At the bottom of all of our local stories, readers now have the option of submitting feedback. Here's what BayToday readers had to say about what was making news over the last week:
Jan. 13:
Scammers are using local police association's name to get your money, warn police
"Blocking the number doesn't do anything when they use ghost numbers to hide their identity. I had a scammer call my number while displaying a local cell number as the caller claiming he was calling from the border."
- Kaamen S.
Work on multi-million dollar McKeown Avenue project to begin this year
"McKeown Ave has grown into a major artery, because other than the mall, there is nowhere else in North Bay to shop. Main St. is a joke with merchants that open 10 till 5:30, 5 days a week, and half days on Saturday if they're up to it. Unless you wear steel shank shoes, you take the risk of stepping on needles. Our City administration has totally neglected the south end of the city when it comes to commercial enterprise. Two grocery stores doesn't make Ferris a major shopping destination. The City has done everything in their power to ensure that most of the dead property on McKeown was bought up for commercial use and left West Ferris to fend for itself like a ghost town. A great deal of the City's housing tax base comes from Ferris. How about giving them somewhere to shop?"
- Kaamen S.
Jan. 11:
Council to award design contract to complete four-laning of McKeown Avenue
"All the city needs on McKeown ave. is a turning lane in the middle of the two. I drive this road multiple times in A day as I am A tech at A dealership.The only thing that holds up traffic is people turning left when going towards the NBRHC or towards Algonquin .Shake your heads council and live in the city you want to change."
- Joe V.
Quebec to force unvaccinated to pay 'significant' financial penalty
"I don't see how. you can be a proponent of a socialized healthcare system like ours and think this is okay.
Sooner rather than later, boosters #3, #4 and so on will eventually be mandated to avoid having your 'vaccinated' status revoked. Inoculations every 2 to 3 months is not sustainable or healthy and these vaccines are not substantially preventing acquisition or transmission of the virus; certainly not at the levels promised to us by the gov't and pharma companies.
This sets a chilling precedent for the future and also begs some questions.
If we're going to fine the vaccine hesitant for burdening our healthcare system, why not do the same to those who suffer from cancers or heart conditions? A substantial number of these patients made dangerous life choices (smoking, drinking, using drugs, eating unhealthy processed/fast foods) and they represent a much larger burden on our healthcare system than the vaccine hesitant.
What about people who undertake dangerous driving or sporting activities? Should a person who drives drunk or regularly speeds be allowed to take up a hospital bed when the majority of people drive responsibly? How many snowmobilers go through the ice each year? Why should they not pay a fine for their reckless actions when most of us operate in a much safer and more responsible manner?
More and more I don't recognize our country and its famous kindness and generosity. Our PM just accused those hesitant of vaccines of being racists and misogynists, despite the fact that minorities and indigenous people make up a substantial number of the those who remain unvaccinated.
The same PM who has had multiple photos of him in blackface; photos not taken when he was an ignorant and foolish teenager, but rather as an adult in a position of authority.
The same PM who has had multiple accusations of sexual assault levied against him.
I pray that my fellow Canadians will eventually be able to see through this attempt to pit us against one another and lay the blame where it belongs - the federal and provincial governments and health authorities for their inane handling of this from the very beginning.
It's time we start demanding answers to obvious questions. What happened in Wuhan? Was the NIH, NIAID and Eco-Health Alliance involved in gain-of-function research - either directly or indirectly? Was our own virology lab involved intentionally or tangentially in this research?
If we're being asked to make sacrifices for something that we are not responsible for, we at least deserve justice to be meted out against those who are responsible.
I don't see how. you can be a proponent of a socialized healthcare system like ours and think this is okay.
Sooner rather than later, boosters #3, #4 and so on will eventually be mandated to avoid having your "vaccinated" status revoked. Inoculations every 2 to 3 months is not sustainable or healthy and these vaccines are not substantially preventing acquisition or transmission of the virus; certainly not at the levels promised to us by the gov't and pharma companies.
I pray that my fellow Canadians will eventually be able to see through this attempt to pit us against one another and lay the blame where it belongs - the federal and provincial governments and health authorities for their inane handling of this from the very beginning.
It's time we start demanding answers to obvious questions. What happened in Wuhan? Was the NIH, NIAID and Eco-Health Alliance involved in gain-of-function research - either directly or indirectly? Was our own virology lab involved intentionally or tangentially in this research?
If we're being asked to make sacrifices for something that we are not responsible for, we at least deserve justice to be meted out against those who are responsible."
- Bob L.
City of North Bay budget passes with 4.27 per cent levy increase
"Another wasted year for taxpayers, so how much of last year's budget was spent on the things that were budgeted for?? How much of the budget was left over?
Once again there should be no increase for the taxpayer but then again why listen to the community."
- Mark M.
Jan. 7:
‘There is no health care without nurses’
"Good article. Nurses were leaving their jobs pre pandemic as well. In 2018 in USA 10% left. Burnout was cited as the number 1 reason I believe.
We also have to remember most nurses are women, 91%, and there's a lot of single mothers out there. I believe a lot of nurses had to leave their jobs during the lockdowns/school closures because there was no one to take care of their children.
Another thing, that man is criticizing nurses for getting called back while being COVID positive to work as a bad thing, couldn't be more wrong. For one, those nurses are probably asymptomatic or barely symptomatic if they're coming back to work. Secondly, they could wear N95 masks or multiple layered masks to drastically lower the probability to transmitting COVID. Also, the evidence isn't even clear whatsoever that you can even spread COVID asymptomatically regardless of what these ridiculous "experts" have to say. However, pre-symptomatically is it transmissible.
Clearly, nurses need a pay hike to incentivize them to remain working, so that should be amended. Interesting to know this was a legislative issue. Completely ABSURD that hasn't been in effect. Instead, CERB wants to hand out multiple billions to people working part time at Walmart. Cool
Also, it's kind of ironic we're showing so much praise for Frontline workers publicly, but in the end they're abandoning one of the most important jobs period, especially during lockdowns. It's pretty selfish to walk away from your job because of stress when society needs you most right now. It's almost akin to men deserting the battle during a war, and somehow expecting those men to be sympathized and understood. I think this a time where we need women to kind of suck it up. I mean i think a lot of us would step up to the plate and help but we're not allowed, because they need to be specially trained. And maybe that's apart of the problem. All these policies requiring special training or a certain amount of nurses with different specialties present per bed, it all honestly might be overkill. Jeez, i read that each ICU bed requires a social worker and physiotherapist. Give me a break, they can do without that in these pivotal times. Maybe we should utilize more volunteers and maybe should accept newer nurses without the experience to be taking on greater reasonability for the time being, and get over your safety guidelines. Will that kill people? I'm sure it would a few, but at least we wouldn't need to lockdown, which is also killing people, more innocent and younger people in fact. Like i'm sorry, your job isnt THAT
Locking down society should not be taken lightly, but i think our authoritarian government is starting to see that way."
- Allo G.
"When my regular MD wasn't available one day, I went to see a physician at the back-up clinic across the street. The physician there was unbelievable: Knowledgeable, professional, kind, patient and an amazing bedside manner.
When I looked him up to see where he went to school, it was outside Canada (even though he was born and raised here). I know many Canadian students try for international schools because they're so passionate about medicine. Yet, the GPA requirements to get into many schools here is in the stratosphere. Surely we can be a little flexible if we're able to get this level of professional.
I've met more MDs that I care to count who got their education here, yet wonder why any institution would grant them a passing grade."
- A.C.
When the 'levy' breaks a major Cassellholme obstacle is removed
"The best change order they should look at is scrapping the reno idea and starting from scratch with a brand new build. Perhaps the Federal Gov't could relocate Chippewa Barracks to the base and donate the land to the City to allow a build in close proximity to Casselholme. When a new build is completed, they can tear down the old building and continue to put up senior apartments on the old site."
- Kaamen S.
"'Mayne spoke about relations improving, especially between the major players in the arrangement, notably the senior staff of the City of North Bay and Cassellholme's Board and administration.'
How are senior staff CND a major player when they are to only act as advisors to Council who make the decisions. The tail is wagging the dog, hence all the problems."
- R.W.
