‘Poisoning the well’
Dear Editor:
For many years, even as someone who doesn’t always vote Conservative, I believed that conservatism played an important role in Canada.
The Conservative Party often spoke to real issues facing Canadians. It raised concerns about affordability, accountability, and responsible governance in a way that resonated far beyond its base. In that sense, conservatism – not the party label, but the philosophy – was a constructive and necessary voice in our political landscape.
That’s why MPs like Michael Chong have stood out. His work on the Reform Act was a rare example of courage and principle, grounded in integrity and a commitment to strengthening our institutions.
But the current direction under Pierre Poilievre is deeply troubling. The shift toward division, grievance and imported American-style rhetoric is poisoning the well. It no longer reflects the thoughtful, responsible conservatism many Canadians respected – even those who never voted for it.
As someone who values conservative principles without being a Conservative supporter, I now find the party nearly unrecognizable. Voices like Mr. Chong’s are needed more than ever to remind us of what principled conservatism can be.
Sherif Abdelazim,
Guelph
‘Parroting’ the premier
Dear Editor:
RE: County’s speed camera pilot program hits red light as province forces end to automated enforcement, Nov. 6.
In this article Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Joseph Racinsky is quoted as saying the Progressive Conservative government is responding to an affordability crisis by outlawing the cameras.
So let me see if I have this straight. Someone breaks the traffic laws by speeding, is caught by the camera and then fined. However, Premier Doug Ford is somehow concerned that this is part of the affordability crisis and therefore will mandate an end to the cameras?
I guess the next legislation will remove the penalties for shoplifting as clearly someone who is shoplifting is suffering from an affordability crisis, no?
There are some very well articulated concerns around the use of speed cameras by municipalities. I won’t go over well trod ground, but Ford’s response to the issue is nothing more than his usual blustering, bull-in-a-china-shop, populist response to a complex issue.
And Racinsky’s parroting of the party talking points does not do anything to address the very real issue of affordability in Wellington-Halton Hills.
Mike Vasil,
Fergus
No respect at service
Dear Editor:
It was cold for the Remembrance Day Service, but no snow or rain. Not exactly the kind of weather our veterans dealt with back in the day or even now.
Downtown Elora was crowded with residents, both young and old. It was such a wonderful feeling of celebration for the 80th anniversary of the end of the war that played such a big part in my life. A time of reflection, prayer and solemnity.
Only to have the occasion totally ruined by four youths standing in front of me talking, laughing, dancing to the pipers, stabbing each other with their poppies, not singing O Canada, not saying the Lord’s prayer and, worst of all, not respecting the minute of silence.
Sure, it’s nice to see the school students show up, but perhaps some pre-instructions on acceptable behavior or more supervision can be expected? In front of me was also a child aged 4 or 5. He put those older ones to shame.
I did ask them what school they were from and placed a call to that school when I reached my car.
Rose Parkinson,
Elora
Not silent at all
Dear Editor:
I’ve been attending the Remembrance Day ceremony at the Fergus cenotaph for more years than I can count.
My father, a veteran, instilled in our family a deep respect for our country and for all who have served, past and present. Each year, I’ve noticed the crowd growing, which is wonderful to see. As our community continues to expand, I expect that trend will continue.
However, with that growth has also come increased traffic, and this year I was saddened by the level of noise that surrounded the ceremony. During what should have been two minutes of silence, all that could be heard was the steady stream of vehicles and transport trucks rumbling past, one after another. It was nearly impossible to hear The Last Post.
I completely understand that not everyone can pause their day, and that people have places to be, but I can’t help but wonder, could traffic not be diverted for just one hour, or even paused for those two minutes of silence, to allow the community to reflect in peace?
A simple solution could be placing a temporary barricade at Albert Street West, diverting traffic past Victoria Park to David Street South, and reconnecting to Highway 6 through town. It’s a small adjustment, once a year, that would mean so much to those gathering to remember.
For the first time ever, I chose to leave the ceremony early and pay my respects at home, where I could reflect in quiet. I truly hope that next year, our community can come together united not just in attendance, but in shared silence and respect.
Tammy Wallace,
Fergus
‘Heartwarming’
Dear Editor:
RE: RCMP officer awarded coronation medal; stresses importance of ‘destigmatizing’ mental health issues, Nov. 6.
I was inspired by this article about Scott Stuart and his courage in facing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and speaking openly and honestly about his experience.
It’s heartwarming to see his interaction with the community around him as he faces challenges due to his mental health. Too often, men and women struggle alone because of a stigma that seeking help is a sign of weakness or that they are “broken.”
Stuart demonstrates for us that seeking support is actually a sign of strength. His efforts to destigmatize mental health and advocate for accessible services are commendable.
It’s important that people see the value of sharing their experiences and seeking help. I would like to thank the Wellington Advertiser for bringing such an important issue to attention.
May Stuart’s work be blessed as he continues to inspire and encourage others to seek help and support one another.
Courtney Vis,
Grand Valley
Successful fundraiser
Dear Editor:
On behalf of the HEARTS (Haitians Eager and Ready to Serve) committee at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Fergus, I would like to express our gratitude to the community of Centre Wellington for its support of our annual 5km Fun Run/Walk held on Oct. 18.
For the 23rd year we have hosted this fundraiser in support of schools in Haiti. And for the 23rd year the community of Centre Wellington has joined us in this venture.
We are incredibly grateful to our event corporate sponsors: Fergus M&M Food Market, Dan Allen Financial, SV Law Firm, Giles Carstar, Alpha Graphics, Grand River Pharmacy, Lois Eveleigh Chiropractor and Grasman Inc. These businesses provide valuable support and are vital to the fundraiser. We could not run this event without them.
We also want to acknowledge businesses that graciously contributed to the prize table: Made in Holland, Grand Floral, Premium Promoworx and I Love Chocolate.
Numerous CW community members participate by running, walking and fundraising.
HEARTS financially supports four schools near Cap Haitien and the money we send helps pay for teachers’ salaries, school supplies and meals for the students. The annual 5km Fun Run/Walk is our largest fundraising event throughout the year. Together we raised over $8,000 at this year’s event.
A huge thank you to everyone and every business involved.
Krista Hall,
HEARTS committee, Fergus
‘Financial neglect’
Dear Editor:
You may have heard rumours about the challenges facing our schools at the moment: increasing violence, large class sizes and lack of supports for students with special needs.
As a teacher, I see my students and colleagues negatively affected every day by these issues, and I believe our communities need to better understand the situation and demand action from our Ontario government officials.
The Ford government has cut more than $6.35 billion from public education in the past seven years. Each year, they tell teachers and school boards to do more with less. Instead of taking responsibility, this government seems to be trying to intentionally mislead the public, blaming trustees or local school boards rather than their own financial neglect of our public system.
This year, they started replacing democratically elected school board trustees across the province with their own appointees who have little experience in education and who are mandating top-down “solutions” to problems their underfunding created in the first place.
In the Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB), we have 10 school board trustees. They organize and run various committees, respond to public input and concerns, and try to make decisions in the best interest of students and parents. UGDSB trustees do all this for a measly $5,900 per year honorarium! Who will represent parents’ concerns if these 10 positions are replaced by one ministry-appointed official?
If you care about children and the future of this province, or if you want to share your ideas about what education in Ontario should look like, please attend the Nov. 24 online public meeting to hear about the state of our schools. This meeting is being organized by four different teacher unions in the region and will feature speakers including a former trustee, an education critic, and the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario president.
Attendees will be able to ask questions and find out more. Join this link via Zoom at 7pm on Nov. 24 at bit.ly/3JplbLS or email andreaaloe.etfo@gmail.com for the meeting link.
Rebekah Jamieson,
Guelph
*Editor’s note: The provincial government has not “cut” education spending over the last seven years. Spending has increased during that period, but critics say it has not kept pace with rising costs and inflation in order to maintain the per-student funding level of 2018.
Voting ‘caution’
Dear Editor:
RE: Centre Wellington to use telephone, online voting in 2026, Oct. 30.
I appreciate the township’s efforts to make voting more accessible from the internet. Clerk Kerri O’Kane’s report has a lot of positives like clearer instructions and more accessible tools. These are some good signs Centre Wellington can keep learning from other elections and make the future ones smoother.
However, it’s important to look at this method with caution. Some of this technology has lots of good but can create barriers. Some older citizens in the community might not have access to good internet and other devices. Also even though this is rare, cybersecurity threats can scare people of this.
I believe that making the voting process more modern is a good step forward, but speed and efficiency should never come in the way of what’s accessible and fair.
We should make sure every voice is heard so the township should strengthen the safety of the election and still have in-person voting for those who prefer the traditional voting method.
Douglas Brouwer,
Amaranth
Don’t ‘go too far’
Dear Editor:
RE: Centre Wellington to use telephone, online voting in 2026, Oct. 30.
This week, I read that Centre Wellington is offering telephone and online voting for municipal elections. I think this is a smart way to vote. It is more convenient for elderly people who are unable to move around easily, people who have a busy schedule, or residents who are out of town and unable to make it in time for voting.
Although voting electronically is more convenient for residents, it can sometimes have complications. Some problems may include a risk of fraud, technical glitches, lack of verifiability, confusion for elderly people who are voting, privacy risks, and audio quality when calling.
The population of this county has been accepting this form of voting since 2018 and online voting has been increasing. In 2022, 39.7% of the population showed up to vote in person, which has been one of the lowest turnouts, O’Kane said.
While this approach is improving, I suggest we need to be careful that it doesn’t go too far to risk synthetic data such as if we start submitting to robots or AI in the future. Overall this is a good method for voting because it helps convenience people who are very busy or physically unable.
Kenzie Hutten,
Chatsworth
Not just elbows
Dear Editor:
RE: The Advertiser’s editorial cartoon on Oct. 23.
Your recent cartoon showing Prime Minister Mark Carney as a battered boxer facing U.S. President Donald Trump’s “tariffs” gloves – while Doug Ford yells from the corner – says a lot.
It shows that Carney is small and weak when it comes to facing Trump. We need a leader, a fighter, a smarter, wiser and bigger man that faces Trump. The cartoon implies that Ford is all talk but really he doesn’t have the power to get in the ring.
Yes, he can be vocal and give Carney some advice but Carney has the power to throw punches. Ford is using his position on the sideline to plan a 25% surcharge on electricity supplied to American cities. Ford also put an end to Ontario’s $100-million contract with SpaceX because of Elon Musk’s role in U.S. politics.
These are the punches that Ford wants Carney to follow. Canada needs Carney to keep his hands up, not just his elbows!
Canada doesn’t need another elite banker who folds under pressure or hides behind polished speeches. We need strong, practical leadership that can actually stand up for Canadian interests, not just look dazed in the corner of the ring.
Mark Carney is still my prime minister and I could never do his job but I am disappointed in his leadership and respectfully think he should hand the reins to someone else who will stand up to president Trump and protect our country.
Levi Kottelenberg,
Erin
‘Farming matters’
Dear Editor:
RE: “Thoughtful planning,” Oct. 30.
I really appreciated Beth Lang’s thoughts on connecting urban and rural communities through agricultural awareness. Her points about understanding the importance of local farming really resonated with me. As a dairy farmer in Wellington County, I see every day how much agriculture contributes to our community.
What really stuck with me was her idea of keeping the surrounding communities informed about farming. I’m often surprised by how little some people know about agriculture and the image they sometimes have of farmers: straw hats, jean overalls and long days on a tractor. Farming is much more than that.
In Wellington County, including around Fergus and Guelph, more and more farmland is being sold or turned into housing or commercial developments. As these changes reshape the rural landscape, it becomes even more important for both city and country residents to understand why farming matters and why protecting local agricultural land is so important.
I agree with Beth that agricultural education is vital. The more we share our experiences, the more people will understand that behind every farm is not just tradition, but also innovation, pride in feeding our neighbors, caring for animals and taking care of the land that sustains us all.
Ronella Cnossen,
Elora
‘Wonderful’ section
Dear Editor:
Thank you to the Wellington Advertiser for publishing such a wonderful Remembrance Day section in the Nov. 6 issue. One of the teachers at Emmanuel Christian High School posted the whole section to give students the opportunity to read and reflect.
Arthur Kingma,
Fergus