Letters to the province, September 22, 2021: Having faced a pandemic, there can be no more excuses

Opinion: Letters to the province, September 22, 2021.

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Having faced a pandemic, there can be no more excuses.

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After a dizzying month of campaigning, our parliamentarians can begin to do what matters most: serve their constituents. But this time, things are different. The intrusion of COVID-19 into our lives turned on the advocate in many of us, and more people than ever are calling for better governance. And we are right to demand more.

With the pandemic exposing gaps in society, documented by advocacy groups, journalists and researchers, newly elected MPs have an unprecedented amount of high-quality information and front-line stories to guide them.

The systemic barriers faced by people with disabilities, the elderly and indigenous people are exposed, and the public demand that the government respond should motivate any good legislator to do better. They can now also act with the confidence that flexibility and speed in policymaking is possible, as shown in the response to the pandemic, and that legislative inaction is as much about a lack of political will as it is any other. thing.

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There can be no excuses to disappoint the people who need them most. It is time for our government to get back to work and, judging them by their actions and not by their campaign rhetoric, we must hold them to a higher standard than ever.

Spencer van Vloten, editor, BC Disability, Vancouver

96 years old unable to vote for the first time in his life

This is the first time in my more than 96 years that I have not been able to vote. I live in an assisted living / retirement complex with 140 other people. An advanced poll was conducted here about a week ago, but I knew it would be here and waited until today (September 20) to cast my vote. When I went to vote, with the card and proof of citizenship in hand, they told me that I should have done it in the advanced voting. There was no hint to that effect, so my candidate has lost a vote.

Our receptionist told me to go to the community center. Very good if I were 69 instead of 96, with chronic lung disease, heart and kidney failure, plus two mended femurs.

It is doubtful that he will be able to vote again. Well that’s life and I suppose some will say, “Why didn’t you do this or that?”

I’m tired.

Clarence Scatchard, Port Coquitlam

Letters to the editor should be sent to [email protected].