Right now’s letters: Remembrance Day — ’Nice braveness, devotion to responsibility’

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An Ottawa-born hero passes away

The transient obituary for John Reynold Bray, revealed just lately within the Ottawa Citizen, acknowledged that he was a veteran of the Second World Battle. I used to be curious in regards to the navy service of this gentleman.

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Bray was born in Ottawa in 1920, the son of John and Agnes Bray. He enlisted within the RCAF on Nov. 30, 1940 as an gear assistant. He transferred to aircrew and commenced coaching in April 1942 and graduated as a bomb aimer on Might 1, 1943. He was promoted to Sergeant on June 18, 1942 and proceeded abroad on June 29, 1943 to #434 Squadron. He was commissioned on April 28, 1944 and promoted to Pilot Officer.

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Pilot Officer Bray flew 35 missions over enemy territory, accumulating 1,170 hours and 40 minutes of flying time. His file states:

“He has always displayed a fantastic offensive spirit and his capacity as a Bomb Aimer has contributed enormously to the success of his crew. His dogged dedication, nice braveness and devotion to responsibility have been an instance and inspiration to all ranks.”

Pilot Officer Bray was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross efficient  Might 4, 1944.

Our Ottawa-born Canadian hero died Oct. 26 on the age of 103. Thanks to your service, Pilot Officer Bray. RIP.

Ron Gardner, Nepean

Ottawa’s hyperlink to ‘In Flanders Fields’

Throughout a current Black Watch pilgrimage, I spent a day/evening in Ieper (Ypres), Belgium visiting First World Battle websites, which ended at Lt.-Col. John McCrae’s work station, the place he wrote “In Flanders Fields.” It was impressed by the loss of life of Ottawa-born, Lisgar Collegiate-educated Lt. Alexis Helmer.

On the finish of the tour, I acquired a package deal of poppies and now have at the least one spot in our backyard the place they develop. I additionally purchased a purple poppy umbrella and attended “The Final Put up” ceremony, held every evening at 8 p.m. on the Menin Gate. Lt. Helmer’s title is inscribed on the high of the gate.

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Patrick Kelly, Ottawa

One other useful resource on kids in warfare

Re: Battle’s impression on kids touches us all, Nov. 9.

Roméo Dallaire’s guide “Shake Palms with the Satan” goes deeper into the problem of kids and warfare. E-readers’ feedback recommend they need to know extra. Why not level them in the suitable course, Ottawa Citizen?

Annette Bellamy, Ottawa

Assist the Afghans who helped us

Re: The battle over the long-awaited Nationwide Monument to Canada’s Mission in Afghanistan, Nov. 7.

What’s incorrect with us? We’re arguing over the design of a monument, spending time and assets once we must be hanging our heads in disgrace. The job of getting many hundreds of Afghan translators, who aided our navy, and their households out of Afghanistan and different close by nations the place they’re in hiding is much from full.

These would-be new Canadians would make Canada their everlasting house and contribute to our society as a result of they don’t have anything to return for. Whereas they wait with false hope that Canada will do the suitable factor by them, their state of affairs has solely worsened.

They’ve way back run out of cash, their journey papers have expired, and so they have exhausted the goodwill of these sheltering them. Let’s scrap the thought of a monument till we’ve one thing higher to carry our collective heads up about.

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Alice Holst, Kanata

Zibi undertaking may assist retirees too

Re: Studying what neighborhood residing is all about, Nov. 8.

The Frequent rental undertaking at Zibi seems like an amazing step ahead in growing inexpensive housing for younger folks. And the design will definitely result in constructing neighborhood in what can in any other case be lonely locations, particularly for newcomers to the town.

However as I got here to the tip of Anita Murray’s article, I puzzled why this isn’t additionally being carried out for older folks, particularly seniors. Many seniors stay alone however would like to stay in a neighborhood. A number of articles within the Citizen over the previous few years have mentioned teams of older folks making an attempt to ascertain co-housing alternatives for themselves and their pals. They’ve outlined many obstacles to their efforts.

As properly, many seniors can’t afford to be a part of such co-housing teams for monetary causes. The Zibi “co-living” mannequin with the Frequent group sounds ideally suited for such of us.

Possibly the planners may work with the established co-housing teams to incorporate what they need within the design for this excellent piece of Ottawa actual property. Over to them.

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Patty Deline, Ottawa

Feds can do higher on inexpensive housing

Re: Feds unlock public properties in Ottawa to construct greater than 1,600 houses, Nov. 7.

The federal authorities is all satisfied with itself asserting that it’ll use present properties to create housing. (Not that any authorities “creates” housing, however that’s for an additional letter.) As a part of the announcement, the minister proudly acknowledged that a complete 20 per cent of those homes can be “inexpensive.”

Wow, how beneficiant of the federal authorities!

We’re to be grateful that the federal government goes to construct homes and that 80 per cent of them shall be priced larger than many Canadians can afford. I used to be not conscious that the market was missing high-priced/unaffordable homes. All over the place I flip, subdivisions are going up containing a whole bunch of homes that most individuals searching for homes can not afford.

All ranges of presidency appear to be making improvement approvals contingent on the builder together with within the plan a naked minimal of “inexpensive housing.” I can perceive why the non-public sector would need to hold this quantity to a minimal. It’s going to use the bigger earnings from costlier models to subsidize the decrease earnings from the inexpensive models.

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Nevertheless, what’s the federal authorities’s excuse? The screaming difficulty right here is the shortage of inexpensive housing. This authorities appears to consider that addressing this difficulty 20 per cent at a time is one thing to be pleased with. How unhappy!

And, oh, what’s “inexpensive housing” anyway? Reasonably priced to whom precisely?

Grant Wilkinson, Ottawa

‘Carrhaven’ reveals how to not plan

If city planners want an instance on how to not develop a suburb, go to Barrhaven.

My pal and I bused there to fulfill others, and as our connecting bus was cancelled (quelle shock!), we stomped from Fallowfield station down Woodroffe Avenue to Strandherd Drive. Though this was 9:30 a.m. on a Sunday, the automobiles flying previous us in each instructions on Woodroffe have been disturbing, and on Strandherd was even worse.

Barrhaven was constructed on a grid with only a few cross streets: Fallowfield, Strandherd, Greenbank Drive, Woodroffe, Longfields Drive, and so on. There aren’t many comfort shops inside this grid so for those who want bread and milk, you must drive. Our pals have been decided to do with no automotive, however now they’ve two as a result of they stated you merely can not get round Barrhaven with no car.

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Worse, for those who stay within the “innards” of those grid streets, it’s too far to stroll to the skin of the grid for facilities. Jane Jacobs is spinning in her grave.

Barrhaven can put all the flowery names it desires on neighbourhoods — Half Moon Bay, Stonebridge, Chapman Mills, Coronary heart’s Need — but it surely wants only one title: “Carrhaven, the place the automotive is king and public transit sucks.”

To finish on a lighter word, the return bus taking us down the transitway was slowed by a automotive — sure a automotive — driving down the transitway from Market all the way in which to Fallowfield. Solely in Carrhaven.

Judy Warren, Ottaa

Activate purple, but in addition drive sensibly

So long as I’ve been in Canada, it has been regular to have the ability to flip proper on a purple gentle. Now there are those that need to put an finish to that rule.

I say no. Educate good highway sense to cyclists and pedestrians. Even for those who change the regulation to “no proper activate purple,” there isn’t a assure of getting no accidents. If cyclists and pedestrian cease proper on the nook the place a long-load truck is popping, then anybody who has not been seen by the truck driver could also be topic to harm.

I’ll say this, nonetheless: The take a look at to acquire a driver’s licence in Canada is manner too straightforward. Day-after-day I see turns with no sign. I see lane modifications the place a driver in the suitable lane crosses all the way in which over to a 3rd lane, utterly oblivious to the visitors within the different lanes, and doesn’t improve to the velocity of the visitors she or he is becoming a member of. This places others in peril.

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Dave Currier, Barrhaven

Throat protector saved my life

Re: Canadiens’ Brendan Gallagher, Michael Pezzetta strive neck guards at apply, Nov. 8.

Once I was choosing hockey gear for my future as an grownup leisure participant, my greatest pal had one piece of recommendation: A neck/throat protector is the one piece of kit that, for those who ever want it, will most likely save your life. I purchased a “full bib” throat protector — in for a penny, in for a pound — and wore it repeatedly.

Quick ahead 20 years. I get hit by a rising slap shot full within the throat whereas blocking a shot. After ending the sport (I’m Canadian, in any case) I take myself to the hospital the place they make me keep the evening for monitoring.

The following day, after scoping the harm and viewing the CAT scans he had ordered, the ear-nose-throat specialist declares that, based mostly on the quantity of bruising and bleeding on the harm website, the throat protector nearly definitely saved my life. The padding had distributed the impression power sufficient to stop my trachea from inverting and my suffocating on the ice.

Most likely the very best piece of recommendation I’ve ever heeded. A number of pals began carrying throat protectors after that. Most stopped as a result of it being “too sizzling.”

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LeRoy Choose, Barrhaven

Cease Alberta’s CPP madness

Re: Freeland, provincial finance ministers to debate Alberta’s attainable CPP withdrawal, Oct. 31.

The invaluable Canada Pension Plan, first prompt by Tommy Douglas, was created in 1966.

Through the years, Canadians have counted on and relied on this worthwhile and insightful program for monetary wellbeing after they retire. Previous to this system, retirees have been typically left in a quandary as to their monetary wellbeing. It’s, and continues to be, a program offering monetary assist throughout all walks of life. It is usually a program supported by all Canadians, and retirees specifically.

Why upset the apple cart that for these previous a few years has introduced a degree of economic well-being to a plethora of retired Canadians? The current authorities of Alberta has floated the very questionable concept of withdrawing from CPP, which opens up a Pandora’s Field of difficulties.

One can solely hope that federal-provincial relations and a broad detrimental response from Canadians will quash this ridiculous notion.

Murray Ault, Stittsville

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Carbon-tax rebate a strong instrument

Re: NDP backs Conservatives on carbon tax pause, Nov. 4.

A pause in fee of the “worth on air pollution” for these utilizing fossil fuels to warmth their houses shouldn’t be the easiest way to assist them. It might be much better to proceed gathering the cost from everybody, then supply a one-year rebate of the cost to anybody who converts their house from fossil-fuel heating to a non-polluting supply of warmth.

The Liberal heating-oil pause supplies momentary aid however neither helps in the long run nor supplies any incentive to scale back oil consumption. Rebating the cost to those that convert their houses would do each; it will present long-term monetary aid and scale back local weather warming.

The good factor in regards to the “carbon worth” and its related rebate is that individuals who reply appropriately can really achieve cash; in the event that they scale back their carbon emissions, the quantity they pay goes down however the rebate doesn’t.

Sadly, many are usually not ready to reap the profit as a result of they both have no idea the way to scale back carbon emissions or shouldn’t have the monetary  assets to take action. As a substitute of benefiting, they complain. Worse, some politicians ignore the rebate part of this system and encourage their supporters to withstand, moderately than make the most of, the scheme.

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Each the opposition and the governing social gathering must be serving to constituents profit from the carbon-price scheme. If no one advantages from it, it is going to accomplish nothing. If they assist their constituents use it, they’ll achieve their loyalty.

Dave Parnas, Ottawa

One other manner meals will get wasted

Re: Letter, A suggestion for the meals editor, Nov. 4.

Sheila Gibson of Carleton Place mentions the overbuying of
meals and having to throw it out. Sadly, one of many culprits on this
downside is the supermarkets pretending to save lots of folks cash with their “purchase two, purchase three” and so on. offers, typically resulting in financial savings of not rather more than 50 cents or $1.

When there is just one or two folks in a family, plenty of this further meals is rarely eaten and is then tossed out. Why on Earth should I purchase two, three or 4 of something to save lots of?

I suppose it comes all the way down to greed on the a part of the grocery store house owners.

B.A. Relfe, Clayton

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