RE: Roger Dunkley’s May 22 letter to the Columbia Shuswap Regional District, in which the Alberta resident was angered by the Columbia Shuswap Regional District’s request to self-isolate and social distance.
I see things differently. My wife and I were raised in Alberta, lived most of our lives there, then retired to Blind Bay 13 years ago.
This past holiday weekend, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry pleaded with all B.C. residents to stay home and avoid “unessential travel” to reduce the risk of spreading this virus.
If you own property here, the term ‘resident’ also includes you! If you don’t wish to obey B.C. law, then visit Saskatchewan, or Manitoba – except Manitoba doesn’t even allow out-of-province visitors!
Similarly, don’t spend money here. Indeed, this is the very point B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix is trying to make. Please buy all your groceries in Alberta before coming here, so that you can self-isolate at home for at least 14 days.
Alberta has 2.5-times more COVID-19 cases than B.C., and we don’t want more. Salmon Arm’s hospital is small, but serves a large area of vulnerable seniors, and is not equipped to handle large outbreaks like Calgary.
Yes, you paid millions of tax dollars for the ‘privilege’ of owning a piece of paradise, but we also want to keep it this way!
Please no: drunken boaters, illegal fireworks, unlawful beach bonfires, nor abandoned bags of garbage in ditches, etc.
Just because you choose to be on holidays does not mean that the virus is on holiday, or that our laws do not apply.
I can assure you, that you will always be welcome here, provided you respect and adapt to your surroundings and not expect B.C. to adapt to you!
Read more: Shuswap cabin owner hopes to improve B.C.-Alberta relations
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Ken Smith,
Blind Bay