Time to let the monarchy go

Opinion polls have suggested a majority of Canadians no longer want their country to have a British monarch as their head of state, many feel the monarchy should die with the current Queen, and Charles and Camilla are the least popular senior royals in the country — that is certainly the case in the U.K.

The monarchy and their supporters, fear a loss of monarchy in Britain would inevitably diminish its influence in Canada, one of the world’s top 10 trading nations, and one of 16 Commonwealth realms where the Queen is head of state. One can only hope.

In an effort to re-brand Camilla as part-Canadian, the couple are to visit Dundurn Castle, a handsome neoclassical 72-room mansion in Hamilton, Ont. that belonged to a branch of her family who became prominent in the Victorian era. The Royals are many things, but brilliant marketers they are not.

Try not to think of getting rid of the monarchy as a negative, as we would also be getting rid of the governor general, and the provincial lieutenant governors, a savings of tens of millions a year in salaries, travel, dinner parties, staff, maintaining residences, chauffeured limos, etc.

So we are not really losing the monarchy, we are gaining our identity and self-respect.

William Perry

Victoria

Not anti-Olympics but anti-overkill

Re: Torch relay a proud moment, Our View, Oct. 30, 2009.

I take strong exception to your claim that those criticizing the Vancouver-Whistler Games have an “anti-Olympic message.” I and many other critics are not anti-Olympics or anti-sports.

We are anti-extravagance, anti-distorted priorities and anti-mindless hype.

One such critic, for example, is Jim Taylor. Over the past 50 years, no one has been more deeply committed to promoting sport in British Columbia, both amateur and professional, than this legendary sports writer.

I found it especially interesting that Taylor wrote in the Summer 2009 edition of B.C. Book World: “Were I still with one of the Vancouver dailies, I doubt I’d be allowed to lambaste Vancouver’s 2010 Olympics bid, that movement to excess and misguided enthusiasm, as I would have from the day the bid was announced.”

It is so sad that what was originally conceived as a wonderfully innocent festival of youthful exuberance and international goodwill has now become such a grotesque orgy of profligate spending, corporate greed and political gamesmanship.

British Columbians should be particularly ashamed that public money will be spent so B.C.’s political and business elite as well as foreign dignitaries can gorge themselves on gourmet meals at Vancouver’s Terminal City Club while a lot of our seniors in care homes are being given warmed up frozen food of poor quality.

While we all like to enjoy ourselves at a party, it is simply obscene to be spending so much on this lavish, garish spectacle when we aren’t spending even the minimal amount required to take proper care of the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society.

Gordon Pollard

Victoria

Media handed protesters credibility

I was at the B.C. legislature Friday night to watch my wife and daughter participate as dancers in the 2010 Olympic torch welcoming ceremony.

This was an inspiring spectacle to watch and it made them proud to be a part of this historic event. The show was a huge success despite the efforts of a group of anti-Olympic protesters there to disrupt it.

After these malcontents blocked the progress of the torch relay, they made their way down to the legislature and proceeded to try to disrupt the show.

They succeeded in frightening some of the younger members of the dance troupe but little else.

These ne’er-do-well protesters and their supporters wouldn’t understand the kind of pride of participation these performers were experiencing. Their goal is to oppose everything that doesn’t fit into their narrow definition of what is a worthwhile public expenditure.

These misguided people complain that the Olympics are a waste of tax dollars. Yet, the funding actually comes from a combination of corporate and public organizations and everyone in the community will share the legacy of these Games by way of new infrastructure and increased tourism.

It is disappointing that some in the media give these protesters top billing, focusing on their disruptive antics and completely ignoring the positive contributions of volunteers that contribute to our community.

Scott Bruce

Saanich