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In an astonishing act of disregard for the role nurses could play in meeting the health needs of seniors, the disabled, families with children and people who are homeless or living in poverty, the city has told its hundreds of public health nurses to stay home a second working day unless they are deemed “essential” by their supervisors. (Many were advised last Thursday not to report to work Friday.) During this third week of the month, tens of thousands of Torontonians on fixed incomes survive on only a few dollars, an insufficient amount for food and emergency supplies.
Public health nurses could be playing a vital role during this emergency period – reassigned to help in seniors’ homes, low-income communities, community centres, drop-in centres and shelters, at food-banks, where already overburdened staff are still reeling from last week’s power outage.
They could be working side by side with Red Cross workers, street outreach vans and other city emergency workers to ensure that water, flashlights, batteries and food reach the most vulnerable.
They could be working in teams in vulnerable communities to see if they can provide health assistance, identify vulnerable people and reduce unnecessary visits to overburdened emergency departments. Have cities learned nothing from the work of nurses during the ice storm?
Cathy Crowe, Toronto Disaster Relief Committee
re cellphone vigilantes (now, au gust 14-20). Our streets have been under siege for a long time. We are only demanding the level of police services that matches the level of crime on our streets. Both the NDP and PC candidates for provincial office lent their support and presence to the rally described in your article because they realize that lawlessness on our streets is not to anyone’s benefit.
Your article incorrectly states that we made efforts to persuade the local BIA to hire private security. We had no part in that discussion.
Further, you claim that I supported the Tories’ elimination of rent controls. As the former chair of the Region of Peel housing committee, I clearly stated to the legislative committee on general government that “unless the legislature is able to deal with the whole gamut of housing policies legislative changes alone to rent controls could do much more harm than good.” A little research would also have shown I was against the Harris workfare program.
Kyle Rae’s questioning of my political stripes is interesting indeed. What Rae does not get is that one can have a social conscience and be fiscally responsible.
Pierre Klein, Candidate for city council, Ward 28
i want to clarify a few points raised in the article Cellphone Vigilantes. First, I do not support Pierre Klein’s candidacy for city council. I do support local residents getting involved in community-based solutions to making our neighbourhoods safer, including participating in safety walks and organizing community patrols.
Second, it’s well known there are fewer police officers today walking the beat in 51 Division than there were 10 years ago.
I am in full support of having more officers patrolling our downtown neighbourhoods to combat crime such as drive-by shootings, sexual assaults and gay-bashing, all of which have happened on the streets of 51 Division in the past few weeks.
Third, I don’t believe in harassing the poor or the homeless. I do believe in real, practical solutions that will help get people off the street, including building more affordable housing, reinstituting rent controls and increasing the minimum wage.
Gene Lara, Provincial NDP Candidate
Toronto Centre-Rosedale
julian fantino has clearly shown once again that leadership is not his greatest skill (NOW, August 14-20). For the chief of police of such a multicultural city to publicly criticize a given community because of a few of its members is thoughtless.
As far as I can remember, the white community has never been asked to rid itself of biker gangs or child molesters. Nor have Asians been asked to do something about Asian gangs.
The chief’s divisive posturing has to stop. Yet his appeal for more resources should be heeded.
Rather than being vindictive, the chief should tackle the problem head on in the same manner some jurisdictions in the U.S. have – unless the chief’s true intention is to pave the way for the conservative government to run on a law-and-order platform in the upcoming provincial election.
Jacques Touré, Toronto
re your upfront caribana parade photo (NOW, August 7-13) of a large black woman flattening that poor white guy. Gee! Some kind of woman power, eh! Who says women are meek and unassertive? Here it shows that at least black women aren’t. Poor guy!!
Kaela Mulenga, Toronto
i work as a bartender at a pub at Yonge and Gerrard. For the past two or three years, on the Sunday after Caribana we have been confronted with police tape because of an incident that has taken place. This time, during our peak business hours, Toronto’s finest came in and evacuated us and all our patrons because some asshole was walking the streets with a high-powered rifle!
I am used to drunk masses on our streets: Gay Pride. Yonge Street Festival. Fridays. Saturdays.
But the powers that be should look at who is coming to this party and why. All I want is the jerk chicken. Pissed off.
Lonny Knapp, Toronto
i’m sure bicycle riders heaved a sigh of relief when your news insight cameras caught 65 drivers in Bay Street transit lanes (NOW, August 14-20). That Toronto has only four such lanes speaks volumes about the death grip that cars have on authorities here. Your suggestion that barriers be used to separate transit and vehicle lanes is a good one. They would certainly make the trip up Bay on two wheels a little less adventurous.
And perhaps some of the wild and woolly sidewalk riders you photographed the week before (NOW, August 7-13) would be persuaded to give up their bad habits.
Geoff Rytell, Toronto
as a new playwright in toronto, i was dreading NOW’s SummerWorks reviews, and, of course, after reading the review of our show, Hemlock, my fears were shown to be well founded (NOW, August 14-20). I am an ardent reader of NOW. The power of its opinions is evident.
On opening night, we newcomers in a new theatre had 15 minutes to get ready and open a show in a space we’d never used before.
I personally have spent a lot of time developing my talent as a theatre writer, and can assure you my values do not include work for prime time on Fox. Welcome to Toronto.
Stephanie Alexander, Toronto
your piece on 10 buildings worth saving (NOW, July 31-August 6) needs an update where St. James Cathedral is concerned. Happily, opposed parishoners and other concerned citizens have managed to kill the original scheme for a 50-storey condo tower.
Now, though, a developer has acquired an option on the site kitty-corner from the cathedral on the northwest corner of Church and Adelaide. Only one condo tower is proposed, but if this deal goes through, the cathedral will still have enough surplus air rights to facilitate two more just like it. Neighbours, take note.
William Cooke, Toronto
between your article culture Crunch and the snapshots of our deteriorating transit system (NOW, July 24-30), you get the sense that things are bleak, broke and breaking in T.O. While every level of politician deserves a kick, the motoring majority of our city politicians want to keep the drive-through open at the car traffic trough.
Hamish Wilson, Toronto
bravo to now for your once again totally biased and bizarre coverage of the OCAP golf action in Brampton (NOW, July 24-30). What a horrible idea to stand in the fine tradition of the labour movement and organize a militant picket outside a $1,000 Tory fundraiser for these social service- and union-bashing public health-care wreckers.
Congrats to Now for showing where you really stand, as propaganda agents for the so-called Liberal left and the right-wing Hampton Blairies in the NDP.
Jason Baines, Toronto
