Cheers & Jeers
CHEERS to the cyclists who recently helped a woman who got lost on the trails at Mark Arendz Provincial Ski Park. Jean McCardle told The Guardian she was out for a walk with her dog when she found herself going down the wrong trail, leaving her lost and calling out for help in the rain. Two cyclists who saw her car was still in the parking lot turned back to help, only to find three others had answered her call. McCardle didn’t get any of the cyclists’ names but whoever they are, they deserve kudos for their kind gesture.
JEERS to those quick to judge without having all the facts. A rotational worker wrote an opinion piece in The Guardian Thursday outlining the care he takes and some of the regulations he must follow when on the jobsite in Alberta to make sure he doesn't bring COVID-19 back to his family and neighbours in P.E.I. Dan Harding wrote honestly and openly about his experience being treated like a pariah by supposedly friendly Islanders during his quick trips home to his family. He and the many other workers who support their families by working out west have chosen a gruelling life and are now experiencing an extra layer of scrutiny and pettiness.
CHEERS to the communities who are putting in a lot of work to ensure that the tradition of Christmas parades continue across Prince Edward Island. It would have been easy for officials and participants to cancel this year’s events due to the guidelines in place for public gatherings due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Instead, they have been creative with what some communities are calling reverse or drive-by parades. This is where the public drives the parade route and views the stationary floats and entries. Although it may be different, many Island children will still have the opportunity to see Santa Claus.
CHEERS to Islanders who have quickly adopted the mask mandate. The mandatory mask requirement came into effect Friday. All weekend people were seen reaching for their face coverings before entering shops and other public places. There are still a few outliers – and there will always people who cannot wear them for whatever reason. But, like making a habit of always bringing along their reuseable shopping bags since the plastic bag ban came into effect, people are doing their best to remember to mask up in public.
JEERS to the pet owners who don’t follow the domestic animal regulations in the P.E.I. National Park: all dogs must be on a leash at all times; the leashes cannot exceed three metres in length; dog owners are required to pick up after their pets and remove the waste from the national park; dogs are not permitted on the beaches between April 1 and Oct. 15; after Oct. 15 and before April 1, dogs on beaches must be on a leash. The rules are there for safety. Not everyone loves dogs, and not all dogs are friendly or predictable around strangers. If you don’t like the rules, take your four-legged friend somewhere else for exercise.