‘Time will tell’
Dear Editor:
RE: Get over yourselves, March 10.
Before I get into the main points against your point of view involving the Freedom Convoy, I would like to lead with some information about myself that in this day in age may be unheard of.
Years ago I spoke of a local issue – that building the splashpad in Arthur shouldn’t be prioritized ahead of the wastewater plant in our small town. My point of view was that this would prevent young people gaining an income working at the pool during summer months. After seeing the benefits the splash-pad has provided – especially providing a free and safe source of fun for kids during the pandemic – I can admit that I was wrong.
Yes, I will say it – I was wrong. Something that is unheard of during these tense political times.
I feel that the Freedom Convoy is a monumental movement. Once we are demonized for not following political demands, it is not long before we are defending other human rights.
Saying this movement is not important in comparison to what is happening in Ukraine is extremely closed minded, and completely disregards individual challenges. Is a woman’s fight for equal pay in North America unimportant because in places like Dubai women have just recently gained the privilege of driving an automobile? To the LGBTQ+ supporter, is your freedom of choice still significant when openly homosexual individuals in Nigeria are being killed?
I have marched in a Black Lives Matter protest with my daughter, even though I do not agree with defunding the police. Using this same theory, is it not possible for me to believe in the freedom of choice in supporting the convoy while opposing the media’s narrative of a white supremacist movement?
We live in a very privileged country, but it is by no means perfect. If we as a community are content with our vaccination rate higher than 90%, we need to ask ourselves if we would have achieved that if jobs and livelihoods were not threatened for disobeying government orders.
If you think everything you see on television is told from a journalistic perspective and not advertising, you need to remove the blinders. The difference between propaganda and truth comes down to who is funding the narrative.
In conclusion, let’s all watch and listen with two eyes and two ears, and talk with one mouth.
I wanted to state my opinion because I am strong enough to speak it, but I also have the humility to admit I could be wrong. Only time will tell; I will get no satisfaction in saying “I told you so”.
Brandon ter Steege,
Arthur
‘Eternally grateful’
Dear Editor:
RE: Get over yourselves, March 10.
Well said, Jane Schickerowsky. Thank you for expressing so eloquently what so many of us have been thinking.
I, for one, am eternally grateful for the privilege of living in such a free country as Canada.
Christine Baron,
Fergus
‘A death trap’
Dear Editor:
RE: Crosswalk safety, March 10.
I agree with Karen Watson last week that the Gartshore crosswalk at the Cateract trail is a death trap.
It should have pedestrian activated flashers there or someday someone will be hit.
Cars and trucks stop sometimes when no one wants to cross and don’t stop when someone does wants to cross.
Put up an amber flasher and activation buttons before someone gets killed.
William Howes,
Alma
‘Important values’
Dear Editor:
Recently I was taken aback while driving home in my neighbourhood on Bellamy Crescent by several young children who were picking up trash on a “snow day”.
I was so surprised and pleased, I stopped to praise them for doing such a great job and I would like to commend their parents for instilling these important values, and also the children themselves for making our neighbourhood such an amazing place to live.
Thank you!
Karen Watson,
Fergus
Advertiser admirer
Dear Editor:
I was sorry to hear of the passing a little while ago of the paper’s founder, Mr. William H. Adsett. I would have told him that he definitely achieved his goal of making his newspaper the window to Wellington County and the surrounding communities.
Thanks to your paper I have found great trades people and some great jobs. We advertised our farm auction in your paper and judging by the huge crowd that came, there seems to be a lot of other people reading and enjoying your paper.
My neighbour and I read in your paper about the computer classes for seniors and how to register, provided by the Township of Wellington North. Thank you to that township for those classes, I learned more in those 15 weeks, than I have in the last 10 years.
Thanks also to your paper for writing an article on the closing of Mitch Keirstead’s store in Arthur. I had no idea that this talented artist had a store and gallery so close to us here in Mount Forest and I am now the proud owner of three more of his artworks, signed personally.
I have enjoyed Dave Adsett’s editorials. They are well researched comments on current events. I also enjoy reading everyone’s opinions and stories in your Letters to the Editor section.
I look forward each week to reading Stephen Thorning’s past historical articles of our communities.
When it comes to the column Write out of her Mind by Kelly Waterhouse, my husband (a retired carpenter) tries to beat me to read her column about her carpenter. Her column always has such down-to-earth topics, that everyone can relate to and her humorous asides always make us chuckle. Thanks for the laughs and the lift your writing gives us, Kelly.
We, the seniors here in Fairway Estates Pike Lake all enjoy your paper, and when it arrives we always pick up a copy for our neighbours to enjoy as well. We look forward to receiving all the flyers and we read all the beautiful coloured advertisements in your paper before heading out to do our shopping.
We appreciate the Wellington Advertiser for all the information in helping us navigate through all COVID-19 information. This year I counted on your information regarding all the candidates’ in our recent election (when we could not attend the all-candidates meetings safely.) Thank you also for delivering your paper right to our park, making it so convenient to access.
I can well understand why the Ontario Community Newspapers Association has nominated your newspaper and the North Wellington Community News for so many awards. They also realize what a gift your newspapers are to our communities.
Suzanne Yates,
Minto
‘Don’t forget Afghanistan’
Dear Editor:
Recently, Ottawa/the federal government declared a state of emergency. If we expand our vision beyond our own country, we might not forget to look to Afghanistan and another kind of emergency. One in which the financial system has collapsed, assets have been frozen, which if released could save millions from extreme hunger.
The media occasionally continues to cover this crisis following the withdrawal of Canadian, American and other NATO allies in August 2021 after the Taliban assumed control.
Winter is almost over here in Canada, as it is in Afghanistan. I wonder how the poor, the children, the homeless, the disabled and others have managed to secure shelter, medical care, food and other life affirming necessities there.
There are many Afghani refugees desperate to seek refuge in stable countries. Canada can do more to help them because we have an obligation to those who have assisted our military while we were there fighting on their behalf. Veterans have pleaded for the government to act more swiftly, as have lawyers and other humanitarian agencies.
With our attention focused on Ukraine, please do not use it as an excuse to forget those who we have already made promises to, but have yet to act swiftly on their behalf.
Janet Calderwood,
Rockwood
Trudeau the terrible?
Dear Editor:
To your readers who may still be blinded by all the fear and panic two years into this pandemic, please look up Brian Peckford.
His wisdom and unique perspective on our Charter of Rights and Freedoms should not be taken lightly. His understanding of the many checks and balances that are in place for our government to handle certain situations is eye-opening (which, by the way, our prime minister conveniently forgot before invoking the Emergencies Act).
His court case with the current government about the Charter will, no doubt, be a historic event if it doesn’t get drowned out by all the other media coverage.
To your readers who supported the trucker’s convoy, I applaud you. You were wise enough to see that this Trudeau government will undemocratically do what it takes to bolster their image. You were bold enough to peacefully demonstrate to the rest of Canada that enough is enough.
And, some of you were even smart enough to take your kids, paving the way for a brighter, more politically viable future; more kids should be watching this closely, rather than keeping up with the latest TikTok contest.
To all your readers, this is not just about the pandemic anymore. Rather, it’s about the continual lack of proper representation and the deterioration of fundamental governance.
This pandemic should no longer excuse our elected officials from doing their jobs properly, nor should it cover-up the current cabinet’s blunders.
Next time we vote, please consider the party with the most common sense and stop enabling Trudeau – he’s only ruining this country!
Doug Vanderveen,
Belwood
Kudos to Kelly
Dear Editor:
Each week when the paper comes, I might skim over some headlines, but the only thing I always read is Kelly Waterhouse’s Write Out column.
Kelly, I really appreciate your comedic approach while still engaging with major issues of the day and keeping a healthy perspective on life.
Keep up the great writing!
James Burmaster,
Cambridge
Centenarians
Dear Editor:
I should like to know how many of us in Wellington county are in the special category of centenarian.
I’d like to think there are a few others who have reached this rung on the step ladder of life!
I’m sure we could talk over the changes we’ve seen; perhaps we could form a club or tell younger folks what fun we had back then – and show them how!
Sytske Drijber,
Rockwood
Trucker safety
Dear Editor:
As a co-founder of Truckers for Safer Highways I am writing to you with updates on our work to improve the trucking industry.
We have been working to improve the trucking industry and the safety of all those who use our highways for the last 14 months.
Our main focus is to see drastic improvements in the training of new drivers and the enforcement of the drivers already in the industry and operating on our highways.
In recent months we have gained the support of eight northern Ontario NDP MPPs as well as the support of federal conservative MP Melissa Lantsman.
We are also discussing with several other safety groups on how we could collaborate to make a substantial difference for change within the industry.
The responses we have received from both the federal and provincial ministers of transportation have not been productive. The federal government views these issues as a provincial matter therefore out of their jurisdiction.
The provincial government views the Ontario highways as quite safe and not requiring any improvements. We have reached out to both levels of government on several occasions.
We look forward to working with any member of parliament and government at any level to ensure that our highways can be as safe as possible as well as to ensure the operators of all commercial vehicles are the safest drivers on our highways.
Travis McDougall,
Truckers for Safer
Highways, Kitchener
‘Fair and balanced’
Dear Editor:
RE: ‘Freedom convoy’ rolls through Centre Wellington, March 10.
I just read the article about the convoy in our area and am very disappointed in it. If the paper can’t write balanced unbiased reports I do not want them in my home. Seems to me there was more going on than just one person waving a flag?
Let’s be fair and balanced.
Phylis Huntley,
Clifford
*Editor’s note: Our reporter simply presented the facts about what was witnessed in Fergus and Elora at this event.