LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Too harsh on dogs

Open letter to Pierrefonds/Roxboro borough mayor Monique Worth

As members of the Pierrefonds community, we are outraged at the harsh decision to ban dogs from local parks. Why would you take away a basic human pleasure like walking our dog through a park? I am in the parks daily and have NEVER stepped in feces. What is the real reason? A few dog haters complained? Another cash grab for the city?

Where was the public consultation on this matter? I am sure if consulted, we could have some up with more thoughtful solutions if feces are the real problem. Did you think to consult the other boroughs? How come they do not have this problem? What about the many skunks, rabbits, raccoons and cats that also defecate in the parks?

First the decision to hire Patrouille Canine GL, a company that has been convicted of cruelty to animals and now this! Who is the true dog hater, Worth? Do you think people are going to rush to live here if we are so policed that we cannot even bring my dog to a green space? And where do the license fees go, what do we get in return for our $25, certainly not good care if our beloved pet is lost!

Finally what about the state of our shelters? Why are we here in Quebec euthanizing the highest number of animals in North America? Our many shelters are over-flowing. This type of decision just lends to the over-all mentality here that dogs are a commodity and have no place in our society.

This is wrong. Dogs are part of many of our lives, as are cats, rabbits, birds and many other creatures. We love them like very important members of our families. They teach our children many good qualities and enrich our lives.

I am calling for a reverse on this decision. If you would like to sign the petition to put a stop to this ban, please e-mail me at cheekymonkees@aol.com.

Heather MacLachlan

Pierrefonds

Slow moving

school board

Compliments on your July 11th special edition of The Chronicle: Moving in. As a 28- year resident of the West Island, who worked as a teacher at Pierrefonds Comprehensive High School for over 30 years, I found the articles and pictures, sweeping and instructive. Indeed, we are blessed living in the universe of the West Island. Well done!

Nevertheless, of particular interest was the letter to the editor, which you aptly titled No excuse. It is quite illuminating, but not surprising.

The jist of the letter made reference to the principal of Riverdale High School, praising the efforts of students who “led a recycling initiative” and “saw their project through.” However, the letter-writer lamented that her “experience at the Lester B. Pearson School Board has not been so productive.”

It has also been my experience that the slow-moving bureaucracy of the Pearson board cannot keep-up with initiatives pertaining to our teens, in this fast-changing world.

Chris Eustace

Pierrefonds

Stop polluting

our waterways

I have been studying about water and I found out that all over the world people are polluting our water supply.

Fishermen are catching fish with mercury poisoning that can kill if you eat the fish. The mercury poison is from our pollution that we caused. In Singapore for example, there is so much pollution that all the fish are practically dead. There are boats, garbage, socks, plastic, water bottles, and pencils...in the water. There is a lot, and I mean a lot, of junk in their water. We are not far behind.

I have seen wigs, coke cans, beer bottles, plastic, glass, dead fish and more in our own Beaconsfield’s Centennial Park where I go to play sometimes. We have to stop polluting the water and take the junk out.

The good thing is that we can clean the fresh water really well and take out the micro-organisms and make it into drinking water. If you drink just fresh water, you can still get sick from it because of the micro-organisms. Usually micro-organisms live in damp and wet places. They can also be found in icecaps and glaciers, frozen. In our world there is only one per cent of fresh water, two per cent icecaps and glaciers and 97 per cent salt water. So, we really need to care of the little fresh water we have.

So, please stop polluting our water. We are going to need it.

Jonah Koikaran

St. Edmund School (Grade 4)

Kirkland