Don't EVER tell me that a letter to the proper person will not produce results. A pebble, no matter how small, when dropped into the water will still produce a ripple. A voice, no mater how soft, still makes a sound.
Here is the letter FROM the Minister.
rlburelle@shaw.ca
217733 – BC Ferries
Dear Lynn:
Thank you for your e-mail of June 11, 2013, regarding BC Ferries.
I agree that families living in our island and coastal communities need affordable, efficient ferry service and I appreciate the opportunity to review your comments. As you are likely aware, the ministry recently undertook a public consultation and engagement process on coastal ferry services, and I hope you were able to participate. The purpose of this process was to seek feedback on specific issues associated with the current and future challenges – such as increasing fuel costs and low ridership – that are facing our coastal ferry system.
Over the eight weeks, senior ministry staff hosted 40 public consultation meetings in 30 communities. More than 2,000 people attended the public meetings and almost 2,000 feedback forms and written submissions were received. The high level of participation reflects the importance of the coastal ferry system to the people of B.C.
The engagement process was part of our response to BC Ferry Commissioner Gordon Macatee’s review of the Coastal Ferry Act (CFA). Commissioner Macatee released a report with his recommendations last year. The review indicated that ferry users, the operator and the Province all need to contribute to ensure the sustainability of the coastal ferry system.
The government has made amendments to the CFA to reduce pressure on fares and, in addition, is increasing its funding over four years by $79.5 million. This year, the federal and provincial funding will be more than $200 million. While the Commissioner is responsible for setting the final price caps, the amended legislation and additional funding are intended to enable the price cap increases to decline over time.
I have taken the liberty of sharing a copy of your correspondence with the ministry staff involved in the consultation and engagement process, so that they are aware of your feedback. The issues facing our coastal ferry service are complex, and the ministry will need to take some time to review the information received from the process, along with financial, policy and technical considerations. A copy of the report summarizing the input the ministry received from British Columbians can be found at: http://www.coastalferriesengagement.ca/.
I want to assure you the provincial government remains committed to finding solutions to best balance the needs of ferry users with the interests of B.C. taxpayers and the ferry operator. As the newly appointed Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, I look forward to working with all stakeholders to ensure we have a coastal ferry system that is sustainable in the long term.
Thank you again for taking the time to write.
Sincerely,
Todd Stone
Minister
Copy to: Kirk Handrahan, Executive Director
Marine Branch
Tuesday, 20 August 2013
Saturday, 3 August 2013
Had A Great Two Weeks
Our so and his fiancée were here for two weeks. It was nice having them here. Nice is such a benign overused word. It was so much more than nice to have them here. It was amazing!
It has been three years since we saw them last. Way to much time gone by before seeing our kids. How many of us stop to smell the roses? How many of us take work home with us? Not very many of us leave work completely behind us when we get in the car to go home. If we had a bad day, or battled traffic, or didn't finish a task we had planned to have done that day.
If we had a bad day or a good day, we bring it home and talk about it with our spouse. If we don't talk about it, then we are crabby, and irritable and just want to veg and watch tv. I personally think we are doing it wrong. Work is something we go to for 8 to 10 hours, and if there is a challenge at work, sort it out and if you can't, then write it down and deal with it the next day. Leave it at work, take the ride home to relax and refocus your mind. You are on your way to the safest place on earth, your home, your sanctuary, your haven. The place where you love and are loved, where your family is, where you can embrace peace and comfort. Instead, we allow work to invade our safe, loving, haven.
Okay, back to my son and our future daughter-in-law. We had so much fun with them. We went tubing, we went up Mount Washington and fed the Whiskey Jacks. We went camping at Sproat Lake and we went to Tofino, and they went zip lining, and they went to Tree Go, and we went camping in Strathcona Park, saw Lady Falls, Lupin Falls, and finally Myra Falls. We stopped and smelled the flowers. We stopped and played again, had fun, laughed, and relaxed.
Ray and I, well, Ray has been so busy working and fixing the house, and I have been emotionally, and as much physically as I can, supporting him. We had not stopped to play or relax for a while. Then our son came, and we played hard, but it was good! It was physically demanding, and we were tired at night, and we fell asleep with a smile on our faces.
I guess my point in all of this is to remind us all to stop. Leave work at the office, on the job site, or where ever your work is, leave it there. Relax on your way home so you can walk through the door with a smile on your face happy to see your family at home. Then, go play! Release the tension of the day by laughing with your wife/husband/kids. Go do something you all love. Go to sleep with a smile on your face. Keep life exciting and filled with love and laughter.
Take care
Love ya
Me
It has been three years since we saw them last. Way to much time gone by before seeing our kids. How many of us stop to smell the roses? How many of us take work home with us? Not very many of us leave work completely behind us when we get in the car to go home. If we had a bad day, or battled traffic, or didn't finish a task we had planned to have done that day.
If we had a bad day or a good day, we bring it home and talk about it with our spouse. If we don't talk about it, then we are crabby, and irritable and just want to veg and watch tv. I personally think we are doing it wrong. Work is something we go to for 8 to 10 hours, and if there is a challenge at work, sort it out and if you can't, then write it down and deal with it the next day. Leave it at work, take the ride home to relax and refocus your mind. You are on your way to the safest place on earth, your home, your sanctuary, your haven. The place where you love and are loved, where your family is, where you can embrace peace and comfort. Instead, we allow work to invade our safe, loving, haven.
Okay, back to my son and our future daughter-in-law. We had so much fun with them. We went tubing, we went up Mount Washington and fed the Whiskey Jacks. We went camping at Sproat Lake and we went to Tofino, and they went zip lining, and they went to Tree Go, and we went camping in Strathcona Park, saw Lady Falls, Lupin Falls, and finally Myra Falls. We stopped and smelled the flowers. We stopped and played again, had fun, laughed, and relaxed.
Ray and I, well, Ray has been so busy working and fixing the house, and I have been emotionally, and as much physically as I can, supporting him. We had not stopped to play or relax for a while. Then our son came, and we played hard, but it was good! It was physically demanding, and we were tired at night, and we fell asleep with a smile on our faces.
I guess my point in all of this is to remind us all to stop. Leave work at the office, on the job site, or where ever your work is, leave it there. Relax on your way home so you can walk through the door with a smile on your face happy to see your family at home. Then, go play! Release the tension of the day by laughing with your wife/husband/kids. Go do something you all love. Go to sleep with a smile on your face. Keep life exciting and filled with love and laughter.
Take care
Love ya
Me
Saturday, 22 June 2013
JUST WHEN I THOUGHT I UNDERSTOOD
I was looking at the law of attraction, studying it, trying to master it. I came upon a site that suggested if you want treasures in life, look at the treasures you have, and concentrate on them, and more treasures will come to you. Instead of looking at what you don't have and wishing for it, look at what you do have, be grateful for it, and more of the same will come to you.
I was always looking at what I want, which is obviously what I don't have, a newer car, a newer boat, bigger house, newer RV, more money to buy these things and all the other wonderful things money can buy. I would sit and dream of driving across Canada in a newer, fancier RV. I would see us skimming over the water in a nicer boat. I would drive my red convertible to the grocery store. We would haul four wheelers behind a new truck. In each of these scenarios, we were always surrounded by our friends, laughing and having adventures and living the high life.
I learned a valuable lesson today. Before I share it, let me first continue to tell you what the newest Law of Attraction site suggested. It suggested that we take twenty pictures of the favourite treasures we have right now. Put them up where we can look at them and study them. I decided to do a slide show on my IPad. It took me hours to find just the right pictures.
Bare with me while I tell you what these pictures are especially since I have more than 20. I have one of all my children and their respective partners. I also have one of each of my kids individually, and two of my granddaughter, and of course one of each of the dogs. I have one of our house, one of the RV, one of our boat, one of my car, and of course, one of our scooters. I have several of different friends, and several of my husband taken while out on different adventures.
What I noticed when I looked at these pictures, is the only ones taken at home, in the house where we live, was of the house itself! All the other pictures were taken while we were out on some crazy adventure. Geocaching, boating, camping or out for an evening at another friends house.
I don't want or need a newer, fancier, bigger better, house, RV, car, boat or whatever. I want enough money to retire on today. I want Ray to be able to do what he wants, when he wants. I have so often, as so many of us do, thought, "if I won the lottery, I would, buy this, buy that, go here, etc..etc.." It's not that I wouldn't buy a new RV/car/boat, depending on how much the winnings were, I am human, I probably would. The point I am trying to make is, all of my treasures were of adventures with people I love and care about. It wasn't of things. Even the picture I chose of the house was with renovations being done to it. The picture of the car was taken while I was secretly snapping pictures of my neighbours son skateboarding, (that sounds creepy! His mom knew I took the pics. I was trying to get an action shot).
The people in my life mean so much to me, I love and care for each of them. Do I want to win the lottery? Yeah, I would. I now know its for completely different reasons than originally thought.
What does your dream board consist of?
Take care
Love ya,
Me
I was always looking at what I want, which is obviously what I don't have, a newer car, a newer boat, bigger house, newer RV, more money to buy these things and all the other wonderful things money can buy. I would sit and dream of driving across Canada in a newer, fancier RV. I would see us skimming over the water in a nicer boat. I would drive my red convertible to the grocery store. We would haul four wheelers behind a new truck. In each of these scenarios, we were always surrounded by our friends, laughing and having adventures and living the high life.
I learned a valuable lesson today. Before I share it, let me first continue to tell you what the newest Law of Attraction site suggested. It suggested that we take twenty pictures of the favourite treasures we have right now. Put them up where we can look at them and study them. I decided to do a slide show on my IPad. It took me hours to find just the right pictures.
Bare with me while I tell you what these pictures are especially since I have more than 20. I have one of all my children and their respective partners. I also have one of each of my kids individually, and two of my granddaughter, and of course one of each of the dogs. I have one of our house, one of the RV, one of our boat, one of my car, and of course, one of our scooters. I have several of different friends, and several of my husband taken while out on different adventures.
What I noticed when I looked at these pictures, is the only ones taken at home, in the house where we live, was of the house itself! All the other pictures were taken while we were out on some crazy adventure. Geocaching, boating, camping or out for an evening at another friends house.
I don't want or need a newer, fancier, bigger better, house, RV, car, boat or whatever. I want enough money to retire on today. I want Ray to be able to do what he wants, when he wants. I have so often, as so many of us do, thought, "if I won the lottery, I would, buy this, buy that, go here, etc..etc.." It's not that I wouldn't buy a new RV/car/boat, depending on how much the winnings were, I am human, I probably would. The point I am trying to make is, all of my treasures were of adventures with people I love and care about. It wasn't of things. Even the picture I chose of the house was with renovations being done to it. The picture of the car was taken while I was secretly snapping pictures of my neighbours son skateboarding, (that sounds creepy! His mom knew I took the pics. I was trying to get an action shot).
The people in my life mean so much to me, I love and care for each of them. Do I want to win the lottery? Yeah, I would. I now know its for completely different reasons than originally thought.
What does your dream board consist of?
Take care
Love ya,
Me
Tuesday, 18 June 2013
BC Ferries Fares
Did you realize that the BC government is giving BC Ferries $80 million over four years? Did you also know that BC ferries is subsidized $150 million annually by the Provincial government along with another $26 million a year from the Federal government?
Bc Ferry prices are astronomical as it is, they just had a fare increase April 1st, and for the next two years, 2014 and 2015, they will raise them again. This makes me sick, the greedy so and so's.
Think about it, $80,000,000 over four years. That's $20,000,000 a year. Plus the $176,000,000 they receive between both the federal and provincial governments. That comes up to almost TWO HUNDRED MILLION a year! That money is just given to them, handed over, charity. Charity for a corporation that pays top executives hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. In 2012, the salary for the top 5 executives ranged from just over $700,000 to over $1,000,000 dollars a year.
If you are as appalled as I am, please go to my previous blog, Letter to The Minister, copy it, edit it any way you want, add your name and address to it and send it to the Minister of Transportation. oh, and if you send it, or have sent it, could you leave me a little note? Just so I know I am not speaking to deaf ears.
Many people I have spoken with tell me they don't go to Vancouver because they just can't afford to. Please use your voice to help I this crusade. Share the letter with friends and family, get them to send it as well.
Take care,
And as always
Love ya
Me
Bc Ferry prices are astronomical as it is, they just had a fare increase April 1st, and for the next two years, 2014 and 2015, they will raise them again. This makes me sick, the greedy so and so's.
Think about it, $80,000,000 over four years. That's $20,000,000 a year. Plus the $176,000,000 they receive between both the federal and provincial governments. That comes up to almost TWO HUNDRED MILLION a year! That money is just given to them, handed over, charity. Charity for a corporation that pays top executives hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. In 2012, the salary for the top 5 executives ranged from just over $700,000 to over $1,000,000 dollars a year.
If you are as appalled as I am, please go to my previous blog, Letter to The Minister, copy it, edit it any way you want, add your name and address to it and send it to the Minister of Transportation. oh, and if you send it, or have sent it, could you leave me a little note? Just so I know I am not speaking to deaf ears.
Many people I have spoken with tell me they don't go to Vancouver because they just can't afford to. Please use your voice to help I this crusade. Share the letter with friends and family, get them to send it as well.
Take care,
And as always
Love ya
Me
Tuesday, 11 June 2013
Letter to the Minister
I just wrote the Mister of Transportation for BC regarding BC Ferries. I am going to paste the letter here. Please feel free to copy it ,edit it if you want, put your name, address and phone number on it and send it to
Minister.Transportation@gov.bc.ca
Dear Honourable Todd Stone,
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. BC Ferries is part of our highway system. We, as users pay an exorbitant amount for the "privilege" to use, what should be, a free service. It costs us $82.25, one way for two of us to cross the straight with our car, and over $200.00 to cross with our RV. We would LOVE to visit the Kootneys, Okanagan Valley, Banff, Jasper, and all the other beautiful places on the mainland. Unfortunately, we can't afford to. Over $400.00 to cross roundtrip with the RV is too much for our pocketbook unless we go on an extended trip across the country.
We thought of going to one of the many islands accessible by ferry from Vancouver Island. We have scooters that we love to ride. Unfortunately, $45.00 per scooter one way. $180.00, round trip for two scooters for a day on an island is beyond our pocketbook. Even the islands that are $45.00 per scooter round trip is too much for just one day. We would love to go by RV, however, if we can't afford the scooters ferry cost, we can't afford the RV's ferry cost.
I would like to know what you plan on doing to bring BC Ferries BACK to the public. I wrote BC Ferries about their costs and ridership being down. Ridership is down because the prices are too high! If they cut their prices by half, they would have to double or even triple sailing frequencies.
I have not had a response from them. I doubt I will, it has been well over six months since I have written them.
I know I am not the only person grumbling about the cost of ferries, I also know, you know this fact. Anybody who doesn't, has their head in the sand. I have yet to meet anybody who believes the ferry costs are fair.
Please let me know what you plan to do to bring BC Ferries back to the people, and eliminating, or at the very least significantly reducing costs. Please note that "nothing", "I don't know", and "there is nothing you can do", as well as any wording that means the equivalent, are unacceptable answers.
Because this is an e-mail sent from a form, I am CCing myself for the date, and to retain a copy so I will be able to forward it on in the event that I do not hear from you in a reasonable amount of time. I am also going to post this on my Facebook page and my blog, along with your response when it arrives.
I look forward to hearing from you regarding this matter, at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely
Minister.Transportation@gov.bc.ca
Dear Honourable Todd Stone,
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. BC Ferries is part of our highway system. We, as users pay an exorbitant amount for the "privilege" to use, what should be, a free service. It costs us $82.25, one way for two of us to cross the straight with our car, and over $200.00 to cross with our RV. We would LOVE to visit the Kootneys, Okanagan Valley, Banff, Jasper, and all the other beautiful places on the mainland. Unfortunately, we can't afford to. Over $400.00 to cross roundtrip with the RV is too much for our pocketbook unless we go on an extended trip across the country.
We thought of going to one of the many islands accessible by ferry from Vancouver Island. We have scooters that we love to ride. Unfortunately, $45.00 per scooter one way. $180.00, round trip for two scooters for a day on an island is beyond our pocketbook. Even the islands that are $45.00 per scooter round trip is too much for just one day. We would love to go by RV, however, if we can't afford the scooters ferry cost, we can't afford the RV's ferry cost.
I would like to know what you plan on doing to bring BC Ferries BACK to the public. I wrote BC Ferries about their costs and ridership being down. Ridership is down because the prices are too high! If they cut their prices by half, they would have to double or even triple sailing frequencies.
I have not had a response from them. I doubt I will, it has been well over six months since I have written them.
I know I am not the only person grumbling about the cost of ferries, I also know, you know this fact. Anybody who doesn't, has their head in the sand. I have yet to meet anybody who believes the ferry costs are fair.
Please let me know what you plan to do to bring BC Ferries back to the people, and eliminating, or at the very least significantly reducing costs. Please note that "nothing", "I don't know", and "there is nothing you can do", as well as any wording that means the equivalent, are unacceptable answers.
Because this is an e-mail sent from a form, I am CCing myself for the date, and to retain a copy so I will be able to forward it on in the event that I do not hear from you in a reasonable amount of time. I am also going to post this on my Facebook page and my blog, along with your response when it arrives.
I look forward to hearing from you regarding this matter, at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely
Sunday, 9 June 2013
Sometimes You Just Have to Laugh
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. I really hate that saying. Sometimes when life gives me lemons, I want to throw them right back in life's face! I can't be the only one who feels like that once in a while.
I just thought I would start this blog with that paragraph, simply because it made me smile. When life throws me lemons, I would much rather make a lemon pie than lemonade, pies are sweeter.
Last weekend we finally got to go camping! We hadn't gone since March! I had a blast. We were at the Fish and Game Club volunteering at the Mid Island Geocachers booth. For manning the booth, we got to camp for free Thursday night till Monday morning. Of course it rained from Thursday to Saturday. It was nice, sitting by the campfire, the hustle and bustle of the city left behind, the peace and tranquility of the birds siging, the putter patter of rain on the roof of the booth tent and RV. *sigh*.
We were quite busy at the booth,and, despite the rain on Saturday there were still quite a few people who showed up looking for information on geocaching. Sunday was a beautiful day, and we were really busy taking people put on cache walks and explaining what geocaching was all about. It was really exciting to see how many people were interested in learning about geocaching. Another thing that was interesting is how quickly I burn, and now much that burn hurts!
Since we got back from camping, Ray has been busy working and preparing the side of the house to put up the siding. We are using hardi plank for siding. It is going to look AMAZING when it is done. We are not going with the neutral beige-grey and olive tones everybody is using. We are going brick red with white trim. The house is going to POP! I am very excited about it. Ray worked hard all morning getting things ready, then finally the time came to put the pieces up, and wouldn't you know, it started raining. Not the light misty rain we know so well out here. Noooo. It was real rain. The kind that actually gets things wet. I came in the house, Ray chose to continue outside. I know I won't melt in the rain, but it was a cold rain, and I don't like to be cold so I came in. It just seemed ironic that just when things start to get moving, something happens to slow us down. We will NOT be deterred! We WILL be victorious!
With that said, I will just gather up my lemons, and go bake a pie.
Have a great day
Love ya
Me
I just thought I would start this blog with that paragraph, simply because it made me smile. When life throws me lemons, I would much rather make a lemon pie than lemonade, pies are sweeter.
Last weekend we finally got to go camping! We hadn't gone since March! I had a blast. We were at the Fish and Game Club volunteering at the Mid Island Geocachers booth. For manning the booth, we got to camp for free Thursday night till Monday morning. Of course it rained from Thursday to Saturday. It was nice, sitting by the campfire, the hustle and bustle of the city left behind, the peace and tranquility of the birds siging, the putter patter of rain on the roof of the booth tent and RV. *sigh*.
We were quite busy at the booth,and, despite the rain on Saturday there were still quite a few people who showed up looking for information on geocaching. Sunday was a beautiful day, and we were really busy taking people put on cache walks and explaining what geocaching was all about. It was really exciting to see how many people were interested in learning about geocaching. Another thing that was interesting is how quickly I burn, and now much that burn hurts!
Since we got back from camping, Ray has been busy working and preparing the side of the house to put up the siding. We are using hardi plank for siding. It is going to look AMAZING when it is done. We are not going with the neutral beige-grey and olive tones everybody is using. We are going brick red with white trim. The house is going to POP! I am very excited about it. Ray worked hard all morning getting things ready, then finally the time came to put the pieces up, and wouldn't you know, it started raining. Not the light misty rain we know so well out here. Noooo. It was real rain. The kind that actually gets things wet. I came in the house, Ray chose to continue outside. I know I won't melt in the rain, but it was a cold rain, and I don't like to be cold so I came in. It just seemed ironic that just when things start to get moving, something happens to slow us down. We will NOT be deterred! We WILL be victorious!
With that said, I will just gather up my lemons, and go bake a pie.
Have a great day
Love ya
Me
Tuesday, 4 June 2013
IT'S BEEN A WHILE
Well hello again. It has been a while since I have written a blog here. I was writing notes on Facebook. Another friend of mine said he wanted to put my blog on his blog page, so I figured I would start writing a blog again.
Since I have last written, I have had many procedures done to try and figure out what is going on with me. I put a stop to it and told my DR. That we would call it fibromyalgia. She agreed until other symptoms crop up. So far, we are safely in the FM zone.
Ray is working steadily driving, and he still enjoys it. I am very happy that he gets to go to work and doesn't HAVE to go to work. A huge difference. He has been working on the house, and it is slowly coming along. He has one side of the house strapped for siding and is getting the fascia and soffit ready to put on.
I have been working on the back yard. It is all concrete, so I have decided to make a potted plant garden. By the time I am finished, it will be a potted jungle.
I will tell you more about the weekend in another blog. Life is exciting right now. I hope it is the same for you.
Take care
Love ya
Me
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