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8 Comment(s)

I believe the economy survives on small businesses. However, when we need a hand our New Brunswick government turns their head the other way, doing nothing.

I'm 30 years old with a small business in Bathurst. I recently had my first baby. We also planned to have more, but in this province small business (women) owners receive no help for maternity leave.

I was back at work five weeks after my daughter was born. I had no choice, my bills still come in, and I couldn't afford it for my three-year-old business.

I want the best for my child, like every parent. I breastfed, but had to unwillingly stop at 3 1/2 months. Not only does my bank account suffer, my daughter is robbed of her best possible nutrients. All because our government won't help women business owners that want to have children.

Why are business owners treated like second-class citizens because we decide to have a family? This makes it hard to want another child.

Yet government workers receive 70 per cent of their salary on mat-leave. I would be happy with six months help.

My business was doing well and still is, but I'm starting at square 1 again. My dream was always to own businesses, but I'm certainly regretting doing it here.

It's time for New Brunswick to come ahead a few decades and have equal rights for women business owners. It's our children who suffer for it, and it's our government's fault. It's time for change.

GINA MILLER

Bathurst

Forestry plan leaves out wildlife

The new forestry plan released Jan. 30 called for a reduction in conservation lands from 30 per cent to 23 to 25 per cent.

What does this mean? Conservation areas are a nebulous term which creates the appearance of a high level of protection. This is wrong.

New Brunswick has the lowest protected area of any province in Canada at 3.5 per cent. Outside of the protected areas, conservation forests can be harvested, but they can't be clear cut. More than 40 per cent of conservation forest consists of 30 metre strips of forests along wetlands, lakes and streams, important for clean water and fish species, but too small for many other wildlife species. The rest of conservation land is made up of deer winter areas and old forest habitats. Which of these areas are going to be reduced? The old forest habitats were established in 1992 by provincial biologists as the minimum area needed for 30 old forest vertebrates, including; barred owl, fisher, black-backed woodpecker, ovenbird and flying squirrel. If this was the minimum area set by biologists how can it be lowered?

Premier Shawn Graham suggested that most of the reductions would be from deer winter areas that aren't used any more. This seems like a short-sighted deer management policy. Once deer yards are gone the deer populations will never come back. In the end, it is very difficult to understand how the province plans to reduce conservation land and still conserve wildlife on Crown land.

MATTHEW SMITH

Research Co-ordinator, Greater Fundy Ecosystem Research Group

Quality of care is Hospice priority

Monday's newspaper carried two interesting items concerning Hospice (palliative care). After reading both I went on line to look at cost analysis and effectiveness for my own benefit.

I could find numerous articles for and against both Mr. Murphy's and Dr. Grant's arguments. However in the majority of articles I found that hospitals and physicians are not equipped to handle the diverse medical and psychosocial problems of the dying patient. This is usually as a result of inadequate palliative care training on the part of physicians, fiscal restraints, length of stay issues, personnel shortages, etc. I could cite more barriers but that is not my intent.

I want to make people aware of the quality of care that a person receives in a hospice setting and the gratification and peace of mind on the part of the family during their loved one's final days. This, I believe, is the most important aspect of dying with dignity. Surely we all want this for our dear ones.

RHONA GULLIVER

Saint John

Make Residential Hospice a reality

As a volunteer for Hospice of Greater Saint John, I have seen the need for a residential hospice firsthand. So many of my clients would have enjoyed a quality end-of-life experience if a residential hospice had been available in Saint John.

There is a tremendous need for such a facility and the staff and volunteers of Hospice of Greater Saint John have worked hard to raise the money to make it happen. All we need now is for the government of Premier Shawn Graham to get on board!

Let's work together to make a Residential Hospice in Saint John a reality.

DELLA WEBSTER

Saint John

Bathurst deserves language recognition

On Aug. 6, 2002, Moncton's city council adopted bylaw number 0322 and declared itself officially bilingual. Page 3 of the City of Moncton's strategic plan, Vision 2010, states "We are the first major bilingual city in Canada."

Of course, no one bothers to mention that the City of Bathurst declared itself bilingual on July 20, 1997 when it adopted its own bylaw.

I believe Bathurst is a major Canadian city and it is high time we challenge the urban myth declaring Moncton as the first bilingual city.

One needs to accept and recognize the groundbreaking visionary work of former Bathurst mayor, Bob Degrace.

ROGER F. CORMIER

Beresford

Alternatives to nuclear available

I am a physics graduate from UdeM and I strongly oppose Point Lepreau's second reactor.

Our government wants to purchase the yet untested ACR-1000 nuclear reactor. After having invested big money in designing the ACR-1000, Atomic Energy Canada Ltd. is now desperately trying to sell it but no one wants it! Even nuclear friendly Ontario said no.

But New Brunswick's Premier wants to say yes. Yes to Point Lepreau 2, to a research reactor, to uranium mining and to a nuclear waste dump.

Nuclear energy is not green. Uranium is mined with a tremendous cost to the environment. Nuclear generated electricity is not a solution to our green house gas emission problem since only seven per cent of greenhouse gas emissions come from electricity generation.

Profitable and safe nuclear energy is science fiction. What is real is that technology development now advances so fast that we need to look at what's coming up on the scientific horizon. Renewable technologies will be a desirable alternative much sooner than our prime minister seems to realize.

Solar, wind, wood pellets and hydrogen fuel cells are opening the door to smaller centres of power production. These are today's new technologies. They are safer, greener and the more we develop them the more they become profitable. It will be with embarrassment that our descendants will try to contain radioactive waste for the next 10,000 years. They'll never understand our arrogance in leaving this legacy when existing technologies would have allowed us to behave more responsibly.

MARC THERIAULT

Moncton

Sunday is a day to celebrate flag

Sunday, the national flag of Canada will celebrate its 44th anniversary. Our flag belongs to each and every one of us and remains our most visible and cherished symbol. It highlights our shared values, common citizenship and sense of belonging to this great country.

National Flag Day in Canada is a time to show our respect for this symbol. It is an occasion to reflect on the rights and the obligations that go hand in hand with the privilege of Canadian citizenship.

Our flag represents us within the international community. Considered by flag experts as one of the world's most recognizable flags, Canada's flag is admired by people in every corner of the world as a symbol of freedom and democracy.

When times are tough, as they are now for many people here in Canada and indeed the world, I believe that the pride and true spirit of ordinary Canadians can be called upon to rise to the occasion to do whatever it takes to make this great country better and help create a better world for generations to come.

Flag Day is a great way to kick off our countdown to Canada Day celebrations!

Sunday, we invite all Canadians to celebrate our flag and at the same time all that we have accomplished together: a country which is the envy of the world.

JOE BOYCE

Celebrate Canada Committee for New Brunswick