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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, O ct ob er 22 ,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 70 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 Robyn Wilkinson 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 UNREALISTIC TO EXPECT EVERYONE TO HAVE COVID APP Re: Smart, targeted ap- proach the right one for sec- ond wave (article can be read at waterloochroni- cle.ca): These Waterloo Region business leaders present a well balanced, evidence- based approach to navi- gate the second wave of COVID-19. I agree with ev- erything they have to say except for one. Their pro- posal would have business owners restrict customers to those who have down- loaded the government COVID app. That would leave me out on the side- walk. My phone is one gen- eration away from being able to download the app. While the app is a sig- nificant tool in contact tracing and limiting the spread of COVID-19, the limited accessibility is a gross oversight which leaves countless people without this layer of pro- tection. Unless these gen- tlemen would like to pay for the upgrade to my phone, I guess I would have to shop elsewhere. TRACEY SZARKA, WATERLOO PEDESTRIAN/CYCLING BRIDGE UNNEEDED AND TOO COSTLY It was so gratifying to see the silent majority waking up and protesting the now failed temporary cycling lanes project. That only cost local taxpayers $500,000. How would you like to hear about another nonsensical project the Region of Waterloo is working on right now that is going to cost local tax- payers $2,500,000! The proposal is to build a pedestrian/cycling bridge over Highway 7/8 between Avalon Place and Chandler Drive in south- west Kitchener. This bridge over the express- way will serve a handful of residents per day and dur- ing an open house a year or two ago, quite a few of those interested enough to attend were opposed. In 2018, the project was reported to have a price tag of about $7.6 million. It is being funded on an equal basis between the federal, provincial and re- gional governments under a Transit Infrastructure Program. This project was presented to the senior lev- els of government as being transit-related, which it is not. It is rather a trail-re- lated/active transporta- tion project but that was not how it was presented. This bridge is an idiotic waste of taxpayer monies that dwarfs the insanity of the temporary bike lanes project. The only redeem- ing factor is that we are left with some infrastructure but at what cost compared to the benefit. Rise up and be heard, regional council is listen- ing, I hope. JOHN HEIJ, KITCHENER "My phone is one generation away from being able to download the app." - Tracey Szarka Justin Trudeau is right to reject the calls for him to postpone two federal byelections set for later this month in Toronto. While the demands coming from Green party leader Annamie Paul and other opposition politicians are sup- posedly driven by pandemic concerns, their motivation seems more about partisan self-interest than the public interest. Consider that just eight days after those two Oct. 26 byelections, voters south of the border will go to the polls to decide whether Donald Trump will remain pres- ident for another four years. So if wise minds agree an estimated 235 million American voters should still be able to exercise their franchise as planned, why shouldn't roughly 160,000 Canadians be allowed to do it a few days earlier? Obviously Paul thinks this shouldn't happen. "Cir- cumstances for free, fair and, above all safe, byelections simply do not exist," she said recently. Yet Paul failed to back up this very serious charge. Nor did the New Democrats or Conservatives explain why, as they insist, the PM should have waited for the second wave of COVID-19 to pass before calling the by- elections. Privately, they likely all believe their chances in these byelections would be better in the coming months if Trudeau's popularity slides. The people living in the two, currently vacant, rid- ings of Toronto Centre and York Centre deserve to have elected and active MPs representing them in Ottawa as soon as possible. The entire Canadian nation has a lot at stake in these byelections, too. Trudeau's Liberals gov- ern with a minority, which would be even smaller if on Oct. 26 they lose two ridings they currently hold. And remember -- this minority government could conceivably lose a non-confidence vote in Parliament in the months ahead. Then Canadians would almost cer- tainly face a general election. These two byelections provide the perfect learning opportunity, not only for candidates, political parties and voters but for Elections Canada, which is the non- partisan mechanic that makes Canada's democratic machinery run smoothly. As of this moment, Elections Canada is proceeding to run these byelections with the understanding this can be done safely despite COVID-19. Our law says the byelections must be called by Febru- ary. And as Trudeau sensibly argued, delaying them could mean voters have to cope with an even more seri- ous second wave of COVID-19. Canadians have exercised their democratic voting rights during world wars and grinding economic depres- sions. COVID-19 should not stop them now. DON'T LET COVID-19 SICKEN OUR DEMOCRACY