Woods should resign
Dear Editor:
RE: Guelph/Eramosa councillor voices concerns about COVID mandates, April 7.
Councillor Corey Woods’ comments and the silence with which Guelph-Eramosa’s mayor and council greeted Woods’ toxic words are deeply concerning.
As a longtime councillor and deputy-mayor, Woods is now on record as someone who hates Canadians for who we are, speaks of the PM of Canada as a dictator, and mocks a virus that has killed thousands of Canadians and millions of people worldwide.
COVID-19 does not discriminate, recognize borders of any kind, or give a pass to even the most fit among us. The majority of Canadians have faced the many challenges presented by COVID-19 in the past two years with pragmatic action, listening to top scientists and leaders, ensuring we take recommended steps to take care of ourselves, our families and friends, as well as our communities, and doing so in the hope that COVID-19 will eventually move from pandemic to endemic status.
Woods is an elected municipal councillor whose job is to represent all of his constituents and ensure their well-being. His personal opinions and choices have no place in council chambers, but now, Guelph-Eramosa ratepayers know Woods as someone who supported an anti-government protest in Ottawa and as a municipal politician who has made it clear he does not care for the people he is supposed to represent.
The fact that the mayor and other councillors who attended the council meeting April 4 listened to Woods’ hate-filled speech and failed to stop him or say anything in response is troubling. In a moment when strong leadership was called for, Mayor Chris White and the other councillors said nothing. That the mayor sits on the board of health (WDGPH) seems incongruous given his silence. While wishing Woods and members of his family a good recovery from COVID-19, his vitriolic rant must be addressed.
Freedom of speech is a right that was won at a high cost by men, like my father, and women who fought a world war to ensure democratic freedoms prevailed. But freedom in a democratic country requires vigilance, reason and continual effort. It should never be a throwaway excuse or a convenient out used by haters – particularly by the men and women we elect to speak on our behalf in government.
Woods has failed to respect or adhere to the tenets of his elected office and broken our trust. He should resign.
Susan McSherry,
Guelph/Eramosa
‘Inappropriate rant’
Dear Editor:
RE: Guelph/Eramosa councillor voices concerns about COVID mandates, April 7.
Kudos to Advertiser reporter Paige Peacock for her reporting on this article. It was written with dutiful diplomacy and thorough investigation.
All news publications have to have been biting their collective tongues over the past two years when it has come to reporting on COVID-19 vaccination supporters and naysayers, doing their journalistic best to provide a balanced and non-editorial tact.
What I take issue with is the inappropriate rant of Ward 2 Guelph/Eramosa councillor Corey Woods.
Elected officials are, fairly or not, held to a higher standard when it comes to public behaviour than those of us who voted them in to office. Using a council meeting to share his opinion on vaccination status, travel restrictions and the leader of this country is not the appropriate venue and is simply misguided. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but arguably there is a time and place – and this was not it.
The “coup de grace” was the last sentence of the article and possibly the most telling one: “No other Guelph/Eramosa councillors commented on Woods’ statement.”
Perhaps the reason for that is because they wish to get elected.
Margaret Iutzi,
Guelph/Eramosa
Can’t be bought
Dear Editor:
I am in receipt of the Ontario government’s cheque to car owners, apparently taking away the onus on us to pay for our license plate stickers.
I am very angry about this action. It takes a billion dollars out of the provincial budget, which could have gone to any number of good causes like health care or long term care. It smacks of an election goodie and my vote cannot be bought.
I am donating my $240 to the Centre Wellington Community Foundation and hope that others will consider donating their cheques to a worthy cause.
Penny Lipsett,
Elora
‘Misleading’
Dear Editor:
RE: Campaign encourages community to envision more housing options, March 31.
The article on housing options was misleading in citing an average household income of $121,000. Using an average gives a skewed representation of the situation because of the current income disparity. It includes too many incomes that are inequitably high.
The median household income would give a clearer picture of what’s really happening. And it’s likely much lower than $121,000, especially considering all the single-parent households there are.
Addressing income disparity would be of more help in the housing crisis.
Marg Gollinger,
Mapleton
‘A social contract’
Dear Editor:
RE: Linton: ‘NIMBY’ attitude a barrier to attainable housing solutions, April 7.
Last week’s article featured Centre Wellington Mayor Kelly Linton blaming residents’ resistance to rezoning of their neighbourhoods for the lack of housing.
Homeowners have a social contract with their community which is based on the existing zoning bylaw and provides homeowners the assurance that their continued enjoyment of their home without the threat of large apartments being inserted and looming over their yards.
The Township of Centre Wellington, as an example, has a well-thought-out official plan that has identified higher-density residential housing to be located along the major arteries. Mayor Linton should refer the developers back to the approved plan and zoning rather than attacking the residents.
Perhaps Linton should forgo this October’s election, consider a career change and sign on to represent the developers, because he clearly isn’t representing the residents. When you point your finger in blame, there are three fingers pointing back at you.
Paul Krabbe,
Fergus
‘Greenwashing’?
Dear Editor:
The Town of Erin is in a huge rush to push through a questionable sewage treatment plant at the expense of its residents and the environment.
It is interesting to note that this plant was originally called a WWTP (wastewater treatment plant) until the Coalition for the West Credit River questioned the design and asked for river monitoring. Now, arbitrarily, Nick Colucci, director of infrastructure services, calls it a “resource recovery facility”.
What does this mean? Is it “greenwashing” so that the plant looks better than it is or does he plan to actually recover all the valuable resources going into that plant? How does he propose to recover and use the heat from the sewage? How does he plan to recover and use the solids? How does he plan to recover and re-use the water?
The original estimate for the plant was roughly $64,000,000. The bids that were received this week are approximately $115,000,000 and $119,000,000 plus HST.
The town still has on its website the following information about individual costs for homes and businesses:
– average capital cost: $15,000 to $18,000 (this amount will be payable after the house has been connected, payments can be spread out over 10 to 15 years);
– average connection cost: $4,000 to $8,000; and
– annual average user cost: $500 to $600.
If the cost to build the plant have doubled, then the cost to pay for the pipe in the road may have doubled to $30,000 to $36,000 per home.
In addition, the connection cost probably has also doubled from $8,000 to $16,000. Some homes may need a pump to push the sewage to the street and this pump and the cost of a generator in case of a power outage is not included in the town’s estimates. Also there is the cost to disconnect and decommission your sceptic system.
Some people have already gotten estimates for their homes and even the high end price of $16,000 is not close to the quotes they have received.
I strongly suggest that you get a contractor to provide a quote to connect to the future town sewer and to disconnect and decommission your sceptic tank.
The annual user fees that the town charges will go up each year. With a septic tank, most only need to be pumped every three to four years.
Ontario average cost for septic tank pumping is $575. A 3,000L (800 gallon) tank would cost between $450 and $500. A 6,000L (1500 Gallon) tank would be between $500 and $575.
The Erin sewage treatment plant and the bylaw amendment are not done deals. Get out and state your objections and then vote out the present mayor and council.
David Lewis,
Toronto
On the bandwagon?
Dear Editor:
A recent CBC phone-in program asked if Canada should increase military spending. The question should have been “What is the purpose of the Canadian military and where should resources be allocated?”
Canada just jumped on the let’s-help-Ukraine bandwagon and announced the purchase of F35 fighters. Who will they fight or will they be just be used for training exercises and top gun competitions like the F18. Did we use our screen door submarine to protect our coastline? Were our 82 Leopard II tanks deployed to Afghanistan to protect our ground forces or are they sitting idle in Canada like the 50 Leopard I tanks we have declared surplus and can’t give away? Maybe we should treat the military as a corporation where an annual public shareholders (that’s us taxpayers) meeting is held to discuss last year’s accomplishments and future goals and financial requirements.
Or do we just keep throwing billions at expensive toys that are arguably not needed and will never be used? Let’s give the tanks to Ukraine. They seem to know how to use them.
John Gollinger,
Mapleton
Thankful for help
Dear Editor:
I wish to thank two good Samaritans in your community who followed me and stopped where I was stopped to tell me that the hood of my car was unlatched and one good Samaritan got out of the car and closed the hood.
I have sent prayers your way as I ended up in Arthur by mistake on my way to help someone. God got me safely to where I needed to be. I was so preoccupied at the time, I wanted to let you know both of you made a difference. God bless you and thank you for your kindness!
Carolann Krusky,
Fergus
Cuckoo for clocks
Dear Editor:
An open letter to Senator Rob Black.
I just want to thank you for sharing your clock display (at the Wellington County Museum and Archives) with everyone, and I encourage people to visit the exhibit.
I went there recently and enjoyed it thoroughly. The bonus was that I arrived at about 11:55am and didn’t realize that I was about to be given a private audience to the chiming of all those clocks as they each represented their version of 12pm.
It lasted several minutes until the grand finale: the cuckoo clock.
Brian Cameron,
Elora
‘Lowlife’ thief
Dear Editor:
To the person who came onto my front porch on the morning of April 8 in the Marr Drive area of Elora and helped yourself to my Amazon delivery, I hope you can live with yourself.
In my opinion you are a lowlife. I hope it eats at your heart and soul and causes you many a sleepless night. Just so you know I will be installing security cameras so the next time you will be found out.
Mike Bauman,
Elora
Loss of service
Dear Editor:
Firstly, please note, I am not protesting either the vaccination or licensing of dogs. My argument is with the system.
For the safety of pets, agricultural livestock and wildlife, we need a licensing system, in cities and towns as much as in rural areas, and this we had until five or six years ago. A very good team of husband and wife who were always available at the end of a telephone should an animal be lost, or an infected wild animal, obviously in trouble, needed help.
Rabies (both types), distemper, leptospirosis and lyme disease and are common problems with wildlife, and can spread to our domesticated animals, and us, without direct contact simply through urine. It is because of this that the human form of animal control that we had until about five years ago was important, as there was always someone near at hand to pick up an infected raccoon, skunk, groundhog, etc., and prevent the family pet or young child becoming involved. It was also a humane end for the poor diseased creature.
Unfortunately, our township was not willing to pay a fair fee for this service so the agency resigned. No, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Humane Society did not replace this service as was promised.
It appears that now we have gone one step even further away from practicality, as this year our township registration is computerized, and run by DocuPet, a service which operates on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border. “When there is an emergency, just log-in!” If you don’t use a computer, as many people do not, or in time of stress you do not feel like talking to a computer, remember that you are not alone, and just call the township office as they are quite helpful.
Feeling somewhat annoyed, I did call our township office and they did accept my registration and payment over the telephone. Now, what do I do with the rabid raccoon, the skunk with distemper, or the squirrels dying from a new paralysis we witnessed last summer, call the mayor?
Carol Williams,
Pilkington
Election prediction
Dear Editor:
Here is my prediction for October 2025 – or earlier.
A federal election is called. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is not seeking re-election. A woman – probably a cabinet minister, possibly Chrystia Freeland – will be the leader of the Liberal Party, giving Canadians the opportunity to elect a female prime minister for the first time in their history. It will be an important moment; one that the Liberals have been building up to since 2015, when the first “feminist” prime minister was elected.
So what will the Conservatives do? Who will the leader – male or female – of their party be in 2022? Do they elect a woman to run against another woman in two or three years? There are various scenarios to play out.
Leaders are critical to the success of any party but so are policies, which have become so complex most of us can’t follow what any party really stands for anymore.
A battle of the sexists – now that is easy to understand.
Janet Calderwood,
Rockwood