‘Hatred and vitriol’
Dear Editor:
Is this what a democratic election looks like in 2021? Is it okay to slash in half, tear from their posts, spray paint, steal or even, in one case, attempt to burn Liberal Party campaign signs in Wellington-Halton Hills? All of this and more has been done to Liberal signs.
In just two weeks well over 30 Liberal Party signs have been damaged or outright destroyed. Those who perpetrate this should know that it is a serious crime under the Criminal Code and the Canada Elections Act.
Nationally, the party leader has been harassed and threatened at almost every campaign stop. This is something I would expect south of the border from right-wing extreme followers of Donald Trump.
Such hatred, vitriol, bullying and intimidation have no place in a Canadian election campaign. All party leaders must condemn such tactics in the strongest possible terms. And voters need to decide with their votes what kind of political environment they want to nurture in the years ahead.
Harvey Thomson,
Fergus
Bad spot for bikes
Dear Editor:
I just heard from someone who watches Centre Wellington council meetings that on Monday council voted to “revisit” their decision about installing bike lanes on St. David Street in Fergus during its reconstruction.
I am thrilled and delighted at this correct and intelligent approach to what’s become such a controversial situation. Second thoughts in this instance are totally warranted. A wiser choice is needed as well.
I love the idea of bike lanes; cycling is great exercise, ecologically correct and relaxing for its users. People able to use bicycles enjoy enormous benefits mentally and physically. But, dear heaven – give your heads a shake – not on a provincial highway! Decidedly not on one of the busiest streets in our community where intense traffic is a threat to both kids and adult bikers.
There are so many potential safe routes where bike lanes could happen. Please, CW council, when you take more time to look at this situation seriously, thousands of us are hoping you will find somewhere else to do this. We’d like to see bike lanes but I know people who also truly want bike lanes who’ve said they won’t let their family use them if they are on St. David Street.
Helen Marucci,
Fergus
‘Hall’ suggestions
Dear Editor:
RE: Nominations poured in for Wellington Hall of Fame, Aug. 19.
I read with interest this column (as I do every week). Couple of comments. It noted that O.M. McConkey’s farm was near Ponsonby. This was also mentioned in an earlier column on Dr. McConkey. The McConkey farm was the second farm on the west side of Highway 6 north of Ennotville. I did some odd jobs for them while in high school in the 1950s. He was a very interesting man.
I was also surprised that no one nominated Dr. Tom Russell or Dr. Groves. Both made valuable contributions. Dr. Russell’s daughter “Becky” was in the same year as I in high school.
George Milne,
Cambridge (74-year CW resident)
*Editor’s note: The Advertiser plans to run a second Stephen Thorning column on the “Wellington Hall of Fame” in the coming weeks.
Loved letter
Dear Editor:
RE: Faith in action, Aug, 26.
To Kathryn Bullock I say, well said indeed!
Roy Pegg,
Orton
Unnecessary election
Dear Editor:
The Justin Trudeau federal Liberals called an early election in the late summer and now Canadians will head to the polls on Sept. 20.
But do we want or need another federal election two years after the previous one (2019)? I say absolutely not.
Reason #1: Canada, as well as the whole world, is in the midst of the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. While most Canadians have already received their first vaccine and others are “fully vaccinated” there is a great number of our fellow Canadians who are unvaccinated and there are cases of stronger and highly contagious COVID-19 variants, especially the Delta variant outbreaks throughout different parts of our country. Even those who are fully vaccinated can still be affected by the variants. And, let’s not forget many Canadians will end up needing COVID-19 “booster” shots due to their weak immune systems.
Reason #2: Our federal Liberal government has a lot of unfinished business to do. Rather than have an unnecessary election, I would like to see our federal parliamentarians work on the real issues: the current coronavirus pandemic, fully implementing pharmacare, basic livable income, dental care, mental health, wildfires and forest fires in British Columbia and other regions in Canada, Afghanistan, Reconciliation with Indigenous communities, investigating Residential Schools abuse, climate change, etc.
Reason #3: In 2019, The federal Liberals were re-elected back into power – this time in a minority government situation. They have received a mandate to govern until 2023 provided there is no “non-confidence” motion in parliament. Jagmeet Singh is right, there is no non-confidence vote from the political opposition, especially from the New Democrats. So in other words, our liberal minority government enjoys the confidence of Parliament. While Trudeau should have been reminded before calling the election that Parliament in 2007 adopted Bill-C16 which stipulates that a Federal General Election will take place on the fourth calendar year after the previous poll (October 21, 2019), He should also remember Parliament’s near-unanimous approval last May of a motion, which he himself supported, not to hold an election during the pandemic.
As of now, the Trudeau Liberals are up in the polls but an early election may not guarantee a majority Liberal government. Instead, one of the opposition parties may end up winning a minority or even a majority government or we will end up having another Liberal minority.
Justin Trudeau should ask former Ontario Liberal Premier David Peterson and the former Ontario NDP leader and now fellow Liberal Bob Rae what can happen during an early election.
Anything in politics can happen between now and election day.
Edward Sawdon,
St. John’s, Newfoundland
Vote accordingly
Dear Editor:
Before any Canadian places an “X” beside any Liberal candidate, please bear in mind the leader of that party. Other than furthering this man’s superego, there is no need for this half-billion-dollar boondoggle.
Canada’s parliament was working efficiently to tackle the COVID-19 crisis, with many bills passed, even in a minority setting.
In the past year, beyond COVID, Canada has had to deal with a wildfire catastrophe, the residential school discoveries, rampant corruption in the echelons of the military, a housing crisis, a climate crisis, continued inaction for Indigenous communities, and now, internationally, total incompetence in fulfilling promises made to allies in our struggle in Afghanistan.
So now, after all these ongoing events, the most egocentric prime minister Canada has ever known, decides to call his personal election. Of course, he will take his usual tact and attempt to bribe specific genres of voters. He will be front and centre in view of the cameras expounding how hard his government is working on various issues and of course, give out his list of “if elected” bribes and promises.
We have heard all of this before, and forgetting the “WE” controversy, the “SNC Lavalin” controversy, his outright lies concerning Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott, his insults to Canadians of colour, and his failure to fulfill previous promises, he is still asking for our vote.
Given his previous ineptitude and current disregard for contemporary issues, it is unconscionable to vote for any Liberal candidate so that this man can enjoy the honour of Canada’s highest office!
Ron Johnson,
Mount Forest
The need for more speed
Dear Editor:
Although this letter is in regards to a highway outside our town, I also believe it pertains to many other roads in Anytown, Ontario.
We had the joy of trying to go over to Kitchener on Highway 7 on two separate days last week. Both going over, and coming home, we couldn’t help notice that the speed limit was only 80km/h and on each occasion there was someone leading the pack that was driving about 65km/h.
This of course, led to a line of cars a mile long trying to get down the highway, and of course, with no where to pass. I know they have been talking for years about widening Highway 7, but in the meantime, perhaps they should increase the speed limit to 100km/h and then, maybe, the ones who own a vehicle with gas pedal issues, might do an actual 80, and help get the flow going!
Mike Wenga,
Fergus
Other treatments?
Dear Editor:
It is more than 1.5 years of COVID-19 and constant vaccine media info. Many, many people are extremely COVID-19 fearful. Yet, healthcare protocol has not be established to deliver effective early symptom medications at the onset of COVID-19 symptoms available for family physicians to administer.
This repetition in media has people irrationally wanting people to be vaccinated even if they have pre-existing medical conditions.
Why is the Trudeau government bent on attacking COVID-19 only with experimental vaccines? What about early intervention? Why are the vaccinated not encouraged to do random rapid COVID-19 PCR tests as it is a proven all can still carry the virus, fully vaccinated as well as unvaccinated?
Why isn’t the Trudeau government pursuing treatments in Canada, especially as we will have Afghanistan newcomers into Canada who will also need to be screened and quarantined if entrance is done carefully to protect Canadians?
All Canadians deserve better options from the Trudeau federal healthcare available now before winter and medical options available to our provincial family physicians. Boosters are not a solution, just a BandAid.
Noel Brett,
Fergus
*Editor’s note: COVID-19 vaccines are generally safe for most people with pre-existing health conditions. Anyone concerned about vaccines should speak to their physician.
‘Hate and racism’?
Dear Editor:
RE: Use all resources, Aug. 19.
In publishing this vitriolic letter, in which all unvaccinated Canadians were called “idiots” who “should be jailed” and who are “killing people” the Advertiser gave voice to hate and racism.
Research shows that certain Canadians are more likely to be vaccine hesitant. These include Black Canadians, Indigenous Peoples and those in lower income households.
A primary reason for this hesitancy is government mistrust. How will jailing these members of our community help in any way? Haven’t our fellow Indigenous Peoples suffered enough already at the hands of the federal government?
The Australian record on treatment of Indigenous Peoples looks to be about as unconscionable as Canada’s. Someday historians will look back on this and lament that our country even contemplated mob rule and doing what previous totalitarian regimes did to people they deemed “idiots.” This is how it starts.
During the past few weeks, the argument has been going on about the question of coercion, with mRNA vaccine advocates denying that anyone is being coerced, and that everyone has the right to make an “informed choice.”
Recently our democratically elected prime minister threatened and sternly decreed that “there will be consequences” for any federal employee (regardless of race, ethnicity, or economic status) who does not get vaccinated. That debate is now settled.
While the prime minister tries to imitate his father by being a tough guy, he appears unaware that there’s a difference between being a tough guy and being a despot. Bullying people who work for you isn’t being a tough guy. If he was truly a tough guy, he wouldn’t have meekly surrendered 14.2 million women and girls in Afghanistan to the Taliban despots who intend to subject them to Sharia law.
It’s easy to be a hero and use other people’s money to send token aid to refugees; it requires courage, principle and sacrifice to save them. Lester Pearson knew this, as do the 158 Canadian families who have lost loved ones in our now-abandoned attempt to protect innocent women and girls in Afghanistan.
Terence Rothwell,
Wellington North
*Editor’s note: The “Use all resources” letter was not racist and did not call all unvaccinated people idiots. As always, the publication of a letter does not mean the newspaper (or any of its staff) endorses the views contained therein. No one is being forced to be vaccinated and anyone concerned about vaccines should speak to their physician.