Garson (George Fritz,Ontario), 1 month ago
Regarding Mr. Ogilvie's comments about the conflict in Afghanistan, I am compelled to remind him and the readership that it most definitely is not George Bush's war. The Canadian Forces were sent there under the aegis of the UN and NATO to root out terrorist elements and restore order. Furthermore, this was seen as a most convenient out by Messrs. Chretien and Martin in terms of being able to avoid showing any solidarity with our traditional allies, the United States and Britain with regard to Iraq. The bottom line is, our involvement in Afghanistan was not the result of Mr. Ogilvie's imagined Conservative hawkishness, but rather the lack of intestinal fortitude on the part of his (apparently) beloved Liberals.George Fritz
Penetanguishene (Christine Lyons,Ontario), 3 months ago
Dear Editor,It’s not always good to be green! In this environmentally conscious world when everyone understands the need to recycle and re-use, there is a section of citizens who find being green is discriminatory. I am obviously not referring to the tons of garbage we are producing but I am referring to the green mail box problem. Some of the outlying areas in Simcoe County have the old green mail boxes. I don’t mind the fact that the post office is re-using their old mail receptacles. My concern is that these boxes are not maintained during the winter months as the newer “Super Boxes” are. “Super Boxes” actually get ploughed out while the “Green Boxes” do not. That, in itself, would not be so bad if concerned people would take it upon themselves to clear the boxes. I do not see this happening. Indeed, if someone tries to clear around the boxes, the snow plough usually buries them again the next time. If you are, as I am, on a school bus route, the plough sweeps past three times a day. I am sure that the air turns blue with the few choice words which are used when we have to clear piles of snow three times a day in order to receive the mail. That is exactly what we have to do. Mail cannot be delivered to boxes that cannot be opened or locked. The letter carriers must legally return it to the post office. Then we need to drive into town to pick up our mail. Not a problem, you say! Perhaps if negotiating slippery hills, icy roads, white out conditions, black ice and other potential winter road hazards are easy for you, then, in that case, you can’t consider it a challenge. For others it’s a scary proposition! We have petitioned the post office to exchange the boxes and “Super Size” us. There have been no results so far! I think that we “greeners” should have equal snow clearance as the “Supers”. In this case, it is not good to be green.