Editor, Re: “Exclusionary signage still prevalent,” News, Sept 23.
I don’t know where Ms. Kerry Starchuk gets her enthusiasm, drive and patience to continue her fight, on our behalf, to have the “Chinese-only signs” situation resolved.
She gets much more attention and respect from foreign media than she ever has from Richmond council.
City hall seems perfectly capable of getting quick action when it wants to but seems incapable of quick responses to Chinese signs and monster homes.
To those issues, there is a standard reply of “these things take time.”
They have dodged and weaved and come up with one excuse after another as to why they cannot, instead of any why they can. If it wasn’t for councillors Carol Day and Harold Steves, we citizens who care about our city would have no voice at all.
The frustration is growing exponentially and most councillors are either unaware, or simply do not care, that the fabled “Richmond intercultural harmony” is a complete myth. If ever it was a reality, it certainly isn’t now.
As the photograph with Ms. Starchuk and Mr. Whiting shows, Chinese-only signs are still proliferating. Despite all the promises of education from Richmond city hall and other groups, complete inertia is what is occurring.
We can only hope that Ms. Starchuk’s frustrations do not reach the point where she will “take the money and run” to a much friendlier place.
Alan Halliday
Richmond
