Letters: Response to convoy was justified; plan better to assist homeless

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Government was right in convoy response

Regarding the “Common sense prevails on convoy ruling” editorial, seriously?  Where is the common sense for these unruly truckers to block streets/close malls and businesses, honking their horns to the point of residents not being able to sleep/ causing fear in everyone in that area.

The word “common sense” certainly did not enter in any of these “protesters” minds. Their only purpose was to upset people, and try to disrupt our Canadian government.

What our federal government did by imposing the Emergencies Act was exactly what needed to get done. This Charter of Rights and Freedom is just another joke – why would truckers and their followers have a right to freedom, when all they did was imprisoned local citizens in their homes for days.

We live in a country where rules have changed, it appears that “disturbing groups of truckers” have more rights then the rest of us. COVID 19 vaccines were highly encouraged for everyone – so “truckers” get over yourselves and follow the rules, like everyone else.

Pat Hebert

Moncton

Better planning needed to help homeless

The last couple of months has seen a flurry of activity directed at the construction of facilities for homeless people all over the Maritimes.  It seems to me this is a poor time (mid-winter) to be trying to build houses of any design. This is another indication of how dysfunctional government agencies operate with regards to anticipating future and even immediate needs and working with volunteers to help the homeless and dispossessed in a timely fashion. The people who are volunteering to assist in helping must be frustrated with this kind of performance.

The people in Fredericton who built the small homes on their own dime should be recognized and thanked by the government. It is certainly a great start toward solving the homeless problem. How come the ideas for fixing a public problem have to come from private sources? 

What concerns me is this recent solution may have some problems in the future. Sometimes (most times) short-term ideas and their execution without the long-term thinking will lead to other problems. I noticed on the local news the small home idea is being looked at and some building has started in other provinces.

The problems could be with waste disposal, fire protection, access, servicing, long-term maintenance and all the rest needed to maintain a subdivision.

I noticed where one encampment was given a portable toilet and placed it 500 ft. from the shelter. No planning.

I do not wish to give a negative comment about what people are trying to do to help the homeless; however, half thought out ideas require full thought out plans to be successful and provide a respectful place for everyone to live in or live near.

Robert Fisher

Bathurst