‘Feckless admiration’
Dear Editor:
There is a critical question that Wellington-Halton Hills MP Michael Chong needs to answer urgently and unequivocally for the constituents of his riding. Does he support international law, the precedence of diplomacy and the sovereignty of independent states? The question must sadly be asked because it appears that the leader of his party does not.
Regardless of one’s justified contempt for the criminally despotic Nicolàs Maduro and the despicable human rights record of his regime, the actions of the U.S. in Venezuela are an unambiguous violation of international law. Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter affirms the fundamental principle that states must respect one another’s sovereignty. That principle applies to Venezuela no less than it does to Ukraine. It is for Venezuelans alone to determine the fate of Venezuela. As the New York Times editorial board put it succinctly, “Mr. Trump has not even a fig leaf of legal authority for his attacks on Venezuela.”
It is impossible to avoid the conclusion that this intervention was driven primarily by Venezuela’s petroleum resources. President Trump himself has referred to it as “our oil,” expressly stating at his press conference in Florida that “U.S. oil companies will take control of Venezuela’s state oil operation.” Few observers seriously believe these events would have unfolded in the absence of Venezuela’s vast oil reserves. This is not diplomacy; it is coercion. It is mobster behaviour on an international scale. It represents an unapologetic and unbridled embrace of the principle that might makes right.
The implications extend far beyond Venezuela. When a powerful state contemptuously disregards sovereignty in pursuit of resources and political submission, the message is blatant and unmistakable. The signal to Ukraine is clear. The signal to Taiwan is clear. The signal to Denmark, Panama and Canada is clear.
Meanwhile, here in our tariff-battered country, it is deeply troubling to witness Pierre Poilievre unabashedly applaud a U.S. president who represents the greatest external threat to Canadian livelihoods, autonomy, and economic stability in decades.
Trump’s greed and hostility towards America’s neighbours are obvious and concrete, but Poilievre predictably races to praise his shredding of international law. At least the federal Conservative leader has done Canadians the courtesy of once again displaying his feckless admiration for the convicted felon ruling in Washington.
Poilievre might do better to reflect on Trump’s recently issued National Security Strategy, which claims the right of the U.S. to dominate the Americas and reads in part: “After years of neglect, the United States will reassert and enforce the Monroe Doctrine to restore American pre-eminence in the western hemisphere.”
It would be helpful if Chong communicated where he stands. His constituents deserve a clear answer – and an honest reckoning with the consequences.
Jonathan Schmidt,
Elora
‘Selfish win/win’
Dear Editor:
RE: Municipality hopes natural gas heating can come to Puslinch, Nov. 27.
Recently, the Advertiser reported on details given by Julie Alexander of Enbridge Gas to the council and residents of Puslinch. Alexander stated that there was no natural gas in Puslinch. No one disagreed.
Having lived in Morriston for several years, we used natural gas to heat our homes going back to 2000.
The illusion that Puslinch is too rugged for natural gas pipelines is ludicrous. Natural gas pipelines obviously exist in our township. As a matter of fact, natural gas pipelines travel within the southern, northern and western limits of our township .
Mrs. Alexander alluded to the fact that dozens of municipalities had natural gas lines installed in 2021. Ironically, Enbridge Gas is now looking for new customers. With housing starts at their lowest levels in years, Enbridge is endeavouring to maintain new sources of income. So, with business “slow” they have decided to approach Puslinch .
It’s a selfish win/win situation for Enbridge. We pay a monthly fee to cover installation costs, they maintain their staff and subcontractors during tough economic times.
Jim McClure,
Crieff
‘Room for everyone’
Dear Editor:
Re: ‘Should be ashamed,’ Jan. 1.
The writer is disappointed, suggesting that the facility housing sports should suspend activities to accommodate a Christmas Market.
I can shop at Christmas markets and for Christmas items in many locations throughout Wellington County. I cannot, however, play my chosen sport anywhere in Wellington County. That would be the issue.
The facility was built for sports, not for shopping. It’s not a reason to shame anyone. There is room in this township for everyone.
Barbara Gooch,
Elora
‘Unfair to victims’
Dear Editor:
RE: Safety tips for cyclists, Dec. 18.
The tragic deaths of two individuals riding bikes in Wellington County reminds us that we need to redouble our efforts to create safe streets for all road users.
The hard copy of the Advertiser included a “safety tips” article aimed at bicyclists that followed the report of the deaths. I don’t doubt that the article was well-intentioned, but it simply plays to long-standing prejudices about fault.
We don’t know the circumstances of the crashes that cut short these two lives. Indeed, the facts usually don’t come to light until after a full investigation, sometimes requiring litigation.
Therefore the placement of an article about bike lights and reflective clothing served no purpose, except to suggest a cause based on speculation. This is unfair to the victims and their grieving families, and does little to advance the cause of road safety.
Albert Koehl,
Toronto
*Editor’s note: Providing safety tips for cyclists does not suggest a cause of the crashes, nor does it imply who was at fault.
Carney over Poilievre
Dear Editor:
I take exception to the cartoon in the Dec. 11 edition of the Advertiser. It seems to imply that Prime Minister Mark Carney is lying to us about the homeless problem.
I’m pretty sure he doesn’t have a magic wand that can suddenly make thousands of new affordable homes appear. These things take time. Cutting back on provincial and municipal bureaucracy would also help get more new homes built quickly. Carney has very limited power over these lower levels of government.
The whole financial world is in a state of chaos right now thanks to U.S. President Donald Trump. The U.S. is no longer a reliable trading partner for Canada or the rest of the world. There is no way to meaningfully negotiate with a man who is as erratic and unpredictable as Trump. Instead, Carney has been travelling the world trying to find new markets for Canadian goods and services. These efforts will reduce our dependence on the U.S. as a trading partner.
Recently, Microsoft announced it will be investing $7.5 billion dollars in Canada for an AI Data Centre. Swedish company Saab is talking of building their JAS 39 Gripen in Canada. That would create 10,000 new Canadian jobs. The list goes on.
Thanks to Carney’s efforts, companies around the world now know that Canada is a more reliable trading partner than the U.S. Numerous other countries are cutting back on their dealings with the U.S. and looking for new markets for their goods and services. There are tremendous opportunities for Canada right now to increase bilateral trade. Again, these things take time. There are no magic wands. None of this will happen overnight. Be patient!
Finally, I’d like to point out that Carney is a well educated and experienced man. He has been the Governor of the Bank of England and the Bank of Canada. He has worked at high-level jobs in the business world all his life. He has contacts all over the world and is well known and respected. He holds a PhD in economics.
Compare that to Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in international relations. He’s had a couple of low-level jobs in his youth, but has been a politician for most of his working life. He has almost no business experience and, in my opinion, is not even remotely qualified to deal with Canada’s current situation.
He is always quick to criticize, but offers nothing more than three-word slogans when it comes to solving our trade, housing and other problems. I’ll take Carney every day.
Peter Douglas,
Erin
*Editor’s note: The Dec. 11 cartoon references a Carney housing announcement in Ottawa, after which the housing units unveiled were removed from the site. Carney’s office explained one of the homes went to a family in Nunavut while townhouses went to a project in east Ottawa.
Poppy success
Dear Editor:
On behalf of the executive and members of Branch 275 of the Royal Canadian Legion in Fergus, I extend sincere thanks to all the corporate donors, retail businesses hosting counter boxes and the generous public for the outstanding results from our recent Poppy Campaign. This year’s campaign generated a total of $53,815.
Monies generated from the campaign are held in trust and can only be used to support the needs of veterans and their families, according to strict policies set by Legion Command. In addition, programs to support youth education regarding Remembrance are also supported such as the literary and poster competitions in our local schools.
This past year started with a bank balance of $53,801. Over the year, a total of $49,405 was spent, with $8,163 used for campaign expenses and the remainder of $41,242 donated to support veterans needs. These donations included support of veteran hospitals, veteran rehabilitation, service dogs for veterans suffering from PTSD, youth literary and poster program, and student bursaries. The closing bank balance this year is $58,211.88
It takes a great community to achieve these results and support the needs of those who have served us so well and continue to serve.
Lest We Forget.
Randy Graham,
President and poppy chair,
Fergus Legion
‘Miracle of Christmas’
Dear Editor:
If you ever think that kindness has left humanity, you should have been standing at the end of our driveway on Dec. 27.
At 86 years of age, I still shovel our driveway, and am capable of doing so. But when the town snowplow comes around the corner, our driveway is left totally blocked with snow, that is sometimes waist high. This morning, however, it was not snow but chunks of ice that blocked the driveway. The only way for me to drive to my appointment was to lift the chunks of ice out of the way, which really was an impossible task for me.
At the height of my anxiety, a Select snow removal truck saw me and pulled over. The driver was a young man named Aiden. Obviously he could see the dilemma of an old man. I asked him if he could move the ice from the end of the driveway, and I would pay him anything. He said, “I will do better than that, I will shovel your whole driveway for you.”
When he finished, I asked how much it would cost. He simply said “Happy New Year” and, with a broad smile on his face, drove to his next job.
Yes, the act of kindness is alive and well in Fergus, and next year, when I will have my driveway plowed after every snowfall, which company do you think I will get?
And Aiden may the kindness you showed an old man today, be rewarded many times over in your life. You are my miracle of Christmas, and I will never forget you.
Mike Schertzer,
Fergus
‘Another great year’
Dear Editor:
We would love to thank all the people that came by to see our lights on the 3rd Line and make some donations to the food bank and humane society.
We understand that times are tough; we know the humane society and the Centre Wellington Food Bank are so very thankful. We were able to raise $100 and three bags of food for the humane society, and just over $1,800 and 10 boxes of food for the food bank.
We would also like to thank the roads department for keeping the road so clean for us and our viewers.
Thank you for another great year. We look forward to next year.
The Hendersons and the Tosos,
3rd Line Lights, Centre Wellington