Right this moment’s letters: When winter ends, we neglect Ottawa’s homeless

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Why can’t we serve the homeless higher?

Each winter, the unvoiced, homeless individuals of Ottawa want shelter from the chilly and snow. As soon as winter is over, that want is longer mentioned by the Metropolis of Ottawa. Why? As a result of the snow and chilly are gone. Nevertheless, the homeless stay.

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Why is it that town, the NCC and faculty boards can present short-term trailers for building websites, the Rideau Canal and colleges, but we fail to offer any of such a shelter for our homeless residents? The homeless are residents of Ottawa. It’s a unhappy commentary on our so-called “trendy” society.

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Lorenzo De Franco, Ottawa

No winter entry to The River Home?

I cherished swimming on the refurbished Nationwide Capital Fee River Home final summer season, and was delighted to be taught just lately that the Ski Heritage East path had been prolonged to River Home. What a deal with, as a result of who wouldn’t like to take a break at this finish of the path? With a $15 million+ renovation, the NCC made River Home “usable year-round” and organized for meals and drinks to be in the stores throughout specified hours.

So I strapped on my skis this week for an invigorating ski with a pal alongside the superbly groomed path and appeared ahead to espresso and a little bit of a relaxation earlier than heading house. Think about our shock, upon arriving at River Home. The spacious inside sat empty, and we discovered that the bistro is takeout solely; we weren’t allowed to sit down inside. The house, we have been politely advised, is for “occasion bookings” solely.

So we grabbed a espresso and used the lavatory, then returned to a stunning however chilly winter day, sipping our espresso and pondering the unfathomable depths of NCC inhospitality. I do hope the NCC will re-think this dimension of public entry to River Home and lengthen a heat welcome to guests in winter in addition to in summer season.

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Gina Watson, Ottawa

Canada’s well being care higher than within the U.S.

Re: Letter, Be inventive about fixing the physician scarcity, Jan. 19.

The gentleman from Illinois proposes {that a} personal system of well being care supply, just like what he’s used to in the USA, would alleviate the scarcity of docs in Canada.

Though we definitely have our points in Canada, he ought to be conscious that the general rating card of which system works higher is the typical life expectancy in every nation.

In 2024, Canada stands at nineteenth on the planet at 83.02 years, whereas the U.S. is forty seventh at 79.74 years. In reality, the U.S. has the bottom life expectancy of any of the key developed nations regardless of its expertise and economic system.

Despite the fact that his daughter is just not having the ability to discover a household physician, Canada nonetheless supplies higher medical care beneath our public well being care system, out there to all via a number of avenues together with clinics and hospitals, and with a superior consequence.

Margaret and Stephen Norris, Nepean

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