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Letters: Horgan right to be cautious on mobility pricing

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Re: Horgan not sold on mobility pricing, Jan. 17

Thank you premier John Horgan for not jumping on the “mobility pricing” bandwagon! I think charging drivers by the distance they drive or through pinch points stinks. This is unfair to truck drivers and those who drive a lot, and I will never support this.

What we need is more rapid transit (not streetcars in Surrey), more bridges, and especially improved access to the North Shore.

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I believe the best way to raise the funds is through property taxes, and it is time our stubborn mayors accepted this reality and get on with building instead of blaming the province.

Glenn Rickard, Coquitlam 

Vehicle levy better than tax increase

Re: Mobility pricing is a tax grab, Editorial, Jan. 20

I could not agree more about the mobility pricing issues featured in Saturday’s Sun newspaper. I have always said that it is not fair to the people with long commutes because they can’t afford to live in Vancouver. It is the same with the transit fares, as far as I’m concerned. I would love to see one fare for transit for the whole Lower Mainland. I bet a lot more people would take transit if that was the case, but only if there were more buses, SkyTrains, bus lanes or express buses from outlying areas. It is a catch-22. 

I would love to see an annual vehicle levy. It is better than mobility pricing, charging people to enter the city, or an increase in property taxes. 

Michelle Clayton, Coquitlam

Aquarium taught us to respect animals

Re: Aquarium bows to public pressure, Jan. 19

Sixty years ago, they were called killer whales and considered to be sea monsters. Today, thanks to the work of the Vancouver Aquarium, which gave us the opportunity to see them up close, we recognize orcas as the intelligent beings they are. Whether we support or oppose the keeping of these animals and other sea mammals in an aquarium, we have to admit that if it were not for the Aquarium, we would not have the same appreciation for them that we do today. 

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Marion Smith, Richmond

Why Diab was arrested is unclear

Re: Justice for Professor Hassan Diab, Guest editorial, Jan. 20

On reading the guest editorial concerning Hassan Diab, I thought it would be most helpful to hear of the circumstances under which Mr. Diab became a suspect. He would not have been “grabbed off the street” for simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The rule of law, of course, is that you are innocent until proven guilty. There are many times that due to lack of evidence, the guilty walk away free. That is likely a good thing, but I cannot embrace your enthusiasm that he is finally free without being able to understand why he became a suspect in the first place.

We recently had a case in Vancouver where Ivan Henry was released after spending more than 20 years in prison on sexual assault charges. He was given over $8 million in compensation. How ironic that five women have now come forward alleging sexual misconduct against Mr. Henry and seeking compensation. There is a saying: Where there is smoke, there is fire. Before we use Mr. Diab’s case to change laws in Canada on extradition, I repeat, why was he arrested in the first place?

Ray Kielan, Coquitlam

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