‘Support the weakest’
Dear Editor:
RE: ‘Serious overreach,’ Sept. 21.
Allan Berry appears to believe that everyone who has died by euthanasia have done so because they knowingly wished it and requested it without coercion.
That is not the case. Many individuals are agreeing to MAID (medical assistance in dying) because of pressure from others, poverty, untreated pain or they cannot afford the treatment.
The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition in London, Ontario has become the experts on what is taking place in Canada and abroad. They can attest to MAID abuse that has happened and continues to happen to seniors, disabled people and the poor.
I personally am opposed to MAID for any reason. I believe we should support the weakest in society.
Had I known about this demonstration, I would have joined the “Hospice Yes, MAID No” protesters.
Pat Woode,
Fergus
Education issues
Dear Editor:
Could someone please help me understand the Ontario educational system of 2023? It seems there are new battlegrounds set out each and every day, with school children placed squarely in the middle.
What message are we giving our children and students of today when we see grown adults having to be separated by police over whether or not parents have a say in how schools address their children? This seemingly inconsequential issue has degenerated to the point where an entire community is divided on purely sexual orientation lines.
Could someone please explain the rationale of a Mississauga school library being purged of classic literature based solely on “it might offend someone” lines? Really? Is it worth purging two-thirds of a library, including books such as The Diary of Anne Frank, J.K. Rowling’s whimsical series, Harry Potter, the classic To Kill a Mockingbird and even Charlotte’s Web?
Whatever happened to the Ontario government’s own standard testing for Grades 3, 6, and 9? Does anyone know if the schools of today are meeting these basic standards set by the government itself? What effect did COVID-based home study have on these standards, or does anyone really know or show any sign of caring?
Whatever happened to respect and standards of dress, teachers included? Is there not a place anymore for, “a jacket and tie” for staff and clothing other than a close approximation to beachwear evident in many students’ attire today?
I’m sure, by the time this goes to print, we will know the results of the teachers’ strike vote, and probably soon after, their monetary demands. Just please don’t try to tell us, “We’re doing our job action for the students.”
What favour are we doing for students who do less than the minimum in a classroom, and still are placed in the next level because of being “age appropriate?” Reality will hit in early adulthood when, for example, they try doing a quarter of a brake repair or some of the required deliveries for the day.
Respect for the profession, maintaining standards for achievement, and avoiding promoting contemporary divisions within society seem to have gone out the proverbial window. I hope I’m wrong.
Ron Johnson,
Mount Forest
‘Attacking’ rights
Dear Editor:
Earlier this month, the Conservative Party passed two motions at their convention attacking the rights of the queer and trans community.
The first motion would prevent trans youth from accessing gender-affirming care, and the second would prevent trans women from accessing key public services. All these motions would accomplish, if passed into law, would be to make life less safe for queer and trans people.
Providing gender-affirming care to trans and gender-diverse youth is linked to better mental health outcomes and overall well-being. Gender-affirming care literally saves lives.
Everyone deserves to be protected and treated with respect and compassion.
Queer and trans people deserve to exist in spaces that correspond with their gender. Taking that option away does nothing but make life less safe for people already facing daily discrimination.
Jeannie Monaghan,
Guelph
‘Just too important’
Dear Editor:
At the Conservative Party convention earlier this month, Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson promised that her party would champion “parental rights”, giving more rights to families when it comes to curriculum and presentations by outside groups, particularly what is taught about gender and sexual orientation.
Yet when defending the party’s resolution to prohibit medicinal or surgical interventions for gender-diverse and transgender children, delegate Scott Anderson has been quoted as saying that “some things are simply too important to leave to parents and children”.
Did the 69% of delegates who voted in favour of banning gender affirming procedures for children and teens, really believe that they could make better decisions than these individuals and their parents? Or did this 69% simply want to take the decision away from anyone they couldn’t guarantee would make the same decision that they would?
The Conservative Party would have us believe that these policies are not based in transphobia. But the following statements, which have been quoted in various articles, don’t fit with that assertion.
Edmonton delegate Michelle Badalich reportedly said dysphoria is a “mental health disorder” and it should be addressed with treatment, not “irreversible procedures.” Another delegate was reported as comparing individuals with gender dysphoria to schizophrenics having delusions, saying she would not indulge their delusions and that they need mental health treatment.
These statements leave me wondering how long it will be before the Conservative Party decides that they need to control adults as well, by banning all gender-affirming procedures.
Leader Pierre Poilievre does not have to adopt the policies from the convention. His policy platform will likely aim at the sweet spot where he remains true enough to party members that they remain on side, appears moderate enough to moderate voters to not frighten them away and seems to be enough of a champion of the public’s concerns (ie. – housing) to be elected.
But once a leader and their party are elected, other agendas can reappear. And if the party receives a majority, an attitude of “you voted us in, you must have wanted this” can develop.
So listen carefully, because when voting we don’t get to vote for just the policies we agree with. And some decisions are just too important to leave to political parties.
Joanne Mitchell,
Fergus
‘Caring community’
Dear Editor:
We would like to thank Brian, in the blue vehicle, who helped out when our front tire blew on a drive back to Fergus on Sept. 21 on Highway 6.
We are in our 70s, fairly new to the area, and had trouble explaining to CAA our exact location; they said it would take an hour. Traffic was busy. However, Brian stopped and in no time helped swap the damaged tire with the spare.
When we got to Fergus my husband took the car into Canadian Tire, where the young mechanic and manager quickly fixed the damaged tire and put it back on the car – no fuss, no huge bill.
What a caring community we moved to!
Jeanette Clarke,
Fergus
Students with ‘babies’
Dear Editor:
It is that time again where the “raising healthy children” course (formerly called parenting) will be offered at Centre Wellington District High School (CWDHS) i Fergus this semester.
Students not only learn skills of how to be a good parent, but also how to ensure a healthy pregnancy and baby, how children develop and learn, understand discipline and behaviour management strategies, and have hands-on experience with young children through reading buddies at JD Hogarth and planning activities for young children in our classroom.
This course also offers the unique opportunity where students take home our “baby,” an infant simulator that is programmed to reflect a real life baby where the student has to feed, burp, change, and comfort the child when it cries.
Over the past 20 years of teaching this incredible course, at the end of the semester, my students always comment on their experience they have with the community and the baby, and sometimes the reactions from the community are not what they expected!
Please be kind, patient and open-minded to my students when you see them and their “baby” in the community. Remember these students are taking this course to learn how to be good parents in the future. The infant simulator and this course helps them realize the importance of waiting until they are older and allows them to prepare to be future parents!
Tiziana Ceccato,
Family studies teacher, CWDHS
Carrier lauded
Dear Editor:
This is a big thank you to Brian who delivers the Wellington Advertiser on Aberdeen Street and that area.
What a personable young man he is, so polite and always placing my paper under the mat to protect it. Brian is a diligent worker always with a smile. Thank you to Brian and his family. This weekly delivery is very important in our house!
E.M. Hamilton,
Fergus
Doesn’t make sense
Dear Editor:
RE: Sept. 10 marked World Suicide Prevention Day, Sept. 14.
It was good to see the article by Nicole Beswitherick in a recent edition of the Advertiser. She writes about the support services, telephone help lines and workshops available to be used by people who are experiencing a mental health crisis. There are also workshops for people to learn skills which could help them engage family members or friends in difficult conversations regarding suicidal thoughts.
There is help and there is hope and the article includes a quote to support this from Helen Fishburn, the CEO of the Canadian Mental Health Association of Waterloo Wellington. She states, “we want to continue to promote the awareness and to continue to promote the empathy and compassion for hope.”
Another article on the topic of suicide prevention was written by Anna Nienhuis for the The Association for Reformed Political Action (ARPA) Canada, a grassroots Christian political advocacy organization.
The author reminds us of the need to write to our MP to support Bill C-314. This bill seeks to amend the Criminal Code by removing the expansion of MAiD to those with living with mental illness.
As it stands now, after March 2024, a person with mental illness will be able ask his/her doctor to take his/her life if this person does not want to go on living. How does this make sense?
As Nijenhuis states, “We either believe in encouraging people with mental illness to find hope and a purpose – or we don’t. Suggesting to someone with suicidal ideation that their doctor can help them by killing them destroys the foundation of trust needed for proper psychiatric care.”
Diane Breukelman,
Elora
‘Do the right thing’
Dear Editor:
An open letter to all Progressive Conservative MPPs.
This season’s wild fires underline the need to protect what we have. The loss of 319 acres of farmland daily underlines the need to protect what we have and not pave it over.
I do hope you make it to your local ploughing match to learn how precious prime farmland is to food security in Ontario. We also need wetlands to hold water for flood prevention, habitat and safe drinking water. This all adds up to restoring the Greenbelt and growing it to include south Simcoe and the Grand River watershed.
Given the fiasco of the pay-to-play land developers choosing parts of the Greenbelt to develop also means that these lands must be returned to the Greenbelt. A flawed process at best, and more likely a criminal land deal, dictates that number 15 on Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk’s list of recommendations – to return lands to the Greenbelt – must be followed.
Doubling down with a questionable review and a threat to open the Greenbelt even more continues the dangerous attack against nature, the environment, the law and the people of Ontario now and into the future. What you do now or not do now determines your fate as well. I appeal to your better natures and common sense!
The right thing in the face of this scandal would be to reverse decisions that are corrupt and improper. Calling on developers to move quickly on building on these ill gotten lands runs counter to what ought to be done and displays the political gall to push this outrageous agenda.
Experts have made clear that the Greenbelt land is not needed to build housing!
The question becomes why is this government supporting billionaires and ignoring good governance, public opinion, the attorney general’s last recommendation, the investigation of the Integrity Commissioner that is ongoing and the potential RCMP investigation. Why double down in such fraught political territory?
Think about the results of a police investigation, a public inquiry, the tainted reputation of the Progressive Conservative Party, the falling numbers in the polls, the attention of the media on reports of stories like questionable trips to Vegas and lies told, and the negative opinions of your constituents.
You only have so much time to do the right thing and you know what that is!
Huge mistakes have been made and people must be held accountable with apologies made to Ontarians.
Donna McCaw,
Elora