Letters to the editor, October 24

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EQUITY FOR PSW

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In his column “PSWs Still Underestimated” (October 14), Tarek Fatah describes how his first encounter with personal support workers helped open his eyes to recognize the important role they play in society after an experience close to death in his family. It seems that he is not alone. Less than a decade ago, I fondly remember the help my family received from the first support worker we hired part-time to help care for my mother after her battle with dementia. Stories about the nature of their work have gone largely unnoticed before COVID-19 emerged. Support workers are among a large contingent of ethnic minorities who come to this country in search of a job and a better life. The enormous demand for their specialized services outstrips the marginal supply of support workers. The truth is that the tasks they do to feed, clean and sanitize some of the most vulnerable people are not attractive to Canadian workers. Proponents of PSWs are pressing the provincial government to make sweeping changes for permanent standardization of wages, full-time hours, better access to benefits, and safer working conditions. Support workers should have been given the proper recognition they deserve a long time ago.

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Robert Ariano
Scarborough

(We’ve always known the importance of the role of personal support workers, but if anything, the pandemic has put a fine print on how necessary they are.)

WORKING HARD

People are criticizing Doug Ford for commenting on immigrants and their perceived work ethic. Being the prime minister, you probably know more about the population than the average Ontario. He was referring to those who work hard, who inevitably succeed, and others who always need a helping hand, and who are not yet successful, because they depend on others to do their part. What has become apparent to me in the six decades since my arrival here as an immigrant is that there are now many more people in Toronto and many free services, such as social services, children’s benefits, subsidized housing, health care, and education. . All of these services require far more government bureaucrats to administer them, to remain employed. Everything costs more money. There have also been lazy people among previous immigrants, but they did not receive the services that they receive now. So where do we get the money for all those services? Of the successful ones who have it, of course! Taxes more – ouch!

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Erika lorincz
Etobicoke

(As we said before, most reasonable people knew exactly what the Prime Minister meant. In fact, it will be much of the immigrant population that will reject the government’s generosity and unaffordable programs)

CAPITOL SPIN

Depending on who you talk to, the recent story surrounding Doug Ford’s comments on immigrants is about him demeaning immigrants or misunderstanding them. In reality, the story is not about any of those things. These are two political party leaders turning the speech of another party leader in a cynical attempt to lower his approval rating before the next election.

Don steeves
Brampton

(That sums it up)

QUALIFIED IMMIGRANTS

Defend your position, Premier Ford. His comments on immigration are spot on and what many thousands of us feel and think. Reasonable Canadians have always welcomed skilled immigrants to our country, bringing much-needed skills, knowledge, and a strong work ethic. This is how it used to be and your contributions have made a significant contribution to making Canada great and welcoming. Under Trudeau and the liberals, our immigration policies have turned into a political vote-buying fiasco and an open-door policy that is causing significant damage to our economy and our way of life.

Bernard A. Moyle
King city

(Liberals have done a lot of damage to almost every policy they touch)