Dear sir:
The fervent response of so many Canadians to the news that Ron MacLean’s contract for Hockey Night In Canada was not being renewed struck a chord.
CBC reportedly was bombarded with 10,000 e-mails demanding that Ron be retained at any price.
As a result of the public outcry, he will continue to sit in the “Coach’s Corner” alongside Don Cherry, the million or so Canadians who watch the show will be content, and for the 30 million Canadians who do not, life will go on as before.
What impressed me most about this situation was the immediate impact of so many voices raised in unison.
All too often I hear news that disturbs me—that massive clear-cutting is razing our forest at an unsustainable rate, that plans are in place to begin cutting the (once sacred) shorelines of our lakes on an “experimental” basis, that our universal health care system is increasingly vulnerable to the threat of privatization, and that our nation is flirting with war as the result of our government’s reluctance to distance itself from America’s hawkish policies.
The impulse to voice an objection to our government and the policy makers is stifled by the belief that one voice will not make any difference to the outcome.
Perhaps we all need to consider that there are more critical issues at stake in our world today than who is sitting in the “Coach’s Corner,” and make our united voices heard where they may really make a difference to future generations.
Respectfully yours,
Carolyn Pelletier
R.R.#1, Stratton, Ont.
