Dear editor,
A Surrey hockey mom was attacked while waiting for her son to come out of a hockey practice. She died from her injuries.
Don Cherry would have approved of my first reaction to this senseless crime. Obviously, the person who did this needs to be apprehended and dealt with.
As I write this on New Year’s Day, I reject Cherry’s approach and am pleased that Douglas Elford, a spokesman for the Newton Community Association, said the unprovoked attack reinforces his belief that the community has to look at itself.
Mr. Elford has raised the debate to the level at which it needs to be; what is happening in the community?
That is the positive and long-term solution for the community. I’m sure that all the locally elected people will bring their support, efforts and resources to help him.
I believe that Canada is a society, a very diverse community that is facing many different pressures from many quarters: economic, environmental, social, and political. These pressures can encourage extreme anti-social and destructive actions.
A community is very complex: It has children, adults of all kinds, schools and other community services. Where a sense of community exists, people feel secure, services exists to take care of our own regardless of their needs.
This Surrey community understands that it has lost something and I support Mr. Elford in his plan to figure out what is needed to turn things around.
I am blessed to be secure, to feel safe, to have enough. I wish this for all people.
I hope that citizens of the Comox Valley and our elected officials can provide at least moral support to Mr. Elford and the Newton community in Surrey as they deal with this recent tragedy. That’s a 2014 challenge to the Valley.
Cliff Boldt,
Courtenay