Mailbag 01/04/24

‘Wasting’ tax dollars

Dear Editor:

RE: Taxes to rise 7.4% in Centre Wellington, Dec. 21.

I see by the paper, taxes are rising 7.4%. I must comment on the waste of taxes spent on the roads that are a waste of time, including:

– islands put on Beatty Line, St. Andrew Street East, to control speed (which have NO affect on speed);

– the huge cost of a roundabout on Beatty Line that, in my opinion, was not needed on a back road; and

– the cost of placing and removing speed signs drilled into the road on most the roads in town, that do not slow anyone down. 

I live on Sideroad 19. The speed limit here is set for 40km/h; most people speed excessively on this road, appearing to go 60 to 80km/h. 

Police will not enforce the speed limit. I have called numerous times to no avail. 

Between the signs, islands and roundabout, this must have cost thousands of dollars, that have produced no results, slowing speeds on our roads. Maybe not wasting taxpayers’ taxes on these would have maybe cost us less in taxes in 2024!

Amazing how elected people like to spend other people’s money, without giving it a second thought.

Dave Bittorf,
Centre Wellington

‘Money we don’t have’

Dear Editor:

RE: Taxes to rise 7.4% in Centre Wellington, Dec. 21. 

Is it just my imagination, or was there a severe lack of comment about the property tax increases for Centre Wellington?

Minto comes in at 4.4%, Guelph/Eramosa at 4.9%, Puslinch at 4.9% and then we get Centre Wellington at 7.38%!

If inflation is around 3% then that hints someone is spending money that we don’t have … I’m just saying.

Frank Yanchus,
Elora

CW ‘doesn’t care’

Dear Editor:

RE: Taxes to rise 7.4% in Centre Wellington, Dec. 21.

Happy New Year to the citizens of Centre Wellington, as we face the highest tax increase of all the counties in this area.

Thanks to the mayor and councillors for giving themselves a raise earlier and hiring an additional 14 positions.

When I read the following from the Erin area, “All of us are living with unprecedented inflation rates. How can you justify this to tax payers. We will defer items and decrease costs for road surface treatments.”

Thank you for having empathy for your Erin taxpayers, as Centre Wellington sure doesn’t care about their citizens.  The tax rate increase is almost double of other municipalities.  

Judy Haddad,
Elora

No more ‘cooperating’

Dear Editor:

RE: Journalist says OPP officer detained him, seized camera, Dec. 28.

What in the hell is going on with the OPP? The officer who grabbed a reporter for doing his job should be charged with assault.

I was unfortunate enough to cover some ghastly accidents in my reporting years. I never liked that, but I did my best to do my job while not hindering fire, police and ambulance officials. Several times, police asked me to take specific photos for their investigations. So much for cooperating with the citizenry and media today.

I wonder how residents could be expected to offer tips to police or CrimeStoppers about the theft at Arthur Chrysler when police refused to name the victim. Were citizens supposed to use “The Force” or something?

As for the police reports these days, I generally don’t bother to read anymore. Who cares if a 29 -year-old Fergus man is charged? The Advertiser used to publish the names of drinking drivers and people who knew about them could contact the old, cooperative OPP, and let them know someone was still driving while under suspension. Not anymore.

Once upon a time, keeping the public informed and safe was Wellington OPP’s mandate. Now it seems to be hiding behind ridiculous “privacy” laws to protect the guilty – or at least, the charged.

Growing up in the 1950s, I remember my local newspaper printing not only the names of younger offenders, but also the names of their parents – plus their street address.

And some wonder why us old fogies want to go back (sometimes) to the good old days.

David Meyer,
Chatham

*Editor’s note: The OPP stopped providing the names of those charged with provincial offences in June of 2022, but it was the Advertiser’s decision (made the same month) to stop publishing the names of those charged with drinking and driving offences. The newspaper felt it was unfair to continue the practice since the OPP was not providing the names of everyone charged. 

‘Bunch of ghouls’

Dear Editor:

 RE: Journalist says OPP officer detained him, seized camera, Dec. 28.

Wow, things are really getting bad when a woman gets run over by a pickup truck crossing the Hanlon Parkway and a bunch of ghouls run over with their cell phones to take pictures of her bloody mangled corpse.

What kind of people would do that? They are all disgusting human beings, including that reporter.

Alex Themelis,
Guelph

*Editor’s note: Journalists regularly take photos of crime/accident scenes prior to knowing the outcome or exactly what happened. Decisions are made later about what should be published based on a number of factors. 

Protecting children

Dear Editor:

Dec. 28 is the Feast of the Holy Innocents – a day that reminds us of the victims of King Herod’s murderous paranoia in killing all male infants under the age of two who lived in Bethlehem and the surrounding area. It is a day to remember that children are frequently the innocent victims of adult conflicts like wars and other forms of violence. 

As we start the new year, we look back at 2023 and remember the children who died at the hands of murderous adults. We weep for children killed in Ukraine, at the hands of Hamas, in Gaza, in Sudan, in Yemen, in school shootings, and on the list goes. We weep for the children who die of malnutrition and inadequate medical care, which result from adult greed and unwillingness to share. 

Dr. Cindy Blackstock, an Officer of the Order of Canada, says it is a basic human right and responsibility that adults care for and protect children, be those children we are related to or not. 

Maybe a new year’s resolution could be that we who are adults would care for and protect children in 2024. May this day of remembering the holy innocents become fuel to our becoming agents of care and protection for children. 

Peter Bush,
Fergus

Drinking water ‘shift’

Dear Editor:

Centre Wellington is holding a re-opening event to showcase the newly renovated Elora arena on Jan. 5. When residents visit the refurbished arena and lobby, please notice the shiny new drinking fountain and water bottle refill station. There is a new bottle refill station outside too. 

Other refill stations have appeared over the last few years in our parks, community centres and downtown – in Hoffer Park, the Greenspace, the Elora splash pad park, the Fergus seniors centre, the Fergus sportsplex, the libraries, and more. 

These refill stations are in addition to the township’s water buggy, which provides free tap water at concerts in town parks and other events that draw thousands of visitors.

The township has substantially improved access to safe, convenient and free tap water in public spaces, at everything from parks and concerts to sporting venues. This local initiative is in line with a global movement for municipalities to expand public drinking water access.

Plastic bottled water is a big environmental problem, from climate change to plastic pollution, and it is an easy problem to fix. 

This community has walked the talk for environmental and groundwater protection. We appreciate that our tap water here is tested regularly so we know it’s safe. 

Thank you to our staff and council for making it easy and highlighting for both residents and visitors to our community a shift from single-use to refillable bottles.

Jan Beveridge,
Elora

‘Parking problem’

Dear Editor:

For years I’ve heard that we have a parking problem in downtown Elora: not enough parking spaces.  

That being the case, I don’t understand why, oh why, all the parking spaces on both the north and south sides of Mill Street East, between Metcalfe and Geddes streets, have been removed.

Can someone explain why that was done?

Anthony Martins,
Elora

Grateful for help

Dear Editor:

Recently while hanging Christmas lights I took a bad fall in my flower garden. 

A very kind gentlemen passing by saw me lying there. Thank you so very much for alerting my son who called the ambulance. I’m forever grateful.

Yvonne Thomson,
Elora

‘Scrooge’ takes tree

Dear Editor:

To the person who cut the 10-foot spruce in half with a chainsaw on Dec. 23 at a protected GRCA location: I realize this has become a Christmas tradition for you. You did the same despicable thing last year on the other side of the trail.

I imagine you are neither unintelligent or financially challenged. What you are is thoughtless, mistakenly entitled and miserly.

You have killed the half of the tree that you butchered and maimed the part left behind. That latter part was home to wildlife.

I have watched last year’s victim struggle to come back. It is now an out-of-place bush, instead of the towering ecological beauty it was meant to be.

Sycamore Gap knows the pain.

There are places called tree farms, where yes, for a price, you can have your tree. At least there they are grown, harvested and replanted in a sustainable manner, but you didn’t want to spend any money, did you?

If everyone exercised what you mistakenly think is your God-given right to take a tree from this place, there wouldn’t be much left, but you don’t care , do you? What you did is immoral, but also illegal.

I suddenly know who you are. Your name is Ebenezer Scrooge! Thoughtless, cruel and miserly until his awakening. I don’t expect you’ll have the latter.

You will enjoy your green prize until it no longer serves, then you will toss it to the curb, or burn it for firewood. At least the tree will have lived with dignity.

Merry Christmas, Mr. Scrooge.

May you have a visit from three ghosts or perhaps a GRCA officer in the not-too-distant future.

Happy 2024!

Karen Bentley,
Ariss

Not sustainable

Dear Editor:

RE: ‘Abandonment,’ Dec. 28.

I disagree – Pierre Poilievre was very clear on a YouTube that he does support the Ukraine free trade deal. Poilievre does not support adding carbon tax to Ukraine.     

In Poilievre’s message, he discusses that  he would remove any reference to carbon tax in the free trade agreement and would help Ukraine by selling Canada’s civilian grade nuclear technology and uranium so Ukraine can power its economy emissions free and would allow Canadian defence workers to produce munitions and sell them to Ukraine so Ukraine can win the war for its freedom from Russia.

Poilievre said, “Liberals voted against a supply agreement for Canadian defence workers to produce munitions and other technologies that would help Ukraine win the war”. 

As Wellington-Halton Hills MP Michael Chong reiterated, Conservatives have and do support Ukraine now and in the past with recognition of their independence, recognition of a  Canada-Ukraine free trade deal and advocacy against Russia in the G8.  It is very clear why the Conservatives did not support the free trade agreement with the references to carbon tax.  Carbon tax goes against what the Conservatives stand for.  

It is essential that young and old Canadians start to look long and hard at the finances of the country and consider the impact of the never-ending spending by the Liberal/NDP coalition. The federal Liberal government has run a  deficit every year since it was elected.
The spending is not sustainable.  Everyone knows if you spend more than you make, you are going to be in big trouble financially. Likewise, in a country where the leadership does not stand on guard and weigh up expenditures and the state of finances in the country before committing money and resources, the result is higher costs for all Canadians.  

So we need elected representatives in the government to put the brakes on spending appropriately and really think through how national money is best spent.  

The Conservatives must defend the nation and bring “common sense” back to government spending. 

Thank God we have a Conservative party that has courage to show common sense and will look for ways to bring the nation back to a sensible budget and plan – besides the Liberal suggestion of cutting the Disney channel.

Carolann Krusky,
Fergus

*Editor’s note: There is no formal coalition between the federal Liberal and NDP parties; they have a confidence and supply agreement – there is a difference between the two.

‘Unsung heroes’

Dear Editor:

The minions that work in stores, oft times for minimum wage, with no benefits … You know the ones I mean, the ones we take for granted. We get annoyed waiting in line to get our groceries. 

In a hurry to get home to the couch, munch on chips and get fat. Well maybe I am a cynic, but this new year, let us not forget the unsung heres.

Signed another couch potato… 

Harold Robertson,
Minto 

‘Wokeism’

Dear Editor:

In this new world we have curated for ourselves it seems as though a word as simple as “Christmas” is now seen as offensive.

Putting up a Christmas tree, nativity scene, attending midnight mass and saying simply, “Merry Christmas,” acts once considered so simple, yet important, are now looked down upon by our leaders and many across this world.

Sure, a Christmas tree adds warmth to the living room and colourful lights strung across the eavestrough bring joy to the darkened neighbourhoods, but it seems as though we have forgotten where it all comes from.

Last week, children around the world tore open their gifts wrapped with bows and pretty paper, meaning the Jolly Old Fat Man had once again made an appearance. Symbolizing joy and happiness, our dear friend Saint Nick is too on the verge of losing his own Merry Christmas.

Just a few days before Christmas, I was publicly lectured and informed by my peers that in wishing the lunch lady a “Merry Christmas,” I had committed some great moral wrong. Two small words can now rule for much trouble. Much criticism. 

As the new year begins, I ask that the good people of Centre Wellington reflect on what this world has come to. What this once and still great nation has come to.

What has happened to make people believe we can no longer use these words or celebrate in the ways we once did?

During a time that is supposed to be filled with nothing short of love and giving we have found ourselves stuck in a never ending cycle of hate and greed. 

What has lured our society into this direction of wokeism, nay, despair? And for goodness sake, when did we take the “Christ” out of Christmas?

Susannah Sinclair,
Fergus