Nov 20, 2013


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 of $250,000. This was to replace two tankers which, according to the Fire Chief, were deemed unsafe by the Ontario Fire Marshall. That sounds reasonable - expensive - but necessary. Now it seems that one of the "unsafe" trucks (the tanker in Ompah) was acquired by Public Works for their use. It was also learned that this old tanker will be available in emergencies if required. If they were not safe two or three months ago, how is it that they are safe now? Is there a report from the Fire Marshall that clearly states that these tankers were unsafe? Did the Fire Chief mislead Council when he recommended that they replace the "unsafe" tankers in Snow Road and Ompah with the purchase of the new tanker? I understand the importance of the volunteer fire fighters needing safe equipment, but do Public Works employees not deserve the same consideration? If P.W. was able to safety the trucks, why were the trucks not able to be certified safe for the fire department? Is North Frontenac so flush with money that we can afford new equipment rather than repairing the old? Guess "Renew, Reuse and Recycle" only applies to the residents, not council. What's UP?

Mavis Wade


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 wet/damp/cold/mould-infested...cellar. The Code wanted you to have a warm, dry and safe basement (a.k.a. a living space), but the "Municipality is the Authority" and our chief building official, Brian Gass, reported that enforcement of this existing law "could make South Frontenac a less desirable place to construct new homes". Our CBO's opinion was unanimously supported by our mayor and our council.

Now out-of-town "Slash-Builders" ("slash" being a derogatory term meaning as cheap as possible) are buying up our farms in anticipation of Kingston/Amherstview style multi-hundred-piece-of-crap-home sub-divisions, knowing they can make a fast buck with the blessings of council and leave. We residents remain financially responsible for the "cut corners". A reminder: we tax according to the value of the structure, and crappy houses have little value.

If I were mayor, I would insist all builders photograph every step of the entire project (including the waterproofing) and make sure that that record was available publicly. How do you tell a good builder from a bad one? Good builders are proud of their work and want people to see it. I agree with the new CBO; enforcement would make South Frontenac a less desirable place to slash-construct. At the same time, promoting good construction would also make South Frontenac a much more desirable place to buy a house and make a home.

P.S. If we have to have them, wouldn't it be wiser to plan large scale subdivisions next to that water tower you built, as opposed to threatening the capacity and quality of existing ground-water supplies?

John McEwen


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. The next two weeks book them into a library with food, etc. and make them read some books and magazines. Like is oil really more important than drinking water, and if God created it all, did God intend us to destroy it all? Haven’t we as a species passed our quota in population? Science (that dirty word that religions and politicians hate) says that everything from whales to mice has intelligence and feelings and most even practise the golden rule MORE than do humans. Let the fat cats now clean up this awful mess they have made.

Carmel Gowan


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 members (some of whom I had trained many years ago). The picture they drew of the “New Charter” for injured veterans is nothing less than shameful. It smacks of legal finagling used by shady companies in order not to pay injured personnel their rightful dues. This has to be the brainchild of some crooked accountant with the sole purpose to save government money regardless who gets hurt in the process. This makes me feel ashamed as a Canadian that my government has seen fit to do such a thing. All the good things accomplished by this government have been erased by this simple act. Such lack of loyalty on the part of this government towards those who were injured carrying out its orders is despicable and cannot be forgotten or forgiven. I cannot get over how easily this government has turned its back on those who so willingly put themselves in harm’s way to defend its policy. I hope all veterans remember this when the next elections come. I know I will make a point to remind them.

J.P. Pare, CWO (retired) CD

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