Today’s letters: Buy Canadian when (and if) you can

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Buy Canadian? We can at least start

Re: Who’s buying Canadian now? Well — me, for one, Feb. 20.

I think it is important to not let perfect be the enemy of good.

We don’t grow avocadoes (although I did learn that we can grow peanuts in southern Ontario), but I think it is important to support our partner in misery, Mexico, when we have the chance. I will buy oranges from Morocco.

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The other thing I started, as a COVID lockdown project, was to buy a hydroponic system where I can grow lovely romaine, without a chance of E. coli. Lovely fresh lettuce, grown in a system that came from a Calgary-based business.

I am not willingly buying American. I can go to Corbeil rather than Home Depot for my appliance purchases. When I replace my aging car, I will look hard to see where the new one is being built. With any luck, I can find something 75 per cent built in Canada. But it will be hard. So the plan is to buy as much Canadian as possible.

And if the “51st state” garbage ends, I will consider perhaps going back to Home Depot or Walmart. Or not.

Eleanor Abra, Ottawa

Ontario must act on seniors’ needs

Re: Seniors housing should be a big issue, Feb. 20.

Our future Ontario premier needs to face reality and the facts. Older adults will reach 25 per cent of our population by 2035. The needs of older adults change over time and we need to plan for this demographic change. Affordability and providing home-care supports will be important factors when we look at the future design of our cities.

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Housing is a basic human right and a major challenge as more and more older adults struggle with finding an affordable and accessible place to call home.

Today, 77 per cent of non-market housing funding comes from municipalities with only 14 per cent from the province. Ontario needs to step up. Along with health, affordable housing is in crisis. We are a rich country and have ample wealth to solve this issue. A healthy economy begins with providing affordable and appropriate housing for all.

This week, voters need to demand of our elected officials a commitment that coordinates a housing system that serves every Ontario resident.

Valerie Wright, co-chair, Age Friendly Housing Committee at the Council on Aging, Ottawa

Quebec City knows its snow-clearing

Re: Long snow cleanup ahead. How’s your street doing? Feb. 21.

We lived in Quebec City for four years between 2017 and 2021. Snow removal there is a work of art; it’s removed quickly and efficiently.

Fleets of dump trucks follow massive blowers taking snow out of the city streets. Graders go down residential streets to ensure nothing is left to impede traffic. Sidewalks are cleared in short order. There’s no snow left on main thoroughfares or around corners to effectively remove entire lanes of traffic.

Higher taxes? Yes. But at least we got services in exchange.

Meghan McKie, Kanata

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