically correct? The minority groups are like the squeaky wheels that always get the grease from the sycophantic mass media.

BOUQUET To RU Computing for the fast, reasonably priced computer work. Good old-fashioned service with a smile. 

BOUQUET To Victor at Green Thumb Nursery for helping us select bushes and trees for our property. Without his help we would have chosen the wrong plants for our conditions. He was very helpful, knowledgeable and courteous. The Leyland cypress trees are top notch. Also a bouquet to Green Thumb Nursery for the extremely well-cared-for, beautiful plants. We will definitely be back.

BEEF I don’t understand why the garbage at transit stops is not emptied weekly. It’s important to do so, otherwise it is way too full especially by the hospital. Work on this.

BOUQUET To Taylor at Central Drugs on Dufferin Crescent. My elderly mother is your customer, she can phone for any concern she has. He and his staff are always patient, compassionate and explain well what needs to be done. Thank you for your kindness.

BEEF To the City of Nanaimo for letting invasive species like English ivy overtake city parks. I was in Bowen Park yesterday and the ground and trees were covered in ivy. There is an invasive plant management strategy on the city website, but I don’t see evidence that the city has done much to respond. I understand that budgets and resources are tight, but this is a real environmental problem.

BOUQUET To Kody at Central Drugs. Outstanding customer service, very compassionate and so knowledgeable. A true neighbourhood treasure.

BEEF Has anyone else noticed a dramatic decline in robin, hummingbird and finch populations? The invasive grey and black American squirrels eat their eggs and kill the local brown squirrels in devastating numbers. Do not feed them because you think they are cute. Trap them instead and dispose of them or it can only get worse.

BOUQUET To Jim and Marianne Turley for the generous support for the new cancer centre in Nanaimo. God bless.

BEEF This mayor and council have been abysmal in managing the city’s infrastructure and property taxes. They have continuously made extremely bad decisions, i.e. double-digit property tax hikes, the Metral fiasco, Front Street bicycle lane, downtown bus exchange, limiting natural gas heating and the list goes on and on. Now they want the taxpayer to pay $90 million on a works yard, which surely will cost more. Taxpayers need to emphatically turn down this project and insist on something more reasonable.

BOUQUET To the transit driver who held back northbound traffic at the stop sign on Bruce Avenue, allowing me to make a right turn onto Bruce with my tractor-trailer after my delivery at Quality Foods. Your kind, considerate action made my day.

BEEF To the person at the big box store who stalked my young child, convinced that my child shoplifted. Actually put her hands on my child to go tell a staffer of the ‘theft’ and informed my child “You don’t want to start your life out this way.” Beef to the person at the gate who said she would “let it go this time.” A child was bullied and frightened by two adults.

BOUQUET To Marcia who left the wonderful gift of a food card at a local grocery store in honour of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. There is no more precious gift. Thank you.

BEEF To the newspaper for not publishing beefs as written, instead editing out salient points thus watering down the writer’s opinions from submitted beefs. And we’re not referring to the removal of personal attack, slanderous libel or hate speech, but the apparent bias shown in deleting facts pertinent to the expressed opinion.

BOUQUET Happy second anniversary to my beautiful wife, we’ve been through hell and back these last two years but there’s no one I’d rather do it with. You make me a better person every day. The little dude and I are lucky to have you.

To submit a beef or a bouquet to the Nanaimo News Bulletin, e-mail editor@nanaimobulletin.com.



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