Opinion

Dear Editor: Unlike many Canadians, I did not get an opportunity to watch the state funeral of NDP leader Jack Layton. I have been to too many funerals lately to feel compelled to attend through television.

Dear Editor: Jack has left a strong legacy, not only in his living, but in his dying. His strong advocacy and ability to see both despair (to name it and respond to it) and hope in so many places will always remain his mark.

The hated HST is dead. Soon its equally unloved cousin, the PST, will be dug up and pressed back into service. Opposition parties and their allies are declaring victory, and corporations and their allies are predicting economic disasters.

Dear Editor: I took my car for AirCare inspection, in order to renew my insurance. Once again, even though it is now an old practice, the futile system left me incredibly frustrated.

What's all the kerfuffle about changing the names of some of Canada's armed forces anyway? If adding "Royal" to the Canadian navy and air force monikers suits the folks who actually wear the uniforms and serve our country so outstandingly well .

Dear Editor: I was truly saddened to hear that Jack Layton had lost his battle against cancer this past Monday morning. In a country that at times has lacked truly dynamic political personalities, Jack Layton truly stood out from the crowd.

Everybody's talking about Jack this week. I don't want to take away from the accolades and adulation aimed at his huge political achievements. Because his achievements have been huge.

Dear Editor: Re: Council is a product of democracy, Letters to the Editor, Burnaby NOW, Aug. 5. The Maclean's article on a well-run city is regurgitated every time there is a challenge as to how Burnaby is run.

Dear Editor: With the civic elections approaching in November, the current BCA council will be quick to point out that Burnaby was named the "Best Run City in Canada" in 2008.

Any good politician knows there are two ways to rally a crowd: with anger, finger-pointing and an us-versus-them battle cry; or, with the promise of better things and a brighter future for those who believe in their collective power to change.