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26 comment(s)

Minister's claim dubious

To The Editor:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but is it possible that politicians can now hear what we haven't even spoken?

In the April 29 Times & Transcript, "N.B. won't ban uranium probes", the subtitle states "Natural Resources minister says 'silent majority' of NBers support mineral exploration."

How would Donald Arsenault know or not know what I support?

Chances are the 'silent majority' do not support, but have come to the conclusion there's no sense in saying anything.

It's probably to his advantage to pretend he knows just exactly what we, the 'silent majority', of which I'm one, need or want. But, in reality, he could care less what I or any others of the 'silent majority' think because as we know a politician usually has an agenda of his own.

I just choose to spend my time more productively where it will have a greater impact. Keep in mind that I, along with the remainder of your 'silent majority,' will speak loud and clear at the polls on election day.

S. Drew,

Moncton

(Via e-mail)

Time to oust N.B. government

To The Editor:

I applaud James Betts for summarizing the Top 10-plus errors the New Brunswick government has made ("letter of the day" yesterday).

There were so many that I could not keep track of them in my head. It was good to see them in writing.

This government makes me feel sick and disgusted, as well as incredibly angry.

Between Shawn Graham and Kelly Lamrock, I feel I am watching the movie "Dumb & Dumber" over and over again in the Twilight Zone.

I have written to the Premier's Office stating my unhappiness with their decisions, as well as begged the Opposition to force an early election or something.

I would take any stranger off the street as New Brunswick's leader right now as opposed to living with the current government for two more years.

As for Education Minister Kelly Lamrock, can that man shovel himself any deeper?

Come on, he dumps the early immersion program to avoid streaming, and then he comes up with a plan that segregates "gifted children" with extra resource time each week.

My child does really well in school and even I don't want her to be taken aside to realize her full potential . . . that is my job as a parent to put her into extra-curricular activities.

I want school to teach her the basics of reading, writing, arithmetic, and FRENCH. That resource time could have been used to help the early French immersion children keep up with the program (FYI -- the French schools take the children aside one-on-one several times a week to help them keep up).

Can someone tell me what we citizens can do to oust this government?

I don't know if I can take feeling this angry for another two years.

Michelle Shannon,

Moncton

(Via e-mail)

Roadside trash is a disgrace

To The Editor:

This is about the trash and garbage along our highways, roadways and streets in southern New Brunswick.

I live 20 kilometres outside of the cities of Dieppe and Moncton and every day I drive into the city to work. I feel that I'm driving in a garbage dump.

Have we become so irresponsible and uncaring about our environment around us that this is acceptable? As I get closer to our city, it gets worse.

I know that our mayors are not responsible for our highways, but they should have a little pull with our government in Fredericton to clean this up.

I read last year in our paper that our officials of our government were in New York City promoting our province; well I would say promotion starts at home! What are you promoting? With garbage and trash along our highways and roadways, are we promoting a dump?

Now is the time to clean this up and keep it clean. Maybe they should promote a non-littering program to reach people's awareness.

We could take some lessons from our neighbouring provinces. You do not see this when going into Prince Edward Island. Let us take a little pride in our province.

Maybe this is why they call it the drive through province; who wants to come to a garbage dump?

Wayne Atkinson,

Meadow Brook

(Via e-mail)

Acadians looking for fairness

To The Editor:

I would like to give my perspective on two issues brought up by Mr. Keith Tindale in a letter May 1.

Firstly, being Acadian means deportation in 1755. It means loss of life, land and and dignity. It was ethnic cleansing. It means prejudice, mockery and demeaning comments because you could not speak English very well. It means being told to "speak white" by Anglophones. My mother was told as a young girl in Saint John not to speak French in public for fear of retaliation. It means changing family names to White instead of LeBlanc in order to get a job. It means having cashiers turn their back on you while growling "sorry, don't speak French".

That, Mr. Tindale, is what it feels like being a linguistic and cultural minority.

Acadians have overcome hundreds of years of intolerance by being faithful to their culture and language. In New-Brunswick, we are approximately 35 per cent of the population. If we do not defend our gains acquired through constant struggle, our existence is doomed. I'm sure if you we're in my shoes Mr. Tindale, you would defend your rights.

Secondly, I'd like to see you be sick in a country where the doctor and nurses don't understand you and vice versa. Wouldn't you be uncomfortable or scared? Believe it or not this is happening in New-Brunswick. As a medical specialist, I can vouch on the fact that ALL Anglophones in this province can get medical care in English. This is not the case for Francophones. I hear horror stories every day of Francophones needing other patients, family or even the maintenance guy try to translate what a doctor or a nurse has just said.

How about the doctor who writes in his chart that the patient is confused because he speaks French?

The Murphy reform will decrease health care delivery in French in this province. The government will save one per cent of its budget with these drastic changes. No company on Earth would attempt such changes for such modest savings. Mark my words, this reform will cost us more in the long run.

We are not looking for a duplicate health care system Mr. Tindale. We are looking for fairness.

Dr. Marcel Mallet,

Respirologist,

Hôpital Dr. G.L. Dumont,

Moncton