Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2015-05-20, Page 5Wednesday, May 20, 2015 • Huron Expositor 5 www.seaforthhuronexpositor.com 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 seaforthhuronexpositor.com