Opinion

Editor, I was disappointed to read in last week's Chief about council's decision to continue processing Holiday Inn's application to remove trees between the hotel and the highway.

This letter was copied to The Chief for publication. Mayor and council, The Squamish Environmental Conservation Society would like to voice our objection to the recent trapping and killing of beavers in our community.

The provincial government would be hard-pressed to appear more heartless if they tried.

Editor, Since this past summer, I, among others, have been trying to raise awareness of the issue of the tree buffer along the Discovery Trail north of Commercial Way in between Highway 99 and the under-construction Holiday Inn.

In 2003 our community received an incredible gift. In a transaction facilitated by Squamish Nation, the province of British Columbia transferred title to 60 acres of land and 40 acres of water lots to us for a nominal amount.

Barbara Busalacchi Whistler

Editor, I was deeply troubled to read in the Chief that the District of Squamish had hired a trapper to kill beavers along Loggers Lane ("District trapper kills 12 beavers," Oct. 26, The Chief online).

I would like to introduce myself to readers as the newest reporter with The Chief. My name is Zoe Szuch (pronounced "such") and I was born and raised in Toronto.

These days when it comes to the law and order agenda the looming question is whether we should exchange the RCMP for a provincial contingent.

Here we are in the early days of flu season, but this is not the flu season we have been accustomed to, is it? Not only is it time for the usual seasonal flu, but this time we are also seeing the spread of a new flu, H1N1.