To the Editor,
Re: Nanaimo could be an election battleground, Opinion, March 10.
Conservative MP James Lunney has helped Nanaimo significantly for the past 10 years, even though his riding included only part of the city. NDP Opposition has represented the rest of the city. Due to new riding boundaries, in 2015 Nanaimo will elect only one MP for the whole city.
Examples of what the Conservative government has done for Nanaimo include: $110 million annual direct transfers for provincial health and social services; a $28,373,000 annual subsidy to B.C. Ferries, including $668,000 for the Gabriola ferry; increased universal child care benefit.
Many more millions of dollars went to specific projects such as: Nanaimo water reservoir and new water treatment plant; Canada Trail; VIU and the Fisheries Pacific Biological Station, all contributing to local employment.
It is highly unlikely that the NDP, Liberal, or Green candidate, even if elected, would be representing Nanaimo on the government side of Parliament.
Bart JessupGabriola Island
To the Editor,
Re: Federal election outcomes easy enough to predict, Letters, March 12.
I would ask whether Justin Trudeau could ever gain enough experience or intelligence to lead our country.
A journalist I often read once dismissed Trudeau as an untalented, insufferably foppish drama queen and I can’t find a reason to refute that. One might argue the untalented part because I’ve also read that he’s quite adept at riding a unicycle. That might be entertaining on the world stage but not what I prefer in a prime minister.
Jim CorderNanaimo