Dear Editor:
I would like to take a few minutes to reflect as we enter 2019.
I started this note before Christmas, which is an interesting time as people prepare for religious festivals as celebrated in many faiths. All of these faiths adhere to some form of the Golden Rule.
In the current political climate it seems that the Golden Rule is largely forgotten.
Sadly, I have been challenged by the authors of recent letters to your paper and their name calling of our prime minister. I have been challenged by the actions of our Premier Doug Ford and his cronies at Queen’s Park, especially with the introduction of Bill 66, which will definitely undermine any legislation passed to protect safe, clean drinking water; work place safety; quality child care; Green Belt; positive action on climate change and the list goes on.
However, over the course of the last few weeks I have been challenged positively by Gretta Thunberg from Sweden who, at 15 years old, has taken a stand and her actions have been largely responsible for the World Day of Protest for action on climate change on Dec. 8, 2018.
I have been impressed that a Nobel Prize was awarded to William D. Nordhaus for his work showing that carbon taxes on polluters is an incentive for positive change for our environment. There was a very fine article in the Ottawa Citizen on environmental grief which describes the costs to society in terms of mental health if we continue to ignore climate change.
And then the great news in our local paper on Nov. 15: Eden Mills hall reaches 90% carbon neutrality.” This is happening in a small village in Wellington County. This is something to celebrate.
So as we begin a new year, albeit without a clean slate, we can remember the positives of 2018 and work together to respect the Golden Rule no matter your faith tradition to make this a better, kinder world to leave to the next generations.
Happy New Year everyone.
Burna Wilton,
Elora