Dear editor,
I have the good fortune to live in Fergus on the banks of our lovely Grand River, on a part of the river that is not totally flat or calm. On Saturday August 15, I was pleased to see a number of canoes and canoeists come by, but my enjoyment quickly changed to dismay. Of the eleven canoes that I counted going by, in several of the canoes no one was wearing a life jacket, and in two canoes one person was wearing a life jacket whereas the other person was not wearing one. Even worse, in two of the canoes, people were standing up in the canoe.
I have had a lot of experience in whitewater canoeing and kayaking, and know well that any river can present unexpected, life-threatening hazards: experienced canoeists know that life jackets should be worn.
I am also a retired physician, and I am well aware how quickly tragic events can happen, and that although not all tragedies can be prevented, some can be prevented. Seatbelts for cars, helmets for bicycles, and lifejackets for watercraft are all no-brainers.
Millie Cumming
Fergus
Millie Cumming