Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1995-02-22, Page 6Times -Advocate, February 22, 1995 Page 5 1 ur Views Letters to the editor Letter tolustice Minister, Rock It's time criminals lost their so called "rights" and law abiding citizens got theirs back. Dear Justice Minisier: 1 am writing in response to the latest round of pro- posed gun control legislations. I am totally opposed to any more irresponsible gun control and I am ap- palled at your lack of knowledgeable information on the subject of how little impact your controls have on the criminal use of firearms in robberies and murders. Maybe you have all this information and choose to ignore it just for political gain at the expense of citizens who do not have access to this information. Your total incompetence and disregard for public safety has been highlighted by the release 1110 of murderers serving between 6 to 10 years for sin- gle and multiple murders. And Indian bands who the police know without a doubt,smuggle booze, dope and guns and stand back and watch them afraid to do anything because they are too well `armed and charges of racism would surface. Your gun laws will not stop this incompetence and these guns will still he available to the people who will misuse them. If you had any regard for the safety of the citizens of this country you would try and bring back the death penalty, which the majority of Cana- dians want. Build new jails that are meant for real punishment instead of a paid holiday and quit putting all the blame for criminal misuse of firearms squarely on the backs of decent law abiding citizens who happen to like the sport of shooting and hunting. This new registration of all firearms is going to backfire on you because of the stunt you pulled with semi- automatic rifles. We were told to register them and there would not be a problem. As soon as they were registered, you promptly want to ban them so they cannot be sold or left to heirs. You are increasingly forcing gun owners to be- come more militant against a government which has no idea how to control criminal activity in this coun- try. You had better get your act together and go after the persons who are responsible for murdering and terrorizing our people or your law abiding citizens will have to end up forcing the government out of office and doing it themselves. It's time criminals lost their so called "rights" and law abiding citizens got theirs back. In disgust Jody Mosurinjohn Huron Park Empty hospital beds don't seem fair I hope people soon wake up,and realize'this cooperative approach ‹J is far more appealing.... Dear Editor: N Boy, with all the attention focused on Ralph `Klein's Alberta government and its fiscal restraint policies you'd think these kind of cost-cutting meas- ures were unheard of in this part of the country. There is a certain government who attained power with a surprise $3 billion dollar deficit, in a time when the province was sinking into the depths of a recession unheard of since the dirty 30s. This certain government, just like Ralphie, also at- tacked their deficit by slashing $2 billion dollars off their public sector bill. But unlike Ralphie, this certain government worked with the civil servants and helped develop policies enabling the public sector to keep their jobs (I think they saved about 40000) and also allowed the people to retain all important hospital and emer- gency services. Ralphie you see just slashed funding and let the people suffer and believe me they are suffering. Civil servants joining the long unemploy- ment lines and empty hospital beds don't seem fair to me. Funny, you'd think people would appreciate this cooperative approach (I think they call it the social contract) but this certain government has hardly re- ceived any credit at all, for this feat. I hope people soon wake up and realize this cooperative approach is far more appealing both short and long term to everyone. I hope they really start to think about it, because if they don't they might make a big mistake and not re-elect this government in 1995. Don't ya think? Jody Durand My name is Gossip The more I am quoted, the more 1 am believed Dear Editor: We all know of the devastating chaos in the world around us but in our little world of Exeter we need a reminder of the chaos we ourselves can cause to others. There are so many people in our ,N own community that need to see peace and harmony again. t Remember me? My name is Gossip. I have no respect for justice. I maim without killing. I break hearts and ruin lives. I I am cunning and malicious and gather strength with age. The'more I am quoted, the more I am believed. I flourish at every level of society. My victims are helpless they cannot protect themselves against me because I have no face, no name, to track me down is impossible. The harder you try the more elusive I become. I am nobody's friend. Once I tarnish a rep- utation it is never quite the same.... again. In closing to our readers of the TA I would like to leave you with one other thought to ponder. "What is the foundation of Civilization". Signed Renee Do you think three-year-old children have a place in our schools? Jane McPherson - Lucan "NO. Why should the general public pay for what amounts to babysitting?" Jim Mungar - Crediton "NO. They are simply too young. The government is fully trying to subsidize day care." Megan Gingerich - Zurich "NO. If they have an older brother or sister, they will be crying for them." Gun owners targeted "This is not a fight between rural and urban Canadians, but a fight to protect your rights in this country. Dear Editor: In the majority of the news media recently we have been subject to a wide variety of so-called sta- tistics which seem to have a large and inaccurate variation. They seem to be adjusted and groomed to fit the politicians or lobbyists personal goals. Therefore, we bring to you the true facts, taken from the Canadian Centre for Justice statistics. They are neither pro or con. Therefore we believe them to be accurate. Facts: 1991 94.9 percent of all violent crimes did not involve a firearm. Of the remaining 5.1 percent of deaths involving a firearm, 2.3 percent involved a handgun. 2.8 percent of the remainder involved a rifle or shotgun, and 75 percent of all deaths are suicides in- volving a firearm. 15 percent are homicides, six percent are acciden- tal, three percent are undetermined, and one percent by police. In 1991, men committed suicide 15 times more often than women. A 1992 justice department ieport suggests that al- cohol may have been involved in 50 to 60 percent of all suicides between 1986 and 1989. Canada's suicide rate is 17 percent higher than U.S. from 1979 to 1990. There has been no change in these statistics since 1978. Between 1966 and 1991 the fatal firearm acci- dents have dropped 80 percent. The government has estimated the cost of the new gun control legislation if put in place will be 85 mil- lion this and each year thereafter of the taxpayers money. Professor Gary Mauser of the Simon Fraser Uni- versity estimates the cost to the taxpayer at 500 mil- lion dollars. "What for?" One-tenth of one percent of all the legal guns sto- len in Canada are used in a violent crime. This is a very small figure to spend so much of our money on during these times of our growing deficit. In 1994 it is estimated that the sportsmen and guts collectors injected six billion dollars into our coun- tries economy. This is not a fight between rural and urban Cana- dians, but a fight to protect your rights in this coun- try. Gun owners are first to be targeted. However, non gun owners will be next on the government's list if this law is enacted. The truth is the government is unable to control crime and the illegal importation of firearms into Canada. The justice system does not control crime because we have no deterrents for violent crime in Canada under our current justice system. The gun owner is targeted by the government as a quick fix. All these statistics are available to anyone interest- ed under the Freedom of Information Act. All statements other than the statistics are my opinion. Concerned citizens, Edward D. Oliver, Prospect Hill, Bill Hudson, Granton - Oppose tax on health benefits Premiums will eventually become so expensive that those who ben- efit most from the plans will no longer be able to afford them. Dear Editor: I am writing this letter for the benefit of those who have employer -paid health or dental plans. If Finance Minister, Paul Martin has his way you may find that these benefits cost significantly more mon- ey after the next federal budget. As part of the plan to reduce the deficit, the federal government propos- es to add the health and dental premiums paid by your employer to your taxable income. By our cal- culations the average holder of a dental plan will pay an extra $200.00 to $1,100.00 in income tax de- pending on income and type of coverage. You will pay this tax whether or not you have used your plan at all during the year. A recent telephone survey of more than 872 households indicated that 85% of Canadians are op- posed to a tax on health and dental plans and that 50% would drop or reduce their coverage if such a tax became a reality. A further 70% felt that chil- dren would be hurt most by such a tax. As healthy people drop out of their plans the pre- miums will increase for those less healthy individu- als who choose to maintain their coverage. These premiums will eventually become so expensive that those who benefit most from the plans will no long- er be able to afford them. The government's planned source of income will dry up and health and dental plans will be destroyed in the process. At the core of dental care delivery is an emphasis on prevention. The incidence of dental disease has dropped dramatically since employer -paid dental plans became popular over twenty years ago. For many people these plans have removed the financial burden of regular preventive visits. Prevention is cheaper than neglect. Organized dentistry is doing its hest to alert the public that these plans are in jeopardy. 1 would urge those of you potentially affected by these measures to express your opposition by contacting your local MP and Finance Minister Paul Martin before the budget comes down at the end of February. You have a chance to put democracy to the test and the message should be loud and clear. Don't tax health and dental benefits! Dr. Paul Deyell President London & District Dental Society Linda Oliver - Huron Park "NO. Too young. Will take away from nursery school." Jot Blommaert - Exeter "YES. The younger, the better, I think it is a good idea" Clayton Cooper - Huron Park "NO. I think they might be just a little too young. Three year- olds should be at home with their mother. There's plenty of time for school after three" Betty Lynn Eskel - Zurich "NO. I think it's just cheap babysitting. They go to school long enough" Jerry Downie - Exeter 44NO. I realize the influence the family has on children in the early years. I feel strongly that's where you get your grounding" Alysa Few - Grand Bend "NO. The kindergarten ones are already a pain for the teachers"