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Letter writer Bill Hubbard of North Vancouver is absolutely right that “personal transportation vehicles are proliferating at a rate beyond all expectations.”
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The Netherlands has had this problem for years, where bicycles, both pedal and power-assisted are overwhelming. Since my wife was born in the Netherlands, we have visited this country many times. The way the Netherlands solves this problem is by separating high-speed traffic roads from low-speed road traffic. There are sidewalks set aside for pedestrians and bikes of every kind, divided in the middle: the left side for walking, and the other for bikes, mopeds, and other low-powered vehicles.
Cross the line between the two separate areas, and you are in Dutch. It works for them, and it should work for us. It costs more, it takes up more space, but it does solve the problem.
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Fred Perry, Maple Ridge
Fiscal and monetary policy are at odds in Canada
Fiscal responsibility gives you options in the future. Fiscal recklessness takes away future options. While the federal government did not solely create high inflation, it has not enacted good policy decisions to limit inflation. Instead, it continues to pursue massive structural deficits of which there is no current plan to ever return to balance. The prime minister claims to be investing in Canadians, but spending is only an investment if you ultimately get a return. This has falsely fuelled the Canadian economy at a time when the Bank of Canada is using interest rate hikes to stall economic growth. It is akin to stepping on the accelerator and the brake at the same time. Monetary and fiscal policy are at odds in this country and it is creating the worst of both worlds, higher prices in the marketplace and higher borrowing costs for homeowners and higher rents for renters. Canadians are paying a price for this lack of understanding of basic sound economic principles — at the grocery store and every month on their mortgage or rent. Canadians are forced to make tough economic decisions to live within their means. It is also time for the federal government to do the same.
Johann Baart, Vancouver
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