MR. + MRS. HERBERT H. KWAN, CHINATOWN ARCHITECTS, SIGN JOHNSON STREET BRIDGE PETITION

Yesterday I got an unexpected telephone call from a friendly stranger, Mrs. Herbert H. Kwan, architect and wife of well-known Chinatown architect Herbert H. Kwan, asking if someone could please come down to their Herald Street offices to pick up some signed ‘Elector Response Forms’ for the so-called ‘Alternative Approval Process’ on the future of the Johnson Street Bridge.

I had a short and pleasant telephone conversation with this lady, but I regret I was not able to meet her personally when I arrived not long afterwards at their downtown office.

However, I did have the pleasure of meeting her distinguished husband Herbert, who asked how the campaign was going.

I told him that Ross Crockford and a contingent of johnsonstreetbridge.org volunteers (including 2008 Victoria Mayoral candidate Hugh Kruzel) went to City Hall yesterday with a number of Christmas packages for the present Mayor and Council, containing 5,000 signed signatures.

I expressed my hopeful confidence that we would win, needing about 1,340 more signatures to be signed between now and the deadline of the 4th of January, 2010, or, about 100 a day.

Before leaving, I told Mr. Kwan that I kept a blog (Concerned Citizens’ Coalition Weblog: gregoryhartnell.wordpress.com), and asked his permission to publicize their support for the referendum on the Johnson Street Bridge.

It is particularly gratifying to me that these architectural professionals, and others involved in the architectural, construction and engineering industries (such as University of Victoria Dean Emeritus of Engineering Eric G. Manning), are now coming out publicly to express their grave concerns about the fate of our very own ‘Joseph Strauss Bridge.’

Thanks to all who have signed the petition, and please think hard about other individuals who might be interested in also signing.

Gregory Paul Michael Hartnell, President

Concerned Citizens’ Coalition

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5,000 VICTORIANS WANT A REFERENDUM ON JOHNSON STREET BRIDGE: Most reject $42,000,000 borrowing to demolish Joseph Strauss-designed 1924 bascule trunnion

A ‘BLUE’ CHRISTMAS AT VICTORIA CITY HALL

Ross Crockford lead a delegation of JohnsonStreetBridge.org volunteers and Christmas-costumed friends interested in saving the Johnson Street Bridge over to Victoria City Hall today to deliver 5,000 signed petitions to the politicians there, gift-wrapped, no less.

As of this writing, the group should have finished the symbolic gift-giving, leaving approximately 1,430 signatures still needed to meet the 10% threshold.

JohnsonStreetBridge.org volunteers are stoked, and there is now light at the end of the tunnel, as there are still 13 days and 3 hours left to get the remaining signatures, and to top it off with as many more as possible, just to be on the safe side.

Gregory Hartnell, President

Concerned Citizens’ Coalition

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KENNETH STEWART ON LEE-PARK INQUEST: ‘Initial calls for a public inquiry, which would have had a broader mandate and powers, were dismissed by the solicitor general’

INQUEST LEAVES BAIL QUESTIONS

 

Although the recommendations from the Lee-Park inquest no doubt contain much of value, a huge gap remains in what we have learned.

The fact is that the only people who were in a position to make a difference at the time, and who remain so today, were those in the justice system responsible for the decision not to oppose bail and for having bail conditions enforced.

Given those systemic failures, no police response, however speedy, could have changed the outcome.

Peter Lee was known to be violent, had threatened his wife, tried to harm her in a contrived car accident and was due in the court for an unrelated assault charge.

Surely, it  is not just in retrospect that we can say that he should have been behind bars.

There is no suggestion those in Crown Counsel’s office are anything but good people.

But even good people need to work within systems of checks and balances that ensure accountability.

We have no more reason today to be confident that proper checks and balances are functioning in Crown Counsel’s office than we did two years ago.

The Crown’s successful attempt to portray the search for checks and balances – even to the point of denying jury access to a key document like the police report to Crown counsel – as a witch-hunt suggests a disingenuousness that is itself troubling.

Initial calls for a public inquiry, which would have had a broader mandate and powers, were dismissed by the Solicitor General of the day [Wally Oppal] on the grounds that an inquest would have all the authority that is needed.

It is difficult to believe that he did not anticipate that proceedings would unfold just as they have.

 

Kenneth Stewart

Victoria 

 

CCC BLOG reprint:

Victoria Times Colonist: timescolonist.com

Inquest leaves bail questions

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Page A13

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GARY (THE G MAN) THOMPSON ON EDWARD TATOOSH, NUU-CHAH-NULTH BLUESMAN: ‘Everyone would remember Tat, with his top hat and his West Coast aboriginal take on the Chicago blues’

REMEMBERING TAT THE BLUESMAN

 

I”d like to thank the Times Colonist for publishing the article about Edward (Tat) Tatoosh, elder from the Nuu-chah-nulth nation and West Coast bluesman.

The Island blues community lost a valued performer.

I first had the fortune of playing with Tat and the Lost Tribe Band in the late 1980s.

He took me under his wing and taught me about the blues.

Many a great night was spent travelling in the blue van to Port Alberni, Port Alice and other Island locations.

Fortunately, he was recorded and was a big draw at the blues jams, back when people used to go.

Everyone would remember Tat, with his top hat and his West Coast aboriginal take on the Chicago blues.

He will be sorely missed.

 

Gary (The G Man) Thompson

East Sooke

 

CCC BLOG reprint:

Victoria Times Colonist: timescolonist.com

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Page A13

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SEND MAYOR FORTIN’S ‘REPLACEMENT’ PLAN FOR JOHNSON STREET BRIDGE BACK ON BOXING DAY: Concerned Citizens’ ‘Blue Bridge Boxing Day’ petition signing party

SAVE JOHNSON STREET BRIDGE IN 2009 FOR POSTERITY!

‘BLUE BRIDGE’ BOXING DAY PARTY

COFFEE FIESTA

 PETITION SIGNING

ALCOHOL-FREE FAMILY EVENT

FOR A REFERENDUM ON THE FATE OF THE

‘JOSEPH STRAUSS BRIDGE’

Meet friendly neighbours… helpful volunteers… sign petitions…

drop off signed petitions… pick up more blank petition forms…

1357 ROCKLAND AVENUE

DOWN PRIVATE LANE

SOUTH OF ROYAL TERRACE

FIRST HOUSE ON RIGHT

GREGY STUCCO, TURQUOISE TRIM

LOOK FOR THE ANGEL IN THE WINDOW!

BOXING DAY

SATURDAY

DECEMBER 26, 2009

2:00 P. M. – 4:00 P. M.

14:00 h. – 16:00 h.

CONCERNED CITIZENS’ COALITION

1357 ROCKLAND AVENUE

VICTORIA V8S 1V7

TELEPHONE 250 382 97 67

GREGORY HARTNELL + DAWN KEOUGH

gregoryhartnell@yahoo.ca

Concerned Citizens’ Coalition Weblog:

CCC BLOG: gregoryhartnell.wordpress.com

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LEMBI BUCHANAN: ‘Most vulnerable high-risk drinkers are not getting their fair share in return when it comes to treatment’

POLITICIANS BLIND TO ALCOHOL DAMAGE

 

Politicians are wimps when it comes to tinkering with the price of alcohol.

Forget the fact that we are drinking more and our “drinking binge” has increased the many harms of alcohol abuse from cirrhosis of the liver to domestic violence.

The University of Victoria’s Centre for Addictions Research of B. C. earlier proposed a tax increase of two cents per drink to fund more treatment and prevention programs.

There was a public outcry and the government made no effort to implement recommended policy changes despite the urgent need for prevention and harm-reduction strategies.

The reality is that the government relies on the revenues from the most vulnerable and high-risk drinkers to pay its bills.

Ten per cent of the population consumes approximately 50 per cent of the alcohol sold in the province, but they are not getting their fair share in return when it comes to treatment needs.

This time, the centre is proposing creative solutions without overall price increases to reduce alcohol-related harms.

I hope our elected representatives, when they raise their glasses in a toast on New Year’s Eve, will make a commitment to consider the health and safety of the people of B. C. and take a serious look at the proposals put before them.

 

Lembi Buchanan, president

Nickel-a-Drink for Addictions and Mental Health Research Foundation

Victoria

 

CCC BLOG reprint:

Victoria Times Colonist: timescolonist.com

Politicians blind to alcohol damage

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Page A15

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JOHNSON STREET BRIDGE petition ballot boxes available at 20 Victoria locations, including 4 Spinnakers liquor businesses

FOUR SPINNAKERS LOCATIONS HAVE BALLOT BOXES

 

At least twenty Johnson Street Bridge petition ballot boxes are now found at twenty Victoria locations, a number of which are licensed to sell or serve alcohol, including four belonging to the Spinnakers group of liquor merchants, according to a list published at the JohnsonStreetBridge.org website last week.

The list of 20 ballot box locations includes these four Spinnakers businesses: Sips Artisan Bistro, 425 Simcoe Street; Spinnakers Brewpub, 308 Catherine Street; Spinnakers Spirit Merchants, 130 – 176 Wilson Street; and Spinnakers Liquor Store, 425 Simcoe Street.

While I appreciate the public-spirit (no pun intended) of the owners of these Spinnakers liquor businesses, I question the prudence of putting ballot boxes in any licensed establishment where alcohol is served or even sold in bottles to the public.

 

– Gregory Paul Michael Hartnell, President

Concerned Citizens’ Coalition

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ELECTOR RESPONSE FORMS AND COLLECTION LOCATIONS: 

LOOK FOR THE “BLUE BRIDGE” BALLOT BOXES

or ask at the counter…

You can sign a petition form and drop off completed ones at these locations:

 

Cabin 12 Restaurant: 607 Pandora Avenue across from City Hall

Cornerstone Cafe: 1301 Gladstone and Fernwood Roads

Dark Horse Books: 623 Johnson Street near Broad

Dutch Bakery: 718 Fort Street near Douglas

Frontrunners Shoes: 1200 Vancouver and View

Italian Bakery: 3197 Quadra Street

James Bay Community Centre: 140 Oswego Street near Simcoe

Jimmy’s Barbershop: 728 Fort near the Dutch Bakery

JohnsonStreetBridge.ORG: Savoy Building, corner Fairfield and Blanshard

Joint Pizzeria: 1219 Wharf Street across from Hartwig Court

Koffi: 1441 Haultain near Belmont

Rebel Rebel: 585 Johnson Street near Dark Horse

Sips Artisan Bistro: 425 Simcoe Street in James Bay

Sol Food: 2955 Jutland Avenue in Selkirk Water

Spinnakers Brewpub: 308 Catherine Street in Vic West

Spinnakers Spirit Merchants: 130 – 176 Wilson Street in Vic West

Spinnakers Liquor Store: 425 Simcoe in James Bay

Sweeney Todd’s Hairstylists: 749 View Street

Uomo Modern Barber: 1510 Haultain near Belmont

 

Forms, posters and Ballot Boxes are available through

the JohnsonStreetBridge.org campaign office:

Unit A 777 Blanshard Street (corner Fairfield)

Savoy Building

Phone 250 590 48 09 

Email: petition@johnsonstreetbridge.org

 

P. O. Box 5324, 

1625 Fort Street

Station B

Victoria V8R 6S4

 

We will pick up your completed forms upon request.

Phone 250 704 91 20

 

Download and print an official City of Victoria Elector Response Form (PDF)

or an information sheet (PDF)

or search our FAQ at our website: 

JohnsonStreetBridge.ORG

 

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JACK ETKIN INTERVIEWS ROSS CROCKFORD ABOUT JOHNSON STREET BRIDGE ON FACE TO FACE, SHAW TV 11, VIC + SALTSPRING, 9PM SUN DEC 20 2009

VICTORIA COMMUNITY TV PRESENTS:

FACE TO FACE

WITH THE JOHNSON STREET BRIDGE

ON SHAW TV: CHANNEL 11

VICTORIA + SALTSPRING ISLAND

 

Ross Crockford sets the stage as we talk about decision-making, democracy and bridges.

Ross brings out some remarkable points and asks if an open, fair, and honest process has been followed here.

Portland engineer Ed Wortman follows up with a discussion about how to repair and extend the life of the existing ‘blue bridge,’ and it certainly seems this can be easily done.

Sharon Wood-Wortman poetically describes the issue from an historic and heritage point of view.

 

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20

10:00 A. M.

9:00 P. M (21:00 h.)

This programme should have been broadcast last week;

it wasn’t due to a technical error;

Shaw TV and ICTV apologize for this.

The  programme was already broadcast yesterday

Saturday December 19 at 11 a. m. and 11:30 p. m.

 

Produced by Lazarus Productions

ICTV (Independent Community Television Victoria)

can be reached at jetkino@yahoo.ca

Most of our shows can be viewed on the internet.

Google: Face to Face with Jack Etkin

 

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Ingmar Lee scoffs at Tzeporah Berman awarding ‘green’ award to Herr Gordo von Kampbell

After being charged with mischief again, Ingmar Lee deftly turned attention away from his latest stunt at the leg, to condemn the recent awarding by former Clayoquot spokeswoman Tzeporah Berman of some sort of  phoney Copenhagen ‘green’ award to British Columbia’s clearcuttin’ Premier Gordon Campbell.

As  I believe that all three of us, that is to say, Mr. Lee, Ms. Berman and I, are all individuals who have been arrested in defence of old growth forests, and particularly at Clayoquot Sound, I have a longstanding interest in the careers of any individuals associated with the Clayoquot Mass Trials, and in the ongoing conservation history of the Clayoquot Sound, and indeed, all of what was once known as ‘Quadra’s and Vancouver’s Island’.

As a fellow arrestee, I have a deep and abiding sympathy for all those who have made resort to Gandhian non-violent civil disobedience, are contemplating doing so, or are about to do it for the public good.

I also admire those who have the ability of speaking, as they say, ‘truth to power.’

Ms. Berman’s awarding of the award to Mr. Campbell was indeed an event that deserves to be deplored, whether she did it on behalf of some ‘eco’ foundation or other, or on her own volition.

Ms. Berman owes some sort of explanation for this egregious deed, indeed, a retraction of the award, and an apology would more properly be in order.

For a link to the statement by the daring Mr. Lee, please refer to the Comments section below.

 

– Gregory Hartnell, President

Concerned Citizens’ Coalition

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CARMEL THOMSON: City of Victoria ‘should set public hearings and a referendum on the JOHNSON STREET BRIDGE’

CITY SHUNNING INPUT ON BRIDGE BORROWING

 

This week, the City of Victoria released a “fly-through” video simulating its planned replacement for the Johnson Street Bridge.

The City has used our tax dollars to produce this slick video, along with huge signs in libraries and community centres, in what appears to be an attempt to weaken the public’s desire to weigh in on a major decision.

The only way for citizens to express an opinion about the City’s plan to borrow $42 million for this new bridge is by signing petitions through the alternative approval process, a process controlled by the City, but under which citizens have to do all the work.

In his inaugural address, Mayor Dean Fortin said, “The public’s participation in Victoria’s decision-making is critical to our success, but our systems must solicit meaningful input that is actually used.”

Why, then, is the City trying to weaken public participation and meaningful input?

If the City really believes in such things, it should set public hearings and a referendum on the bridge, and they should be based not only on demand but on fairness and neutrality, too.

All taxpaying Victoria residents deserve to be heard.

 

Carmel Thomson

Victoria

 

CCC BLOG reprint:

Victoria Times Colonist: timescolonist.com

City shunning input on bridge borrowing

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Page A15

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