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w at er lo oc hr on ic le .c a W at er lo o C hr on ic le | T hu rs da y, F eb ru ar y 13 ,2 02 0 | 6 ABOUT US This newspaper, published every Thursday, is a division of the Metroland Media Group Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation. The Metroland family of newspapers is comprised of more than 80 community publications across Ontario. This newspaper is a member of the National NewsMedia Council. Complainants are urged to bring their concerns to the attention of the news- paper and, if not satisfied, write The National NewsMedia Council, Suite 200, 890 Yonge St., Toronto, ON M4W 2H2. Phone: 416-340-1981 Web: www.mediacouncil.ca editorial@waterloochronicle.ca facebook.com/waterloochronicle @wlchronicle WHO WE ARE VP, Regional Publisher Kelly Montague Regional General Manager Nelson Parreira nparreira@metroland.com Regional Director of Media Heather Dunbar hdunbar@starmetrolandmedia.com Advertising Representatives Cassandra Dellow, Jan Bodanka, Matt Miller, Lisa Humphreys, Sheri-Lyn Blair, Chris Rego Managing Editor Doug Coxson Online Editor Adam Jackson Reporters Bill Jackson Namish Modi CONTACT US Waterloo Chronicle 475 Thompson Dr. Cambridge, ON N1T 2K8 Phone: 519-886-2830 Fax: 519-623-9155 Web: www.waterloochronicle.ca Letters to the editor All letters must be fewer than 320 words and include your name and telephone number for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject letters. Published letters will appear in print and/or online at waterloochronicle.ca Delivery For all delivery inquiries, e-mail customerservice@metroland.com or call 519-894-3000 OPINION TO LEARN HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN CONTENT VISIT WATERLOOCHRONICLE.CA EDITORIAL LETTERS & COMMENTARY When it comes to the seemingly endless teachers' strikes that are paralyzing Ontario's public education system, there's only one thing worth saying. Doug Ford -- fix this now. We're not picking sides in calling on the premier to settle this labour dispute and get the kids back in the classroom every day and restore normalcy to families. But the rotating, one-day walkouts by the elementary and secondary teachers in both the public and Catholic systems are increasing in frequency to the point of cre- ating a crisis for families across this province. In the last little while, all the public and Catholic schools in Waterloo Region were closed at least one day. The teachers' strikes have hit local public elementary students -- and their parents -- harder than anywhere else in Ontario. Since Dec. 4, those students have lost six instructional days. In families with two working parents -- today's norm -- finding child care for the kids can quickly become an emergency. This is happening, too, in a region where another strike halted Grand River Transit buses for two weeks this year. There is, of course, blame to go around in the teacher strikes. While the province has compromised on class size and the number of online courses high school students must take, the teachers' unions seem disinclined to budge. While the elementary teachers cite the possible cancellation of all-day kindergarten as an issue, the government insists it has no plans to end this popular program. But Ford's past railings against teachers -- he re- ferred to their union "thugs" last year -- have come back to bite him. Fully aware the popularity of the premier and his Progressive Conservatives has tanked, the unions see an opponent leaking blood. This is a big test for the Ford government. It could determine its fate in the next provincial election. Ford's motto has long been that he's "For the people." For now, Ford should forget threatening to legislate an end to the strike -- a solution legal experts say would only survive a court challenge if the government can prove the school year is at risk. That's not the case today. Ford must find another way. As for the teachers' unions who insist this is all about students, let them prove it. On balance, Ontarians are backing the teachers to- day. That support could evaporate if the strikes drag on much longer in this, our winter of labour discontent. IT'S UP TO FORD TO END TEACHER STRIKES We're not picking sides in calling on the premier to settle this labour dispute TOO MUCH IDLING AT GAS BAR Re: Waterloo has only handed out 20 idling tickets in 10 years -- and this resi- dent hopes that changes (waterloochronicle.ca, Jan. 28). I have often thought about this issue since the Costco gas bar opened in Waterloo! Hundreds of cars lined up every day, just sit- ting there idling while waiting to get to the pumps. The wait at most pumps is definitely over three min- utes for each car! Imagine how much money the City of Waterloo could make if bylaw offi- cers ticketed each and ev- ery car, every day! They could most likely make a dent in the RIM Park debt! KATHY ROBERTS, WATERLOO ASKING TO PAY DOWN DEBT WITHOUT ACCEPTING RISKS, PAIN IS SPITTING IN THE WIND John B. Moore was ask- ing why the finance minis- ter isn't paying down debt and saddling his grandchil- dren with it. (Why are we saddling future with an enormous debt? from water- loochronicle.ca, Jan. 16). I do hope John asked the same question of Jim Fla- herty (responsible for the largest debt increase in Ca- nadian history). How do we pay down debt? Service cuts, elimi- nating loopholes/subsi- dies and increased taxes. What services should we cut? I'm sure every per- son in this country has their own opinion on that. We give various indus- tries and corporations money to help them get es- tablished or to offset costs. We are so unwilling to eliminate these out of fear they will take jobs and move elsewhere. We often give them tax breaks and money to keep them here. The question is, why doesn't anyone get angry about those who take the breaks they are supposed to use to create and keep jobs and then lay people off and keep the money (as we recently saw in Alber- ta)? Why don't we get up- set at companies that make huge profits but still get subsidies and tax breaks? Who should pay more to eliminate the debt? Given the stagnant state of wages in this country it's hard to ask much of the lower/ middle class. Are you will- ing to tax the upper class and hugely profitable com- panies? Would you shame them into doing so? Are you willing to risk compa- nies moving out in re- sponse? Complicated isn't it? Asking any one govern- ment to pay down debt without being willing to ac- cept the risks and pain as- sociated is just spitting in the wind. Canada is in a far better position than most and we have the best debt- to-GDP ratio in the G7. LARRY LOOTSTEEN, WATERLOO SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER AT WATERLOOCHRONICLE.CA