Letters to the Editor: Saturday 21, 2024

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Pickets rude

Regarding the article Dad claims wife, daughter menaced by striking workers (Sept. 17)

I was in line to get into Elborn College that day and was one car ahead of this woman. Pickets were only letting one car in every 10 minutes, even though it was causing dangerous conditions with traffic buildup. The woman pulled up beside my car and told me and the pickets she had an appointment for her daughter.

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The pickets were rude, one saying he had a daughter who went for therapy at Elborn. You’d think he’d be understanding, but instead, he yelled angrily that his benefits had been cancelled. Another picket yelled aggressively: “Wait your turn.” There seemed to be a captain of the picket line who stopped to video the occurrence.

I told the woman she could go ahead of me when it was my turn, but the captain said no, only I could go in. I can’t speak to what happened after I left, but for CUPE to deny the incident happened is false.

Kim Peter, London

Chahbar should resign

Regarding the article Ex-chair blasts London police board over paying PR firm (Sept. 18)

I have no quarrel with the police budget increase but using a PR firm to convince Londoners this increase is needed is beyond the pale.

Chairperson Ali Chahbar quickly attacked Susan Toth inferring that, had she not “prematurely resigned” the outcome could have been different. This infantile response shows he is unwilling to take responsibility.

Chahbar should resign so the police board can put this matter behind it and get on with the challenge of policing a rapidly growing city.

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Walt Lonc, London

Money wasted

Regarding the article Ex-chair blasts London police board over paying PR firm (Sept. 18)

As a former member of the London Police Service Board, from 1986 to 1991, I agree with Susan Toth, that using a public relations firm to present the police budget to city council is not justifiable.

I am not questioning any item in the budget. I am questioning the need for Navigator’s involvement. I doubt there is anyone at Navigator as well-informed and eminently qualified as the police chief and his staff who prepare police budgets for the consideration of council.

Chair Ali Chabar said “London deserves a modern and effective police service that can address the pervasive issues of crime, violence and community safety plaguing our city.” Either the proposed budget addressed these issues or it did not. Hiring Navigator did not alter the budget. One has to question how much confidence the board, which includes the mayor and two city councillors, had in the proposed budget that prompted them to engage the services of Navigator to sell it to council.

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Since a public relations firm has neither the competence nor the authority to formulate a budget, all it did, at needless taxpayers’ expense, was create a flashy presentation of information contained in the budget, which councillors could have read for themselves.

John Lisowski, London

Address garbage

I have contacted a variety of departments at the university, including the office of the president, to request a solution to the large amount of garbage on Western, Windermere and Sarnia roads and behind the residences, all on my running route. Since Western students have returned, so has the disgusting amount of trash in these areas.

Alan Shepard should take a walk down these streets – a lot of it cannot be observed from your vehicle – and find a solution.

Nadine Grundy, London

Ready to vote

So, it appears London Health Sciences Centre is taking steps to cut spending to tame its deficit and Thames Valley District school board is starting to be held accountable.

Now, we learn the police department used my tax dollars to pay a consulting firm to create a pitch to city council to get more of my tax dollars.

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See you in next year’s election, Mayor.

Gary Rogers, London

No one listening

Regarding the article Liberal stronghold falls in byelection (Sept. 18)

After losing the by-election in Quebec, our prime minister and the Liberal party have said Canadians need to be more engaged.

The fact is, we are engaged; they are just not listening.

We want accessible health care, affordable housing, our Arctic protected, less taxes, veterans cared for and less immigration.

We don’t want electric vehicles pushed on us. The carbon tax is increasing costs across all sectors, use of food banks is climbing and our relationship with other countries is tanking.

I am not looking forward to the next federal election, whenever that may be. There is no party with the type of leadership required to turn this country and its Canadian values back on a positive trajectory.

Michael Morencie, West Lorne

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