Complaint
Dear Editor,
I’d like to complain* – imagine that – about the weather. Over this past winter, we’ve had warnings of huge fierce storms, which often turned out to be piddly little snow squalls; inconvenient enough, but not the world-stopping blizzards predicted by weather pundits. It’s as if we are somehow parked on the lucky side of the river, as this year’s snow falls clung to the south shore, and dumped big time on Ottawa.
But the complaint I wish to register deals with the nature of the snow we’ve received. We were told, in grade school science classes, that every snow flake is unique in its structure. I choose to disagree – I feel certain that we are receiving second-hand duplicate snowflakes, left over from the snowstorms across the River. In hand-shovelling my driveway, I broke a shovel that had successfully moved mountains of snow for well over twenty years. Of all the unique snowflakes I’ve moved and piled over that time, I strained my back, but not that reliable shovel. My indubitable conclusion is that my revered antique shovel has fallen victim to duplicate snowflakes which pack down into ice, thwarting my efforts to quickly and efficiently move them out of the way, until spring thaw turns them to liquid again.
I’d like to know what weather pundits and elected government officials intend to do about this problem, which threatens to embarrass our tourist industry, and injures old tools, such as myself?
(*satire)
Robert Wills, Thorne and Shawville, Que.
Sad, angry and anxious
Dear Editor,
It makes me so sad, angry and anxious when I read about Boutique Shawville Shooz being harassed and threatened by the Quebec government about using English on Facebook promoting her business.
About 15 years ago when I was developing Clarendon Point, I was called by an official from Quebec City stating that I must change my English sign at the entrance to my development immediately or I would be fined. I asked what would happen if I did not respect his request and would not pay the fine. He said that I would be jailed…I said come and get me as I would not be hard to find as I would be at the Shawville Fair all weekend. I then slammed the phone so hard it broke. Thankfully for him, the separatist never did show his cowardly face and I never changed my sign.
My family came from Ireland to Dunrobin, Ontario and Onslow, Quebec almost 200 years ago in 1837. My family and I lived in Shawville for almost 20 years from 1951 to 1971 and I attended school there and my father was the only veterinarian from Fort Coulonge to Aylmer. Even he could not practice there now due to the language laws at this time. What are farmers supposed to do now…sell their livestock because their veterinarian cannot speak French? The horses, cattle and farmers don’t care.
Mr. Fortin, please stand up for all Canadians, even the English, and get this law off the books. Let me know if you need any help.
God bless Canada, Quebec included, and all the rights that we Canadians have fought for over the past 200 years.
Mick Armitage, Ottawa, Ont.
