Pubdate: Sat, 13 Aug 2005
Source: Duncan News Leader (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 Duncan News Leader
Contact:  http://www.cowichannewsleader.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1314
Author: J. Peter Elliott

TRUST BUT VERIFY, LANDLORDS

Dear editor,

Further to the letter of 10th August by Wade Hunter entitled "Landlords 
shouldn't do cop's job."

I have known good landlords and I have known not so good landlords, and the 
question I would place before them, and by association, Wade Hunter is: 
When are you going to take full responsibility for your own obligations?

You have chosen certain people to live in your rental property. You have 
certain obligations towards the community regarding safety and community 
health on that property as a citizen of North Cowichan or anywhere else, 
for that matter If you suspect that your property is being used for 
illegal, unhealthy or otherwise anti-social activities, it is your 
responsibility to check it out (you have the right and by common sense the 
duty to do this a.s.a.p.) If you, as a responsible citizen were keeping 
tabs on your own property then I don't think the neccessity to look for 
"compensation" for electrocution, explosions or chemical exposure would 
even arise. And the heading "Landlords shouldn't do cop's job" would not apply.

I have lived in the Cowichan Valley for many, many years and the citizenry 
have shown commendable caring, social responsibility and pride in their 
neighbourhoods and their municipality (and city) it only takes a few bad 
apples to spoil the barrel (did you notice the letter by Peter Ameerali in 
the same 10th Aug edition about 'Drunken Duncan'?) People; we have a 
beautiful Valley! But to keep it and ourselves safe, prosperous and growing 
we have first to take full responsibility for our own neck of the woods. 
And please don't go foisting "jobs" on our hard-working and professional 
police, or teachers, or even civil servants which should be ours first.

Mr. Wade Hunter could take to heart a remark made by President Reagan to 
the, then, Chairman Gorbachev at Helsinki; when beginning the Helsinki 
Accord: "Trust, but Verify!"

J. Peter Elliott

Duncan 
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MAP posted-by: Beth