Snippet of life "on the island"

[LovelyLadyLux]

Living here on the island, albeit a big island, is relatively easy. Life is slow, people are friendly, crime is minimal, beaches are all around you (literally), parks everywhere however it is expensive to live here and many families are caught in a worsening economy so to make ends meet they're taking chances.....


This is from our CHEK News:

People taking dangerous risks for firewood in Island storms

Posted By: Skye Ryanon: December 11, 2015In: News


Another powerful windstorm is on course to hit the Island Saturday, and it has BC Hydro issuing an urgent warning. Crews responding to downed trees on lines, are finding a disturbing trend at the scene of downed trees and power lines in recent storms.

Enterprising people who have been there first, cutting up and taking the firewood with live wires at their feet.
Cutting firewood at this wood lot outside Nanaimo, Billy Seymour can’t believe the risks some people are taking to heat their homes.

“I think it’s crazy and its dangerous and it’s also desperate to me,” says Seymour.

Dangerous lengths that have BC Hydro issuing an urgent warning. As crews prepare for the next wind storm to arrive Saturday.

“It’s troubling,” says BC Hydro’s Ted Olynyk. “Because our crews know the danger of being around live lines. Live lines and people don’t mix.”

Crews responding to downed power lines and trees across wires are noticing a dangerous trend this season. More and more scenes where the tree is mysteriously missing when they arrive. Where firewood gatherers have rushed to the scene, cutting the wood often amongst live wires, and rushing away before crews arrive.

“And someone’s gone there looking for free firewood, and while they may see this as an opportunity for free firewood, they’re taking a real chance they’re going to be thanking God in person for the free firewood,” says Olynyk.

So far there have no reports of fatalities or injuries this storm season, but officials say at the rate they’re seeing the dangerous risks people are taking it’s only a matter of time

“They’re putting themselves in severe danger,” says Olynyk.

Suggesting instead that people hunker down during the storm and stay safe. Or better yet, make like Billy Seymour, and last out the storm it in front of a roaring fire. Instead of running the risk of become one.

[Horus]

An interesting little snippet of Island life LLL, mind you Billy Seymour’s last recommendation of staying at home in front of a roaring fire is exactly the reason that people are going out to collect the wood in the first place.

[LovelyLadyLux]

Here they're heating with wood to stay warm and there is nothing like sitting in front of a warm fire. Most of the older houses have wood burning fireplaces in them here although over the years you can't burn if there is no wind (that is 1 day in November). I thought the article rather sad that people are rushing out there to get firewood risking life and limb to try and bring their heating costs down.

We used to be able to gather firewood off the beaches cause they're FULL of logs. I wasn't IN Canada when this rule changed so I'm not totally certain why we can't now get logs from the beaches except it has something to do with the (ahem) NATURAL environment.

Nothing worse to me than being cold and when prices go sky high yet your pay cheque doesn't people start taking risks - YET our gov't can give millions to others.

[Horus]

We have the same problem here LLL, we give literally billions in foreign aid, yet we have childrens hospitals asking for charity, homeless people on our streets and pensioners afraid to turn their heating up, it puts my BP up sky high.

[LovelyLadyLux]

I'm with you all the way. We have so many problems HERE yet our gov't gives it away year after year and where we're giving it to never seems to get better or change so they don't need it. Matter of fact much charitable giving is just expected. I'm also of a mind that much of our charitable giving to foreign countries goes to line the pockets of whomever is in power but only a percentage goes to the people it was intended for - yet we give with no requirement for accountability cause apparently it is "racist" or "not appropriate" to ask 'what did you do with my money?" Wouldn't want to offend while handing over our hard earned cash aka taxpayers dollars....

I think we're coming to a breaking point.

I also think soon "we" will have nothing left to give. My gov't taxes me 54% plus I pay a consumer tax of 12% on everything I buy. That is taking 66% out of every dollar I have leaving me to live on 34%. Figure in the price of insurances, property taxes, utilities, gas for your car and 'oh yeah' don't forget you have to buy food out of that remaining 34%. Clothes can be got at the Thrifts for next to nothing ....... YUP - and then I see MY Gov't bringing in thousands and handing all my tax $$ out to them.......

We'll break soon ......

[Horus]

We are in a similar position LLL, our income tax is on a sliding scale with you being taxed the more you earn, but rich and poor pay the same amount of VAT (Value Added Tax) at 20% on literally everything you buy, then we have probably the highest fuel tax in the world on petrol and diesel. We even pay tax on every other purchase we make for household expenditure such as phones, water rates, electricity and gas, I cannot think of hardly anything which is not taxed in some way and often it is tax on tax.

As an aside I see on the news that the 'Le Penn' party in France is making huge grounds in elections.

Meanwhile I see that David Ca-moron is watering down his demands from Europe in changing our conditions of membership regarding our own control of our borders.

[Jayway]

Such a sad story of your islands people LLL. Maybe you can tell me why people stay in a difficult area ? why did they buy homes there in the first place and if they are renting whats the problem ??? just move. I lived all around UK and in several countries before I found one that suited me. Why struggle when there is no need ? Dont tell me that its so hard to make a living if you are willing to work.

[Horus]

I reckon that LLL is quite happy where she is, but like the rest of us she would be a lot more happier if governments just butted out and stopped giving our money to other people. Also there is often more things to consider than just yourself when deciding where to live, if you are single and happy to just look after No1 then that’s fine, but it is not everyone’s position.

[LovelyLadyLux]

I'm doing ok here but while I'm 'ok' I know that many others are not.

It is hard to explain why somebody would stay in an area that is difficult to live in. Part of the answer is that while it is hard to live on the Island it is way more difficult to live in other areas of Canada. On the Island for the most part our temperatures are moderate but if you go anywhere away from the coast you are going to live a significant portion of the year in below zero temperatures, you're going to shovel snow higher than your head, you're going to have to contend with infrequent deliveries of food (we get that here all the time), often finding staples out of stock (and while the clerks will tell you it'll be IN next week that is just a canned response as "IT" will get here whenever "IT" gets here or there).

In some areas of Canada you're also dealing with serious wild animals, poor education and sketchy medical care (teachers and doctors don't want to live where it is difficult to live too). You have to have in loads of firewood and you have to keep all the necessary pots 'n pans to cook on the wood stove too as when hydro (electricity derived from water) goes out it can take days to get it back on - again cause who wants to work in minus 20 to 50 below zero.

For me I've lived here before, I have family and friends here. I know the geography, know the ins and outs and upside downs of here and deem it better than other places.

AND - lastly the Canadian gov't only allows Canadians out of Canada for 6 months (Unless like me you were working BUT as a Professional to keep me from exiting Canada altogether the gov't WILL take 33% of what you have IF you opt to leave. That means your house, bank account, retirement, pensions. They'll cancel your documents, invalidate your Passport/drivers licence, stop your medical SO unless you know that where you're going really wants you AND you will never need to return it is hard to escape Canada.

The trick is then to find a spot in Canada you find ok to live in. For me it is here but economically I know it is really hard for lots of families here to make ends meet.

[LovelyLadyLux]

Here is another snippet of Island life - we find all sorts of thing cute including young cows and calves climbing up onto trampolines and sleeping on them - course it has been REALLY WET lately. I bet this "news" even makes it to the TV News We're pretty basic and simple people here. Doesn't take much to make us smile

http://www.cheknews.ca/nanaimo-calves-g ... ry-126550/

[Horus]

I like the cow picture, just goes to show they are not as stupid as people make out