Letters to the editor

A8

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11 Comment(s)

As I have looked over the story of the burnt covered bridge near Hartland in the Thursday edition, it brought to mind that the government has a policy of not replacing covered bridges. This is, I believe, based upon the premise that such bridges are historic and cannot be replaced for that reason. Once history is gone, it is gone.

Enlarge Photo

This is, of course, complete and utter nonsense, especially in a day and age when money is excessively tight. The policy of the government is to replace the bridge with a concrete and steel structure which will cost in excess of $500,000 and will last for about 50 years before having to be replaced.

Why should we put up with that when we can use about $200,000 to put up a covered bridge that will last in excess of 100 years? It's time to stop being penny-wise and dollar foolish.

Thanks for letting me spout off, and I apologize if I have hit the wrong nail on the head.

PETER R. PENNY

Plaster Rock

Keep compensation costs under control

Civil service defends staffing" (Oct. 14) is an interesting article from the government defending the wages they pay to the civil service.

The jobs in the public sector offer job security, gold-plated benefits and pensions not available in the private sector.

The article mentioned that the average wage of $50,000 did not include the benefits and pensions the government has to pay.

This part of the tab will add another 35 to 40 per cent. A report from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) called Wage Watch shows the facts. The provincial government workers' compensation is larger by 28 per cent than a worker doing the same job in the private sector.

The CD Howe Institute estimates that the type of gold-plated pensions offered to government workers cost around 30 per cent of pay. The benefits offered in government will add another eight to 10 per cent.

If we use the low end and say that the benefits and pensions cost another 35 per cent, the total on this adds another half-billion onto the government payrolls.

Enough of the song and dance about justifying the payroll in government.

We should be hearing about how the government is making strides to control the cost of the biggest government expense, the ever-increasing compensation package paid to government workers.

BILL TUFTS

Hamilton, Ont.

CLAC's policy differed in Alberta

The dispute at the LNG regarding CLAC and Integral energy and bringing in workers from outside the province when local tradesmen are available does not relate to practices of CLAC in Alberta in hiring.

In an agreement between CLAC and Horizon Construction dated April 2005 for an oilsands project, the hiring practices article 2.7 - 2.7.2 states "employers will give priority in respect to hiring of qualified persons as follows:...residents of Alberta. A further preference will be given to respect to residents of other provinces and territories of Canada."

Albertans come first in Alberta and it seems they come first in New Brunswick.

BOB APPERLEY

Saint John

Actions give unions a black eye

I've never been a member of a union, but I know they've had a positive impact overall for the working man (and woman) over the years. Because of corporate greed and management power trippers, we'd all be working for a dollar an hour if it wasn't for unions.

This LNG labour dispute, however, is another story. No one is on strike, no one is crossing picket lines, and no labour laws are being broken. As far as workers from outside N.B. taking our jobs, this is not true either. Canadians have been criss-crossing this country for decades, working side-by-side in all provinces depending on job market conditions.

This isn't an east versus west situation. I've been around these men and women that a few are calling "scabs," outsiders, or Westerners and they're from every province and territory, including New Brunswick.

They are hard-working men and woman, some as far as 4,000 miles from family and friends. I've got nothing but admiration and respect for them.

So my question is this: If unions are for the working man (or woman), why are these so-called union members standing along the road to the LNG plant, illegally blocking the road and shouting obscenities? Why are they not giving their fellow workers, unionized or not, the thumbs up?

This whole mess is certainly not giving unions or the city a positive image across Canada. It's time city officials, union leaders and the city police get together and put an end to this nonsense.

BOB McGRATH

Petitcodiac

Limit those getting old-age pension

I have discovered that a bill has or will be introduced into Parliament that would allow emigrants entering Canada to qualify immediately at 65 or older to start drawing old age pension.

If they then are allowed to draw the old age pension they then could be eligible for the additional supplement. Old age pension was at one time separated out and paid along with income tax. Many years ago it was incorporated into that tax. The workers of Canada funded this pension. It was seen as too little for many Canadians to live on, so the Canada pension was added. No one entering Canada should be allowed to draw this pension, as it was not funded to be a social program.

Yes, many Canadians have benefited while not working. Most Canadians would agree that it be so as we look after those less fortunate. But those allowed into Canada should not expect to be supported by taxpayers. Our country is facing a deficit growing monthly with no fast relief in sight. We cannot afford to take many millions from tax revenues and keep our present necessary programs funded.

We need to contact our representatives in Ottawa and express our opposition to any attempt to add this or similar burdens on our country.

ALAN HART

Quispamsis

Israel won't watch Iran develop nukes

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote the Telegraph-Journal contradicting Gwynne Dyer's belittling of Iran's development of nuclear weapons ("Iran has secret nuclear ambitions - but what" Sept. 30). In my unpublished letter, I stated Israel will not sit idly by and watch Iran develop nuclear weapons that Iran would without provocation use against Israel.

I stated that unless the U.S. did something, Israel, within a year, would attack Iran's nuclear sites.

In Wednesday's Telegraph-Journal it has been announced the U.S. has developed a bomb, the "massive ordnance penetrator," to destroy fortified nuclear sites such as that buried deep inside a mountain in Iran. Suspicions are that the "United States is either planning to bomb Iranian nuclear sites itself or would look the other way if Israel did the same."

PETER WHITEBONE

Saint John

All should share anger at CBS

An article Oct. 13 states that "Dr. Andrea Garland is fighting mad at the thought of losing our province's distribution centre" for blood products. I think all New Brunswickers should share her anger.

I feel we shouldn't be dictated to by Dr. Sher, who evidently doesn't even know the geography of the Maritimes. He stated that Moncton is located about half way between Saint John and Halifax whereas most anyone in the area knows this to be quite untrue.

It is true, however, that winter driving conditions between Halifax and Moncton are significantly worse that they are between Saint John and Moncton, as evidenced by the several-hour road closure in Nova Scotia's Cobequid Pass last winter.

New Brunswickers shouldn't agree to be treated as second-class citizens. I urge all citizens to make their wishes known.

I also urge all doctors in New Brunswick to continue their fight for what is right and acceptable from their point of view, not as viewed from some seemingly ill-informed outsiders. As Dr. Garland was quoted as saying, "Here we are trying to start a medical school, a research centre, we have a tertiary care centre that offers cardiac surgery, including neuro, we have a trauma centre we're starting up, we're enlarging our emergency room, we have oncology and we've just started a bone-marrow transplant program... and you're taking away our full-service blood production centre?"

To lose the blood bank in Saint John would be a major loss for the province and its citizens.

HAROLD BETTLE

Hampton