Letters to the editor

B6

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2 Comment(s)

Re: Editorial published June 19 called

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The bus stops here

Your recent editorial misrepresents both the role of municipal governments and the facts of the Acadian Bus Line move.

Municipal governments are responsible for land use planning.

Surely, the unnamed author is familiar with the function and practice of zoning. It is Acadian which is asking the city to re-zone the proposed Woodside Lane location. Rather than "meddling" or interfering, the city is doing its job.

Contrary to the editorial's suggestion, a broad base of citizens are involved in the Keep it Downtown campaign.

In just over two weeks, 1,200 people signed a petition asking city council to intervene in the move.

The residents of the area surrounding Woodside Lane, Downtown Fredericton Incorporated, the Fredericton Anti-Poverty Organization, and both the UNB and STU student unions, have spoken out against the move.

Mayor Woodside has suggested that he is working out a solution that will address some of the concerns that have been raised.

He should be sure that the citizens of Fredericton will not accept any half-measures involving limited service stops downtown or on campus.

These stops will not adequately address any of the concerns raised but they will create new problems.

Passengers will not have shelter or locker services and they will have no way of knowing when their buses are going to be late, which they frequently are.

In the winter months they are often two hours late because they must wait for connections from P.E.I.

Does Woodside expect people to wait at these stops for hours in the winter?

Council may opt out of a lot of problems with reactionary half-measure solutions but on this issue they should be sure that their constituents will not settle for anything less than a downtown bus station.

Alex Murphy

Fredericton

Family doctors dropping patients

Re: Phone call to physician's office

I had heard stories of family doctors dropping patients, who had not been in for appointments in a few years, and was appalled that this was going on.

My doctor recently retired and a new doctor took over the practice this past January.

We are a family with two small children. I am not the type to take them to the doctor with every sniffle.

My past doctor was always quick to get me in, when I needed her.

This afternoon, I called to get an updated prescription from my new doctor.

I was rudely told that I am no longer a patient, if I have not been in since January.

I was advised to wait at the after-hours clinic for my new prescription, an asthma inhaler - something I desperately need. I was shocked that I was not notified and treated so rudely.

The receptionist, who did not even ask my name, just said my family was dropped, if we had not been in.

It took me three days of calling to finally get someone on the phone, and then just to get spoken to rudely and advised my family now has no doctor.

Let me check the map, because I thought I lived in Canada, a country that takes health care seriously.

Maria Doucette

Mazerolle Settlement, N.B.

Drivers beware

Re: Government decision not to mail out licence and registration renewals

Recently, a single mother and friend was fined $172 for being 21 days past her vehicle registration renewal date.

This is a person who is conscientious about paying the government all legitimate Service N.B. fees.

The problem is a poorly advertised change in policy from Service N.B. of mailing all driver's license and motor vehicle registration renewals in advance of their due date.

It is a practice that has been in effect for many years and a practice vehicle owners rely on as a reminder to renew their vehicle registrations.

Unfortunately, this long-standing service has been discontinued by the N.B. government.

I, therefore, warn and advise each and every motor vehicle owner to mark the annual vehicle registration renewal date on their calendar.

If you are checked, you will not receive any grace period from the police, at least my friend didn't.

And even as a law-abiding citizen, you may just end up paying the government more than you bargained for.

Jack Saunders

Fredericton