‘Predatory speed trap’
Dear Editor:
While few would object to the use of speed cameras to reduce the speed of traffic (which is the stated objective of the Wellington County engineering services department), I am arguing that the setup on Belsyde Avenue East in Fergus is a predatory speed trap. My ticket on March 2 was for 52km/h in the 40 zone.
In a discussion across the county reception counter in Guelph with Joe de Koning, roads manager at the county, I posed the question and the comment below to support my entrapment argument.
1. Why is the 40km/h speed camera set up to operate on Saturdays and Sundays when the children are not in school? I argued that there are far more activities at the sportsplex than at that school on weekends, yet, there is no 40km/h speed limit posted at the sportsplex. If the reason for the camera was to reduce vehicle speed to safeguard pedestrians, then the 40 limit should have been extended beyond the school past the sportsplex at no extra cost and with far more benefit. The response from Mr. De Koning, notwithstanding the argument above, was that the 40 limit was posted at the school, you were going 52 and that is why you were given the ticket, end of story. However, when people are driving 50km/h to the sportsplex on weekends, I can see how they would naturally continue driving at this speed past the school because they would be posing no danger to children. That argument went nowhere.
2. To avoid entrapment, I suggested that solar-powered yellow flashing lights should be installed before the 40km/h zone beside the school. They could be activated remotely along with the camera when children are in school. Such lights exist before the 40km/h zone on College Avenue in Guelph beside Centennial School. Sadly, I had no sense that this suggestion would be brought forward to the “camera committee” in engineering services.
After shaking hands with Mr. De Koning, I felt that I had accomplished very little, feeling that they are doing things to us rather than for us. As one old wise bird said, “You might as well save your breath to cool your soup.”
Larry Grovum,
Guelph
‘Incredible’ event
Dear Editor:
On March 22, Curl for a Cause was held at the Fergus Curling Club and what an incredible day it was!
Those who were there might tell you about the friendly curling games, being piped onto the ice by 16 pipers and drummers, the laughter throughout the day, and of course, the fantastic food (donated by Fraberts, Beef Farmers of Ontario and Zehrs).
We were gathered for fun and curling, but the real winner of the day was the Aboyne Rural Hospice. Our incredibly generous community raised over $64,700!
I write this letter with immense gratitude to every individual and business who curled, donated, purchased advertising and supported the auction and to all of those volunteers who worked tirelessly planning the day and making it run smoothly. Thank you!
What an amazing community we live in.
Laura Hofer and Dr. Clarissa Burke,
Co-chairs, Curl for a Cause
‘Too much like Trump’
Dear Editor:
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is way too much like Donald Trump and is as much a danger to Canada as is Trump.
Like Trump, he can hardly open his mouth without lying. Take, for instance, Poilievre’s attempt to blame Justin Trudeau for the terrible car crash in January of this year on the 401 near Oshawa that resulted in the death of two grandparents visiting from India and their infant grandchild.
Or his unequivocal support for our first Prime Minister, Conservative John A. MacDonald, notwithstanding MacDonald being an architect of the residential school program and having a history of mistreating immigrant Chinese workers while they worked on the trans Canada railway. Or that Canada is broken.
Like Trump, Poilievre shows little respect for the media and rather than answer tough questions asked by the media, frequently attacks them instead. Like Trump, who encouraged the insurrectionists who attacked the U.S. Capital Building, Poilievre supported the ridiculous anti-vaccine, anti democratic lawlessness of the occupation in Ottawa.
Like Trump, Poilievre relies way too much on the private sector in a market economy and tax cuts that will disproportionately benefit the rich as the solution to every problem.
Poilievre has adopted many of the measures employed by Trump that saw him regrettably elected again. But Poilievre now wants us to somehow believe that he is the best man to fight Trump and his lunacy, including Trump’s horribly flawed and unjustified tariffs. Are you kidding me?
Poilievre threatens women’s rights, senior benefits, progress towards truth and reconciliation, health care, dental care, Pharmacare, LGBTQ rights, measures to curb climate change, protection of the environment, affordable housing, moderate gun control, and a stronger economy for everyone.
I won’t be supporting him.
Dan Kennaley,
Rockwood
‘Moral ambiguity’
Dear Editor:
Do Canadians really need another political leader who tries to swagger like a bully? Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is talking tough about Trump, but I find it difficult to give much credence to his makeover.
After all, since cozying up for selfies with the protestors besieging Ottawa during COVID, Poilievre has eagerly echoed MAGA talking points. Until his recent course correction he was apparently quite content to be associated with Trump’s populism and to receive enthusiastic approval from his American sycophants and erstwhile Canadian fans.
The fact that Poilievre remains the darling of Postmedia’s newspapers, including the National Post, Financial Post, Ottawa Citizen and Toronto Sun, provides me little reassurance, given that Chatham Asset Management, a New Jersey hedge fund, owns a majority and controlling stake in Postmedia and is well-known for its Republican leanings.
In a January speech Poilievre forcefully asserted that “Israel has friends, as do the Jewish people – friends that will stand through thick and thin … not equivocating, not speaking out of both sides of our mouth.” How does his public support from Elon Musk and other far-right mouthpieces align with those words?
If Poilievre demands unwavering moral clarity from others, why has he not applied the same standard to himself? If “not equivocating” means taking an authentic stand against antisemitism, why has he failed to unmistakably repudiate the endorsement of Musk, a man whose platform is widely criticized for amplifying extremist and antisemitic voices, and who has publicly supported far-right parties in Europe, stating that “only the AfD (Alternative für Deutschland) can save Germany,” an extremist party riddled with antisemitism and Holocaust denial.
Far from distancing himself, when asked publicly about Musk’s support, Poilievre responded by expressing interest in Musk investing in Canada. Sadly, Poilievre seems quite capable of speaking from both sides of his mouth when it advances his political goals. Why should his political chameleon act be trusted?
How believable is your leader’s sudden realignment, Wellington-Halton Hills MP Michael Chong? How far is your party prepared to distance itself from our southern neighbour’s grievance politics? And if Poilievre’s change of heart is sincere, what does that say about his judgement in tagging along with his American populist counterparts until just a couple of months ago? Was he so oblivious to Trump’s intentions? Or was that purely political opportunism?
Bombast and posturing are not going to dissuade the bloviating, venal narcissist occupying the White House. Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s efforts have shown us that. Resolve, resilience and creativity may have a better chance at preserving Canadian sovereignty.
Meanwhile Canadians deserve leadership genuinely rooted in moral clarity, the courage to confront injustice and an unwavering commitment to human dignity, not leadership consisting of empty bravado.
In my opinion, Poilievre’s apparent moral ambiguity should be disqualifying, no matter how “tough” he claims to be today.
Jonathan Schmidt,
Elora
‘Crash and burn’
Dear Editor:
Under Liberal Leader Mark Carney we will most certainly not survive our sovereign economic damnation, let alone Trump tariff implementation.
We will in fact become more reliant on the U.S. than ever before. Mr. Carney will sacrifice our agricultural sector for the building of new homes in compensation for the current population, and for new immigrants.
While he has pledged to “cap immigration until it reaches pre-pandemic trend lines,” the years 2017-2018 and 2018-2019, still surpassed the 300,000 mark of new arrivals annually, an unsustainable growth rate itself. Canada will altogether lose its coveted oil industry as a result of Mr. Carney’s radical green policies and private interest in foreign energy.
As well, it is as though no one has realized that most of these plans have been blatantly taken from right out under the Conservatives. No one sees the hypocrisy? Really? Tell me, please, how it is okay when one party vows something and are applauded, and the other says the same and is booed.
The “new” Liberals will undoubtedly sacrifice all and any fight we may have left. Mark Carney is not for Canadians. Mark Carney does not care that you put a flag up in his name. He is a self-proclaimed “elitist and globalist”.
Carney has not been elected, but selected and crowned. He has had Trudeau’s ear for years, both in front of and behind the curtain, and maintains the support of almost all of Trudeau’s supporters.
Trudeau may have dug the hole we are in, but Carney will throw the dirt in over us. We will crash and burn.
Susannah Sinclair,
Fergus
‘We need a change’
Dear Editor:
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his colleagues are classical Liberals who believe in free markets, limited government, individual liberty, the rule of law, and equal opportunity. I believe in these principles too, which is why the Conservatives will have my full support in the general election.
The Liberal Party of Canada pays lip service to these principles, of course, but does not believe in them or practice them. It is a party addicted to big government and small people. It is a party that cannot build anything. It is a party addicted to debt and extravagance.
It has been led for the last 10 years by a wandering minstrel supported by a caucus of pension zombies. Together, they have managed to cripple the Canadian economy and have, in particular, stamped on the economy of the important province of Alberta. This depressing picture cannot be changed by replacing the wandering minstrel with another international smoothie.
We need a change in Canada. We need fresh air and a change of pace, personnel and ideas. We need to replace proven incompetence with new energy and conviction.
If we have to endure another four years under Mark Carney, we can do so, and wobble on. But Poilievre and his colleagues offer us a much better option.
D’Arcy Luxton,
Elora
‘Same old, same old’
Dear Editor:
I was surprised at the wording and results of a recent Advertiser poll about whether Mark Carney (60%) or Pierre Poilievre (40%) would be most effective in dealing with U.S. President Donald Trump.
I doubt if there is anyone on Earth that can effectively deal with Trump. He changes his threats daily (sometimes more often).
When voting on April 28 our focus should not be on Trump but what can be done for Canada! We need changes in Canada! Choose a PM who will cut out wasteful spending, bring down our enormous debt, deal with drug crisis, cut out all carbon taxes, stop rampant crimes, find a suitable plan for housing, build pipelines so that we can get oil/gas to eastern Canada and to trading partners around the world not just the U.S.
Mark Carney has no parliamentary experience, has chosen a cabinet that is 87% same as Justin Trudeau, promotes net-zero emissions and a cap on Alberta’s oil, won’t build a pipeline in Quebec and is a WEF member.
A greater concern than Trump is the collapse of our country/economy and threat of Alberta/Western separation.
A lot of these issues have been brought on by or not addressed by Trudeau (with Carney advising him) and his Liberals governing for almost 10 years.
A “same old, same old” Liberal government will not solve these problems, rather will be a disaster.
Eunice Bosomworth,
Ayton
‘Fabulous’ event
Dear Editor:
It really does take a village, or a township! The Ignite! Art Auction at the Elora Centre for the Arts was a huge success, giving the capital campaign another boost.
The March 22 evening finale was sold out and guests enjoyed fabulous food donated by local chefs and bakers from Fergus and Elora. A huge thanks to them for their support of the arts and its important role in the wellness of our community; so great to see the visual arts and the culinary arts come together.
From all of us at the arts centre, staff, board and volunteers, we want to give a huge shout out to Resa Lent (chef and food coordinator supreme), The Breadalbane Inn, Community Café, Elora Bread Trading Company, The Evelyne, The Friendly Society, Handsome Devil, The Mill, Taj Mahal, Teeny Tiny Bakery, Underground Kitchen and the Wild Tart & Tartlet Patisserie.
We also gratefully acknowledge the ongoing support of lead sponsors, Xanadu Homes, the Wellington Advertiser, Wightman and our new sponsor, Sleeman-Sapporo. What an amazing and generous community we have!
Sheila Koop, volunteer chair, ECFTA Capital Campaign