HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2015-05-20, Page 5Wednesday, May 20, 2015 • Huron Expositor 5
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letters to the editor
It was not their finest hour
Dear editor,
The decision of the
Avon Maitland Board to
deny a request for unpaid
leave for Rick Boon in
order to allow him to
accompany his 90 year
old father, a veteran of the
Second World is astonish-
ing - astonishing for its
insensitivity and gross
disregard of the incalcula-
ble service of veterans
such as Mr. Art Boon and
his generation in order to
preserve our freedom and
way of life that we all
enjoy. Mr. Boon, senior,
was invited by the Dutch
government to attend
commemorative services
regarding the liberation of
Holland from Nazi occu-
pation by Canadian
forces. Art Boon was a
member of a tank crew in
that campaign.
The decision by the
Board has brought public
scorn and opprobrium on
the Board and deservedly
so. It would take some
time to find a public insti-
tution that has acted so
callously and obstinately
as the Board. It has often
been said that every one
has the right to act fool-
ishly and it would appear
that, in this case the Board
and some of its agents
have exercised this right to
its fullest.
In fairness to the Board
and its administration,
there are restrictions
involving public disclo-
sure of matters involving
personnel and there may
be reasons for denying
the request that the Board
and its administration are
not at liberty to reveal or
discuss. However, from
the information that is
available we are led to
believe that one of the
reasons for the refusal is
based on the fact that the
younger Mr. Boon has
applied for similar leaves
on the same grounds in
the past. After the last
request was granted he
was informed that no fur-
ther leaves of this nature
would be permitted. If
this is the case it raises an
interesting question. Are
we to believe that grant-
ing leaves that would
allow veterans and mem-
bers of their families to
attend events commemo-
rating war time service
and sacrifice must be
restricted in accordance
with some bureaucratic
fiat? I can think of no bet-
ter reason for granting
leave to employees on the
grounds put forth by
young Mr. Boon and judg-
ing by the outrage that the
Board's decision has
engendered it would
appear that members of
the public would agree,
including the Minister of
Defense and Prime Minis-
ter Harper. Judging by the
obstinacy displayed by
the Board it appears they
would beg to differ.
Apart from the abomi-
nable public perception
that the Board and its
agents have brought upon
themselves there are
other aspects of this sor-
did affair that are disturb-
ing and difficult to com-
prehend. The leave
requested by Mr. Boon
was unpaid. In other
words, for the period of
his absence Mr. Boon's
wages would be deducted.
A substitute teacher
would replace Mr. Boon
but on a per diem rate
that would be less than
that paid to Mr. Boon. Any
The Liberal plan to deliver fairness for the middle class
Dear editor,
For 10 years, Stephen
Harper has been ignoring
the people who do most
of the heavy lifting in our
economy. Those who
work longer and longer
hours for an ever shrink-
ing piece of the pie, and
less and less financial
security.
Middle class Canadians
need to have money in
their pockets to save,
invest and grow the econ-
omy - to bring fairness
and to strengthen the
heart of the Canadian
economy.
But Mr. Harper's unfair
system has been giving
money to those who need
it least. The Liberal Party
has a better, fairer plan: we
will give a tax cut to the
middle class and provide
middle class families with
Nurses make immense contributions
Dear editor,
As many communities
across Ontario celebrate the
accomplishments of nurses
this week, I particularly
want to acknowledge the
immense contributions
made by Registered
Practical Nurses (RPNs) at
the Huron Perth Healthcare
Alliance (HPHA), to excel-
lent patient care.
While Nursing Week
lasts for a short time, RPNs
work tirelessly throughout
the year, often under chal-
lenging circumstances and
more money to raise their
kids.
Our plan will make the
tax system fairer and cut
the middle class tax rate
from 22 percent to 20.5
percent. We will ask the
wealthiest Canadians -
those in the top one per-
cent of incomes - to pay a
little more so the middle
class can pay less.
This tax relief is worth up
to $670 per year, per
in an under -resourced
health system, to do their
best for patients. We
should all be thankful for
the skills, commitment
and compassion they
bring to medical care on a
daily basis.
Traditionally, May 12 is
notion that Mr. Boon
would be travelling to
Holland while receiving
his full salary is simply
not the case.
Of greater consequence
may well be the example
that the Board has set and
the message that it has
sent to young people. The
part played by Canada
and our people in the
wars of the twentieth cen-
tury are a vital part of our
history and national her-
itage and contribute
immensely to our national
pride and identity. The
sacrifices of our military
personnel and their fami-
lies are a sobering
reminder of the costs of
war. Anyone who has
toured the battlefields of
Europe and Asia and the
cemeteries containing the
bodies of our service men
and women who made the
ultimate sacrifice have
this graphically imprinted
upon them. Visiting these
facilities is a very emo-
tional experience. It is not
uncommon for Canadian
young people who visit
these sites to be moved to
tears upon viewing the
rows of graves of
person, or $1,340 per year
for a two -income
household.
We will also provide one
bigger, fair, tax-free, monthly
cheque to help middle class
and low-income families
with the high costs of raising
kids.
A typical two-parent
family, with two kids, earn-
ing $90,000 per year will
get $490 tax-free every
month. Under Mr. Harper,
designated "International
Nurse Day" in honour of
Florence Nightingale, but
nursing has progressed over
the years. The role of the
RPNs as part of the clinical
team has expanded
considerably.
The result is today,
Canadian service men,
many not much older
than them. Remembrance
Day services are pro-
foundly moving events
and sobering reminders
of the price paid by Cana-
dians to make this one of
the finest countries in the
world in which to live.
Canadians revere our vet-
erans of the great wars of
the twentieth century,
though their numbers
diminish daily. Judging by
the public response to our
soldiers killed or badly
injured in the war in
Afghanistan the esteem in
which our service men
and women are held
continues unabated. As
with the veterans of the
Great War of 1914-18, the
day when there are no
surviving veterans of the
Second World War is not
far off.
Consequently, it is vital
to our national well being
and identity that current
and future generations
understand and appreci-
ate the enormous contri-
bution and sacrifice that
the generation of Art
Boon and his contempo-
raries made on all of our
the same family only
receives around $275 after-
tax. Over a year, that's
$2,500 more help, tax-free.
We will also provide more
help to lower-income
families.
All families in the
middle class, and those
hoping to join it, will
receive more in monthly
child benefits than under
Mr. Harper's system. That
is 9 out of every 10
RPNs are a vital part of
the nursing team. Hospi-
tals benefit from the utili-
zation of the RPNs' full
scope of practice, but ulti-
mately, it is the patient
who benefits the most
from the professional
clinical care provided by
behalf. Anything less is
unacceptable and consti-
tutes a denigration of our
history and an insult to
veterans of the Second
World War. Wittingly, but
hopefully unwittingly, the
Board, by its actions has
done just that. Is this the
message that the Board,
charged with the educa-
tion of our younger gener-
ation wants to impart to
our young people? To its
credit, albeit grudgingly
and perhaps attributable
more to withering public
criticism the Board has
reversed its decision with
guarantees from the
Director that Rick Boon
will not face any discipli-
nary action upon his
return to work. It is diffi-
cult to find anything com-
mendable in the Board's
behaviour but finally they
have done the right thing
and that should be
acknowledged.
Yours sincerely,
JH Moore
Formerly, Principal of
Seaforth District High
School and Member of the
Senior Administration (Retired)
families.
Liberals will continue to
present solutions to grow
the economy. Our plan will
put more money in the
pockets of the middle class
and those working hard to
join it.
Yours sincerely,
Justin Trudeau
Leader of the Liberal
Party of Canada
RPNs.
A heartfelt thank you all
the RPNs working at the
HPHA.
Sincerely,
Kim Lincoln
CUPE Local 4727 President
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