Cheers &Jeers

CHEERS: To the family of Walter Hunt for sharing their memories of ‘Poppa Hunt’ with the Truro News last week. Hunt, a very popular figure on the sidelines for Truro football teams over the years, passed away in the hospital on Feb. 26. He was 44 years old.

Hunt is representative of the many men and women who leave a lasting impression on the young athletes they come across. Not only was he a supporter of countless players over several years, but he was also their friend – someone they could gravitate to in good times and bad.

It’s nice to see the football community rallying behind the family by establishing a Gofundme page to help the family through its difficult time. As Truro Minor Football Association president Mary Shannon said, “Football is a true family, and when one of our own needs us, we all stand together.”

Rest in Peace, Walter, your community loves you.

JEERS: To rising gas prices amid the continuing crisis in Ukraine.

The last few years have been tough ones for business owners and consumers. Frequent lockdowns and restrictions have continually placed barriers on people’s lives. And just when they see the light at the end of the tunnel with Premier Tim Houston’s recent announcement that COVID restrictions would come to an end March 21, gas prices exploded to record levels over just a couple of days as already volatile world markets went off the deep end with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

It’s another example of the new realities as we come out of the pandemic. The cost of living has gone through the roof, while supply chain issues have made finding things we used to take for granted a bit of an ordeal.

To make things worse, Ukraine is a major supplier of the world’s wheat supply, meaning the cost of another basic staple is expected to soar.

If there’s one thing governments at both the federal and provincial levels should consider, it would be to, perhaps in the short term, lower the amount of tax collected on a litre of gas to ease the strain on those who need to fuel up their vehicles to go to work and to encourage people to get out and travel this summer – supporting many local businesses who are fearful of another downturn.

CHEERS: To people in Colchester and Cumberland counties for stepping up to the plate in reaction to a pair of wind farms proposed for the Wentworth Valley and Folly Lake areas.

This is not to say that wind energy is bad, or that these projects would harm the local environment, but the sixmonth moratorium the municipal county councils have enacted on wind farm developments should allow for proper consideration of land-use bylaws to ensure checks and balances as this industry rapidly grows.

There’s no question that Nova Scotia needs to get greener, and wind is part of that solution, along with solar energy, geothermal and tidal power. This should not be a case of not-in-my-backyard, but one in which residents express their concerns and the industry responds.

While some will oppose these projects for NIMBY reasons, it’s something that can’t be changed. However, fact and evidence-based decisions should rule the day, along with a plan to mitigate environmental impacts at a time when the climate change crisis is becoming very real.

CHEERS: To the Truro Housing Outreach Society for hosting another successful Coldest Night of the Year fundraiser on Feb. 25 and raising $12,000 to support programs and services for some of our community’s most vulnerable.

Those facing housing insecurity aren’t always seen in the community. When many think of homelessness they think of people sleeping on park benches and underpasses in big cities like Toronto and New York. The fact is, unfortunately, that there are too many people struggling to find shelter. They are forced to go from place to place to find a roof over their heads.

Holding the fundraiser in the dead of winter also represents the environmental challenges the homeless face. When it’s -10C or -20C, someone who’s homeless does not have a warm house to call home or something as simple as heavier winter clothing. They have to live through it, or try to without freezing to death.

Truro is fortunate to have the housing outreach society. While providing a 16-bed facility in Prince Street, the society also offers other programs while advocating for those facing homelessness.

Unfortunately, with rent controls expected to be lifted soon, there are valid concerns about what could be a flood of more people facing housing insecurity as the cost of housing skyrockets.