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Letters: week of May 24

Agree or disagree, but respect another’s right to free speech Sir: Regarding the letter from C.M. Law (April 26), I find it amusing the writer attempted to intimidate The Journal for allowing another letter writer, C.B.
Letters to the editor

Agree or disagree, but respect another’s right to free speech

Sir: Regarding the letter from C.M. Law (April 26), I find it amusing the writer attempted to intimidate The Journal for allowing another letter writer, C.B. Eagles, the right to expression an opinion on abortion.

Yet, C.M. Law expected his or her right of expression should be exercised and printed.

This mindset definitely defines the double standard so prevalent in our culture today. The mindset is nothing new, just gaining a new foothold in our society.

I found this statement about newspapers in the days of Hitler interesting:

"Control of newspapers was put into the hands of Joseph Goebbels, the head of the Ministry of Popular Enlightenment and Propaganda. Goebbels set up a department within the ministry that dealt solely with newspapers. The newspapers had to spread the same message as everything else – Gleischaltung – the coordination of the whole of Nazi German society so that it acted and thought the same. Therefore people could only read the news as it was presented to them by the government."

- C. N. Trueman "Newspapers In Nazi Germany" historylearningsite.co.uk.

I would also like to congratulate the Sarnia Journal for winning a major provincial award from the Ontario Community Newspaper Association. You are obviously doing a great job.

Accordingly, I am pleased that you have allowed the right of expression of C.B. Eagles regarding her opinion on abortion. You don't have to agree or disagree with her, just respect her right to express her viewpoint.

Her opinion was meant to speak out and defend the most vulnerable of our society but, of course, it did speak out against a practice our government has established as legal.

If she has no right of expression against what our government says is legal, are we not regressing to the same conditions of fascist rule? Remember: just because it is legal does not make it right.

In defense of her position, my mother also faced this choice. Fortunately, for me and my family (18 of us now), we have had the opportunity to enjoy life as much as C.M. Law. Sincerely,

G.R. Domres

Sarnia


Council’s secret money tree?

Sir: Will the spending ever end by some members of this current city council?

Is there a money tree hidden somewhere they’re keeping from the voting public? I know my husband and I don’t have one.

At this rate of thoughtless, unnecessary spending, citizens of this city will need to consider living somewhere else because at some point they won’t be able to afford to stay in Sarnia.

Recently, Councillor Matt Mitro said he wanted to change the voting method at City Hall because it “hasn’t changed since Sarnia officially became a city in 1914.”

The estimated cost of implementing electronic voting at council meetings is $16,500.

Newsflash Matt: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”

I urge my fellow citizens to take note and remember come election time. Sincerely,

Claudette Gasbarini

Sarnia


Fairy tree story reaffirmed there’s gnome place like home

Sir: A friend of mine forwarded a copy of Tara Jeffrey’s article (May 10th edition) about the fairy house in the tree on Cathcart Boulevard.

My friend recalled this was the same tree I was involved in a car accident with many, many years ago. It would have been, I think, in 1989 or 1990.

I was 15 or 16 and on a date. The boy I was with was driving and we were involved in a single-vehicle accident.

Unfortunately, the poor tree suffered. But it clearly has done well throughout the years and is still standing strong. I am happy about that.

For years and years, when I would drive by that tree I would remember the accident and point out to everyone the mark it left.

I LOVE the gnome house the Lindsay’s have put in! It’s adorable, and I bet it puts a smile on a lot of people’s faces.

I know the next time I am in Sarnia I will make a trip over there and take a look at it, and will no doubt be beaming.

Please tell the Lindsay’s thank you for taking the time to brighten my day and many others.

Christine Jeffery

St. Thomas, Ont.


Apartment residents have had it obnoxious drivers

Sir: Regarding Terry Lindsay’s letter (Loud and obnoxious drivers) of May 17.

I fully agree with her, and we at Sandy Lane Apartments have started a petition for residents bothered by these obnoxious bullies.

Canatara Park and Sandy Lane and Alfred Street are being used as a drag strip by loud cars and motorcycles.

We are asking Sarnia and Point Edward to enforce the bylaws and stop this noise pollution.

To sign the petition, call 519-383-5112.

Bernie Lajoie

Sarnia


City’s attitude on bag pickup leaves something to be desired

Sir: We were surprised recently to have a visit from the City of Sarnia, which issued a warning regarding the bags of leaves we had placed on city property.

According to By-Law 62, our 27 bags of leaves, which were neatly stacked along Lakeshore Road five feet from the road, should have been moved four feet to be on our property. Considering the number of bags we have, the limited number of pick-up days, and the fact leaves are a natural product, we feel the city is being trite.

Our exorbitant tax dollars might be better used monitoring properties that have month's worth of newspapers, discarded coffee cups, garbage remnants and cigarette butts on the lawns.

Now that is unsightly! Is there no bylaw to address litter on private properties?

On Lakeshore Road, there were many households who also had their leaves stacked as we did; yet they were obviously not given a warning because their bags remained there for the week.

Is there no consistency in issuing notices?

Perhaps, rather than paying someone to go to households and deliver notices, the money would be better spent providing more frequent pickup, especially at certain times of the year.

Jean MacIntyre

Sarnia


Shorten The Parkway extension

Sir: Why is the city planning to extend the Rapids Parkway to Exmouth (in 2023?) when there is little apparent requirement for it?

Should the need ever arise, then the extension should pass under Highway 402 only as far as Quinn Drive.

Installing a new road intersection, with traffic lights, on Exmouth should be a last resort, because it would have a major negative impact on traffic flow.

The operation of the traffic lights, even when synched with those at Pontiac and Lambton Mall Road, would cause eastbound traffic on already busy Exmouth to regularly back up to the west.

This backup problem would be greatly exacerbated, in size and frequency, by vehicles trying to turn left across two lanes of traffic onto Pontiac Court, into Dr. Patodia’s clinic, into the Pineview apartments, and onto to Rapids Parkway itself.

Likewise, the difficulty for vehicles exiting these locations and turning left across two lanes into the east lanes would be increased unimaginably.

Extending The Rapids Parkway to Quinn Drive only could easily accommodate traffic flowing south from the Rapids subdivision. It would be light, since most traffic leaving the subdivision is likely to exit using Berger, onto Modeland, and Rapids, onto Michigan in the north.

Thus, there is absolutely no reason that I can see for extending The Rapids Parkway to Exmouth Street.

Extend it to Quinn Drive only, and in the unlikely event experience showed a connection to Exmouth was warranted, it could still be done later.

This proposal would be better, it would be cheaper, and it would shorten the planned incursion of Rapids Parkway onto the Howard Watson Nature Trail.

If council finds merit in this proposal it could modify the plan accordingly.

Saorgus Mc Ginley

Sarnia


Party leaders present a stark contrast

Sir: The provincial party leaders are in full swing in their efforts to convince people to vote for their party.

Kathleen Wynne is having difficulty getting candidates to run under the Liberal banner — wonder why?

Could it be that people are no longer fooled by all the ‘freebees’ she is promising in her attempt to buy votes with taxpayers’ money?  Or could it be that people are disgusted with what her party has done to this once most prosperous province?

Since it would be difficult for her to campaign on her ‘record’ she has chosen to attack her opponents instead.

The NDP’s Andrea Horwath is trying to outdo Wynne with even more promises of free everything.  NOTHING is free!

Already heavily burdened taxpayers are paying through the nose and can’t dig any deeper into their pockets. She says she’ll pay for her freebees by imposing heavier taxes on the ‘wealthy.’

Businesses are struggling to pay their taxes, hydro and other requirements imposed on them by the Liberals. They can relocate and be welcomed across the border where doing business is not as costly and a businessman (oops — person) has a chance to make a profit.

In my not so humble opinion, Horwath’s proposals are not doable, but she is travelling the province hoping to convince voters she is the best choice.  Apparently, she has the teachers’ union on side, promising them what they want. Promises, promises! An NDP government would be more of the same — maybe even moreso.

Doug Ford’s opponents compare him with President Trump. They say he’ll cut and take away the services voters enjoy. He insists health and education are priorities and that he can find ‘efficiencies’ that will substantially cut costs without cutting services.

Undoubtedly, there is a lot of unnecessary spending that can be cut. The provincial government cannot continue on the current freewheeling spending spree.

Ontario’s credit rating has already declined and the huge deficits cannot continue to grow indefinitely.

The opportunity to change things in Ontario will be on June 7th.

Bernice Rade

Forest


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