Beyond “Us and Them”

“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” Jesus – St. Matthew 5:44

Dear Friends — 

We live in an increasingly divided world – especially so in recent days here in North America. It is easy for us to be taken up by the atmosphere to controversy and hostility that is being directed at us as Canadians by Mr. Donald Trump, the President of The United States America.

Yet, for centuries, and certainly within the memories of those of us living today, we have looked to the United States of America as our closest ally and friend. Here in Prince Edward County, we are just a few miles, across the lake, from friends and neighbours in New York and Pennsylvania. 

Many of us here in Ontario have relatives “state-side”.  My own maternal great-grandparents came to Southern Ontario from Philadelphia in the 1840’s. I have a niece living in Chicago. In Boston, a nephew and niece-in-law are about to welcome a new generation. Our son-in-law has dual citizenship and has family in Ohio and New York. A Granddaughter has cousins in California and Rhode Island. My wife has a beloved Aunt & Uncle in Bay City, Michigan. All these dear ones are American citizens. We hold all of these close in our hearts. 

It is surely important for us to remember the strong ties that bind us to our American family, friends and neighbours. It is important for us to recognize that despite the increasingly bizarre and pugilistic behaviour on the part of Mr. Trump, his attitudes and actions are not mirrored by anything like a majority of the citizens of the United States. 

Unfortunately, we live in an age of misinformation and disinformation. The current President is an expert at spreading these falsehoods and calling them truth. The world-wide-web is used by Mr. Trump and his ilk to mislead and misguide. In the meantime, he is forging alliances with authoritarian regimes like Russia and North Korea.

I believe this is a time for us here in Canada to reach out with love and compassion to our friends and neighbours and our dear family members in the United States.  We can do this through personal contacts, and through the organizations of which we are a part.  It is a time for us to hold them in our prayers. 

It is a time also to pray for our political leaders that they might have the wisdom and courage to guide our Nation and Province through these trying times. It is time to hold close in our hearts our neighbours and fellow Canadians whose livelihoods are threatened by the tariffs.

It is a time for us to avoid moving into an “us and them” stance. We can love and support our own country without becoming hateful or abusive to the other side. It is time for cooler heads to prevail.

“Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us bring love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, harmony; where there is error, truth; where there is doubt, faith. . .” — Part of the Prayer of St. Francis

Reverend Philip Hobbs, Bloomfield United Church

Climate Consults

Climate change is a daunting topic. One that for many years was the sort of thing that was out of sight, and out of mind.  But events have started to reach us closer to home. 

For example, do you remember the flooding in 2017 and 2019?  Has your well been going dry more frequently? Have you and your pets been bitten more often by ticks? Has your basement flooded from an extreme rain event? Do there seem to be more potholes than normal? 

These are just a few effects of global climate change, and they make it harder to ignore the impacts, whether financial, social, or personal.  But what can be done in our part of the world that will have an impact on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions when climate change is a global problem? 

County Council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and joined the Partners for Climate Protection Program in 2021. The program provides a road map for building a plan that adapts to and mitigates climate change at the municipal and community levels. 

There are five milestones: Creating a GHG inventory and forecast; Setting emission reduction targets; Developing a local action plan; Implementing that plan; and, Monitoring and evaluating progress. 

The municipality has completed Steps 1 and 2 and is developing a local action plan for reducing the GHG emissions it influences.  

The Climate Action Plan Working Group is working Step 3 of the PCP program for the community. This is the creation of a Climate Action Plan, and it needs residents to suggest measures for both mitigation and adaptation as well as to comment on measures being proposed at both the corporate and community levels.  Community input is essential at this stage for developing a custom program designed by and for residents of Prince Edward County. 

In order to get the broadest possible input, including that of youth, who will be far more affected than older generations, a series of public consultation events are getting underway:

Ameliasburg: March 22, 10:00 – 12:00 at the Ameliasburg Town Hall.

Wellington: March 29, 10:00 – 1:00 at the Wellington Community Centre.

Youth Engagement Consultation April 2, 3:00 – 4:00 at TheROC in Picton. 

Milford: April 9, 4:30 – 6:30 at the Milford Town Hall.

Picton: April 12 at the Picton Community Centre, in conjunction with the Environmental Expo which begins at 9am.

At each consultation, residents will be able to learn more about the work being done by County staff and the Climate Action Plan Working Group, see the initial GHG findings, and offer their views on proposed actions as well as suggest remedies. All viewpoints will be considered as we develop the way forward for the County.

Angus Ross – Chair, Climate Action Plan Working Group