To the editor,
I would like to respond to a number of issues that have come to my attention via the Advance Times.
First of all, in response to the column on health care by Stewart Skinner (“Looking for a leg to stand on,” Feb. 2), I have to agree that we face a major crisis in health care. It is one caused by underfunding of health care at the federal level, but also lack of use of the available funding at the provincial level, and a very intentional plan to privatize by Doug Ford. His model: Starve the system of funding, creating long wait times for all kinds of consultations and operations, aggravate that by imposing a wage freeze on dedicated and overloaded nurses and other personnel, and then pretend that siphoning loads of money to private sector, profit-making corporations is the answer!
We’ve already seen through three years of COVID that the infection and death rate from COVID in private nursing homes was appallingly high compared to government-run institutions like Huronview and Huronlea! I think of Joni Mitchell’s song “Big Yellow Taxi” – “Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone!”
Become informed; read what the Ontario Health Coalition has found out www.ontariohealthcolation.ca. Where is MPP Lisa Thompson when we need her to speak up with an independent voice?
Secondly, in response to Mike Wilson’s assertion that the closure of the North Huron Museum is not the end of the world (“Museum decision disappointing, but not the end of the world,” Jan. 26), that the artifacts could be stored in Goderich. The editor may not be aware that the Huron County Museum in Goderich actually has no storage for Wingham›s more than 20,000 artifacts. Is the public aware that North Huron council has had so little concern for the maintenance of the museum in years past that many priceless musical instruments and other memorabilia in the museum became irreparably damaged?
I have to agree with Verna Steffler’s recent letter (“Volunteer frustrated by museum decision,” Feb. 2) that council needs to have a vision for the future, and a willingness to support volunteers who want to improve the town. Council needs to rescind its decision to close the museum and let the museum volunteer committee proceed with its fundraising plan to raise the $420,000 needed.
Do councillors not realize that Alice Munro is world famous? We visited a cousin in north England a few years ago and noticed that she had all of Alice Munro›s books on her book shelf. She was delighted that we lived in the area where Alice Munro grew up. Wingham could become a destination for tourists from all over the world, increasing the support of local motels and other businesses. Likewise with George Reid, architect and painter, born in Wingham. These are great people whose recognition could bring new vitality to North Huron.
To that end, a Wingham Historical Society is being organized with an inaugural meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 2:30 p.m. in the library. This has come out of two sessions of “Sharing Memories of Wingham” sponsored by our library.
Thirdly, the recent decision of North Huron council to demolish the Howson Dam is another very short-sighted one. While the need to keep property taxes at a reasonable level is commendable, a very dedicated group of volunteers has been working on this for over 10 years and is ready and willing to raise the funds needed to renovate the dam. Why not give them a chance?
Finally, I would have to say, as one who has lived in both Wingham and Morris-Turnberry for over 35 years, that the shotgun marriage of Wingham with Blyth and East Wawanosh has been a disastrous one all around. Too much bickering, competing agendas, and rivalry from the north and south ends of this marriage! Can it be annulled? Wouldn’t it make more sense for Wingham and Morris-Turnberry (or, at least, Wingham and Turnberry) to get hitched, to work together like married partners should?
Brent Bowyer
RR#2 Wingham
