Opinion | Oct. 19: Nursing exodus continues, a message to Minister Clark on putting greedy developers before people and other letters – TheSpec.com

A message to the housing minister

Hello Mr. Clark:

I am a resident of rural Hamilton and have seen firsthand the growth and expansion of the Binbrook and Stoney Creek Mountain areas of Hamilton. The homes built in these new neighbourhoods are anything but affordable. The only people benefitting from these expansions are the builders, land developers and speculators/families from the Toronto area coming here to displace locals who cannot afford these new high priced homes. It seems you are the one with his head in the sand as to what is developing in my neighbourhood. Do not take the biased word of the WEHBA and OREA who are businesses looking out for the profitability of their clients. These entities put profits first and care nothing of affordable housing for families in need and address the homeless problem Hamilton is dealing with. You state you want to put people before politics, but you are in fact putting profits before people and it is the homebuyer which has been suffering. What Hamiltons residents need and deserve is affordable housing which does not line the pockets of greedy developers.

Good luck Ontario

Regarding the opinion piece Oct. 14 about the nursing crisis: I am an RN who graduated in 1988. I have been working in an emergency department since 2004. Ive been told our ED is the busiest in the area. We have the most walk-in and ambulance patients annually. Our daily volumes are as high or higher than pre-pandemic. We constantly work short, close beds, and get abused. Our admit to no bed patients stay in ED for hours that stretch into days. We were stretched before COVID. Now were feeling the consequences of the antivax clickbait misinformation. Were trying our best to do our best, and so are the rest of the people I work with. Weve recently seen a massive exodus of experienced RNs. Weve hired new grads to fill the spots which leaves a large gap between senior nurses and the baby nurses. The opinion piece is spot on. Im looking at jobs in Florida. Good luck Ontario.

Turn unused school into a shelter

Each time I drive through town, I pass by the very large unoccupied building of Sir John A Macdonald School, and shake my head at the waste of resource there. It would appear to me that a large school with facilities would be an ideal place to use as a temporary location to house homeless in more comfort than living in tents on streets. Why has this not been considered? Most high schools have access to water, showers, cafeteria and heat, and are large enough to provide social distancing for those using facilities. As colder weather approaches, lets consider a practical resource right under our noses.

Things change slowly in Leaf nation

It was hard not to notice the composition of the crowd shot in Thursdays Sports section photograph. There were a couple of Asians, one man wearing a turban, a few women and no Black people. The rest of the crowd were overwhelmingly middle aged white men. Is that because the rink side seats are $400 or that the bidding for a Auston Matthews game worn helmet started at $5,000 or that you needed to be doubly vaccinated to get in? The times they are a changin more slowly I guess in Leaf Nation.

Whats the vaxx status of patients?

Now that we have such a high percentage of vaccinated people can we please break down COVID active cases to show vaccinated active and unvaccinated? I believe this will give a better picture of the possible severity of the illness and outcome.

Karen Filice, Stoney Creek

Where is the equity in COVID rules?

Why are the two groups impacted the most by COVID treated differently? Restaurant capacity limits remain the same yet sports and movie theatres are at full capacity. Health care workers are losing their jobs if they are not vaccinated yet school board staff and teachers are allowed to work unvaccinated. There is no rational explanation for this blatant inequality. Open up the restaurants and fire school staff not willing to get vaccinated. Premier Ford stop this Animal Farm approach where some are more equal than others.

Jackson event should be open to fans

Yes, Russ Jackson does deserve better (letter to Spec Oct. 9). Imagine that: by-invitation-only! It seems to me we are blaming COVID for everything these days. Now we cant even give Mr. Jackson the recognition he deserves, and that is to have his many fans in attendance. I live immediately behind William Connell Park where Russ Jackson Field is located. My husband and I have watched this park being constructed since day one, and what a beautiful park it is. Our sons name is Russ and our 10-year-old grandson is Jackson. Naturally, Jackson thinks of the Russ Jackson Field as his and his Dads, too. He was so looking forward to meeting Mr. Jackson, the famous football quarterback and legend. We all were waiting in anticipation for this day.

I hope that whoever made the decision to have the gathering a by-invitation-only event will stop blaming COVID (its going to be outdoors!) and reconsider opening it up to Mr. Jacksons fans.

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Opinion | Oct. 19: Nursing exodus continues, a message to Minister Clark on putting greedy developers before people and other letters - TheSpec.com