Letters | Sometimes, we get what we deserve
Published Thursday August 21st, 2008
It is clear that in politics we sometimes get the representatives we deserve. The performance of Coun. Patty Higgins at the Aug. 18 council meeting was a disappointment.
She didn't seem to be in touch with her constituents' wishes with regard to the selling of the old Lantic Sugar refinery property to Irving Oil, seemed to have no idea where the 1,000 employees that would work at the Long Wharf office complex (if it is built) would come from, and didn't seem to hear or understand the compelling arguments in favour of the project by councillors Carl Killen, Gary Sullivan, Peter McGuire and the city manager. Even Coun. Bruce Court seemed swayed by their arguments! Ms. Higgins had no rebuttal arguments that I could understand and ended up being the only councillor who voted against the sale.
And what about our mayor, with his long, rambling discourse that seemed slanted against the sale? Even when Coun. Titus told him how his comments should be presented, his only reply was that Coun. Titus should respect the chair.
I believe Ms. Higgins was elected because Ward 2 wanted someone more effective than "Quiet Carl," but we did have a good alternative in Debbie McCormack. Hopefully, Ms. McCormack will run again in four years, and we will also have a reasonable choice for mayor without the interference of silly lawsuits, behind-the-scene deals, vote splitting candidates and union support of candidates that may not have the best interests of the city at heart.
DON LEAMAN
Saint John
Approach strikes better balance
Conservative MLA Madeleine Dubé has complained about our FSL improvements.
Formerly, Core French was mandatory from grades 1 to 10 - not Grade 12 as she claimed. It was ineffective. Up to 98 per cent of students failed to attain any French competency, and unable to learn, many turned against it. It was a disaster.
Dubé questions the challenge of streaming, and complains it will be delayed not eliminated. Forty years of research proves streaming hurts all students. We've addressed that, but a system with optional immersion must contain some streaming. Experts say that streaming causes the most damage in early grades, where we have eliminated it. Children must learn to read by Grade 3, or later intervention programs fail. Under our program, everyone will have an opportunity to master literacy fundamentals. She also claims these changes are "cost-saving measures." Not true. Last year, we increased the education budget by over 7 per cent. These options improve FSL programming, ensure more students have the chance to become bilingual, and will cost another $6.2 million over the next five years.
We're proud of this approach; it strikes a better balance than our earlier proposal. We are thankful to the hundreds of New Brunswickers who shared their views and helped build this improved model, which a national expert says may become the most effective immersion program in Canada. Sadly, rather than help build a better education system, Dubé and the Opposition remain in the past, complain about progress, and offer no alternatives.
KELLY LAMROCK
Minister of Education
No guarantees in traditional families
One writer's portrayal of the traditional family as the cradle of both democracy and religious faith (Marriage basic to our society, Aug. 18) appears to imply that those who choose same-gender unions are somehow bereft of these same values.
Faith, he says, should bring people together and that if this were done war would be a thing of the past. How then can we explain Soviet leader Josef Stalin, the product of a traditional union who shook off the influence of a religious mother to become one of history's worst despots and mass-murderers?
ERNIE ELLINGWOOD
Saint John
Chip sealing not enough for Hwy. 315
The government has finally decided to upgrade Highway 315 (Dunlop Road) after allowing it to deteriorate to an unacceptable level for many years. Instead of repaving this road they have decided to chip seal it. Anyone who is familiar with this process knows that within three months at best this road will be in worse condition than the original road. Especially with the big logging trucks and the large transport vehicles that use this road extensively to bypass the scales on Highway 11.
I contacted my MLA Cheryl Lavoie to complain about the matter, and her reply was that they don't have the money to repave this highway. With the tax assessment on my home increasing by 16 per cent and an increase in my income tax, where is this money going? Probably to pay for the bonuses planned for the deputy ministers.
I hope the people in this area will remember this in the next election and send a strong message to this government.
TED DOUCET
Dunlop
Tolerance deserved by all
Kudos for Peter Smith's commendable column "Why acceptance beats tolerance" (Aug. 19). Particularly informative and insightful was Smith's outline of a bisexual person's lived experience, thereby normalizing this human behaviour. Most gays and lesbians - and, yes - bisexuals have quite similar lifestyles to the rest of us.
That holds, also, of persons who define themselves as transgendered. Smith's column expands our empathies beyond gay and lesbian persons to those who are bisexual. A further advance will include the normalizing of the transgender experience.
Teddy Roosevelt was correct: "This country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a good place for all of us." Smith's column forwards the cause.
ELDON HAY
Sackville
Please respect kids on crosswalks
Some time ago, the Telegraph-Journal agreed to do an article with regard to the dangerous cross walk situation on Thornborough Street. Sandra Davis wrote a wonderful article highlighting the frustration felt by neighbourhood residents.
At the time I challenged drivers to be aware of this and all crosswalks and the potential danger. The Saint John Police Force has been tremendous in its attention to this area, but police cannot live in my driveway and have many other areas of concern.
A week ago I was at my neighbour's home and my daughter, her friend, and a young boy who was visiting wanted to go to my home to get some toys. I accompanied them to the crosswalk when, to my surprise, a vehicle stopped at the crosswalk for us to cross. Then, the vehicle behind it pulled out around the stopped one and drove through the crosswalk. This happened so fast I grabbed the children and didn't have time to get the licence plate, identify the driver or throw a rock, something to illustrate my horror at what had just happened.
The time has come for the city council, provincial government, and School District 8 to step in to solve this problem. I invite representatives from all to stop by for coffee with me, sit on my front porch and watch and wait for the inevitable to happen - someone being struck by a vehicle driven by a person who is too busy to stop for our children.
JERRY KUNITZKY
Saint John
More electronics recycling needed
The federal government is talking about establishing a recycling program for its used electronics. It should be applauded for this move.
But shouldn't it also consider the impacts of products throughout their lifecycles - not just at their end? Computers contain mercury and other toxic materials that can be hazardous when their disposal is improperly managed. Electricity use also leads to air and greenhouse gas emissions, which ultimately contribute to climate change.
The government could address these and other negative consequences by developing a program that encourages the federal purchase of electronic products that are made with fewer toxic materials, use less electricity, and have longer lifetimes. The Federal Electronics Challenge (FEC) in the United States is such a program. It provides resources, technical assistance, awards and recognition to companies that have met specific program goals.
The U.S. has also established EPEAT, a product assessment tool that allows purchasers to compare and select computers based on their environmental attributes, cost and performance considerations. If Ottawa wants to become a model for Canadians, it should go all the way by developing a comprehensive program for the purchase, use, and sound recycling of electronics.
ANNE MITCHELL
Executive Director Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy (CIELAP)
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You may have increased the budget last year but you made sure that EFI did not get it's fair share.
No one has said that streaming isn't real. I just have come to believe that the supposed "effects" of streaming are being exaggerated. You still have not explained why other provinces can so effectively withstand streaming from their EFI programs nor have you explained why our streamed English system outperforms the French system (which has no streaming).
It sounds like you are trying to congratulate yourself for solving an emergency that never existed.
Your new system was supposed to be 'equitable'. If French Immersion is not offered to ALL students in their home schools, then it is not equitable. Under your program nothing has changed; kids unable to access Immersion programs under the old system continue to be unable to access them under the new. Beef up the Core from K-12 for those students in small or rural schools where French Immersion is not an option! Too much worry and ink has been applied to Immersion and not enough to Core.
Streaming is real-formerly, 93% of children with special learning needs were in one class.
The total lack of logic of Mr Lamrock is astonishing. As he says in the above quote, the problem was children with special needs. It was never EFI which became the scapegooat for the inability of the senior staff of the dept to manage the system. In Ontario, the worst cases of speccial needs children are removed to a seperate class with only six students and a teacher and a TA. Those children do not learn anything in the regular class and make the management of the class impossible for the teacher. I find it astonishing that Mr Lamrock continusously contradicts himself and does not realize it.
Where do you see the lack of logic? I have no opinion on the EFI program or changes, but I think your conclusion is completely wrong. Do you know what 'streaming' means? The idea is that students self-select themselves in such a way that one group has a disproportionate number of students who excel and the other has a disproportionate who are falling behind. Evidence that a disproportionate number of those who are falling behind being in one group is evidence to support streaming.
If you could explain your logic, I'd really appreciate it.
Your lack of logic is right there. The only "streaming" evidence is that there were a greater number of special needs children in the Core program as compared with EFI. But when you look at the overall test scores, there was actually little difference meaning that there appeared to be no negative impact.
Logic means something different entirely. And the reason I do not see a lack of logic because if the premise that 'streaming' does occur is true, then we would expect to see smart students in one class and special needs in the other. In this case, we are told that special needs students are in one class. According to logic, this would be true in a situation where 'streaming' occurs.
So, you can see, the problem is not the lack of logic. The problem is that, as you state, there is no proof that the other aspect of 'streaming' is true - that all the smarter students are in the other group.
So, fault the Education Minister for lack of evidence, not lack of logic. In the least, it will make your argument look a little more intelligent.
If you would like to pursue the 'logic' argument, you may want to take a Discrete Mathematics course.
James M wrote, "Do you know what 'streaming' means? The idea is that students self-select themselves in such a way that one group has a disproportionate number of students who EXCEL and the other has a disproportionate who are FALLING BEHIND."
Given the lack of evidence that streaming is tied to academic performance, the claim itself is false and thus making such a claim is illogical.
Two things:
1. You shouldn't revise a statement if you are going to claim you are quoting someone. The caps are yours, not mine.
2. What are you trying to say? Are you saying that my definition of 'streaming' is incorrect? What do you think streaming means? I can assure you, it has nothing to do with water. :)
Do some research. You will see that it is the problem outlined in my definition that the department is trying to correct.