Keira-anne.com

I can say with 100% certainty that there is nothing at which I am an expert. There are, however, a few things of which I am incredibly passionate about. Orca whales are one of those things. While there are topics worth biting my tongue over, this is one passion I freely share my firm opinion on.

Photo: TylerIngram on Flickr

The story of the whale trainer at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida that was killed by a captured orca whale – more commonly known as the “killer whale” – has reached all corners of the globe since Wednesday afternoon’s tragedy. An event such as this one naturally triggers a landslide of questions. Perhaps the most commonly asked question is simply: how could this happen?

Dawn Brancheau was an experienced trainer, having worked with these magnificent mammals for 16 years. The whale at the centre of this story is a 12,000 pound male named Tillicum, a creature that Dawn was incredibly familiar with and one whom she had created a working relationship with through training. So what provoked Tillicum to drag Dawn under the water and into an untimely and heart-rending death?

The question of how this could have happened seems, to me, to have a rather simple reasoning. Orca whales, like any animal on this planet, is at its core a wild animal. No amount of domestication can ensure a human’s ultimate safety around animals – whether we’re dealing with whales and dolphins or cats and dogs. As an expert in her field, I have no doubt that Dawn was fully aware of the daily risks she took in working with Tillicum. While what happened is wholly unfortunate, at the end of the day it can’t be unexpected either.

Photo: TylerIngram on Flickr

Many news reports that have come out in the wake of this event have suggested that it’s likely Tillicum simply thought of Dawn as a “toy” and was merely playing with her. Though defined as predatory, orca whales (which are actually a species of dolphin, not whale) aren’t generally thought to be a threat to humans and are, more often than not, peaceful creatures. That said, it can be contended that Tillicum was simply doing what comes naturally to him. If, on the other hand, what happened was rooted in aggression, we could consider his environment a chief contributing factor.

Oceanic mammals were created with the sea as their home and playground. To pluck them from the deep blue and confine them to the equivalent of a bathtub will surely have an effect. Imagine, if you will, being contained in a single room, left to circle endlessly while people peered in through windows on all four sides. It would be enough to drive you mad, wouldn’t it?

And so the great debate regarding whales in captivity has kicked up again and everyone is sure to have an opinion. Scientists claim that capturing whales is the best way by which to study them and learn of their nature and habits in order to assist in conservation programs. It would seem to me that the most effective environment to study whale behavior regarding conservation is in the wild. But then again, what do I know? I’m not an orca expert, just an orca lover.

Contribute your two cents: Do you think keeping whales in captivity is an acceptable practice? Should they be released into the wild?

When Vancouver and Whistler were first awarded the 2010 Olympic Winter Games seven years ago, I was less than enthused. I’ve never been a fan of the Olympics generally and wasn’t pumped for them to be held in British Columbia specifically. My sentiments spent the next near-decade snowballing, tangling up in an avalanche of over-spending, criticizing reports, suffering social programs and homelessness to name a few. While you can talk to me until you’re blue in the face, I will never, ever agree that athletic facilities trump any of the problems within our Province that are rapidly deteriorating. That said, I also can’t deny the fact that the Games are very much here.

This is where I admit to waving the white flag, eat my words and declare my own hypocrisy. Despite it all, I am very, very excited for the celebrations at hand.

I suppose it began last Thursday. I made my way to 49th Avenue in an attempt to catch Steve Nash carry the torch and felt entirely unpatriotic. In a sea of red and white, I stood out like a sore thumb in my purple basketball jersey. I intended to get Nash’s attention and, seemingly, it worked. Without red and white, I felt entirely alienated so made the decision that I’d actually sport Canada’s colours the next day as the torch made its way past my office downtown.

The excitement on Georgia Street Friday morning was incredible with a sea of proud Canadians stretched, quite literally, as far as my eyes could see. And as we cheered, applauded and shouted, everyone was speculating who’d ultimately light the cauldron that night at BC Place Stadium. I had to admit that even I, the Olympic Cynic, was curious. [Cue that white flag I was telling you about.]

Curled up on my couch that evening, I sat mesmerized as so many of the beautiful elements of our country’s culture unfolded before millions of eyes around the globe. British Columbia is only a fraction of the rich tapestry that is Canada, made up of people, images, songs, history and events that have shaped and transformed the home in which you and I live today. Perhaps the hydraulic issue served as an unintended measure of proof that, despite how breathtaking Canada is, it is not perfect. We’d be fools to deny such flaws exist but can instead unite in the pride that threads through us all and hope that one day we’ll see a country in which the final pieces click into place.

I’ve been called many names in the past: Homebody, Little Miss Anti-Social and even Not A Joiner. While those labels can certainly ring true at the best of times, now is not one of them. The movement and spirit of Canadian pride has spread across this city like wildfire. Think of Vancouver as being likened to Zombieland – minus the fleshy tenancies but instead with a healthy dose of infectious patriotism.

The ’round-the-clock music, cheers, screams and partying no longer cause me to roll my eyes but instead stifle giggles. If anything, this event has served as a personal reminder of how truly magical British Columbia is. It’s easy to take the mountains and ocean and blue sky and fresh air for granted each day when it’s on my doorstep. To be given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see those elements of our nation through the eyes of countless international visitors is a gift. While I certainly refuse to turn a blind eye to the critical needs on the streets of my city and in the towns of my province, it would also be a shame were I to miss out on such an amazing opportunity in my own front yard.

The strangest thing about this all is the notion that in a few short weeks, the streets will have emptied out, Robson Square will be once again quiet on my early morning walks to work and we will all be left wondering if it was just a dream…

A few years ago, I was in my boss’s office when he asked me what the difference is between a website and a blog. After a brief description of each, he asked if I, in fact, had a blog. He then proceeded to pointedly ask me why anyone would be at all interested in what I have to say about anything. While he meant it mostly in jest, he also made a very good point. Why would anyone be interested in what I have to say? Half the time I’m not interested in what I have to say, so why would someone else?

Over the last eight months, my frequency of blog posting has dwindled faster than my bank account balance at the Clinique counter. While it isn’t that I don’t have anything to say, the narcissistic charm that blogging once held has been slowly fading away. Allowing perfect strangers a view to a thrill during bikini season has lost that loving feeling, while no one really needs (or should care) to know what I made for dinner, which movie I went to see or who I’ve been hanging out with these days.

My mother loves to take photos when we go for walks. This, however, normally translates to stopping every 400 metres to stage a shot. While her enthusiasm is sweet, and there’s always a time and a place for snapping photos, how can two people create memories together if they’re too busy trying to capture them on a digital memory card? I’d rather live and love my life rather than watch it pass me by because I’m too busy letting everyone else know.

Maybe Twitter has led to the demise of it all. I’ve realized that I can share my wit and wisdom in 140 characters or less, rather than dragging each of you through a large volume of mostly superfluous paragraphs just so I can hear myself speak, so to speak. (Though speaking of, doesn’t “superfluous” strike you as a bit ironic because it is, in itself, a superfluous word?)

However, that said, some people still have an insatiable need to know, some people still love to lurk and I still love to mold the English language, bending it to my will. Let me break down these days for you:

Photo: Comox Valley SPCA
Bobbi Sue 4 is available for adoption.

“When a man wantonly destroys one of the works of man we call him a vandal. When he destroys one of the works of God we call him a sportsman.” – Joseph Wood Krutch, Literary Naturalist, 1893-1970

Some people seem somewhat shocked initially. Others are in disbelief and others still feel it necessary to dish out mild jabs in good fun. While at the same time, some people have simply exclaimed “finally! I was wondering how long it would take you…”

While I previously went through a two-year period of vegetarianism when I last lived on Vancouver Island, I had long been a big fan of meat. I loved eating it, cooking with it, creating new recipes with it, smelling it as it baked or broiled or barbecued. April 12, 2009 was the last time I ate meat.

A little over three months without meat seems like a short time for most and, while some may doubt the genuine intent behind my decision to cut meat entirely from my diet, that time is irrelevant. I’m still new to this “vegetarian thing” and know that there’s still a lot to learn. I’m constantly educating myself, researching the lifestyle I’ve undertaken and finding new recipes and ways at which to keep myself healthy without eating meat. My choice didn’t come about because I decided it suddenly tasted “gross”. In fact, my diet still includes eggs and dairy products from humanely-obtained local sources.

With so many questions being bounced around between my family, my friends and even my blog readers, I’ve felt the time is right to deliver my vegetarian’s manifesto, if you will. I can’t necessarily pinpoint the “how” but I can definitely articulate and expand on the “why”.

It’s no secret that I’ve long been a lover of animals. This includes everything from cats to dogs to chickens to birds to whales and every other living, breathing creature under the sun. To me, they have always been beautiful, abundant and gentle beings, each possessing somewhat of an innocence that we humans dropped along the way at some point. What was missing in my own life in this regard was a connection.

There was no particular incident that spurred on my decision to shed animals from my diet, my make-up bag or my closet. I know that I can honestly say that, although it may have been an idea floating in the furthest reaches of my subconscious, I truly did wake up one day and realized my perception had changed entirely.

It was Easter Sunday and my mom was out of town, so my aunt and I were left to our own devices for dinner. Rather than cooking a large turkey for the two of us, I found a recipe for Cornish game hens and planned for that instead. Easter Sunday was also the day I decided I was done. I carefully prepared the meal, as well as the vegetables to go along with it, and then sat at the dinner table with my aunt that evening. “Today is the last day I’m going to eat meat,” I told her without batting an eyelash. It was simply that matter-of-fact.

What caused that connection or that proverbial light bulb to illuminate is beyond me, but perhaps it was simply an inevitable culmination of my personal beliefs. If I love animals as much as I purport to, then why do I have no problem at all throwing parts of their carcasses on a grill or in a pan and proceed to devour them?

This is where the problem lies: animals are living, humourous, loving, emotional, intelligent beings that eat, breathe, sleep, feel, think and move. Food, on the other hand, is completely inanimate. A hot dog just sits on your plate without movement or sound. The only thing meat will do if you leave it long enough is decay. But making the connection between the living and the non-living isn’t easy. What joins the two usually involves a sharp blade, inhumane treatment and much pain.

It isn’t my endeavour to shock each of you through facts or unbelievably disturbing details of how the animals make it from the farm to the plate. Many of you have seen the PETA videos while others still may have witnessed it first-hand.

It’s my belief, as a woman and an individual human being, that we are all here on the planet by the design of something greater than all of us. Animals have personalities and feel, experience and understand many of the same quotients and emotions we humans do. If you have met Jordy, you know what I’m talking about! We are all species and none of us can say that one is greater than the other. Animals feel physical pain, experience the emotion of fear and feel the natural urge to flee when threatened just as you or I do.

Something as simple as a backyard BBQ with family is deemed more valuable than the life of the pig whose ribs are being devoured. Dispute that if you will, but actions always speak volumes above words. Last month, an Oklahoma woman and her friend were charged with killing and skinning a seven-week-old puppy with the intent to make a belt [source]. While the community was outraged, I couldn’t help but wonder how this was deemed to be a “despicable” case of animal cruelty, yet if the belt had been made of a cow, it would be okay. Something doesn’t add up.

I’ve heard a million arguments made to justify the consumption of meat. While some will say that the production of meat is actually good for the environment and the economy, others still will tell tales of the astronomical impact it has on the global environment. The point can also be attempted that eating vegetables is also killing living things, but it is scientific fact that plants do not possess both the central nervous system and brain required to feel and register pain [source]. But instead of respecting these beings, we assume we own them by locking them up in zoos, keeping them confined to large tanks at city aquariums and corralling them until they’re ripe for slaughter.

All of that is besides my point. The irony is that humans take such pride in being a group of beings so incredibly evolved as a species that our lives are seemingly worth more than those of animals. Yet, we rely on the idea that eating meat is our primitive right.

The truth about us humans is that yes – we are evolved; so much so that we no are longer required to consume meat to ensure a balanced diet and live a healthy and wholesome lifestyle. While at one point in time, eating meat and testing on animals may have been essential, it’s no longer necessary. Technology has moved us past that, and the choice to eat an animal is no longer premised on a need but instead on desire.

Very recently, I was discussing the beauty and gentle nature of cows with someone close to me. “I love cows too but I could never look one in the eyes – I’d just feel too guilty!” was what they told me. That, right there, is precisely the reason for my choice. I can no longer look at what is literally staring me in the face and deny it any longer.

I have made a decision and declaration to live a vegetarian lifestyle. I now make every single effort possible to use products that have not been tested on animals. No longer will items purchased for my wardrobe be made of leather products. By making these choices I am not claiming to be perfect, just as I do not attempt to describe those that eat meat as imperfect.

However, no matter what kind of argument anyone attempts to make against my choice, there can be no argument against compassion. There can be no argument against equality or love. I believe that every living being, whether toes, heels or hooves, has the exact same right to live a normal, happy and healthy life.

In 2007, Academy Award winner (and bonafide babe) Joaquin Phoenix passionately contributed to a film called Earthlings. It is as incredible as it is intense. In it, he points out the direct correlation between all of the Earth’s species and their individual values. While containing compiled videos that are not isolated events, but instead the norm, Earthlings is perhaps the most violent and graphic film you will ever see. Except it’s real.

Earthlings can be viewed online in its entirety here.

Comments and contributions to the discussion are both welcome and encouraged. In doing so, pleasure ensure that you’ve read this article in its entirety before doing so. All opinions are to be respected, and comments of a belligerent or abusive nature will be deleted after the IP address is flagged.

I was still in diapers when my family moved from Port Hardy to the Comox Valley in 1982. The Valley has always been and will always be home and, as such, has also always been an immense source of pride. Today I feel shame.

It’s a community comprised primarily of three towns – Courtenay, Comox and Cumberland – and is a community born out of a vibrant history. Though, like any community with deep roots, the stories are often marred. When Cumberland was a booming mining town in the late 1800s, it was also home to North America’s second largest Chinatown as well as a substantial Japanese population. These immigrant workers were brought in simply to risk their lives doing the most hazardous of mining jobs that others would not do. Countless immigrants died in doing so.

Much of Cumberland’s Chinatown was destroyed in a fire in 1936 that originated in a chop suey house; the area was never rebuilt. And further, in 1942 amongst the shadows of World War II, the entire local Japanese population was ordered to be shipped to internment camps in the interior of British Columbia.

Neither population recovered from these decimating events. One could say that these were the first examples of blatant racism in the Valley’s history.

As I grew up, the Comox Valley’s population was predominantly comprised of Caucasian people of European descent. Being that the Island is still home to many First Nations reserves, there has also always been a sizable native population. In junior high I had one girlfriend who had immigrated with her family from South Korea, and went to high school with a brother and sister from Pakistan. The number of black families in the community could be counted on one hand.

While the diversity of the Comox Valley has certainly increased over the last decade, what has always been apparent to me, however, is that none of this ever seemed to matter. We all had our respective backgrounds, history and ancestry, but that was just a matter of fact – not a matter for tact. The idea of any form of racism in the Comox Valley seemed entirely outlandish to me.

There are still numerous men who drive their trucks around the Valley with Confederate flags emblazoned in the front license plate holders, but I always assumed they were paying tribute to The Dukes of Hazzard rather than knowing what it symbolizes. It would seem that I am incorrect. A recent event in the parking lot across from the Courtenay McDonald’s restaurant has changed what I thought I knew in an instant.

Last Friday a 38-year-old landscape artist by the name of Jay Phillips was accosted, cornered and both verbally and physically attacked by three young men between the ages of 19 and 25. In broad daylight, Phillips was bombarded with fists, kicks, racial slurs and threats of lynching. What his cowardly attackers did not expect, however, was that the man well-versed in mixed martial arts was prepared to fight back – and he did.

“If nobody says anything or does anything, they’re going to do this again,” Phillips stated in a local news interview. The attack, which was caught entirely on video and subsequently posted on YouTube, was the silver lining. “Otherwise it would have been three or five guys’ word against mine,” he said. “I don’t want this shit to ever happen ever again.”

The three men have been identified, arrested and charged with assault. The RCMP are currently investigating and further charges of a hate crime are pending.

I applaud Jay Phillips for standing up, for using his voice and for fighting back against such a disgusting display of ignorance and hate. The kind of behavior perpetrated against Mr. Phillips simply cannot – and will not – be tolerated. It is my hope that by his brave example, more people will be strong enough to resist backing down and instead fight for love and acceptance.

During my training to teach pre-school, we were told a story of a group of 15 pre-schoolers that were engaged in a sharing circle together. Each child was instructed to say something about the other children that makes each of them different or unique. One child was permanently bound to a wheelchair, and when it came to his turn, his classmates took turns praising his artistic skills, his fun laugh, his willingness to share and exclaiming that he always had the best snacks. Not one single child noted that his wheelchair made him different or unique.

Perhaps we can all take take our cues from the uncorrupted.

The power of persistence can be a powerful thing. Less than a week ago, I posted a letter I had written to BC Ferries. With that post I included a number of photos I recently took while a passenger on the Queen of Coquitlam vessel.

Yesterday I was fortunate to have a discussion with someone at BC Ferries’ head office in Victoria. While part of me is glad to have had the conversation and hear that my concerns and suggestions were well received by the corporation, the other part of me still feels a bit discouraged. However, the discussion was mostly fruitful and quite a few points were touched on and addressed.

• When the first ships of the fleet were built in the 1960s and 1970s, walk-on passengers with pets were almost unheard of. At that time, the designated pet areas were actually designed to be a place to essentially leave your dog while sitting on the passenger decks for the voyage. Therefore, passenger comfort in the pet area was not a consideration while these ships were designed and built.
• In addition to the welcome reception of my letters, the BC Ferries representative confirmed that all those who received the photos were disgusted by them and that it was unanimous that the conditions were deplorable and unacceptable. I was then informed that the Queen of Coquitlam is scheduled to be pulled from service in the immediate and retrofitted in order to be brought up to an acceptable and civilized standard. These changes will be complete before the summer tourist season begins.
• Apparently heaters have been installed in the pet areas of most of the older ships. It is anticipated that all older ships will have heaters by the winter.
• One safety issue I raised with the pet areas on the older ships was that of excessive exhaust and toxic emissions from the vehicles on the vehicle decks. While it was agreed that this concern is of great importance, this health issue still remains unaddressed as no potential remedy seems to have been considered.
• Another key area that I felt some fantastic progress can and will be made in is that of passenger comfort. While it is important that the pet areas be somewhat “utilitarian” in design for ease of cleaning, vinyl-covered seats are just as easily wiped as seats constructed of metal or wire mesh. Also, my suggestion to install a water fountain (for both humans and pets) and even possibly a vending machine on one of the car decks seemed potentially feasible. It is my understanding that these recommendations are being formally submitted to the corporation for consideration.
• With regard to one unisex washroom being installed on the vehicle deck, this is apparently not doable due to space constraints. The alternative idea offered is to leave your pet with a fellow passenger or someone you are traveling with. Being that neither of these options are always going to be available or desirable (Jordy is not simply a piece of luggage), a singular washroom stall is an idea that needs to be revisited by the corporation.
• As mentioned in my letter, it is of paramount concern that announcements cannot be heard while in the pet areas. I am informed that, in the event of an emergency, crew members are designated to retrieve all passengers and dogs in the pet area and bring them to a safe place.
• BC Ferries does not maintain the same policy as TransLink with regard to pets in public areas. While allergies, food preparation and potentially aggressive dogs are the top concerns by the corporation, I do understand the reason for this policy – within reason. However, that said, I would still strongly encourage the corporation to consider designating a small, strictly quarantined area on one of the passenger decks in which all dogs will be welcome (providing that the dogs are well-behaved). That way, any other passengers who do not wish to be near the pets can avoid them altogether while those traveling with pets can enjoy the same comfort as other passengers.

As our society moves closer and closer to going green in every way that we can, more people will be ditching their cars in favour of transit. On any given sailing, more than a handful of dogs can be found on the vehicle decks with their owners. As time passes, I have no doubt we will see this number swell and the need increase. That said, addressing these issues is critical to the functioning of the invaluable ferry system.

Overall, I am satisfied with the initial response received from BC Ferries and I am very grateful to the individual at head office who took the time to engage in this discussion with me. I look forward to our follow-up discussion in the coming weeks to track the progress. It is not the intention of BC Ferries to make us feel like “second class citizens,” but I had to admit that feeling that way is somewhat inevitable. However, I also felt that I was heard and that my concerns are being taken quite seriously. If you are a pet owner and one who travels on BC Ferries, please take a moment to send a quick e-mail to the corporation to encourage them and show that you support change for all of us.

While I believe there is still a great deal of work and much room for improvement, even the corporation readily admits that this continues to be an evolution. Change doesn’t happen overnight and while these improvements may be gradual, I have faith that we will see more serious attention paid to those traveling on BC Ferries by foot with their fur babies. The dogs are here to stay.

On May 19, 2009, I sent an e-mail to BC Ferries. Aside from the Customer Service office, I also sent this e-mail directly to the Captain of Fleet Operations for routes between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland, the Manager of Community Relations and the Liaison Committee contact for the Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay route. A week passed and I received no response in any manner – not even so much as a confirmation that my concerns were being forwarded to the appropriate persons for review.

I then re-sent the e-mail and asked for a proper response by end-of-business on Friday, May 29, 2009. Friday came and went with not a word. I have just e-mailed all the materials to Chris Olsen of CTV’s Olsen On Your Side. Here’s hoping that he will contact me.

Until then, for your reading and viewing displeasure, here are the photographs and the letter sent to BC Ferries to which I received no response.

BC Ferries Corporation
1112 Fort Street
Victoria, British Columbia
V8V 4V2 Canada

To: BC Ferries Customer Service

To: Captain Dale Phipps, Marine Superintendent, Fleet Operations

To: Jason Bowman, Horseshoe Bay/Departure Bay Liaison Committee

To: Sarah Cotton, Manager of Community Relations

Re: Customer Service and Pet Policy on BC Ferries Vessels

I am a member of the public and a lifelong resident of British Columbia. Travel on BC Ferries has always been a part of my life and will continue to be. The service provided is essential to all British Columbians and is an important means of travel for those visiting our Province.

What has always been apparent to me is that exceptional customer service is of penultimate importance to BC Ferries, second only to passenger safety. This is evident in the planning, staffing and expert operation of the corporation and its fleet.

I have long been aware that BC Ferries has upheld a pet policy stating that pets can be transported on the vessels but that they must remain on vehicle decks at all times during the voyage (with the exception of guide dogs). Until recently, I was never a pet owner and was therefore unaffected by this policy. As I travel frequently on BC Ferries – up to several times each month – and now own a pet, I believe that this is something I need to very clearly address to BC Ferries Corporation.

Several weeks ago I was a passenger on the new and beautiful Coastal Renaissance ship and, as expected, stayed in the pet area with my small dog. While the room is bright and enclosed to avoid engine exhaust and cold air, I found it far less than comfortable. Many of the very basic amenities that BC Ferries passengers have come to expect were entirely unavailable to me. There was no washroom for me to use, no water fountain to provide fresh drinking water for my dog or myself (the installation of a vending machine for food might also be thoughtful), no heat or other electric source, wire-mesh chairs that were unbelievably uncomfortable for a near two-hour voyage and – most importantly – I was unable to hear any safety announcements and was therefore completely unaware of what to do or where to go in the event of an emergency. With the new luxury vessels that BC Ferries has recently welcomed into its fleet, the corporation had a great opportunity to ensure that an adequate area for pets and passengers would be installed, but it has failed in this regard.

For the time being after that trip, I had resigned myself to this as being my only option as a passenger, but still found it incredible that I was being charged the exact same fare as the numerous other passengers who were able to enjoy not only the most basic of amenities, but also the abundant passenger services that BC Ferries offers on its vessels. All this while my dog and I were essentially quarantined to a steel-walled room on a vehicle deck.

Over the recent long weekend, I was a passenger once again on the Departure Bay to Horseshoe Bay route, this time riding on the Queen of Oak Bay (this was, to the best of my recollection, the ship making the 2:00 p.m. voyage). Upon viewing the pet and passenger area on this ship, it was plain to see that the area contains a vast number of gross inadequacies including, but not limited to, the following:

• A floor that was entirely covered in a flakey layer of rust. I refused to allow my pet to even set foot on this floor. Any animal not properly vaccinated could easily be subjected to illness or disease;
• No part of the area had been sanitized within a recent period of time, if at all;
• One of the safety gates was entirely missing from the 1-foot gap between the wall and the exterior of the ship. Any smaller dog such as a chihuahua or terrier could have easily slipped between the bars and quite literally into the ocean;
• No source of running water for animals to consume;
• No speaker through which to hear safety announcements;
• A confined space not large enough to accommodate more than two or three dogs;
• Exposure to excessive exhaust and toxic pollutants from vehicles; and
• A lack of basic amenities that all passengers should be able to access, including a washroom, drinking water, comfortable air temperature, comfortable seating, et cetera.

I have attached a number of photographs that I took yesterday to further illustrate the points and conditions outlined above. Were any pet owner to continually maintain such conditions at home for their pet, I have no doubt that said animal would be seized by the British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BC-SPCA).

After about 30 minutes of cold, rushing air and sea spray entering the pet and passenger area, I moved towards the inside area of the vehicle deck for some respite. A crew member came up to me and my dog soon after and told me I could move to one of the stairwell landings between vehicle decks because, in his words, “at least you’ll be a little bit warmer.” I cannot even begin to imagine how much worse winter trips will be when temperatures dip well below zero degrees.

While the gesture offered by your crew member was incredibly kind, I have one question for you: do you feel these are really and truly accommodations deemed appropriate and sufficient for paying customers of BC Ferries?

Another British Columbia transit authority operating out of the Greater Vancouver area, TransLink, also provides essential transport services for residents and tourists in British Columbia. The pet policy as stated on TransLink’s official website is as follows:

“Travelling with a furry friend? Welcome aboard! Pets, including dogs, cats, rabbits and small fur-bearing or feathered animals are allowed on transit as long as they are in small, hand-held cages. The cage or container must fit on your lap or at your feet.”

I think it is fantastic that TransLink welcomes pets, within reason, on buses, Skytrains and the Seabus. Guide dogs, naturally, are also always welcome. However, that being said, a dog is a dog is a dog. If BC Ferries prohibits pets with the exception of guide dogs on the basis that they are either: 1) allergy-inducing; or 2) a potential for mess through urination or bowel movements, then these grounds are moot. A guide dog can cause the same potential issues as any pet, so the reasons behind the policy would be irrelevant.

Like TransLink, I would encourage BC Ferries to amend their pet policy to allow small, well-behaved, contained animals in some passenger areas (with the exception of food services areas and childrens’ play areas) in the interests of passenger and pet comfort as well as to maintain the top-notch customer service that BC Ferries has become known for.

While a policy amendment would be most ideal and, in my opinion reasonable, what is most crucial in the immediate circumstance is that the alarming and horrific safety and sanitary deficiencies be remedied immediately. I believe that this truly is in the best interest of BC Ferries.

I can’t imagine that I am the only BC Ferries passenger who has ever raised these issues. Having discussed this with a few close friends – including some new residents in British Columbia – I was told “I’ve yet to be on any of the ferries and definitely would not ever consider taking [my dog] on one in the Summer – forget about Winter – after seeing what you have had to put up with.” Should an adequate response from BC Ferries not be received, I am very well prepared to extensively highlight these issues through strong local social media connections, as it has already proven to be a buzzed-about topic on blogs and Twitter. Should the issues require further media awareness, I would not hesitate to do so.

I truly appreciate the attention paid to my letter and my concerns and trust that BC Ferries Corporation will do what is best and in a way that will clearly display the integrity and ethical operating standards expected by the general public from BC Ferries.

Yours truly,

Keira-Anne Mellis
Vancouver, BC

Needless to say, the conditions were so disgusting that I would not let Jordy set-foot on the floor of the pet area. I could not identify a source for the bucket of water, so he wasn’t allowed to drink from that either.

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I have always gone through spurts when it comes to reading, putting books away for months at a time and burning through a handful for many months more. After finally reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert earlier this year, my hungerlust for books was reignited, and I’ve decided that I will read a minimum of 10 books between now and December 31, 2009.

I found both Star and Star Struck by Pamela Anderson (no judgment) in the bargain bin and got through each in record time. You know how sinfully delightful it feels to peel through a tabloid? Yeah, they’re like that. Last weekend I grabbed Anthony Burgess’s A Clockwork Orange and The Old Man And The Sea by Ernest Hemingway. Ever since reading A Farewell To Arms a decade ago, he has undoubtedly been my favourite author.

I cracked open The Old Man And The Sea tonight and found myself restlessly bursting with pleasure over what I read. Only 35 pages in, I know this old man. I can see him, I feel the rough fabric of his well-worn shirt, smell the faint sea salt on his sun-leathered skin and see the stories in his face. I have sat in the boat with him and understand what he thinks and what he feels and how his experiences have configured the man that is sitting in the tiny skiff amongst the lapping waves.

I read this paragraph three times in a row because I was simply astounded at how I felt reading it.

“He always thought of the sea as la mar which is what people call her in Spanish when they love her. Sometimes those who love her say bad things of her but they are always said as though she were a woman. Some of the younger fishermen, those who used buoys as floats for their lines and had motorboats, bought when the shark livers had brought much money, spoke of her as el mar which is masculine. They spoke of her as a contestant or a place or even an enemy. But the old man always thought of her as feminine and as something that gave or withheld great favours, and if she did wild or wicked things it was because she could not help them. The moon affects her as it does a woman, he thought.”

Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man And The Sea, 1952 Simon & Schuster

Photo: D.B. Blas on Flickr

Hemingway never, ever fails to pull me into his stories from word-one – even if the story is about nothing at all. His words truly make me want to jump up and down, run laps and make gleefully giddy sounds. The vividly descriptive words employed by Hemingway should make any and every writer jealous.

Ernest Hemingway’s talent is incomparable and I am so grateful to have discovered his works.

I like my boots.

I wear them a lot.

I also love my UGGs.

I also wear them a lot. I have two pairs.

I am pretty sure that Long Beach sand is still stuck in my brown ones.

Ever since I decided to switch to a vegetarian diet and an animal product-free lifestyle several weeks ago, I’ve received many joking nudges from friends. “Sooo… what are you going to do with those boots now?”

I can’t change what I did/bought/said in the past. I can only change what I do from now on. I’m not going to chuck all my boots in the garbage and I’m not going to give them away either. So don’t ask.

Go buy some of these when they’re available instead. I am pretty sure I will.

P.S. Remember this chicken? Epic failure, Wings.

Barf.

P.S. Look who’s on Twitter now!

It’s easy to fall into bad habits. Coffee, shopping, men, late-night TV, nail biting, smoking, impulsive spending, littering and general laziness. I’m sure we could build a huge list together if we tried. We’ve all got our bad habits and our vices, and falling into that rabbit hole seems to take no effort whatsoever.

My bad habits? I have had a daily Starbucks habit of one grande americano and one muffin. It dinged my bank account of $4.57 each morning, which to me seemed like pocket change.

Photo: KnownColour on Flickr

So I added it up…

$4.57 x 5 days/week = $22.85/week

$22.85/week x 4 weeks/month = $91.40/month

I was spending almost $100 every month on java beans, water and (fattening) muffins. Not only that, most days out of the week I was buying my lunch, so at about $6 per day and 3 days per week, that’s close to another $100 a month.

Laziness is an all-consuming slippery slope. Why get up 10 minutes early in the morning to make my lunch when I can sleep for those extra 10 minutes?

I made a choice to make an effort to change that pattern. If bad habits are so easy to fall into, shouldn’t good habits be just as simple?

Bringing lunches to work, getting to the gym on a regular schedule, drinking tea at the office instead of hitting up Starbucks, making concious decisions about what I need to buy and being honest with myself about what I don’t really need… shouldn’t I be able to implement these habits with just as much simplicity? Shouldn’t what’s smart be just as easy to make routine?

I’ve cut back to one Starbucks trip per week (plus my trainer told me that cutting out caffeine will help me lean out even more) and limit myself to buying my lunch only on Fridays. The best part? I don’t sweat about the number in my bank account anymore because it’s not getting dinged on a daily basis.