A recent letter suggested the B.C. NDP government should bring back billing charges for the B.C. Medical Services Plan to recover lost revenue from the elimination of the billing system.

But when the government eliminated the billing system, it created the B.C. Employer Health Care Tax.

This is a tax on all employer wages at a rate of 1.95 per cent. A total cash grab.

An example is the City of Vancouver. The city paid $4.5 million to the B.C. ­Medical Services Plan in 2017.

These amounts were then added to the employee paycheques as a taxable benefit.

Under the new B.C. Employer Health Care tax, the city paid $23 million in 2025. An increase of 411%.

Unbelievable!

Joe Sawchuk

Duncan

Re: “We all share the need to stay ­attentive,” letter, Feb. 5.

I agree. I also note that I see several pedestrians crossing without looking and fixated on their cellphones.

What could be so important that you would risk your life rather than being fully aware of what is around you?

Wendy Wardle

Saanich

Re: “We all share the need to stay ­attentive,” letter, Feb. 5.

Regarding the various opinions on whose responsibility it is to stay safe on the roads, I am reminded of two pieces of road safety wisdom I was given years (years and years!) ago.

The first was from my father, who recited a little poem:

“Here lies the body of Johnny O’Day

Who died while taking his right of way.

He was right, dead right, as he sped along

But he’s just as dead as if he’d been wrong.”

He made sure to tell me that pedestrians were included in that, so to pay attention when crossing the road or walking by the road.

The second was these words from my driver education trainer in my first session: “When you get behind the wheel, think of it as everyone on the road either trying to kill you or jump out in front of you.”

Yikes! Both were a little shocking, but I’ve never forgotten them.

Kim Capson

Saanich

Re: “Our phones are destroying human connections,” commentary, Feb. 5.

Who is in control, you or your phone? Is it a tool that serves you, or have you relinquished true control and, by force of habit, slipped into a state of semi-conscious autopilot?

We are, after all, what we do. The ­question is: Are we, most of the time, doing what we do consciously and ­intentionally? Are we living our ­purported........

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