Remember them
Dear Editor:
This May, we remember the Canadians who sacrificed life and limb to help liberate the Netherlands 75 years ago.
I had the privilege of growing up in The War Amps Child Amputee (CHAMP) Program which was started by war amputee veterans. Through Operation Legacy, amputees like me pay tribute to the veterans who founded the Association and all those who have served our country.
One person I had the privilege to know and will be thinking of during this commemoration is the late Cliff Chadderton (1919-2013), former CEO of The War Amps and Chairman of the National Council of Veteran Associations.
Mr. Chadderton lost part of his right leg while in command of a company of The Royal Winnipeg Rifles battling for the Scheldt Estuary in Belgium and Holland.
His story is told on The War Amps website. During the month of May, please take a moment to remember all of the Canadians, like Mr. Chadderton, who helped bring peace and freedom to the people of the Netherlands.
Jamie Lunn,
Ottawa
‘One-man rule’
Dear Editor:
RE: Petty politics, April 30.
It is interesting to note that in replacing council with “one-man rule” (the CAO), Centre Wellington council did not impose a time limit or way of returning power to council.
Chris Woode,
Fergus
Critical to work together
Dear Editor:
RE: Big brother nanny state, April 30.
For you to say “no science has ever proven that people congregating in a church are any more susceptible to COVID-19” is simply a false perspective.
In fact, the very reason that the government has chosen to close gathering places such as schools and churches is a result of the substantiated science of epidemiology, and globally accredited clinical studies and trials, that clearly show how a virus such as this transmits rapidly in densely populated groups of individuals sharing the holy trinity of transmission – physical contact, common surfaces and oxygen.
You also make note that “churches have congregated for the last 2,000 years without incident.” Should you decide to research the Spanish Flu of 1918, just 102 years ago, you’ll find that during that pandemic, which killed 50 million people worldwide and lasted nearly three years, many governments finally decided to close churches, due to many congregations becoming ill and subsequently continuing to spread the flu virus.
This historical example coupled with our experiences today leads me to believe that if it was actually feasible to enforce strict health and safety measures within every church and school, it would have been done already. Full closures seem to be the safest, quickest and most effective method.
Today in the U.S., many religious institutions have violated social distancing ordinances, remaining open to regular service, and subsequently drawing hundreds of parishioners weekly. In Mount Vernon Washington, a church choir ignored the social distancing ordinances and chose to gather for regular practice, resulting in a single choral singer infecting over 60 individuals, killing several. Many are still hospitalized in critical condition and may not survive.
Please take a quick look at Sweden, and how well they’re fairing after failing to enforce social distancing measures, and allowing community gathering spots to remain open.
I agree that it is very sad that individuals are being fined for simply playing ball in an empty park, and I fully believe that our freedoms as Canadians should be upheld and firmly respected. I feel the loss of community keenly, as I’m sure you do as well.
During this crisis, I think it is crucial that we work together to support the protective measures in place, quickly and without such reservation, in the hope that we can eventually return to the normalcy – and freedom – of every day life, sooner rather than never.
Dominique Fitzpatrick,
Fergus
Love your neighbours
Dear Editor:
RE: Big brother nanny state, April 30.
I will stand with Janice Kaikkonen (at a respectful, safe distance of 2m) to protect your inalienable right to practice your chosen form of theological belief.
I will not, however, stand silent to the spread of misinformation around the current COVID-19 crisis.
You aver the “historical track record of churches” as a model for hygiene and health standards, yet offer no reliably supported evidence for this assertion. Instead, you suggest that caring for the indigent and the suffering correlates with this “track record”.
The architecture of most churches rarely allows for responsible social distancing. That said, it is possible to entrust the responsibility of church-goers to respect physical distancing but the question remains; is it probable? There are secular members of our society (who are also protected by the Charter) who would be unwittingly exposed to said church-goers. This is why your gatherings are currently suspended, along with concerts, restaurants, libraries, schools, et al.
The issue is not that our rights and freedoms are diminished or perverted; we are, as a united society, responsible for each and every sentient being on this planet. As a good Christian, you would certainly agree with this (Philippians 2:4) and undoubtedly recognize that no building is required for worship (Matthew 18:20).
It may also behoove you to research the Spanish Flu pandemic and how communities that ignored the “extraordinary powers restricting citizens’ movements and behaviours” experienced devastating losses of life and infection relapses. These are documented, scientifically supported data.
COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus; it is highly virulent and insidious with one immediately available and critical solution to its spread: social/physical distancing. Science has proven that people congregating anywhere contributes to the susceptibility to and spread of COVID-19. Full Stop.
I am not a Christian but I do believe in the message that your philosophy has also adopted; “You shall love your neighbour as yourself”. If you do not wish COVID-19 on yourself, do nothing to risk it for your neighbour.
Tobey Deys,
Orton
‘Grin and bear it’
Dear Editor:
RE: Big brother nanny state, April 30.
I make no comment on the church argument Ms Kaikkonen has with Mr Fitzpatrick because I believe it to be a complete red herring; gatherings of any sort constitute a serious danger right now. But for her to use religion and more and longer words for her argument on personal freedoms does not make it any more valid.
We are at war – not with a seen and killable enemy, but at war nevertheless, and in such circumstances we must apply draconian measures in an attempt to win it. Personal freedoms simply must take a back seat to the common good or we leave the door wide open for the enemy to creep in and destroy.
To be moaning about having “any semblance of normalcy” being taken away is an oxymoron – we are not in any semblance of normalcy! And if we leave everything as it was before we will not shortly, or maybe ever, have normalcy again.
I would hope we can gain a significant support for the notion that a period of restriction and inconvenience, however long and unpalatable, is a healthy alternative to the potential of an unpleasant illness at best – and death at worst.
Can we not just “grin and bear it” for a little while?
Jim Taylor,
Belwood
Phoney phone call
Dear Editor:
RE: Big brother nanny state, April 30.
As soon as I finished reading Janice Kaikkonen’s letter, I phoned the Chief Persecuting Officer, Christian Division, to lodge a complaint.
Surely, I said, in a time of pandemic with a deadly virus threatening every single citizen in Ontario, it is only common sense – not to mention logic and common decency – to shut down congregations of all kinds. But that just won’t do for some malcontents with severe persecution complexes.
So, I suggested, we might borrow a few lions from African Lion Safari and make use of SkyDome, which is sitting idle for the moment. Can you imagine how green with envy those pagan Romans would be at the retractable roof and air conditioning? (And to maintain social distancing we could fill only every third seat, but even then that would be quite the spectacle.)
When the Chief Persecuting Officer, Christian Division, reminded me that his government was only trying to protect the public’s health by outlawing gatherings of all sorts, I fired back with a reminder of what those same pagan Romans did on the Via Appia (6,000 at one time, I believe, even if a bit BC). But the Chief thought that might be too distracting to the commuters whizzing by on the QEW or 401.
You mean then that the Christians will have to be satisfied with the knowledge that they are just like every other individual and group in a time of crisis, I asked. What about the Elect? The Chosen? The Blessed?
The Chief Persecuting Officer, Christian Division, ended our conversation by saying that he was very sorry but, for the moment, the welfare of all Ontarians (even all Canadians) trumped martyrdom of all sorts. I groaned at the pun and hung up.
Richard Giles,
Alma
Salute to staff
Dear Editor:
I wanted to take a moment to say thank you to our wonderful management staff at Heritage River Retirement Home in Elora, who are always one step ahead of things during these tough times.
Keeping the residents safe and well but also seeing that staff are taken care of to. Currently during this pandemic the management have gone above and beyond by supplying a meal to the staff and their families at the end of the long work week. The food is incredible and so appreciated.
This is truly a genuine act of kindness on their part and I wanted to say a huge thank you from all the staff here. Thank you so very much.
Amy Walser,
Elora
Put a helmet on
Dear Editor:
With spring here and the nice weather, there are parents out riding with their kids.
I’ve noticed that the kids are wearing helmets to protect their heads which is awesome, but the parents should wear helmets as well, their heads are just as important.
All it takes is for a parent to run over a medium size stone and lose their balance and hit their head. So please start practicing what you preach and wear a helmet.
Greg Herriott,
Fergus
‘Semi-essential’?
Dear Editor:
Premier Doug Ford has declared hospital workers (generically speaking) as “essential” workers.
Maybe the premier could explain where we would be without the truckers who deliver the supplies, the boys who pump gas for them, companies making essential tractor parts, the workers in the grocery stores, the butchers, the pharmacists, the policemen and many more.
Does Premier Ford consider these people to be “semi-essential” and ineligible for the $4 government wage increase ?
Jim McClure,
Crieff
Drive safe
Dear Editor:
A letter to the aggressive driver on Sideroad 15 near Fergus.
Your speeding and erratic driving nearly sent me flying into a marshy ditch that could have resulted in my ultimate demise on Sideroad 15 in Fergus.
Our roads across Ontario are riddled with aggressive and inattentive drivers, like yourself. Did you know that every 30 minutes a person is injured by a distracted driver? While the hot button issue is cell phone usage while driving, distracted driving includes a myriad of other distractions including, but not limited to, eating while driving, drinking while driving, and even shaving while driving.
Any time you are not focusing on the road ahead of you, you are distracted. Many of us are distracted right now, because we are concerned about loved ones and our own health. On top of that, our routines have been turned upside down, so, leaving our homes later than we normally would, may cause us to speed to make it to work on time.
We are all in this together, and we all need to be responsible drivers. More and more, with the extension of social isolation, most people are increasing the amount of time they spend outdoors, including running, biking and walking on the roads you drive on; increasing the amount of vulnerable road users on our roads.
Again, we all need to be more aware of our surroundings, so that we all can be partners in prevention and keep our communities safe!
Christine Veit,
Safe Communities
Wellington County, Fergus
‘Gracious patience’
Dear Editor:
I have a humourous story to tell. My wife and I were on a morning walk. We were on the sidewalk and coming towards us, on the same sidewalk, was a woman walking her dog. Both my wife and I, and the woman and her dog, did the gracious thing and stepped into the street to make sure there was social distance between us as we passed each other. It was almost a variation on the “you go first”, “no, you go first” comedy sketch.
It got me thinking of the times, in recent weeks, that I have noticed people being gracious. Allowing others to go first. Waiting for someone to move before getting what they want. Holding the door open for the other so they do not need to touch the door handle. Telling someone they can take their time; they don’t need to feel hurried. And on and on it goes.
I hope that as restrictions are loosened, we will remain people who show honour to others. May we continue to live with gracious patience and gentleness in our interactions with others. Even if sometimes it looks like a comedy sketch.
Peter Bush,
Fergus
Walking’s a blessing
Dear Editor:
Forty years ago I attended a country school, where an OPP officer visited once a year. An exciting highlight! He taught us safety, road rules, and on rare occasions he brought his German shepherd dog.
We were taught to walk on the left side of the road facing oncoming traffic. Is this no longer taught today? Maybe its not important, but is it less confusing if consistency is practised, especially during this time of physical distancing.
So let’s count our blessing if we are able to walk, and that we are yet allowed to walk in the great outdoors. Enjoy the exercise.
Keep up the good work to produce this worthwhile paper!
D. Martin,
Arthur