Letters to the editor: July 23

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Concerns on daycare and the economy

I have sent this to Ernie Hardeman, Stephen Lecce and Doug Ford to shed light on the problem many families are facing as the economy reopens and September looms – where do our children go?

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I fear without either government assistance or action, people – likely lower income families and particularly women – will have to leave their jobs to take care of their children. I’m concerned for people who can’t afford to leave their job or don’t want to leave will find sub-optimal childcare – or worse – no care at all.

I appreciate the difficulty that comes with balancing an economic shutdown and the health on Ontarians during the global pandemic. However, I take issue with the province’s plan – or lack thereof – for daycare and what I’ve seen so far for school reopening options.

I’m a working mother of three who used to live in the Toronto area and now live in Oxford County. It’s a struggle to find suitable full-time care for my children in Ontario. When the Ford government announced daycares could reopen, they restricted the already limited number of spaces available and put the onus on centres to choose who will receive this care. Many friends of mine have been told their daycares can’t afford to reopen because of this and others told fewer spots will mean higher fees.

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With fewer daycare spots in provincially regulated centres and higher fees leaves many children with nowhere to go. Those who can’t work from home will have few safe choices and this will likely impact lower income families the most.

When a family’s faced with a choice of a parent quitting their job to take care of their children, it will likely result in women staying home, further aggravating problems of gender pay and disparity.

I want the government to acknowledge if you’re going to reopen the economy, there needs to be daycare for everyone. If schools are reopening only to attend every other day or week, there needs to be childcare available for them on alternate days. I want the government to consult with teachers, health experts and childcare experts – and disclose who – and take into account their advice.

Daycare is a necessity for the economy and not a luxury for the upper class.

Julia De Decker

Tillsonburg

Hong Kong must be vacated

China passed sweeping powers in Hong Kong on July 1 to largely kill their independence movement. They believe they can control the former United Kingdom territory.

Since the new powers came into effect, anyone who challenges the Chinese government will likely end up like two Micheals – Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor – and be condemned to life in prison.

Every country in the world who has a stake in Hong Kong needs to pull out now. Citizens from the rest of the world who live in Hong Kong need to leave and return to their home countries. It wasn’t China who made Hong Kong great, it was the people and the investing countries. The best statement we can make now is to pull out.

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Democracy cannot exist within communist borders. Hong Kong must be vacated at all costs.

Thomas Ryerson

Woodstock

More cleanup to do

After dumping my pancake syrup and cancelling the cartoon channel, I thought maybe we could take social change a little further.

Why don’t we really clean house by getting rid of the video games that promote gun violence and disrespect of law and order? We should also ban music that promotes drug use, morally offensive behaviour and disrespect of women.

Kim Alexander

Tillsonburg