Premier Wynne and First Nations

Re An emotional apology for “abuses of the past,”

May 31 Ms. Wynne’s apology to the First Nations for past abuses would have been far more convincing if it had not occurred on the same day as the Ontario government’s most recent refusal to do anything about the mercury pollution at Grassy Narrows.

It appears that while apologizing for past abuses, Ms. Wynne’s Liberal government sees no reason to alter its policies regarding current abuses — or, at the very least, its ignoring of an intolerable situation.

Several decades on, it should be reasonably obvious that permitting nature to take its course has not in fact resolved the situation: People continue to suffer as a result of industry’s past practices and the government’s desire to save the cost of the necessary cleanup.

I wonder: If mercury poisoning was affecting a plush Muskoka resort instead of a remote First Nation, would Ms. Wynne’s government have the same laissez-faire attitude? Chris Cosby, Sudbury

Premier Wynne has apologized for sins of the past. She should now apologize for her sins of the present and future — the power plant cancellation scandal along with covering for the misdeeds of Dalton McGuinty and others. Destroyed emails as well. And now Premier Wynne seeks to eliminate the only affordable heating option left — natural gas — and force unaffordable green energy on people already struggling to make ends meet.

Food and housing are far more important to the majority of Ontarians than your dreams and ego, Ms. Wynne. It would seem that your mission in life is all about selling wine in corner stores. Surely even you understand that is trivial by comparison to genuine needs. Start helping instead of imposing further burden. At present, you are nothing more than embarrassing and out of touch with the realities and burdens of everyday living. Rick Lockman, Orillia