True ‘heroes’
Dear Editor:
All too often, people are quick to complain about the state of our world, the government, and our sometimes not so pleasant interactions with others; whether it be a poor service experience or an unpleasant interaction with another individual/family/friends.
I think we sometimes do not fully appreciate how truly well off each of us is compared to others who have very difficult and challenging events going on in their lives. My comments below are focused on one particular group that have faced extreme duress for the past several years: health care workers.
I recently had a minor stroke and subsequent surgery to clear a blockage in my left carotid artery. Initially, I went to the emergency department at Groves hospital in Fergus and was quickly transferred by ambulance to Guelph General Hospital where I spent several days undergoing tests.
Ultimately I was advised surgery was recommended, was discharged and re-admitted the following week for the surgery, which was successful; and after a couple of days was able go home. Up until the events of the last 10 days, I had never stayed in a hospital overnight, so had no idea what to expect. The speed and quality of care, the compassion and the positive/friendly attitude of every medical and non-medical staff member was nothing short of outstanding.
Despite everything our medical system and personnel has had to deal with, these dedicated professionals and support workers demonstrated an incredible ability to put others needs first and did so in a very upbeat and genuine manner. They, and all the other frontline workers, truly are heroes, and I wanted to recognize and sincerely thank them for how well they perform in the face of extreme relentless adversity.
Because of them and the support of my family, I expect to make a full recovery. They have my utmost gratitude, respect and admiration!
Mike Carter,
Belwood
Elder care lacking
Dear Editor:
Now that we have $10/day childcare so that the parents can go to work, why not $10/day elder care so the children can go to work?
Chris Woode,
Fergus
‘Urgency and action’
Dear Editor:
Ontario’s health care system is in crisis. Experienced nurses and support workers are leaving at three times the pre-pandemic rate – overworked, stressed and unable to meet their profession’s patient care standards.
Hospitals are closing emergency departments, ICUs and obstetrics units due to lack of staff – even at Groves! Paramedics are off the road for hours, waiting for their patients to be admitted.
Premier Doug Ford promised to eliminate “hallway medicine”, but is focused on other things. Cutting nurses’ wages with Bill 124 (the 1% cap is a de facto cut), while giving 88% of his PC caucus, including Ted Arnott, wage increases from $16,600 to $49,350. Subsidizing the auto sector, building unnecessary highways and giving mayors more power all take priority over the healthcare crisis for Ford.
Ontario spends less per capita on healthcare than any other province! It has the fewest RNs and staffed hospital beds per capita. Ford has underspent his own health care budget.
Rather than retaining experienced nurses and encouraging those who have left to return, Sylvia Jones, Ford’s health minister, wants colleges to certify more foreign-trained nurses. But there aren’t enough experienced nurses left working to mentor them or even new nursing graduates.
Arnott “hopes to speak to the minister” when the Legislature resumes. We don’t need hope. We need to retain and bring back our healthcare heroes by repealing Bill 124, improving work hours and sick days, funding more support staff and demonstrating respect for health care workers, including nurses.
We need urgency and action from this premier.
Peter van Vloten,
Fergus
‘Millions of years’ away?
Dear Editor:
RE: “Hysteria on steroids”? (Aug. 11).
Following Jane Vandervielt’s letter, where she states, “What appears to be hysteria is a cold-hearted plan to make us a Third World country,” you added an editor’s note which begins with “Over 90% of climate scientists believe…”
Who cares what they believe? If they cannot substantiate their “beliefs” with scientific facts, they are doing exactly what the letter writer says: spreading hysteria.
I’ve been listening to these dire predictions for the last 50 years hearing how “in eight years NY and LA are going to be under water and ice caps will melt.”
Hasn’t happened yet, and if it does it will be in a few million years.
Dushan Divjak,
Elora
No source
Dear Editor:
RE: “Hysteria on steroids”? (Aug. 11).
Whenever the editor is compelled to weigh in with a “note” dispelling a writer’s opinion, it’s always a red flag for me.
Perhaps the editor could provide us with the source of his information, as Jane Vandervliet has with hers, and leave us, the discerning public, to check both sides and apply our own critical thinking skills.
Barbara Bowie,
Fergus
Bad habit?
Dear Editor:
RE: “Hysteria on steroids”? (Aug. 11).
The editor of this paper has a habit of adding notes at the end of letters. This is his right, but he should confine his habit to a full editorial where he backs up his notes with facts. He added this statement to my letter last week: “Over 90% of climate scientists believe global temperatures have increased during the past century and that human activity is a significant contributing factor.”
In his editorial he would have to explain that “believe” as opposed to “know” is the correct word to use. The Earth’s climate and weather are so complicated no one can “know” for sure how significant human activity is to the climate. Without this qualifier his statement is implying that my letter is a crazy conspiracy theory.
The editor should “know” that science is not based on consensus but rather on fact.
We, however, just need to look at how our crisis climate change preachers behave to “know” it is unsettled. Canada’s most prominent preacher is Justin Trudeau. He is like a televangelist raising money for the poor but without shame keeps it all openly for himself. Last month he flew 25,000km in a CO2 spewing taxpayer-owned plane. If the sky is falling in, shouldn’t he be using Zoom and having a staycation, which would save us tax-payers a lot of money?
Allow letters to the editor to stand on their own merit for the readers to decide what they “believe”.
Jane Vandervliet,
Erin
‘Decide for yourself’
Dear Editor:
RE: Get heads out of sand, Aug. 11.
The frequent use of the term “climate emergency” or “crisis” has prompted some questions about that phrase. Lisa Mychajluk uses it in her letter but provides no source for it.
I did some digging to find people that have made statements supporting this term. NASA scientist James Hansen said, “I think we have a very brief window of opportunity to deal with climate change … no longer than a decade, at the most.” He stated this Sept. 14, 2006. Hmm.
NASA climate scientist Jay Zwally said, “At this rate, the Arctic Ocean could be nearly ice free at the end of summer by 2012, much faster than previous predictions.” He stated this on Dec. 12, 2007.” Hmm again.
Here’s a twist, Emeritus Professor Kenneth Watt (UC Davis) said, “The world has been chilling sharply for about 20 years. If present trends continue, the world will be about four degrees colder for the global mean temperature in 1990, but eleven degrees colder in the year 2000. This is twice what it would take to put us into an ice age.” He stated this in April of 1970! What is going on?
The people making these statements hold professional and expert titles and make me concerned about the validity and accuracy of their studies and data. You may have heard that “97% of climate scientists agree or believe global temperatures have increased during the last century and that human activity is a significant contributing factor.” Okay, but who are they? I’ve given three examples of climate scientists and what they believe varies considerably.
So what exactly did the 97% agree on and how did they prove it? It tells us nothing about the meaning or magnitude of climate change. Is it a mild manageable warming or a runaway catastrophic warming?
The term significant is not defined either. Is it 30, 40 or 50 percent contributing factor? There is a survey by Doran and Zimmerman in 2009 given to 10,257 scientists. The question asked was, “Is human activity a significant factor in global warming?” 3,069 responded. Of those, 77 were selected; 75 agreed and two did not. 75 divided by 77 is 97%. But only 2% of the respondents were used and “significant” was not defined again.
Radical actions taking on inaccurate predictions can cause more harm than good. The unrelenting war on fossil fuels, and now farming, may cause more of a crisis than what have with climate issues. Dig for information, think critically and decide for yourself.
Michael Thorp,
Mount Forest
Not worth it
Dear Editor:
While taking over $10 billion from the public purse, Highway 413 will only benefit wealthy land developers.
It is an environmental disaster that would pave over our pristine Greenbelt, destroy farmland, and wildlife — all to save drivers a mere 30-60 seconds of time per trip.
Marsaye Treen,
Guelph
Vault instead of heart
Dear Editor:
This letter serves to disclose to you that I, together with countless other angry and disillusioned Canadian citizens, are outraged at the behaviour of those who misuse government funds to line the pockets of greedy corporations who are already excessively wealthy.
Those who have used billions of taxpayers’ monies, because they can, to dole out to their corporate friends who destroy our environment by demolishing trees and continuing to displace and/or kill off those already bewildered animals who now roam into neighbourhoods searching for food, water and shelter. You know who you are and with transparency you will be eventually named by the people who care. Shame on you for having a bank vault in your body rather than a heart!
Do you not know that all the monies you amass for your personal use will serve no great purpose once you have killed this Earth off?
All that you are killing off is required to keep our planet alive.
Kathleen Goretsas,
Guelph
‘Rabbit whisperer’
Dear Editor:
A Husk of Hares
I have a summer place.
A cabin in the woods.
Seasonal, not watching winter winds blowing whispers of snow, across sand hills; to and fro.
My passion seems taken all too soon from my heart. I try to be strong.
I don’t want to cry and fall.
My daughter calls me the “rabbit whisperer.” My claim to a small parcel of land on the South Bruce Peninsula – Red Bay. I talk to and reach out to feed apples to the hares. Wild hares, snow hares. The most count – seven. I’ve seen.
I can call that lucky.
Rabbit pellets, carrot peelings, green romaine, cut up juicy apples. Always wash it down with a dish of fresh water. Spring water; from our sand point well. I was a rabbit lover. Still am. My heavy heart has left me in sadness. Such a prey animal. Coyotes attack, foxes attack, fisher’s bigger than cats attack, racoons attack, owls attack, man attacks! Shot at – killed. For senseless reason. For not wanting your “flower bouquets” on your deck to be eaten. Don’t they deserve a right too on this beautiful God given planet?
Raccoons shot, a nuisance, so “shoot ‘em all!” So they do. Don’t feed the bears, or we will have to remove them; scare them silly! So man won’t be bothered. The least of my worry.
I communicate with Nature.
Nature returns a smile, a loving look, a friendship of acceptance! A truly extraordinary connection, to my heart and soul.
A wild hare, eating apple right from my hand! A wild pet, a respect, a love so deep, asks nothing in return.
I arrive. Are you here?
I see your familiar runs, your tumble and turns and rolls upon the sand.
Your favorite dish awaits. Sometimes nothing else means more, than to look into your trusting eyes, your health is fine. As many good foods, I feed as you dine.
I see the shooters, disgust in your eyes. Now I know where you are.
Neighbours found you.
They shot and left you buried in the hole. No love, safety or sanctuary at Opus 44 anymore.
All I have are pictures on my phone; and remember when I was a “rabbit whisperer.”
Trying to help among evil thorns.
Deborah Dietsche,
Guelph
Be a good neighbour
Dear Editor:
When you hear on your news that there will be a heat wave and the next part of the news is “look after a neighbour who is elderly,” what do you think?
What can you do to help?
First of all, call to be sure the neighbour is expecting you. Then ask if you can be of help (does she have a hydro outage, does she need help, does she have a battery operated light?) Then ask again if you can come over to help?
Then there is the problem of temperature. Does she have a fan? Does she have air conditioning? Does she know how to manipulate the controls? Ask again, “May I come over to help?”
Next there is the bad weather warning! Ask once again, “May I help?’ This is an other chance to be a big help. Invite her over or ask if she would like you for a little visit?
Of course you can be a big help any time.
A phone call or an actual visit will earn you a nomination as “good neighbour of the year.”
Sytske Drijber,
Rockwood