‘Another emergency’
Dear Editor:
Earth Day is coming up on April 22.
While we have all been preoccupied by the COVID-19 pandemic this past year – and rightly so – there’s another emergency that hasn’t gone away, and that’s the climate emergency.
The Advertiser’s editorial cartoonist was right on showing Premier Doug Ford in his wreck of a COVID prevention strategy saying, very late in the game, that it’s “Time to hit the emergency brake.”
We can only hope for the sake of all our kids he will come to his senses and deliver urgent climate action before it’s too late.
Liz Armstrong,
Erin
‘Future MZOs’?
Dear Editor:
Recently it was announced that the green belt will be extended near Puslinch.
Is this an environmental move or an attempt protect the land from local municipal zoning and save it for future MZOs?
Chris Woode,
Fergus
‘Lack of concern’
Dear Editor:
We have been in and out of different forms of lockdown for over a year, and at this point one thing seems to stay blatantly the same: the lack of concern by a vast majority of the younger generation, and therefore a lack of concern by their parents.
On way too many occasions there have been congregations of younger people around Rockwood, usually later in the day, but on Easter weekend I was sad to see during the middle of the afternoon a group of at least 10 teens, not masked stop to pick up a friend who was concerned about making sure she had a helmet as per her father’s approval but no mask.
This is becoming a frequent occurrence in my neighbourhood and is particularly concerning during this pandemic. Something needs to be addressed.
Tera McMurray,
Rockwood
Service vs. circus
Dear Editor:
It seems that a week of headlines can’t go by without one of our local elected councils reminding us they lack the interest or skills to work together. This collective inability to support our economic, social and environmental sustainability is maddening.
I am convinced that we have this embarrassing governance because of the missing diversity in the voices, experiences and background of those sitting on local councils. We need different and collaborative leaders in these decision-making roles to have the courage and resources to tackle the challenges of the 21st century. To that end, a group of volunteer citizens are planning a campaign school for candidates. Specifically, we are organizing to encourage and support women, Indigenous, Black, racialized and youth members of Wellington County to run for elections in 2022.
To be clear (and with no apologies) this school will not be supporting white, middle aged or older men who want to run for office. They have lots of systemic opportunities and supports already in place. This program will be for those who don’t.
While still in the planning stages, we will be hosting three virtual “Are You Election Curious?” sessions this fall. They will be followed by two full-day classes (hopefully in-person in early 2022) where experienced and progressive elected leaders and campaign leads will share their practical know-how with candidates and their teams.
We will measure our success by the number of new voices willing to run for educational boards, municipal councils or in the provincial and federal election in 2022.
Anyone interested in learning more is welcome to drop us a note at CampaignSchoolWC@gmail.com. We will be happy to share our launch plans and more details when they are ready.
We get the governments we deserve. I hope our next set of elections will give citizens of Wellington County a wider range of candidates more interested in service rather than a circus.
Curt Hammond,
Elora
‘Abomination’
Dear Editor:
I have been doing lots of studying and research in to the proposed sewage plant in Erin. I am astounded how my estimates and calculations come out at 10 times more than the amount the town is telling us it will cost with our taxpayer-funded ads in the Wellington Advertiser and Erin Advocate.
I stand by my estimates of $80,000 to $90,000 thousand for my hookup. I have been in construction for 50 years, now retired, and I feel that this abomination will have costs over runs of more than 130%. I have worked on these types of projects and I estimate $290 million dollars after we endure the inevitable rip apart of our town with cables, hydro and gas lines cut and disruptions to services.
Now we find out there will be a sewage charge of $500 to $600 dollars yearly. I would rather pump out my perfectly functioning septic tank every five years for a lot less! Also, what has the potential to happen with this sewage plant is to raise river temperatures for sensitive brook trout, never mind the micro plastics, endotoxins and medicinal ingredients that are not removed in the sewage treatment process and released in the effluent in to the West Credit River.
Also, what will die is Erin’s small-town charm as we get paved over with subdivisions and strip malls and box stores. Also this same West Credit River is a water source for many as well.
I can disprove all the engineers’ reports in regards to dilution ratios (the mix of river water to sewage plant effluent) and discharge, as a simple family of beavers and a dam built overnight, a fallen tree or a drought can change these numbers.
In regards to a drought, we are in one right now and I have never seen the rivers, ponds and creeks so low at this time of the year.
Where is the river flow to meet the effluent discharge ratio of 7.2 million liters daily? Mother Nature is a river’s valve and it is controlled by these forces, not an engineer’s report. How the Credit Valley Conservation Authority and the Ministry of the Environment approved this atrocity is beyond my realm of thinking.
Also, another point that astounds me is how the County of Peel, it’s residents and politicians allow Wellington County, on the west side of Winston Churchill, to dump in to their county on the other side of the culvert, the east side.
The proposed developments in Erin should be done on the developers’ own properties using technology that does not impact the West Credit River.
The proposed sewage treatment plant location would be a beautiful place for a baseball diamond, sports field and hiking and bicycle trails. That is the “welcome mat” that I would like to see as you drive in to Erin, not this abomination.
Ken Cowling,
Erin
‘Do your part’
Dear Editor:
A lockdown is a lockdown – you stay within your own household, you do not go visiting family in other areas. You stay put.
This pandemic is not fun; we all have to do our part, whether you are vaccinated or not! Please stay home, stay in your own towns. Please do not visit.
We are scared just like the next person. We do not want to get sick. We have managed since March 2020; we have followed the recommendations of WDGPH. We have not seen our grandkids since August 2020, for a quick birthday celebration (we wore masks and stayed outside). The time before that was October 2019.
We were lucky enough to see the grandkids on Good Friday for them to get their Easter gifts (no hugs and no kisses, we were six feet apart and we all wore our masks). We have missed seeing our girls too!
Folks, please stay home and do your part in stopping this virus. We only go out for doctor’s appointments or to buy the essentials so we can eat. Tell me why it is okay for you to have your children, grandchildren and great grandchildren come and visit?
Neil Blahut,
Orton
‘Not conjecture’
Dear Editor:
Re: No right to cause harm, April 8.
The letter in question accused a previous writer, who challenged state authority to force everyone to accept a COVID-19 vaccine, of causing harm.
It dramatically implied that those who received the injection wouldn’t cause harm – and were, by extension, of higher moral authority than “the great explorers” who were guilty of “killing half the New World’s population with smallpox…”
It then used this history cudgel to force submission, asserting the only way to “beat this pandemic is to get everybody vaccinated … and give up a few freedoms for a while.”
However, in an interview on March 27, Dr. Anothony Fauci was asked whether being vaccinated meant you wouldn’t spread the virus. He responded by warning, “You may inadvertently infect someone else, even though you are protected.”
“It’s much harder for vaccinated people to get infected, but don’t think for one second that they cannot get infected,” Paul Duprex, director of the Center for Vaccine Research at the University of Pittsburgh, told the New York Times.
The CDC and the Journal of the American Medical Association cover vaccines thoroughly, including past failures associated with some medications and vaccines that were clinically tested and FDA approved. You don’t need to go to conspiracy websites; the official ones do give both sides of the story, i.e., the successes and the failures.
Tragically, it has taken too long for the failures to be revealed, typically because clinical trials and product releases were both rushed, and post-market adverse events were under-reported and slow to come in. Much has been written about this – it’s a matter of historical fact; not conjecture.
One final – and critical – point regarding history lessons. Ben Franklin said “They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
Terence Rothwell,
Wellington North
Editor’s note: Reactions can occur with all vaccines, but serious side effects are extremely rare. Recent studies suggest that receiving a COVID-19 vaccine not only significantly reduces the risk of developing the illness, it also significantly reduces transmission. Anyone with concerns about COVID-19 vaccines should consult their doctor.
Supports amputees
Dear Editor:
The War Amps Key Tag Service is celebrating a milestone this year – its 75th anniversary!
The service has not only been reuniting Canadians with their lost keys, it has been helping to make a difference in the lives of amputees. To date, more than 1.5 million sets of lost keys have been returned to their owners. Although it’s a free service, donations enable the association to operate its many programs for amputees, including veterans and children.
I was born a right arm amputee and was enrolled in The War Amps Child Amputee (CHAMP) Program when I was two years old. The War Amps has given me the confidence to achieve anything I put my mind to. I was taught that no matter the physical or emotional challenges that come with being an amputee, they can be overcome.
The War Amps 2021 key tags are being mailed to Southwestern Ontario residents next week. The donations received are truly life changing for amputees across the country.
I would like to express great gratitude and a tremendous thank you for your support!
Kevin Delaney,
War Amps Regional
Representative, Ontario
Money
Dear Editor:
RE: Malicious deception, April 8.
Letter writer Ron Moore, for the second time in three weeks, tells us how carbon tax is useful and beneficial.
I would like to know how is sending money to the government in Ottawa going to alter 14 billion years of Earth’s continuous change?
Dushan Divjak,
Elora
‘Educated decisions’?
Dear Editor:
Re: OMA research: those 55 to 64 most likely to spread COVID-19 misinformation online, April 8.
In the article Dr. Samantha Hill talks about the amount of misinformation on the web and how the OMA had a study conducted and found that people in the age group of 55 to 64 were most likely to spread misinformation. I read an article a couple of months ago where she was whining about it also.
At the time I had questions that I was not able to get answered, so I sent the OMA an email asking my questions. I was told that I would not get a response and that I had to contact Health Canada. I then contacted Health Canada and out of my five questions they only confirmed that the vaccines do not guarantee people will not get the SARS-Cov2 virus.
I asked a question on the province’s COVID-19 information website. I asked how it is possible that they advertise that vaccines “stop the spread,” as they advertise, when Health Canada says that people can still get the virus and be able to spread it.
I again was told that they will not answer my question and that I need to contact Health Canada. Interesting how Health Canada is expected to respond to questions about an advertising campaign paid for by the province.
And if it is really supposed to stop the spread, why do fully vaccinated people have to spend time in the quarantine hotels?
The age of the individuals in the article was not a surprise. When people that age went to school, we were taught to think for ourselves and if something doesn’t pass the smell test that it should be investigated.
That is what educated people do, they evaluate alternative points of view in order to make educated decisions.
David Bonk,
Erin
Editor’s note: Recent studies suggest that receiving a COVID-19 vaccine not only significantly reduces the risk of developing the illness, it also significantly reduces transmission. Anyone with concerns about COVID-19 vaccines should consult their doctor.
Not proud
Dear Editor:
Physician assisted suicide is not something I am proud of our country for.
It is the government’s obligation to protect human life and it is morally wrong to kill a human being. In section 2 of the Human Rights Act, it states that nobody can try to end your life.
Even if you feel that you want your life to be ended with physician help, you still don’t have the right to, according to section 2.
Many believe they know the measures to protect the people, but according to surveys, better safeguards need to be set in place for the safety of the citizens.
There have been stories from those who were depressed and wanted to end their life, but didn’t follow through. Years later they testify that they would have regretted if they had followed through and ended their life.
Life can be very tough at times, but it takes time – more than just a few months – to escape that sadness, but once you do you can have so much happiness. That’s what the government is taking away from many who make the decision to end their life with the help of their physician.
Therefore physician-assisted suicide should bear more protection measures for those who are interested in it. The government needs to keep in mind that they bear the obligation to protect all human life, realize their double standards and educate the public about the real and little safeguards set in place.
Serena deWitt,
Centre Wellington