Letters to the editor Feb. 17
Trudeau’s draconian measures
As communities with a long history of interaction with Canadian citizens and a purported passion for liberty, peaceful protest, and civil disobedience, I would urge the city councils of Northwest Montana to pass resolutions denouncing Justin Trudeau’s tyrannical and draconian measures to suppress freedom and indicate our support, sympathy, and encouragement for our Canadian brethren in their continued their efforts for self determination.
Mail them to our State Department and the Canadian Parliament.
— Michael Boharski, Kalispell
Keeping the riffraff out
I see that the well-off and second homeowners in partnership with the Whitefish City Council have rejected the Mountain Gateway, a reasonable low to medium density residential housing development.
This is part of the continuing effort to keep the riffraff out of nice neighborhoods and herded to less desirable areas, i.e. the former dump site by the railroad tracks on Columbia Avenue and around the wastewater treatment plant on Monegan Road.
Just takes money, blackmail and loud legal advice so you too can keep the riffraff out of your neighborhood.
— John Connelly, Columbia Falls
Barbaric killing tactics
More wolves were killed this season, the most in any single hunting season since wolf reintroduction in 1995. One pack, the Phantom Lake Pack, has been eliminated.
Governor Gianforte, I am thoroughly disappointed with your leadership. Your “wack ‘em and stack ‘em” mentality on trapping is cruel and inhumane. There is no fair chase when setting up snares and traps to let animals suffer, often horribly, until they die. It’s outrageous that a bounty is being paid to people who are killing the wolves.
Most ethical hunters are repulsed by this sort of barbaric killing tactics. And you profess Christian values but your behavior toward wildlife is the complete opposite to the humane treatment of God’s creatures.
Last year, you were slapped with a written warning and directed to take an online education course after trapping and killing a black wolf in violation of state regulations near Yellowstone National Park, on property owned by one of your donors. This behavior is not ethical or good sportsmanship for anyone, much less the governor of a state that is blessed with magnificent wildlife. You may want to consider that many more people want to view wolves than those few who just want to kill them.
— Barbara Palmer, Kalispell
RINO Holmquist
Must be an election year with Commissioner Pam Holmquist making claims that are patently untrue. There are multiple reasons not to vote for the RINO for a third six year term including the following:
Commissioner Holmquist chose Peter Heyboer who she sat across for two years while he pushed for all mandates as well as openly expressed his desire to get his children vaccinated. There were qualified candidates, only Holmquist selected the two current health board members who create division in the community with their hyperbolic statements while denying real science.
Voted on March 19, 2020, to mandate closing restaurants, breweries and bars to indoor seating while later denying it along with her cohort, Ronalee Skees.
For months Holmquist gave ongoing tacit approval of mandating the masking of school children instead of recommending the parents should make that decision.
I believe Holmquist lied at the health board meeting on Jan. 18, denying she voted for the mask mandate in 2020, while making the false statement this board has supported liberty during the Covid rollout. When Dr. Bukacek provided the meeting minutes that listed the votes in support of the mandates with Holmquist and Skees leading the charge I believe they both obfuscated by first lying, then attempting to assign blame on the previous governor instead of being accountable for their statements that are a part of public record.
Further, Holmquist abused the power of her office when she attempted to shut down citizen comments at the county commissioner’s meeting, Jan. 25. So much for the First Amendment as free speech is dead in the Flathead County under Holmquist!
Under Holmquist’s leadership, the health board has in the nearly past two years given tacit approval by voting for mask mandates, contact tracing, quarantining healthy children as well as giving children experimental inoculations.
Holmquist has repeatedly not upheld her oath to the constitution as she trampled on our liberties. Commissioner Holmquist’s actions paint a picture of a wannabe tyrant.
— Scotia Brosnan, Kalispell