Opinion Preserving ‘green space’: Key is economic viability One basic philosophy held dear by the two rural Peninsula municipalities is protection of its agricultural land. Land use planning is centered around a balance between urban encroachment and preservation of “green space.” However, for Peninsula farmers, that land is a lot more than just something pretty to look at while travelling to more bustling places. For some, the farm remains the sole income for a family. For some, like the Michell families on Martindale Flats, the Island View area and the McHugh Valley, vegetable farming has continued in much the same way for generations, except for the loss of potato production. Others, like the Vantreights, who recently built a new state-of-the-art warehouse and packing facility on Central Saanich Road, find the face of farming is changing. That family introduced kiwi fruit farming in earnest to the Peninsula and are making it a success. Other farmers are keeping up with technology in dairy operations. Ardmore neighborhood residents are hard pressed to see dairy cattle in Pendray Farm fields next to West Saanich Road as animals are kept inside production bams. Big operations are able to make a profit, providing they stay in tune with a technological age that dictates more automation — high investment in order to produce high volume. Many small farmers don’t have the resources to make the big investment and cannot survive if the farm is the sole source of income. For them, the Association for the Protection of Rural Central Saanich’s recent suggestion will be good news. The special interest group is investigating the possibility of promoting alternative income, but farm-related, activities for small agricultural land owners. We find the ideas which promote tourism and agriculture simultaneously most attractive. There is nothing big city folk like better than a taste of the country. Last year’s Peninsula Country Markets at the old fair- grounds in Saanichton gave all of Greater Victoria a taste of Peninsula farming life. This year, confident with past success, organizers plan on holding a market day every Saturday. That single initiative could mean the difference between success and failure for some Peninsula farm producers. A restriction that ensures products are locally produced or grown guarantees that competition from marketing boards and American producers is eliminated. We commend the organizers for giving the people of this area a place to market and Peninsula residents an enjoyable location to do their shopping. We also urge the association to continue with its initiatives to help farmers survive economi- cally. That’s really the only way “green space” will be preserved for our enjoyment, and the enjoyment of future generations. Volume 80 Issue No. 15 TheReview Wednesday, April 8,1992 — AG Letters to the editor on issues of concern to our readers are welcomed by The Review. All letters must be addressed to the editor and bear an original signature of the letter writer. Letters must contain the letter writer's street address and telephone number for verification purposes and not for publication. Letter should not exceed 300 words in length and may be edited for clarity, legality, brevity and taste. The Review Serving the Saanich Peninsula Since 1912 9726 - First St. P.O. Box 2070 Sidney, B.C. V8L3C9 _ Sidney, B.C. V8L3S5 656-1151 Publisher: Rory McGrath Editor: Glenn Werkman Reporters: Valorie Lennox Advertising: Corrie Morozoft John Gelder Production Manager: Tamie Sargeant Office Manager: Lori Fitzpatrick Circulation Manager: Wendy Denison BGYGNA BRITISH COLUMBIA AND YUKON SS PRIZE WIN Ne : DIAN COM <2 nA MUN, S F — SCNA og G bys veg TERS 2550 C egy Pa PERS COM COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION CONTROLLED / CHILDREN: THIS |S YouR FATHER. FROM > NOW ON, HE WILL BE MAKING REGULAR APPEARANCES... PARTICIPATING IN FAMILY ACTNITIES.. COMMUNICATING... 1 AT LEAST, UNTIL THE HOCKEY STRIKE IS SETTLED. a could go farther Editor: Three cheers for Ald. Dave Gou- let’s proposed motion to halt development in Sidney to prevent further impact on the sewage facil- ities (Goulet calls for hold, The Review, April 1). At last there is an opportunity to do more than pay lip service to the “environmentalists” and legislate with an eye to keeping the votes of big business. By supporting this motion, Sidney can demonstrate its commitment to staying as closely as possible within the (already violated) guidelines set by the Ministry of Environment. Why not go one step further? What a creditable demonstration of their commitment to listening to ALL the residents of Sidney if it were possible to effect legislation to compel developers to provide a minimum percentage of affordable housing within every multiple dwelling building permit in future. Well, I can dream, can’t I? T.J. Smith Sidney Walk for peace Editor: Peace - Our Common Security is this year’s theme for the 11th annual Peace Walk — a timely reminder of the urgent need for all of us to work together to ensure a future for our planet Earth. The focus this year is on the need to halt nuclear testing and reduce military spending and to transfer these funds to environ- mental concerns and humanitarian issues such as food and housing. Clearly this issue is of the highest urgency at an international level. All UN member-nations are participating in the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (the Earth Summit), taking place in June in Brazil. In Greater Victoria, we need to show our strong support for the efforts of all the people who give their time and energy so unsel- fishly to defend and strive for the implementation of world-wide peace and a healthy environment. Let us join them on Saturday, April 25th and show our politi- cians what OUR biggest concerns are. Let us walk in peace. (The event is organized by the Greater Victoria Disarmament Group’s Peace Walk Committee in conjucntion with Earth Week (April 19-26. Walkers will gather in Centennial Square at 12 noon, proceeding to the legislature at 12:30 p.m., then staying for enter- tainment and speakers from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. Anita Vidal Sidney Air services is the pride of B.C. Editor: In response to the recent articles I have read in The Review, I would like to share my experience of the Government Air Services with you and your readers. As a second-year Camosun Col- lege registered nursing student I had the privilege of spending a day with the government air services paramedics and observing first hand the operation of transferring a patient, by aircraft, from one medical facility to another. Little did I know of the behind the scenes activities necessary to make such a patient transfer hap- pen. I was amazed at the expertise and quality of not only the para- medics but, also of the pilots and aircraft maintenance crews. I can’t say enough about the professional conduct of the people involved in patient transfer opera- tion I observed. I feel very proud that British Columbia has a medi- cal air transfer service at the ready to assist the patients who need it. I wish to extend a special thank you, to all Government Air Ser- vices staff members for sharing your knowledge with me and for providing me with a truly eye- opening experience. Clara Tanner Saanichton Taxation method must be changed Editor: For Glen Clark to equate the marketable value of one’s home with today’s ability to pay is arrogant nonsense, quite apart from the fact that analysis shows the property tax system to be ethically and democratically Ung: ceptable. lee Clark, or any minister of finance, would never suggest annually taxing savings, money in the bank, treasury notes, term deposits, refrigerators, anything. Gain, yes. Capital, no. No one would save or buy. Clark, or any minister of finance, would never dare to tax borrowed money annually. No one would borrow. The economy would scream to a halt. Clark says that if you put your savings and borrowings together and buy a home, of all things, it is perfectly acceptable to annually tax the unacceptable. Save $10,000, borrow $190,000 (CMHC blessed), buy your dream home, and the government wijl annually tax you according to thc quantity of savings and borrow- ings. How stupid can we get? Homeowners are being shafted! Yet the solution is simple. Abol- ish the residential property tax system, replacing it with the prov- ince collecting the needs of the municipalities through annual fed- eral income tax returns, thereby everyone pays according to their current means, and it brings on stream all income eamers who are not now paying their fair share. Most homeowners’ taxes will be more than halved, suites rents lowered, and bureaucracy greatly reduced. (Readers should notes Continued on Page A8 ge Pie