Letters

On June 17, I had the great pleasure of attending the preview of 6 videos which will be used to promote Central Frontenac as a wonderful place to live. The “stars” of the videos are people who live here because of the lifestyle they are able to...

John Wallace ("Remember liberal mismanagement when you vote" 12/06/2014 Frontenac News) should have saved his breath. When you have an electorate who placed into office a chronic promise breaker for three consecutive terms, you have to understand...

From the point of view of green energy, the election of the provincial Liberals is a good thing as a Conservative victory would have meant the end of the green energy program. However, election of the Liberals does not automatically mean that we...

Again the MNR has blown it. Approximately 10 years ago I saw stocking of bass and pickerel that were 2” long, just a nice size to feed the existing pike, perch, walleye and loons. Restock walleye of a decent size and we may get our lakes back. We...

I read with some amusement Randy Hillier's characterization of himself as the “best advocate” of his constituents (Candidates Primer for 2014 Provincial Election in LFL&A) . In particular, he states: "When someone needs assistance and all they...

Community members gathered in Denbigh on April 28 for a town hall meeting. The meeting was publicized in the Frontenac News. It was publicly posted, with its agenda, at the post office, the community centre, and was available online. The members of...

Some remember the many Liberal blunders in the last ten years, but most remember the worst of the worst: the billion dollar gas plant cancellation. A billion dollars of wasted taxpayers’ money to get two members voted into the liberal government....

Ken Fisher urges your readers to vote Liberal to stop radical cuts to the public service (letters, May 29) . The problem is that in the long run this will simply result in even more draconian measures. In 1990 Ontario's debt stood at just over $38...

Our local MPP, Randy Hillier, complains about the Samsung Boondoggle when he criticizes the green energy policies of the Liberal government. He also says that farmers should not be getting revenue from solar panels at the expense of hydro ratepayers...

Hydro One is warning those living in South Frontenac they will be spraying Garlon “as part of its vegetation management program, on the condition that Hydro One reviews the program with township staff, advises adjacent property owners in advance...

It is a fact that our province is seriously in debt. The Liberal path to a balanced budget and job creation moves in the direction of wage stability, the Ontario Pension Plan and reducing energy costs. Now, in response to the NDP platform, 34...

Carol Pepper in her May 22/14 comment, "Defend Our Climate Gathering" mentions that this is all about defending our communities, rights, economy, health, sovereignty, etc. The truth is that this movement started out identified as "global warming",...

I was in attendance at the “Defend Our Climate” gathering in Sharbot Lake as reported in your last issue of The Frontenac News. I was pleased that Julie Druker came to interview the group. It is probably not possible to have a more diverse array...

The provincial government believes that you can feed a resident in a nursing home three meals and two snacks a day if they give you $7.93 per day! All you grocery shoppers need to try this challenge. Maybe you could do it one day, but how about...

Your editorial about Randy Hillier (May 8, 2014) pointed out that he prides himself on putting his constituents above his party. This makes me wonder why he follows the party line when it comes to solar energy and the Green Energy Act. Many farmers...

This past week the long awaited and much anticipated documentary production of 'The Lost Highway' aired on TVO. While the production by film makers and producers Derreck Roemer and Neil Graham took four years of filming and editing, it unfortunately...

I am very concerned about the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), which is currently being negotiated without public input. Already over 125,000 have signed the Say No to Internet Censorship petition. I encourage everyone to learn more before it’s...

Re: Fair Elections Act I have always thought that civility and respect for others were core values for conservatives. Leslie Frost, Bill Davis, Peter Lougheed, Robert Stanfield and Joe Clark were all great conservatives and they were all...

Liberals the only game in town Even though I am a life-long NDP supporter, I have decided to vote Liberal in the next provincial election. I shall do this because the Liberal Party is the only party which is serious about renewable energy and, in...

Road maintenance: The Final Solution Given that the Tryon Road, or as I accurately refer to it - "a suggested route of travel" - is pretty much un-navigable and has remained so (despite the groans from both the residents and their vehicles and pleas...

Re: Ukraine, Crimea, Eastern Ukraine and Russia. To use an old phrase: "Same song, second verse; a little bit louder and a whole lot worse." Norm Hart

Re: Marriage & The Charter I would like to thank Jocelyn Steeves for her letter (Re: Marriage & The Charter, Apr 10/14). Her information complete with statistics re: gay couples raising children satisfies my concerns regarding children raised by...

Re: Marriage & The Charter I want to Applaud Clint Hammond in this response to the same sex marriage debate Re: Marriage and Charter, Apr 3/14). Maybe this has been long drawn out in the discussions of so many editions of The Frontenac News,...

Re: Marriage & The Charter Jocelyne Steeves presents a one sided view of the same sex adoption issue (Re: Marriage & The Charter, Apr 10/14), in your April 10 edition of the Frontenac News, but I am confident I could present more studies proving...

Re: Marriage & The Charter I would like to correct the record about Jocelyne Steeves' April 10 letter to the editor(Re: Marriage & The Charter, Apr 10/14, in which she quotes University of Texas researcher Mark Regnerus as saying: “Do children...

Re: Marriage & The Charter Over the last few months I have been following the editorials concerning where the Bible and Jesus stand on homosexuality   (Letters, Re: Marriage and Secular Charter, Mar 6/14). I hope the following scriptures from the...

Flaherty good friend to disabled people I am disabled. This past Thursday, I lost a good friend when Jim Flaherty passed away. Because of Mr. Flaherty's family circumstances, he was sensitive to persons with disabilities and had done much to help us...

Re: Harper’s Fair Elections Act Overall, I think Harper has two purposes for the Fair Elections Act. First to punish Canada's Chief Electoral Officer for finding and pursuing the election frauds committed by the Conservative Party, and to make...

Re: Picadilly Hall Closure I was shocked to read in the Feb. 27 edition of the Frontenac News that the Central Frontenac Township council had voted to close Piccadilly Hall. I did not know that the hall was a financial burden to the township nor was...

Re: Euthenasia I was surprised by the wording in the Jule Koch's April 3 letter (Euthenasia, April 3/14) regarding the end-of-life assistance movement. The writer’s choice of inflammatory words and suggestions such as “killing (execute) sick...

Re: Euthenasia In Jule Koch's letter (Re: Euthenasia, April 3/14) about an assisted suicide bill, she mentions that Aspirin was only marketed in 1900. She supposes that before aspirin, people just stoically suffered without help or hope, or at...

Re: Marriage and the Charter I am responding to the ongoing thread (Letters, Frontenac News, Mar 6/14) in regards to the issue of gay couples raising children. If you go to one good reference friend “Google”, you will find the following: A...

  Re: Euthenasia Quebec’s Bill 52, which would allow euthanasia and assisted suicide, is temporarily in limbo because of the election. However last week, on March 27, Manitoba PC MP Steven Fletcher announced his intention to introduce two bills...

Re: Support for health services Mr. Wise (Letter to the editor, March 27, 2014), the answer is simplicity itself. As soon as the government of Ontario reins in its wasted dollars, mismanagement, malfeasance, mis-appropriations, pie-in-the-sky...

Re: Marriage and the Charter Jeff Green’s editorial (Secular Charter Does Disservice to Secularists, February 27, 2014), sure has staying power. Each successive edition of the newspaper has included a letter or two arguing the merits of the...

Re: Marriage & Charter In regards to Ian Whillans’ March 13 letter to the editor  (Letters, Frontenac News, Mar 13/14)  on Jule Koch's perspective on marriage  (Letters, Frontenac News, Mar 6/14) , you referred to her view as being a rant; I...

Re: Marriage and the Charter Jule Koch should receive the 2014 “Common Sense” Award   (Letters, Frontenac News, Mar 6/14) . She states quite plainly – two men produce nothing; two women produce nothing; two people of the opposite sex usually...

Re: Marriage and the Charter One of the things I love about our little paper is the range of topical issues covered in the editorials and letters to the editor. I always read them with interest. Lately there has been quite a stew over the Quebec...

Re: Museum I have often wondered why no one has ever mentioned a museum at Verona or Sharbot Lake. I might mention two locations - the building at Hwy 7 & Road 38 junction or the old hall at Piccadilly, now closed, but it should be closer to Verona....

Support for health services Two items in last week’s Frontenac News caught my attention,  ODSP Recipients losing out on dental care, Mar 20/14  on the front page and  Elder Abuse, Letters, Mar 20/14  in letters to the editor. Both authors...

Re: government treatment of veterans I feel like Prime Minister Harper is doing it yet again, talking out of both sides of his mouth. How much longer are Canadians going to sit back and take his dictator-like government? I have been watching the...

Elder Abuse This letter is in regards to Elder Abuse. We’ve all been told about elder abuse in nursing homes, senior homes and even in their own homes. Nothing is ever said about financial abuse of our elderly in hospitals or by transfer services....

Re: Marriage and the Charter March 13, 2014 issue has the same boring attacks, mostly wrong, and presupposed on errant projections, against Scott Reid that are a mainstay of your paper, the most silly being a comment, "does thousands wronged make...

Re: Closure of Piccadilly Hall In reading Nicki Gowdy's letter I hope council has some answers for its residents. I was very saddened to hear of Bill Synder's passing. He was a man with a special passion and dedication for the betterment of Central...

  Re: Fair Elections Act Canada is facing a democratic crisis. Preston Manning recently claimed that “The greatest challenge to our electoral system is the steady decline in voter turnout in elections. Let’s strengthen our capacity to address...

  Re: Fair Elections Act The Harper government’s so-called “Fair Elections Act” is about to pass, disenfranchising thousands of voters in the next federal election, among the elderly, youth, students, the poor and Aboriginals. Is this because...

  Re: Marriage and Charter About Jule Koch’s rant about homosexuality verses heterosexuality in the March 6th paper. I think Jule missed the mark on this one; Jeff Green’s commentary on Quebec’s secularism was spot on! The Quebec government...

Closure of Piccadilly Hall After reading the recent article in the paper in regards to hall closure it leads me to question the council about their decision. Yes the consultant’s report looked at the halls but in the case of Piccadilly Hall it...

Re: Quebec secular charter  Jeff Green covers a lot of ground in his editorial  (Secular Charter Does Disservice to Secularists, February 27, 2014) , which ostensibly is about the Quebec secular charter but first discusses same-sex marriage. He...

Trapped in home heating hell So since it makes no sense that any logic should apply to this winter, check out how Consumers are getting cornered into paying outlandish prices for heating their homes this year. First of all, the property insurers in...

Minimum wage increase helps only one segment of the population I am a senior citizen who is very concerned for our future generations so I am voicing some of my concerns. Minimum wage increase is of no value per se because it is only one segment of...

Re: Bible most misunderstood book Thank you, Jo, for your letter to the editor a couple weeks ago  (Letters, Frontenac News, Jan 23/14) . It takes a certain amount of courage to be open and candid about personal challenges and reach out to others....

Black History Month On the weekend, my wife and I watched "12 Years a Slave". Only in 1834, just seven years before the setting of the movie “12 Years A Slave”, was slavery abolished in Canada and the British Empire. From Wikipedia sources it...

Re: Ombudsman investigating Hydro One billings  I have been reading with great interest all the articles written regarding Hydro One billing complaints. How ironic that Mr. Hillier is now acknowledging that there is a problem with this organization...

Veterans Affairs minister insults veterans Veterans Affairs Canada states its mandate as: "The Department exists to repay the nation's debt of gratitude toward those whose courageous efforts have given us this legacy, and have contributed to our...

Long Lake Skating Rink Many of you may have noticed the skating rink on Long Lake, it has been a huge labour of love keeping it up but it would not have been possible without the help of our amazing neighbour, Fletcher Young. Fletcher has been over...

The "Fair" Election Bill The so-called Fair Elections Bill will not help to make the processes more fair or more democratic. Under this bill as it is written, Elections Canada would be allowed to tell voters where and when to vote but be forbidden...

Money Laundering Who Knew? According to the Harper Tories, I am a criminal who is money-laundering my hard-earned CPP pension when I make a contribution to an environmental charity. You can't make this stuff up. But the Tories do because their base...

Chances are you know someone who is going through a really rough time, and if not just check out the news. Of course we’re trying to escape reality; it’s a crazy, crazy world we live in. Nice planet. Strange beings. There’s an awful lot of...

War Resisters This month marks 10 years since the first U.S. Iraq war resister came to Canada. Without status, the war resisters and their families have been living in limbo as our government refuses to allow these conscientious objectors to stay....

Re: socialism and capitalism,  Norm Hart Re: socialism and capitalism,  Marie Anne Collier Cell Towers and Night Skies,  Steve Fryer Hydro One,  Glen Pearce

Re: Socialism & Capitalism It’s not quite that simple - Ms. Wallace’s letter  (The Difference between socialism and capitalism, Letters, Nov 28/13),  has overlooked several points: There really are no pure examples of Ms. Wallace’s concept...

Re: Socialism & Capitalism This response to the letter about socialism and capitalism   (The Difference between socialism and capitalism, Letters, Nov 28/13),  will probably be as confusing as the original stimulus. A good response would require...

Cell phone towers and night skies Up here in North Frontenac we have a number of people who have worked hard to create a "Dark Sky Preserve" in the county, and that finally came about this past summer. A brand new observing pad was built with...

Hydro One Our attempts to have Hydro One correct our bills since they last read our meter in April continue to be stymied by their absolute refusal to accept the actual meter readings in place of their grossly inaccurate “estimates”. Since April...

Re: Socialism & Capitalism Heart transplants for profit. Unfettered capitalism. What a great philosophy! Paul Isaacs

Re: Socialism & Capitalism In last week’s paper, Joan Wallace submitted an excellent letter  (The Difference between socialism and capitalism, Letters, Nov 28/13),  to the editor on the differences between Capitalism and Socialism. I hope all...

The difference between socialism and capitalism Capitalism promotes equality of opportunity to acquire wealth and socialism promotes equality of standard of living by redistribution of wealth by overtaxing the rich to give to the poor. Taxes should...

Truth by Omission, Mavis Wade Re: Petworth Road/Inverary sub-standard division, John McEwen NO! Canada should not eliminate the Senate, Carmel Gowan Re: Government Treatent of Veterans,  J.P. Pare

Truth by Omission Since it is difficult, if not impossible, to get a straight answer, if any at all, from council, perhaps someone "out there" has the answer. We the taxpayers of North Frontenac recently purchased a new tanker truck for the amount...

Re: Petworth Road/Inverary sub-standard division Last spring I went to council to request that they begin enforcing waterproofing standards passed into law January 1, 1976 which should have been the last year anyone had a...

NO! Canada should not eliminate the Senate. We should pick the wealthy and powerful types and give them a six-week course. The first four weeks they should live in the same conditions as the poorest (as in homeless, hungry, hopeless) of this country...

Re: Government Treatent of Veterans I must admit Mr. Winney’s letter  (Lest We Forget: Letter to Scott Reid, Nov 14/13) struck a chord. While attending the Remembrance Day ceremonies in Arden, I had the opportunity to talk to Canadian Forces...

Re: Edward Kennedy I appreciated the glimpse into the thinking of a White Folks Champion  (Frontenac News, Letters, Nov. 7/13) . Would be interested to hear Mr. Kennedy’s views on other social policies, such as Native land claims, Refugee...

Lest We Forget: Letter to Scott Reid: Thank you kindly for your postcard encouraging my attendance at a local memorial ceremony this coming Monday. Since you showed such interest, I thought I should let you know that I will be travelling to my...

Hydro One When I reported the cute but chintzy method Hydro One uses to squeeze more dollars out of its customers, I didn't realize they were going to outdo themselves. This month, they charged us for exactly TWICE as much electricity as we actually...

Re: Edward Kennedy It is unfortunate that Mr. Kennedy does not see the difference between a discussion about political scandals and a discussion about the future of the Senate. If he did, he would not make irrelevant comments about death threats to...

Re: Will the Conservatives throw the Senate under the bus (Will the Conservatives  throw the Senate under the bus" Editorial Frontenac News oct 31/13)  is the type of journalism I have come to expect from this paper. I wonder where the comment...

Questionnaire for Scott Reid Feb. 11: Duffy meets with unidentified host (and possibly other participants) in Room 204 from 12:07 - 12:54 pm. Later that day and in a different room, Conservative Senate Leader Claude Carignan meets with Government...

Tasers Vs Mental Health I believe that we need a better approach to dealing with the mentally ill, particularly when police have been alerted to their condition. Tasers, which all front line officers in Ontario can now carry, are not the ultimate...

Re: Northbrook Ambulance Base The Northbrook base - “provides a vital service for residents of the northern part of our county.. (Northbrook Ambulance Base Official Opening, Oct 17/13) . No! It does not! In fact, Northbrook is geographically near...

A Public Thank You Each spring, flowers appear at the cenotaph in Sharbot Lake. These flowers are attended to all year long, making the cenotaph a eye pleasing site. These flowers are then removed just before Remembrance Day. Until this year, no...

Thanksgiving When you sat down to your traditional Thanksgiving meal, I hope you took the time to bow your head and thank the Giver of all your blessings.. Canadians have so much to be full of thanks to God. Beside all the good food on our...

Re: Vital Signs Thank you, Jeff Green, for exposing in your editorial  (Grading the Vital Signs Report, October 3, 2013)  yet another “flawed document” (Vital Signs) purporting to represent a detailed analysis of the quality of life in...

CSEC In Brazil When did the coup happen? This week’s news is that Canada’s spy agency CSEC may have monitored communications of Brazil's Mines and Energy Ministry, and then reported the results to the multi-national oil companies operating here,...

Re: Mayor Gutowski October Thirds letters in defense of Mayor Janet Gutowski  (Letters, Oct 3/13) continue to rest upon the view that every single problem plaguing County Council stems from the rabid male chauvinism of her colleagues. It’s ironic...

Frontenac County says - You Go Girls! The six or eight of Warden Janet’s “You Go Girl” supporters must be wondering how Frontenac County will ever survive without the dictatorial regime of Gutkowski and Saville in command. For the rest of us,...

Tar & Chip – was that quality for our money? If you had to drive on some portions of North Frontenac’s newly resurfaced Ardoch Road from Ardoch to the Austris Road you will agree whoever was responsible for the tar & chip job should be tarred...

Family in Canada found You may remember an email I sent you on 25 Jan, 2012 with regards to my search for my father, Harold Vankoughnett’s family. Within a very short time I had emails from a number of direct family members giving me lots of...

Re: Hiller takes on Hydro I am glad to read that our MPP Randy Hillier is taking on Hydro. He speaks for many. In the state of Texas, one of the most forward states in the USA, a bill was passed where the utility companies give their customers a...

Hydro One Billing We experience another cute but chintzy method Hydro One uses to squeeze more dollars out of its customers. Instead of reading our “Smart” meter, they use a wildly inaccurate estimate of our usage each month, which just happens...

Re: Gutowski sues fellow councilors for defamation I have just read in the Sept. 12 Frontenac News that Mayor Gutoswki is in a fit of moral indignation, because a member of the council dared to comment on her behaviour which she thought would ruin...

Re: Mayor Gutowski Our Frontenac County councillors have accomplished nothing. What vision do these County councillors have? Progress or privilege? I see a group of old grey haired balding men wanting to have the title of warden on their lapel and...

Re: Mayor Gutowski Never mind all the florid rhetoric damning the county warden for everything that is wrong with county in-fighting and failures to launch, the story is very simple. A bunch of boys and one lady were in a special club. The boys...

Tar & Chip – was that quality for our money? If you had to drive on some portions of North Frontenac’s newly resurfaced Ardoch Road from Ardoch to the Austris Road you will agree whoever was responsible for the tar & chip job should be tarred...

Sydenham: from History to Mystery Occasionally I will give a brief read through one of the local “regional” newspapers to get an idea of what’s “going on” in and around the vast Frontenac area. The community reporting section gives quite a...

Re: North Frontenac Dark Skies Preserve How wonderful that, after it was first thought about a decade ago, this project has seen its way to completion. It has come a long way since I first set up my "backyard" telescope overlooking Marble Lake, and...

Re: North Frontenac Township Solar panels Just a few more words to say in addition to North Frontenac Councilor Lonnie Watkins' last letter to the editor,  (Letters, To North Frontenac Rate Payers, Aug 1/13)  opposing the passing of a project for...

Re: North Frontenac Township solar panels I wish to congratulate Mayor Clayton and the NF Council for the controversial reversal of its decision (on July 29) regarding the solar microFIT project for the roof of the township administrative office....

Re: North Frontenac Township solar panels Lonnie Watkins states in the Aug 1 2013 edition of the Frontenac News   (Letters, To North Frontenac Rate Payers, Aug 1/13)  that it is ludicrous for senior taxpayers to invest in a green energy program...

Central Frontenac Widens Road On July 30, the Central Frontenac township grader spent over an hour on the road that passes through our property. This road ends in a locked gate. The township also put 6 dump truck loads of gravel on this road,...

To North Frontenac taxpayers It is with great frustration that I write this letter to the editor. A meeting was held this past Monday night and a motion was passed to go ahead with a green energy program that will invest your property tax money...

Re: Catch 22 - Franks Park In the article " Catch 22 – North Frontenac Style ", July 25, 2013, I should point out that not all of the add-ons that North Frontenac has allowed to remain are pre-made add-ons. At the Loon’s Call Campground and...

Absence equals defeat When you protest an activity such as a council meeting by not attending, the words you would have said are not heard. The lessons you would have given are not learned. Protesting with your absence gives everyone who attends...

Litter can be deadly to wildlife A few weeks ago my wife saw a water snake with a plastic ring around it. Yesterday we captured it and cut the ring off. It was a ring from a child's cap gun and the snake probably would have died. Teach your children...

Re: cottage rentals on Big Clear Lake (Central Frontenac Council report, July 11)  After reading Theresa Smith's comments during last week’s council meeting, and a reply from one council member, Tom Dewey. I live here; I see weekend to weekend,...

Re: Pipeline running through Ottawa and Eastern Ontario Late June, Trans Canada Pipeline (of Keystone XL fame) announced that it would like to see the crude oil flowing east as early as 2017. With the current Labrador fire continuing to enflame an...