Dear Editor,
Thank you for last week’s edition marking International Women’s Day. There were so many articles of interest; I am just going to comment on a few. It was good to see the Famous Five acknowledged, and I would like to recommend a visit to their statues on Parliament Hill, so that parents can tell their children about them. You can sit and “have a cup of tea” with them, so it is a fun visit. I loved Maggie Boyer’s piece – we need lots of stories of strong women, and hers is very inspiring. Deborah Thomson on Naomi’s Family Resource Centre was also revealing – it is horrifying that 33% of women worldwide suffer domestic violence, and we must all do all we can to lessen this figure. Mayor Nancy Peckford also contributed an excellent article and I echo her comments that it’s “about ensuring that everyone gets the chance to bring their best to the table”.
Nanda’s story about Christine was also very moving and a good example of how one person can make a difference in another person’s life. I definitely related to Vicki Ogilvie’s account of the stereotypes she has encountered in the automotive industry. When we arrived in Canada in 1970, I had worked as a secretary in England and Kenya for almost ten years, but when customers phoned for my husband, who was always out on the road selling automotive equipment, would they leave a sensible message with me? No, I was just the wife, how could I possibly deliver a request for a particular part or to schedule a meeting? It was always “just have him call me”, which was a waste of everyone’s time.
Theresa Bergeron, on introducing her grandchildren to plants for food was another great article, and as I live near Merrickville, I must mention our wonderful Librarian, Mary Kate Laphen, who remembers everyone’s number and can always find that particular book you want to read. She has lots of good suggestions and the Library has been a lifeline during the pandemic.
So all in all, this was a spectacular issue of your newspaper, and I am so glad it is arriving in the mail again. Grateful thanks to everyone who works hard to get it out every week.
Sincerely,
Jocelyn Rait,
Merrickville
