LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Time to stand up to the American bully

The recent declaration by American President Donald Trump that Canada is a “security risk” and that this declaration is being used to justify tariffs on steel and aluminum is insulting to Canada.

What should make it doubly concerning is that Trump made this statement so close to the anniversary of the D-Day invasion, a day on which American, British and Canadian soldiers fought and died side-by-side on the beaches of northern France.

We cannot let this insult to our national pride go unanswered.

But what can the little guy do?

Stop buying American-made goods. Take an extra second or two at the grocery store to read the label and put back on the shelf any product that says, “Made in the U.S.A.”

Sure, it may take a little longer to shop, and we have to do without some things.

But the respect and honour that those soldiers from June 6, 1944, deserve outweighs any complaint we may express at how inconvenient it is to stand up to this bully.

Larry Newton

Welland

Sushi the cat’s rescuers praised

I feel the need to commend the staff of Lincoln County Humane Society and fire Capt. Edward Dywan and his team for going above and beyond.

As I was cleaning June 9 at about 4 p.m., I had my vent covers off and my one-yearold cat Sushi climbed down the vent and got stuck in the duct work.

She was crying and couldn’t reverse to come back out.

I phoned LCHS and Jordan arrived and advised me to call the fire department, which would have proper tools for the rescue.

Sushi was crying, wanting out.

When they arrived Sushi had made it through the ductwork and was downstairs in the ductwork under the stairs.

The duct was removed and a firefighter saw her and grabbed her.

Neither LCHS nor Capt. Dywan have ever responded to a call of this nature.

All involved went above and beyond for a kitten. I felt recognition for both parties is definitely due.

Gail Waters

St. Catharines

Portage Road worse than Drummond Road

RE: DRUMMOND ROAD VOTED WORST IN NIAGARA, BY RAY SPITERI, JUNE 4

I read with interest Ray Spiteri’s article naming Drummond Road the worst in Niagara, but I would strongly suggest that Portage Road between Morrison Street and Thorold Stone Road is even worse.

Anyone travelling this stretch of road I am sure would agree (10 times worse than Drummond) … mostly caused by transport trucks and the 15 or so school buses that travel back and forth two to three times a day … a heavy toll on this area.

I don’t understand why this particular part of Portage Road has never been mentioned before as “a worst Niagara road.”

Jim Hedden

Niagara Falls

Election-day note shows decency still exists

While voting last Thursday, I saw a note underneath the wiper of a car beside us in parking lot at the polling station.

In this era of cynicism and indifference to the plight of others, I had half expected some snarky order for the owner to move his car or be towed.

But that is not how the note read.

Instead someone had written, “Your front driver side tire is flat. I tried to put air in it but it will not inflate. Please be careful and get this fixed. God bless.”

When bullying, greed and corruption seem to dominate our news and characterize too many political, social and economic leaders, it is important to remember that decency and caring is still there, in people’s hearts — and on people’s windshields.

As a friend wrote me when I told him about this incident, “St. Catharines is a compassionate community, and compassion is built on kind action, not rhetoric and chest thumping.”

Amen to that.

Don Sawyer

St. Catharines