Management, teachers should be ashamed
Re: Back to class, Nov. 17. The picture on the front page of Friday’s Citizen said it all for me: Teachers cheering the fact that they were jeopardizing the plans of thousands of students who paid big money for an education so that they can be productive members of society.
Both sides in this labour dispute have shown complete disregard for the students — the people who ultimately pay their salaries and generous benefits.
Both sides in this labour dispute should be ashamed of themselves. Grant Wilkinson, Ottawa A deafening silence over noise Re: Letter, Rideau-Carleton Casino gets an earful from patrons, Nov. 15. I’m dependent on hearing aids. I’ve done some research on this subject and found the following: The casino cranks up the “music” in order to make more money. It triggers adrenalin and excitement, and makes conversation difficult. So we focus on gambling and drinking.
That level of sound causes short-term discomfort and deafness, and incremental permanent hearing loss, which over the long term damages our relationships, productivity and brain health.
We are deafened for profit from many other sides: hockey arenas, stadiums, bars, concerts, wedding parties, earphones, loud motorcycles, leaf blowers and other things.
Treating deafness is also profitable. Audiologists, medical specialists, hearing aids, tinnitus treatment — all are big business. No hearing professions or business associations lobby for noise regulation within facilities. Hearing organizations advise us to avoid dangerous sound, but they do not advocate regulation.
We have provincial regulations protecting workers, but not patrons, from damaging noise within establishments. Service workers tend to accept it as part of keeping their jobs. Municipal regulations only deal with outside “neighbouring” noise. Most European countries protect their citizens with interior sound regulations. The Ottawa Board of Health could take action.
Tobacco and concussion sports have recently been outed. Could we next attack deafening noise? Glen Milne, Ottawa