Not all of us agree

By Letter to the Editor on April 21, 2020.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a serious health issue worldwide, and it also has numerous challenging ramifications. The need to have people isolate and to close non-essential businesses /services disrupts our orderly economic activity, including the flow of monies through our different sectors.

Thus far, our two top levels of government have responded favourably with policies to provide financial assistance to people and businesses and to relax financial commitments like rent and mortgage payments. It is a concerted effort to minimize the financial impact on the nation and to provide the people with an ability to spend; however, some disappointing exceptions prevail.

Our elected and appointed federal representatives adjusted their annual compensation (from April 1)through legislation approved in prior years. It appears reasonable that these 443 people in Ottawa would have unanimously foregone this generosity this year to demonstrate that they are concerned leaders and to communicate that an increase in their salaries is not a priority now. Not to be. It is acknowledged that the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Official Opposition announced that their increases will be donated.How many of the remaining 441 will follow in their footsteps?

It was just announced by the national dairy association that the surplus milk which is the result of a decreased market demand will be flushed down the drain in rotation by the dairy farms. The rationale is that supply management controls the required supply and the related prices; therefore, surplus milk into the market would disrupt this orderly system. What is not said is that the producers do not want to change anything which will lower their guaranteed annual return.

Surplus milk which is processed for consumption will increase the supply and it may very well reduce the retail prices. Good! At the present time when incomes are considerably lower, the ability to buy dairy products, which is staple food to many families especially with children, would be very helpful for the well-being of the nation. Admittedly producers will probably have a lower profit, but this situation would be more in sync with the rest of the nation.

It is difficult to write about these two situations and not make very nasty comments. At a time of a serious international health crisis which already has been devastating around the world, how do these two protected groups move forward as if they are without a conscience? Fortunately for us they do not represent the rest of our nation.

Larry Samcoe

Medicine Hat

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