Opinion

Editor’s note: The following is one of the letters from the students in Whitney Keyes’ class at Don Ross Middle School. I believe that there should be way more opportunities and scholarships for youth and children in the arts in Squamish.

As difficult as it may be to sum up in a nutshell what’s happening in Squamish these days, two words that come to mind are change and insecurity. By definition, change usually implies a shift from the status quo to a new state of affairs.

First off, I would like to express my sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family of overdose victim Steffanie Georgina Anne Lawrence. I fully understand the frustration that her parents must feel.

In our increasingly interconnected world, we must acknowledge the millions of people living in poverty we will never fully comprehend.

It was never just a small town. And despite its growth, Squamish will always remain a community. The idea circled my brain after a conversation with Corrine Lonsdale, former mayor and district councillor for 25 years.

Agriculture Minister Lana Popham loves hazelnuts. “Anyone who knows me knows I’m nuts about hazelnuts!” she posted on social media in January. “Did you know? They are an ideal crop for certain regions and work well in a small plot.

We all know Squamish sits on the unceded territory of the Squamish Nation. And many of us understand that the Nation’s decisions play a huge role in what our community is and will be.

Some say that small business owners should close their business operations if they cannot afford to pay a higher minimum wage. When the minimum wage is increased, more money has to be paid in benefits.

Many people, when they hear or read about autism, recall the movie Rain Man in which Dustin Hoffman portrayed an autistic savant, a condition in which someone with significant mental disabilities demonstrates certain abilities far in excess of averag

Squamish is a town full of people who step up in a myriad of ways. We volunteer, we gather at municipal hall to say our piece and we take to the streets when we have to.