We are only two of many who experienced over this past weekend the volatility that happens when Mother Nature is extremely angry at the world. Yes, we said that and meant to say so, in particular Quebec.

First, the head of Hydro Quebec should be hanging his/her head in shame at the extreme frustration experienced by so many, many people in the Outaouais as well as other areas. Has Hydro Quebec not learned anything since the ice storm in 1998 for one, the windstorms in May of 2022, Christmas 2022 and now this past weekend?

We have experienced no less than eight outages from May of 2022 to the present day. It seems that maintenance that used to routinely be done (on hydro poles, trees near the lines needing major trimming, etc.,) has been abandoned. Why is that? We can only surmise that someone is getting the big bucks to keep costs down in order to pay big bonuses to the chief executives (our guess). Wind and solar to take over is laughable at best due to zero reliability.

It is painfully evident that government has an agenda that does not include it’s lowly citizens like me or you. For a province that has the capacity to produce the electricity required, there is something major going on to thwart that production.

How about some answers? Frustrated, to say the least.

Thanks for letting us blow off some steam.

Robert and Sandra Barber

Luskville, Que.

Great interest

Dear Editor,

Like many of your readers I took great interest in reading our MP Sophie Chatel’s responses to the questions that THE EQUITY posed to her regarding the latest Federal Government Budget.

The overall objective of the budget was, in the words of Chatel, to support a transition to a “clean, sustainable and prosperous economy” and “making the economy more inclusive.” On this statement I, as I am sure many others in the Pontiac, find it perplexing that our MP is of the sentiment that our economy is non-inclusive to a segment of its citizens. As a result of this the government, of which she is a member of, is granting millions of dollars in precious funds to segments of the population based solely on the criteria of their race, gender and sexual orientation. Nowhere in the Pontiac, that I am aware of, are there citizens who cannot freely engage in and contribute to the economy, or social fabric, due to their race or sexual and gender identity. I would argue that Chatel would be hard pressed to cite any examples supporting this disbursement of funds. One can only be left with the conclusion that in the federal government identity politics trumps real economic concerns. In the Pontiac we are a generous and compassionate people. But we balance this generosity and giving with fairness and justice. Certainly, favoring the identity of one group over the other is neither fair, nor just.

Even more troubling than how Chatel’s government has drafted a radical ideologically driven budget is how it severely limits the needs of our Pontiac farmers who are the real boots on the ground. The Government Agriculture and Agi-Food Canada’s On-Farm Climate Action Fund adoption of nitrogen management for farmers to reduce fertilizers is a prime example of this governments top down dictates that run against the argument that multi-generational farms know their land and its soil the best and are in the best position, certainly better than the government, in how to manage it.

In the end Chatel states that the government has produced a “very fiscally prudent budget” and urges her constituents to “hang in there” to see the rewards. Well, I unlike Sophie, am not worried about Canadians. We are a hardy and resilient people.

What I am worried about is a government who created this approaching recession and high inflation and yet pat themselves on the back for giving families $467 per year (that’s $9 per week) to counter high grocery prices yet turn around and voted themselves a hefty pay raise in the House of Commons. So, the young Pontiac couple who have two small children, a home mortgage and commute an hour each day to work get $467 per year ($2.25 per individual in that family per week), but Chatel gets a $5,100 per year raise as a mere backbench MP. Chatel’s budget sounds more and more like exclusion rather than inclusion.

Todd Hoffman

Campbell’s Bay, Que.

Food prices

Dear Editor,

The committee that looked into the high prices of food really made me laugh. When was the last time these parliamentarians entered a grocery store or had to put gas in their chauffeured driven cars? Why did they not have a father and mother with three kids or two seniors on a fixed income talking to these food executives?

Perhaps a way the people could help bring down the prices would be to boycott one of the four major food chains. For one week, the people of Quebec and Ontario would buy nothing at the Metro chain, the next week Walmart, the next week Sobeys, then Loblaws and Shoppers Drug Mart. Maybe this would open their eyes.

John Lawn

Campbell’s Bay, Que.

Happy Easter … truly

Dear Editor,

Easter is for most of us a nice long weekend. It was also a long weekend for the early Christians. So, our societies have this part of the tradition in common. The resurrection of Jesus symbolises the victory over spiritual death and the possibility for anyone to be reconciled with God now and for eternity. That sounds way better than all the rules and rites of most traditional religions. Faith requires us to believe first, understand second and then find our new way of life. Isn’t it basically exactly the opposite of our natural human instinct?

Even science can not prove or disprove the existence of God. Hubert Reeves may be surprising when he says, “The question is not whether God exists or not. But rather: who is He, and what is He up to?” Could faith be more precious and essential than we think? It is probably after scientists will have looked under every rock, that they will reach the conclusion that maybe there is a Higher Power behind this universe.

Jesus communicated to his disciples at his last supper, Love each other as I loved you. Some say that practicing this commandment will help us discover the truth within us and let it shine. Easter is a good occasion to reflect on how we are treating the people around us. We are not talking about religion here, are you capable of meekness?

I believed for a long time that we were born perfect and were responsible for limiting the damages during our lives in order to be happy and lovable. That also includes hiding our failures and weaknesses. What if we were born imperfect and needed to aim to be the best we can be? Suddenly, the message of Jesus may make more sense, or not. Jesus makes you think he is either a fool or a genius depending on your level of comfort with the spiritual value of his words. Perhaps it is better to start believing first? It would be making us more peaceful while we try to understand what we believe and see positive changes in the way we deal with our own demons and our relation with others. Just eating your Easter chocolate is also an option.

Scriptures says that becoming closer to our truth will make us bear the fruits of the Spirit. These fruits of the Spirit are defined as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control. Loving others is not simply loving those who are lovable. There is little merit in loving those who love us. There is much more merit in respecting, forgiving or helping those who we consider hostile, disturbing, weak, arrogant, etc. Are you already thinking of someone?

Easter therefore invites us to do our own introspection, to renew our intelligence, to die to ourselves a little and to rise up spiritually. Unanswered questions are fine, light will come. We don’t need religions that take over our spiritual thirst with their well chewed ideas, tons of rules that we must follow or we won’t go to Heaven. Our society is much better off without the major religious currents intermingling with political power and in our democratic institutions.

Faith alone is healthy when it leads human beings to know both their limitations and their immense potential to love and share with others. Being a strong believer makes a human more confident, more courageous, more tolerant, more grateful, more generous and overall better citizen of the world. And for the hereafter, it will be God’s Grace. For now, we would be humble human beings on a good path for fulfillness. Have you told someone you love them this week?

Happy Easter…truly.

Pierre Cyr

Fort Coulonge, Que.

Register or subscribe to read this content

Thanks for stopping by! This article is available to readers who have created a free account or who subscribe to The Equity.

When you register for free with your email, you get access to a limited number of stories at no cost. Subscribers enjoy unlimited access to everything we publish—and directly support quality local journalism here in the Pontiac.

Register or Subscribe Today!