“At 65, I moved to Montreal from southwestern Ontario. … I have found the people to be friendly and welcoming.”
At 65, I moved to Montreal from southwestern Ontario. The beauty of the St. Lawrence River, the Lachine Canal, the many parks and Old Montreal’s charm were magnets for me.
I have found the people to be friendly and welcoming. I serve as a director on a condo syndicate board and I am accommodated by others when I speak in English. I can get by reading French, so all the board’s business is in French.
I have travelled to eastern Quebec and have marvelled at the beauty of this province. I have read about the history of Quebec, and I believe the French language will endure for another 400 years.
I don’t feel tolerated — I feel welcomed, and my use of English as a first language is not held against me. All I have to do is speak a few words of French, however mangled, to feel appreciated.
Perhaps people here feel my love of Quebec and the French language. Perhaps they know I join them in a mutual respect and admiration for Quebec and French.
Peter Black, Old Montreal
Positive stay at Lachine Hospital
After calling 911 for what I thought was a heart attack, I was treated with kindness, concern and professionalism by the caring paramedics.
My experience at the Lachine Hospital was amazing from the time I arrived until I was released the next morning.
Diagnosed with pneumonia, I was cared for by nurses and doctors who made me feel like I was the only patient in the emergency room.
Our health-care system is overloaded, but I wanted to share a positive experience.
Barbara Yule, Pointe-Claire
Different ways to express fear
Quebec judges have ruled that former Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough mayor Sue Montgomery’s face and actions did not show signs of fear during an encounter with a man accused of criminally harassing her.
There are ways of expressing fear besides cowering in a corner wringing one’s hands. When threatened, cats may hiss and scratch, dogs may bite and skunks may spray. Some sea creatures puff up or eject their insides.
It would seem either these judges are unaware of this, or they think they are capable of reading Montgomery’s mind.
Mary Schurman, N.D.G.
Lesson in passion and dedication
Re: “In our AI world, human voice still matters” (Opinion, Sept. 20)
It is obvious from her words that English teacher Jodi Nathanson is passionate about imparting her love of literature to her students and guiding them to find their own voices as they study “human stories.”
Despite the increasing pull of artificial-intelligence tools in the classroom, this dedicated teacher seeks, against the odds, to humanize the learning of literature rather than robotize it.
Goldie Olszynko, Mile End