Call, write or email your MP and demand she bring forth your objections
To the Expositor:
Sometimes when we see the suggestion of new government legislation come out you have to take some time to think it over and form your own opinion on whether or not you think it would be a good thing and then there are times when some government proposals just hit you as completely ridiculous and detrimental to this country and its citizens!
I certainly had one of those moments when I read (in both local Island papers) in horror reports of Canada Post’s most recent proposals for reduction of services as outlined in public meetings in Gore Bay and Tehkummah last week. How can anyone with any common sense whatsoever think that sending a letter from Mindemoya via Toronto to Gore Bay is either cost saving or efficient?
The post office, to my way of thinking, is not only a great historical element in this country but an absolute necessity, especially to rural folks. I personally cherish the memory as a kid of going to the post office in Big Lake (a combination post office and telephone exchange run by Rae Leeson) with my grandfather to pick up his seed order and to this day I still enjoy picking up parcels at the post office!
It is becoming very clear that the federal Tories are trying to close or reduce public services to gain extra capital to give the huge corporations further tax breaks and to fund big oil and gas in projects such as the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline, putting millions of hectares of pristine wilderness at risk!
Sometimes wrong is just wrong. Despite one’s personal beliefs, some situations, if allowed to continue, will most definitely cause undue hardships to the public in general. A perfect example of this is the Gore Bay dentist who has refused treatment to patients on the basis that they are pro windmill development on Manitoulin Island. Stepping back in time we should look at the background, as that is usually what causes situations such as this to arise.
We were all subjected to the propaganda put forward by both the pro and anti windmill sides leading up to the construction of the windmills on McLean’s Mountain. Personally, I am neither pro nor anti windmill—both sides of this long standing debate have valid points but do I think all the tourists will leave, all the deer will run away and all the bats will die because of them? Of course not. And do I believe they will solve our big problem with increased energy costs? No. And do I think that local people should be able to use the power generated by the windmills instead of sending it down to the Big Smoke? Absolutely, yes, but making it okay for anyone to refuse services because of their opinion? Absolutely not. Where would it stop? The fireman, the police officer, the ER doctor and nurse, the pharmacist? Common sense must prevail in these instances! And that is why the Royal College of Dental Surgeons must order Dr. Bill Studzienny to cease and desist with this discrimination!
As the public and as taxpaying citizens we must show our displeasure with issues such as these. Call, write or email our MP and demand that she bring forth our objections in the House. I for one hope I will be able to continue to pick up my parcels at a real post office and get my teeth fixed, despite my personal beliefs!
Thank you,
Greg Young
Wikwemikong
