Letters to the editor

B7

Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

3 Comment(s)

Re: York Street train station

Enlarge Photo

J.D. Irving claims it would cost them about $2 million to rebuild the train station.

The damaged material the Irving mills and Kent Building Supplies throw away in a year could rebuild it.

I read that the Irvings would donate the material for the York Street train station if somebody else would rebuild the train station.

Why doesn't the business group or friends group put together a construction crew and make it a winter work project? There must be a retired construction worker out there that could direct the crew.

Chester Austin

Minto, N.B.

Green Shift is bad news for New Brunswick

Re: Federal election

Stéphane Dion's Green Shift plan will be a disaster for our economy and way of life.

His proposal is to add taxes on many items, including home heating fuel, propane, natural gas and diesel fuel. Since all our goods, including groceries and gasoline, are delivered by truck, prices will increase. That means everything we buy to sustain our families will cost more.

Businesses will also be faced with increased costs. That, in turn, will take money away from wages and future job creation.

It is naïve to believe the economic crisis in the US will not affect us. Already we are seeing job losses at the Moosehead beer plant because Americans are buying less beer. A General Motors plant in Ontario is shutting down because Americans are not buying the trucks.

Implementing a widespread tax during economic uncertainty shows poor judgment. Putting higher taxes on necessities will make our economy even more fragile.

New Brunswickers need to heat their homes and drive their vehicles to work and school. We need a break on taxes, not more taxes.

If Stéphane Dion and the Liberals are elected to govern, be prepared to pay even more for everything you buy.

Heather Hughes

Maugerville, N.B.

Strategic voting is the only way to avoid Harperdoom

Re: Federal election

I can't believe I have been reduced to this, but I admit it publicly.

I am against the wall and considering strategic voting.

Before I launch into why, I would like to applaud Julie Michaud for her recent column on proportional representation or fair vote. Julie is right, we must change our current voting system to something that resembles democracy.

I am not alone in feeling there is no choice but to vote strategically. If we "got with the program," like the majority of other countries, and chose PR we could all sleep better at night knowing more people would actually have their wants and needs represented in Ottawa.

I think PR is a battle worth fighting and after the election hoopla is over, I intend to launch a fight.

But for now we have an outdated voting system that is not even close to democratic. I feel I have no choice but to vote strategically, and I am not proud of that.

Why? Because if I don't, Harper's Conservatives, who do not believe in climate change, have big corporate giants' hands in all their pockets, and who have dismissed and discounted basic social programs for those who need them, are going to win a false majority with a mere 34 per cent, which makes me groan.

With four other parties in the running, the problem we risk is diluting our votes over the four of them and handing the Conservatives their majority.

If we vote with our hearts and choose something different, something that seems better for all Canadians, the end result is highly likely going to mean Harperdoom.

I am all about honesty and integrity, I have openly advocated for voters to be brave and not strategically vote, but I feel trapped right now. What if my heartfelt vote gives Harper his majority - a prime minister who in my mind is not a leader, but a tyrant who gets his majority status with only 34 per cent.

What an abuse to the word democracy.

Kelly Comer

Fredericton