LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
City has always led with smoking laws
RE: VAPING, CIGARETTES AND POT: SMOKING LAWS STILL CLOUDY IN PETERBOROUGH, JULY 14
In 2009, Peterborough’s smoke-free bylaw was updated to include protection from secondhand smoke at parks, playgrounds, beaches, splash pads and ball diamonds. At the time, it was hailed as a bold step towards a smoke-free future, and the City was widely regarded as a provincial leader. It wouldn’t be until 2015 that the government updated the SmokeFree Ontario Act to include the same protection across the province.
It was the same in 2010 and 2012 respectively, when the City updated its smokefree bylaw to include Peterborough Regional Health Centre’s property, and when it banned the use of water-pipes in public places. On each occasion other jurisdictions turned to Peterborough to help them do there, what we did here.
After years of research and based on the best available science, the province was poised to further protect residents from secondhand smoke and vapour by including e-cigarettes and medicinal cannabis in the provincial law, but that was put ‘on pause’ when the government changed.
Despite the province-wide pause, the City of Peterborough moved on July 9th to protect residents and visitors alike from harmful secondhand smoke and vapour by updating their smoke-free bylaw again, and for this the City should be commended.
With changing social norms and better science available to decision makers, we encourage all municipalities to follow Peterborough’s lead and update their smoke-free bylaws to protect people where they live, work and play.
The City of Peterborough has a long history of leadership and we couldn’t agree more with The Peterborough Examiner when they said the “City’s change to [the] smoking bylaw is a step in the right direction.”
Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, medical officer of health, Peterborough Public Health
New Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith ‘a keeper’
It is my in-laws George and Audrey Reed’s 70th wedding anniversary on July 31. We wanted something special to celebrate this all-too-rare event. We thought a scroll from their MPP, Dave Smith, and possibly the premier would be a great way to commemorate the event.
Dave went way beyond our expectations and invited all of us to Queens Park to sit in the Speakers Gallery and hear his Member’s Statement honouring George and Audrey. Needless to say, we were all thrilled and jumped at the opportunity. George and Audrey were ecstatic with the tribute and reception they received.
We also had the opportunity to sit and talk with Dave in private and, as the saying goes “you’ve got a keeper there” Not only was he open and articulate but also extremely knowledgeable and insightful on a wide variety of issues.
Even more important to us was his sincerity and deeply felt desire to make a difference. He explained to us how his family’s struggles and tribulations instilled in him that desire to make a difference. We are confident he will and all of Ontario and Canada will be better off because of his efforts.
These days, it is not difficult to be jaded about politicians and their motives. Dave certainly doesn’t fit that stereotype.
Gerry and Pamela Davy, Greely, Ont.
Public must have a say on environment
Under our Environmental Bill of Rights, Ontarians “have the right to know about — and comment on — environmentally significant proposals the Ontario government is considering.”
This is the law. Although change is happening quite rapidly in this area, to my knowledge, only Ontario and New Zealand have a type of environmental legislation with similar participatory rights requiring public consultation.
As the late Gord Downie said regarding Ontario’s Environmental Bill of Rights, “This is our air and our water; these things belong to us. Every licence to pollute, every environmental impact, must be considered carefully and publicly. These are our environmental rights, rights as important as any others, rights that must be respected.”
On July 18, 2018, the Canadian Environmental Law Association submitted an Environmental Bill of Rights application requesting a review of Premier Doug Ford’s application (EBR Registry Number: 013-3221) to dismantle Ontario’s cap-andtrade program without consulting the people.
In the 1990s, fine legal minds and civil society set Ontario on a path to protect our environment, and it is something we all must protect. Please, everyone reading this, call your MPP now and demand your right to comment on the dismantling of the cap-and-trade program in Ontario. You have the power to help make sure that Ontario’s climate legislation is based on the facts and that there are, as Melissa Felder wrote, no more “exception notices dismantling all environmental regulation built in Ontario since the start of EBR in 1993.”
Forest fires aren't the focus of much attention
I am disheartened and bewildered by the lack of coverage by national print and television media on the numerous forest fires which have been raging in northeast Ontario over the last few weeks.
These devastating fires have affected communities near North Bay, Sudbury, Temagami, Elk Lake — and now in Killarney in the Parry Sound District.
Ontario parks and lodges have been evacuated in these areas, while tens of thousands of hectares of forests are burning, affecting wildlife and treasured land.
Fire crews from across Canada — including P.E.I., Newfoundland, Saskatchewan, Alberta and N.W.T. and crews from the U.S. and Mexico — have been assisting efforts by providing water bombers, heavy helicopters and equipment.
A heartfelt thanks goes out to these fire crews and volunteers who are risking their lives to stop or control the spread of fires in northeast Ontario.
If only national media cared as much.