Letters to the Editor: Jan 25

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We are one

Monday, being the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, reminds us all how fragile civilization can be when leaders have ulterior motives, designed to separate humanity.

Today, class systems separate some, and immigrants and migrants continue to experience racism. Current trials in New York and Washington, tell of sexual abuse, and abuse of power.

When will our leaders realize that an attack on one group is an attack on the whole. We are one with each other. We all progress when our leaders acknowledge the contributions that every person brings to civilization. It’s a small planet that belongs to every world citizen.

Christine Morgan, London

Comparison unfair

Regarding the letter Too comfortable (Jan. 22) by Bryan Muzylowsky.

Comparing American to Canadian teacher wages and elementary or secondary students to university students regarding class size is unfair.

Due to exorbitant Canadian taxes, U.S. teachers take home more money. Professors mostly guide students, while students work mostly independently. Professors have a lot of time off with commonly higher wages.

It would be impossible for teachers to tighten their belts further as they spend their own money on many necessary class supplies. Teachers put in unpaid hours conducting parent interviews, evening concerts and extra curricular sports to enrich the student experience. Their summer is unpaid.

There is an obvious lack of awareness concerning the facts in this dispute. Please educate yourself before you pass judgment.

Cathy McCabe, St. Thomas

Apples and oranges

Re: Too comfortable.

To compare university students to elementary students is like comparing apples to oranges.

Teachers are educated professionals devoted to teaching our children and grandchildren. Teachers spend own time doing extracurricular activities and prep work.

Teachers, at times, are physically and verbally abused by students and parents. Teachers spend their own money on supplies for their classroom.

The dispute isn’t about the two per cent wage increase. It’s a shame the letter writer can’t see the bigger picture.

MaryAnne Campbell, London

Worth a laugh

Two arguments in Too comfortable made me laugh out loud.

The first one is an oldie: teachers should be thankful they don’t work in the States. Everybody should be thankful they don’t work in the States, whether they’re part of a union or not. Workers are treated dreadfully there right across the board.

Second, he compares class sizes in university to those in elementary and secondary schools. He’s comparing adults to children and seeing no difference. You don’t have to be a teacher to laugh out loud at that one.

We need to stop looking to the past and over our neighbour’s fence for reasons and excuses when it comes to the problems we are facing.

We need teachers; it’s that simple.

Children are our future and the people guiding them forward need our help. This is not something that needs to be politicized; it’s something that needs to be dealt with.

Kids see everything. Wait a few years and see how empty our teacher colleges will be. Then what?

This letter was not written by a teacher. It was written by a guy who makes glue in a factory and was taught how to read and write by teachers.

David Dufton, London

Invest in education

I don’t think people understand how fundamentally damaging it would be to downgrade Ontario’s education system.

No one wants bigger class sizes and fewer support staff. Mandatory online classes is a blatant move to eliminate teaching positions.

Social cuts are an inherently bad idea and Doug Ford’s self-serving politics and reallocation of funds to wealthy individuals is obvious. He is making cuts as if he has already spent the money.

Carolyn Reddy, Guelph

Strange view

Teachers seem to think:

The government has a bottomless pot of money to pay for their demands.

You need more teachers for fewer students.

If there is no modernization to keep up with technology, no teachers lose their jobs. Don’t bargain in good faith, just accuse the government of not doing so.

Hold students for ransom using work-to-rule and strikes. (Parents find you own day care).

Offer no solution, just ignore Ontario’s debt despite your enviable salary, benefits, pension, holidays, sick leave and free parking.

Isn’t it time education should be an essential service?

M. Thompson, London

Cyclists cheaper

In his letter Say no to cyclists (Jan. 22) John Day says the city should stop constructing bike lanes and instead, deal with homelessness.

Homelessness is a product of joblessness. Cities deal with homelessness by encouraging employers to locate in their localities.

Many cities worldwide have determined that not only are bicycles cheaper than cars, they make cities cheaper to run. Less land is required for parking and road surfaces last longer. In this part of the world, road construction is subsidized by all taxes not just gasoline taxes. Bike riders are therefore subsidizing car drivers. So, who is being pampered? And let’s not forget cyclists carry the same wallets and credit cards as drivers. Perhaps if we had more cyclists the city could better afford to help the homeless.

David Nielsen, London

Royal welcome

Allowing the royals, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, to come to Canada has its good points and some not so good.

The young family setting up a household definitely would be an asset, as are all good citizens. However, security should be their responsibility. The world has become a far greater security risk for everyone. In order to set guidelines, should others wish to follow, our government should make it clear that their security issues are their responsibilities.

Paul Leinweber, St. Marys

History repeats

I would like to know, before I jump onto the climate catastrophe bandwagon with the rest of you, if global warming is the cause of the Australian bushfires, what caused the last – considered the worst – drought in Australia in 1982 to 1983? It lasted a year and caused dust storms in northwestern Victoria and severe bushfires in the southeast and the death of 75 people.

The bandwagon riders seem to do no research on their own and just believe headlines and news bites and consider themselves educated on the matter even when the exact same things occur around this planet again and again throughout history.

The best predictor of the future is the past.

Tim Bush, London

No cause for alarm

Regarding the column Explore safer options (Jan. 18) Ian Fairlie and Erika Simpson use the recent false alert regarding the Pickering nuclear power station as an opportunity to engage in fear-mongering about nuclear power.

The article consists of many misleading statements and is not based on credible scenarios.

The false alert was the result of a provincial alert system test and was unrelated to any event at the Pickering station.

The Pickering station is a CANDU design with a long history of safe performance. It is regularly upgraded to ensure alignment with international codes and standards.

In 2019, the station achieved its best-ever year of safety and reliability, and was recently recognized for performance excellence by the World Association of Nuclear Operators.

Like all Canadian nuclear plants, the station benefits from strong oversight by an independent and highly regarded regulator, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

The safety culture and human performance of the Canadian nuclear industry is often emulated by other countries and industries.

John Gorman, Ottawa