April 21: ‘At last, Ontario has a person who will do what Doug Ford has not.’ Readers debate pandemic policies, plus other letters to the editor

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Taking care of business

Re Peel Region To Order Sweeping Business Closings (April 20): At last, Ontario has a person who will do what Doug Ford has not.

Lawrence Loh, Medical Officer of Health for Peel, and his focus on workplace transmission of COVID-19 is what we have been waiting for over the past few months. It will have a real impact on the battle against the virus.

The Ford government’s policies have left essential workers unprotected and allowed the virus to spread exponentially.

Irene Fung Mississauga

An excellent idea. But why not also send a mobile team to the business being closed and vaccinate everyone on their way out the door? In two weeks, all the cases will have resolved one way or another. In the meantime everyone else, including employees’ families, could have increased protection when they return to work.

The city could address a hot spot instead of just taking hopeful but random shots in the dark.

Perry Bowker Burlington, Ont.

Re Ford Government Rejects NDP Motion Seeking To Create Provincial Paid Sick-leave Program (April 20): Many are calling for paid sick leave, but the Ontario government does not want to provide it. If cost is the issue, why not mandate that companies must provide it?

The government could provide it for smaller companies with fewer than a set number of employees. Larger companies providing essential services have seen increases in revenues, and so should be able to share the wealth.

Making companies pay for sick leave would also provide an economic incentive for them to make safer workplace conditions.

Alexander (Sandy) Darling Hamilton

Like the majority of small-business owners in Ontario, I’m tired of hearing that the government can’t legislate paid sick days because small businesses can’t afford them. Yes, we can – and we do because it’s smart business.

One person off for two to three days costs a few hundred bucks. That same employee infecting half our staff costs a lot more, and we may have to shut down. It’s simple: small business + paid sick days = money saved.

So why can’t big corporations such as Amazon adopt a sick-day program? These massively profitable companies should treat their workers like the rest of us – with more dignity, respect and humanity. All it would take is the government finally supporting essential workers with action instead of hollow platitudes.

Aaron Binder Chief experience officer, Segway of Ontario; Toronto

Hold on

Re Widespread Outage Leaves Rogers Customers Across Canada Without Wireless Services (Report on Business, April 20): Was the service disruption so prolonged because management was put on hold when they tried to contact technical support?

William Christian Guelph, Ont.

Budget or bust

Re Budget Falls Short, Provinces And Cities Say (April 20): I think there is nothing really wrong with Ontario’s health care system, despite all the handwringing as “evidence” piles up during this third wave.

I find, however, something appallingly wrong with how the flailing policies from the Ontario government are crushing the health care system.

Reid Brownscombe Lakefield, Ont.

Re With This Budget, Liberals Mark Return To Big Government (April 20): The budget is firmly grounded in the concept that a nation can tax and borrow its way to prosperity. What looks to be missing from those 739 pages is a single citation where that has worked before.

John Budreski Vancouver

The budget confirms to me that the Liberal Party has become the NDP.

There seems to be no place any more for Red Tories or Blue Liberals. Where are the centrist parties that Canadians have always preferred?

Are we becoming politically polarized like the United States? God help us.

Tom MacDonald Ottawa

Re Ottawa Commits Billions To Child Care, Will Have To Work With Provinces To Build System (April 20): This is great news for my grandchildren. After struggling without child care during my work life, there’s hope that they will have quality care available soon.

All levels of governments have been laggards in providing options for parents who have to work to make ends meet. Europe has long known daycare is an economic necessity. I trust that all provinces will get on board with universal access for all parents who need it.

A bold move at long last.

J. L. Isopp Selkirk, Man.

Parties of all political stripes have been promising affordable child care for as long as I can remember. Kudos to the Liberals if they are able to work with the provinces to finally make it happen.

However, let’s not forget the early childhood educators and their assistants who Canadians entrust with their children. Will the salaries of those (predominantly female) workers reflect the “vision of an activist government?”

Ginny Ratsoy Kamloops, B.C.

Re Big Budget. Less Ambitious Than Promised (Editorial, April 20): The Liberals have undertaken to send me $500. I consider this a crass vote-buying move. Like many in my 75-plus age bracket, COVID-19 has been kinder to me than many – just consider young couples with children in small apartments.

While I have been a consistent Liberal voter in the past, I will be sending my $500 to the Conservatives this time, along with my vote.

Brian Northgrave Ottawa

The support aimed at 75-plus seniors should not be criticized as it was in The Globe’s editorial.

Let’s remember that many of today’s younger retirees – a majority of whom are married and have benefited from higher levels of education – can draw from wide sources of revenues. Not the case with many aged 75-plus who do not have these advantages. The majority of them are also women who are likely to live in poverty or be among the near-poor.

Jean-Serge Lauzon Ottawa

Re Federal Budget Gives Money To All, Without A Path To Real Growth (April 20): For those on the lower third of the income scale, trickle-down economics have never worked. So how about trickle-up economics?

If we had subsidized child care, pharmacare, dental care, higher education, a livable minimum wage and, of course, clean drinking water for all, we would pretty much guarantee a better educated, more competitive and happier society. With basics taken care of, opportunities should grow along with GDP. Non-productive citizens would be fewer, jails would be emptier and correctional and enforcement expenses could be cut.

Benefits would be reaped across society. It’s a safe and sound investment.

Toan Klein Toronto

Letters to the Editor should be exclusive to The Globe and Mail. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. Try to keep letters to fewer than 150 words. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. To submit a letter by e-mail, click here: letters@globeandmail.com