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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2015-04-01, Page 5Wednesday, April 1, 2015 • Huron Expositor 5 www.seaforthhuronexpositor.com letters to the editor Don't be duped! To the Editor; Ontarians are in the extremely for- tunate position of having access to thousands of hard-working, talented and honest contractors in this prov- ince. But that doesn't mean that eve- ryone who advertises themselves as skilled and certified are what they claim to be. Over the past several months, there have been a number of unfortu- nate incidents in which Ontario homeowners have been duped, mis- led and cheated by unscrupulous individuals claiming to be certified tradespeople. The Ontario College of Trades (the College) is the self-regulatory body mandated to oversee and modernize skilled trades in Ontario and protect the public interest. We are regularly contacted by con- sumers who have been taken advan- tage of, and left with unfinished or shoddily -completed renovations. For some victims, this has resulted in sleepless nights and thousands of dollars down the drain. Sadly, these issues are not just found in Ontarians' homes. After a long, tough winter it's not uncommon for many cottage owners to find sig- nificant plumbing or foundational damage to the property. Nor is it uncommon for scammers to try and capitalize on this these problems. If the wiring at your cottage is damaged and buried beneath a layer of insulation, you'll need a certified electrician. If you need to hire a plumber, make sure you are certain they are certified. Whether it's in their homes or their cottages, all families in Ontario should feel safe in knowing that the person performing important electri- cal work or any other compulsory trade is legally certified. As the weather grows warmer and the skies get sunnier, your only con- cern when you head to the cottage should be enjoying time spent with your family. Don't let the stress and hassle of a botched maintenance or renovation project stand in the way. One of the College's primary goals is to help members of the public make informed decisions, and protect themselves and their families. There- fore, I encourage all Ontarians to take the steps necessary to combat this kind of fraud. To make sure that an individual is, indeed, certified, all you have to do is visit the Public Register on the Col- lege's website, www.collegeoftrades. ca, and type in the person's member- ship number, or their first and last name. If the person is a member of the College and a certified journey - person or apprentice, the name will pop up, as well as details on their qualifications. Check the register, and enjoy your summer. David Tsubouchi Registrar and CEO Ontario College of Trades Budgets too tight to save To the Editor; On Feb. 13, 2015, the associate Minister of Finance was in Strafford and interviewed by the press. An arti- cle appeared the following day in the Beacon Herald. Ms. Hunter indicates people aren't saving enough for retirement. In today's society, when people hold down 2 or 3 jobs because they have to work at minimum wage or a bit more or can only find part time work – it's no wonder they can't save and no way can they contribute to RRSPs. Governments need to wake up and realize that the real demise is having a well paid job in this prov- ince. When people have decent jobs and have money in their pockets the economy will grow and that will be a definite benefit to small business. Since the ORPP will not benefit those already retired and will have little or no benefit to people on low income, it is time that the federal government made substantial improvements to the CPP benefits. Let's stop giving tax cuts to the rich and paying CEOs thousands and millions of dollars to supplement their incomes. Roxie Baker Stratford, ON Harper is a party of one To the Editor; I have never belonged to a political party and for over 50 yrs have always voted for the candidate, whether Lib- eral or Conservative, that would be the best representative for my riding. A month ago I thought PM Harper was probably doing just an ok job and then I read the book "Party of One " about PM Harper, written by respected journalist Michael Harris and found the contents very disturb- ing. In some ways it made me very angry, I guess in part because con- tents of the book made me realize Harper was pulling the wool over our eyes, so to speak. I would encourage everyone to read this book and I expect many will come to the same conclusion I have - that Harper must be replaced. The book is well documented and details the reasons why many respected persons, including former Conservative and Liberal Prime Min- isters, are very upset with how he is using his powers as PM to manage the country. Harper does not respect our system of government, has not been honest with the public and does not seek out the advice of experts. His policies (and I stress his policies) have upset Canadian veterans, Abo- riginal peoples, military, civil serv- ants, foreign service, scientists, envi- ronmentalists and the United Nations. As an example, Harper has not fol- lowed through on Canada's climate change promises and Canada, as one of the 28 richest countries in the world, now has the worst environ- mental record. The young lady, a Page in Parlia- ment, had it right when she stood up in Parliament with her sign " Stop Harper". She warned us and I admire her for her courage. A book review on "Party of One" by a national newspa- per concluded that everyone should read this book before they vote in the next election and I certainly agree. If you are not a strong supporter of a particular political party, or are young and not voting because you believe politicians are dishonest [ some are ] or, if like me, you have been a fence sitter rather than joining a political party, then I encourage you to con- sider voting and hopefully, like me, vote Liberal because I sincerely believe we need to Heave Steve. Frankly, I am a little frightened at where we will be in four years if Harper is re- elected PM. That being said if you like the George Bush Republican right wing approach to government you will like Steve. Don't worry about Justin Trudeau's lack of experience. He has now been in Parliament as long as Harper was before Harper became PM the 1st time. Unlike Harper, who has his own personal agenda and makes all key decisions with little consultation, I am sure Mr. Trudeau will surround him- self with a strong team that will work together to make the best possible decisions for the country. Even for- mer conservative Prime Minister recently suggested that he felt Justin Trudeau could handle the job as PM. I am 71 years old and I have never before written a letter expressing my thoughts about politics, but I now feel strongly that it is time to stop Harper. I am sure the conservatives have taken some positive steps for Canada but it is PM Harper's hidden agenda that worries me. Please read " Party ofOne ". Doug Ellison, Grand Bend, ON Huron East council and source water protection Dear editor, Before Huron East council updates their official plan, they should remem- ber they shall pass bylaws and are responsible for public property. They may pass bylaws with the property owner's permission on private lands (e.g. municipal drains). The Ausable Bayfield and Maitland Valley conservation authorities have forwarded the source water protection for municipal wells to be approved in the new plans. Source Water Protec- tion. Doesn't that give you a nice warm fuzzy feeling? After the Huron East and Huron County plans have been approved, the Ontario Government expects the plans to be law in three years. The area for the Seaforth wells manages to include all the Eckert Barns. In this area you cannot spray chemicals, spread fertilizer or manure, or have livestock or underground fuel tanks. The property rights of the landown- ers are protected by the Crown letters patent. If Huron East puts this area and rules into law, they must fairly compensate the landowners for their loss. Three arbitrators must be appointed. Huron East gets one, the landowners get two. Huron East council doesn't know if they can support two arenas. This now looks like pocket change. Seaforth's water rates may have to increase! But wait! Water doesn't just flow one way. If you complete the circle, Huron East now will also own two fuel stations in Seaforth. When you do the same in Brussels, Huron East will own the Brussels stockyards. Have you still got that warm fuzzy feeling? Ray Storey Reject the politics of fear Dear editor, The Conservative government talks a good game on freedom, but their words don't match their record. Their instincts are now to be suspi- cious of people who do not share their beliefs, to harden divisions with people whose views differ from their own. This is an extension of Stephen Harper's politics of fear and division. They have accused two leaders of the NDP of sympathizing with terrorists, acclaimed human rights activist and former Minister of Jus- tice Irwin Cotler of anti-Semitism, and declared that "you're either with us, or you're with the child pornographers." Such rhetoric might work politi- cally in the short term, but it's corro- sive over time. It stokes anxiety and foments fear. That's not how we do things in Canada. While we've had dark moments in our history—like the internment of Ukrainians, Japanese and Italian Canadians during the First and Sec- ond World Wars—we have had thou- sands more hopeful, open moments—like the Underground Railroad or the Multiculturalism Act— that have come to define who are as a country. Unlike many others, we have built our country around shared values and our core value is a very Canadian idea of liberty: inclusion, and it is deeply woven into our public institu- tions. From the protection of both official languages to the acceptance of refugees fleeing persecution, Canadian inclusiveness should be celebrated. In this country we understand that people are defined both by the things that unite and distinguish us from one another. Yet despite these traditions, it will take political leadership to sustain liberty in Canada. Recently we have seen our Prime Minister telling women what they can and cannot wear on their head at public ceremonies. That ought not to be his business. Whatever happened to disagreeing about someone's choices, but defending their right to make them? The Prime Minister ought never blur the line between a real security threat and simple prejudice. Fear is a dangerous thing. Once it is sanc- tioned by the state, there is no telling where it might lead. We must reject Mr. Harper's poli- tics of fear. Canada is strong not in spite of our differences, but because of them. Our leaders must work to bring Canadians together, not divide them against one another. Yours sincerely, Justin Trudeau Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada get it seaforthhuronexpositor.com Get all of your news, sports and more. Serving Seaforth and surrounding area