Letters & Op-Ed, February 23 2022

I have never been so disappointed as I am right now, in Ottawa's mayor, the people of Ottawa, who are complaining about noise, a few radicals, not so much for the others who have been pushed to the limit and can't express themselves in a proper manner.

I thank the police for not turning out like bullies which only would flame the fire as our own Prime Minister has already managed to do right from the start.

People will never be satisfied with protesters unless it is for their cause or realize the bigger the crowd the more chance of radicals slipping in.

As far as the Terry Fox issue, it isn't the first flag we've seen upside down and it won't be the last. The media repeats the negative issues over and over again in the most negative way as possible.

I have a different spin on these negative issues. Yes, some have been ill-mannered, there is no doubt. However, our flag turned upside down could just happen be a warning to all of us that if we don't start listening to the people and protecting their livelihood, our country could very easily be falling.

My Canadian flag got caught into my tree and frayed. My son wanted to put up a new one. I said no, every time I look at that flag it reminds me of how frayed this country has become.

As for the sign in Terry's arm, he was being included in the fight, as he included us in his fight.

As far as noise, it seems we can't be heard any other way. The same people complaining about the noise probably did their share, in their day, for maybe all the wrong reasons. Came home late, disturbed the members of their families and could care less.

This convoy has no intentions of anything else but a peaceful protest. I have been at federal and provincial protests in my day. They were all peaceful but I always worried some radical, against us or representing their own agenda, would cause trouble.

As for the mandate, the forcing of jabs for children and others, their choice have been taken away with threats of their jobs, their sports to keep them healthy, and on it goes.

The truckers have brought to the forefront many issues. If you have a just and honest paying job, sick leave, health benefits, vacation, etc., which everyone should have, you forget about the fact that everyone doesn't.

It seems to be okay for the princesses and princes to complain about the protest when their nearly perfect life is a little disturbed but we don't all have their luxury. Truckers play in traffic, day in and day out, risking their lives and others. They don’t see their families for days.

They have to sleep on the side of the road that is unlit and dangerous. They don't have any decent places to go to the washroom and have to use pop bottles to relieve themselves. Truck stop restaurants were built for the truckers and are not accessible when needed.

I know I could go on forever but as one speaker on the TV said, the only thing the vaccine does in some cases is keep you out of the ICU. So, lighten up Ottawa, you have a lot of visitors in your city, our city. You knew they were coming, you should have been prepared for them. You should have had port-a-potties, dumpsters for garbage, like you provide for Canada Day. They are our family, not the enemy as some try to portray them.

You should know all these people have helped build this country and to keep food on the table. Give them a break. Let your life be a little uneasy.

None of us wants to end up destroying this country. Those flags remind us of horrifying times that could come back to haunt us.

There is nothing worse than trying to plead with a government in good and peaceful faith when we are talked down to, and accused of being women-haters, taking up space, and ignored. That is what has brought this convoy in the first place.

And by the way I have my two shots but hesitant to get the booster because of allergies that nearly took me down this year.

Patricia Costey-Henry Pembroke

With despair, but not a lot of surprise, I read that many of my neighbours out here in west Niagara donated money to the anarchists in Ottawa trying to hold the rest of us hostage to their delusions.

Might I suggest that they now donate an equivalent amount to a homeless shelter or a food bank in the region.

David Fowler Wainfleet

The so-called “Freedom Convoy” and its sympathizers have advocated the removal of all Covid mandates. Interestingly, in Florida there have been few mandates. Partly as a consequence of this, there have been, per capita, about four Covid deaths for every one Covid death in Ontario, not including deaths of non-residents. There would have been even more deaths had it not been for many sensible Floridians self-imposing vaccination, masking, and other Covid protection measures. This suggests to me that the federal and Ontario governments have worked reasonably well together at imposing restrictions and other measures to keep us Ontarians safe.

Notwithstanding this successful cooperation, there has been a lot of unsupportive reaction to the federal government’s invocation of the 1988 Emergency Measures Act. This in spite of the fact that we know that the Act cannot be used where the emergency to be addressed is principally in one province, unless the provincial government of the affected province indicates that the emergency is beyond its capacity to deal with.

In this case the Ontario government, even after having declared a state of emergency, had been unable to successfully address the convoy blockades in Ottawa and Windsor, with pop-up blockades feared in other border communities. Kudos to the Ford government, after exhausting its own capacities, for asking for help from the federal government. Kudos to the Trudeau government for finding a way to employ existing legislation that could deliver some of the help required. This is a great example of how cooperative federalism is supposed to work.

As I write this it’s Friday night, and police action to end the blockade is well underway. It is now more clear than ever that the Ottawa blockade was not merely a few truckers protesting peacefully. The convoy had demanded an end to all government measures intended to help control Covid, including vaccination and masks. To effect all of this they proposed to overthrow and replace the federal and Ontario governments—essentially a coup d’état.

The protesters were from across Canada, suggesting that federal action was needed to address financing, vehicle and driver registration and licencing, and vehicle insurance issues in all provinces. Their prolonged blockade was funded in part by anarchists from both Canada and the US, using national and international financial mechanisms illegally, and this had to be stopped permanently.

Their tactics involved embedding children in their ranks, somewhat in the style of cowardly ISIS terrorists, to shield themselves from policing action. They had intimidated and threatened and terrified many of the folks in Ottawa, and large numbers of the businesses there had to shut down for some three weeks. In the protests in border communities they had thrown many folks, such as those who work in auto plants, out of work.

Additionally, at the time the Act was invoked I’m sure that governments had access to intelligence suggesting the strong possibility that some of the truckers could be armed, which was later confirmed. We were not dealing with just an inappropriately named “Freedom Convoy.” We were dealing with a well-financed group of extortionists posing as freedom-fighters while using their trucks as weapons to curtail the rights and freedoms of countless other Ontarians—and the collateral damage was serious. Our leaders needed to take action and in my view it was appropriate for the federal government to make use of a select few, particularly appropriate, features of the Emergency Measures Act to help it cooperate with the governments of Ontario and other provinces to get the job done.

I disagree with civil rights advocates who suggest that, because other protests have morphed into civil unrest that there was really no need to use the powerful and potentially freedom-limiting tools of the Emergency Measures Act. They don’t want invoking this Act to become normalized and we all agree with this goal. However, perhaps what we need are other tools to help our authorities ensure that peaceful demonstrations do not, as a norm, morph into unlawful protests, which happens far too often and is unacceptable.

Tom Crawford Fonthill

There is an unfamiliar feeling nudging my sense of wellbeing. It is emboldened by hearing regular media reports about dissatisfied and angry people. This feeling of negativity is bolstered by the insistence of our politicians berating each other.

Anti-Semitic signs, anti-Muslim signs, Confederate flags, right-to-life and others are indications of the various issues consuming people. Xenophobia, racism, and disinformation contribute to the rising nationalism.

Covid has served as an excuse for some politicians and taxpayers to divide our country economically, politically, and socially. Covid will not be the last crisis Canadians face. Climate change offers a collective purpose. Time we elected leaders who have skills and vision to unify Canadians to participate in the globally connected and changing world.

L. Morgan Fonthill

I want to make sure any reader of this note is aware of the following: I have no political affiliation and prefer to be an independent. Zero religious affiliation exclusive of belief in the Golden Rule, Christ's teachings of tolerance, love, and deep concern for the poor, downtrodden, sharing and concern for the plight of those experiencing prejudice, illness, etc.

For full transparency, I have voted for Harper, Mulroney, and Trudeau in the past but definitely not for Trudeau in the recent past due to scandals and his confrontational comments re “fringe minorities,” etc. I give Trudeau and provincial premiers a favorable comment on the basic handling of Covid. One only has to look at Canada's results versus the rest of the world. Should also state that to take my vote to the Conservatives today is most uncomfortable. When will they provide a platform that most Canadians can believe in, as opposed to those in the party who believe in support of extremist and mean platforms?

Historically Canadians have proven time and time again they do not feel comfortable with extreme partisan thought processes that are not representative of the Canadian majority. Most important I believe in the democratic process and any change of government should happen due to our responsibility to vote. Change should not be due to persons calling themselves demonstrators/protesters when in truth they are occupiers and blockaders who are costing Canadians millions of dollars.

I have an uncle in a WWII cemetery in France, a father, and four other uncles who also participated overseas in WW II, so I’m very familiar with freedom. It can be stated with confidence that not one of these gentlemen would be in agreement with the approach of the “Freedom Convoy.”

A question that begs an answer is: Who will demonstrate for the majority of Canadians, especially the first responders who have lived with same mandates for the good of the bigger cause. Do they not have same rights or are they simply too busy doing what is right?

Only in Canada would an occupation/blockade that caused extreme economic damage and uncalled-for duress to many citizens be tolerated for up to three weeks. We need to commend all police forces for their incredible job in their efforts to restore order to all citizens who deserve and want order.

I am truly confused by persons implying they are using “God's guidance.” Where in the Bible did God suggest going to Ottawa and participating with known white supremacists, who they have not publicly denounced. I have difficulty believing that is the guidance of Christianity. To those who state they will not be vaccinated due to some interpretation of the Bible, may the question be asked: Do you really believe God wants a world without penicillin, without insulin, without smallpox vaccine, without measles vaccine? Would God say do not take that polio shot, it is better we have a lot of crippled young people? I want to believe that a person like God is so wise he has provided us all with intelligent, caring doctors and scientists who have worked diligently to make the world a better place.

It is a sad commentary when millions of dollars can be raised by a group of persons—some well intentioned, others white supremacists, etc.— to fund completely disruptive and unlawful actions. If the so-called protesters are courageous Christian Canadian citizens, then please step forward and condemn all persons who do not represent Canadian values, every racist, every person who presented children at the front of the demonstration, every person who chose to blockade and occupy international bridges, streets of Ottawa, to say nothing of the persons arrested in Alberta with deadly weapons.

Perhaps the same group will step forward and say although Canada can still improve, we remain a nation many people would love to live in. Because we are so privileged, we will donate a portion of money raised to more just causes—education, a children's hospital, an indigenous cause, funds to combat addiction issues, cancer research, a scholarship for children of persons in the transportation industry.

I seriously doubt (would love to be proven wrong) anyone from the “Freedom Convoy” will step forward and ask the TV networks and papers for time to make an announcement similar to above.

Let us all hope that future demonstrations are reasonable, no more false “memorandums of action,” and aim to work towards reasonable compromise.

Jim Urquhart Burlington (PDHS grad)

As all numbers Covid continue their downward trend all governments are feeding the optimism that is building with predictions of even more protocols being relaxed in the not-too-distant future. Of course the big one for a lot of people is the elimination of vaccine passports on March 1 in Ontario. These passports have divided this country the likes of which I personally have never seen, and as a fully vaccinated person I am happy to see them go, and this country can start to come together again. With their elimination it means that municipalities will no longer need staff to check vaccination status of all who enter their facilities.

Ontario’s top doc, Dr. Kieran Moore has hinted strongly that indoor mask restrictions could be lifted by mid-March. The doctor has also stated that vaccination policies in colleges and universities, as well as within the provincial healthcare system, are no longer necessary and that their removal should align with when the mandate lifts at the provincial level.

At our Regional Council meeting on February 17, councillors quite forcefully questioned Dr. Hirji over the ongoing need for Section 22 of Niagara’s Public Health Act, which he instituted over a year ago. I believe the majority of councillors would like to see this dropped as would the vast majority of Niagara’s residents.

The doctor was also made aware of the large number of emails that we as councillors have been receiving from parents who are not happy that their children in junior and senior kindergartens must wear masks while in school, a protocol that isn’t required in other parts of the province. Dr. Hirji told council that he was merely advising the school boards to take these precautions. Councillors— who have no power to instruct the doctor—made it clear that when the province opens up on March 1 Niagara’s residents are expecting this region to follow suit. We can only hope that he follows our advice.

Over the last year, the Town of Pelham has lost a number of employees to greener pastures. As a small municipality we cannot match the higher wages offered by nearby larger centres. Therefore when our employees leave us for these higher wages all we can do is wish them well and seek their replacements. During the last few months we have filled most of these vacancies.

I would like to introduce by name and job description some of the newest additions to Team Pelham. Sherene Henry, financial analyst; Haneen Al Jbawi, engineering technologist; Gimuel Ledesma, engineering technologist; and Sarah Smith, customer service representative. On behalf of council and the residents of the town I extend a warm welcome to our newest team members.

A much brighter sun hinting of warm weather to come is a pleasing change from cloudy winter skies. Let’s get out and take part in some outdoor activities. Enjoy! ◆