Worshipping At The Temples Of Mammon

By Mark Taliano

When did money become the new god? In the name of frugality, hospitals are closing down or closing beds, and manufacturing is leaving in droves.
 
At the local level, the new Welland council should support southern tier hospital re-openings, and more rather than fewer beds. Mental health patients, already disadvantaged, shouldn’t be shipped off to north St.Catharines. Likewise for the elderly and poor. Our health system should be an equality based system rather than a three or four tier expediency-based system.
 
Similarly, local jobs and manufacturing should be a priority, even if other countries can do it cheaper. Shipping jobs to nations with lax or non-existent health and safety requirements, and weak or non-existent labour laws, may improve some stock-market portfolios, but it still smacks of a step backwards.
 
The irony, of course, is that our misplaced faith is impoverishing Wellanders, and de-valuing the health and welfare of our most needy.
　
Mark Taliano is a retired educator and resident of Welland, Ontario.

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