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th ei fp .c a Th e IF P -H al to n H ill s | T hu rs da y, Ju ly 2, 20 20 | 6 ABOUT US This newspaper, published every Thursday, is a division of the Metroland Media Group Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation. The Metroland family of newspapers is comprised of more than 80 community publications across Ontario. This newspaper is a member of the National NewsMedia Council. Complainants are urged to bring their concerns to the attention of the news- paper and, if not satisfied, write The National NewsMedia Council, Suite 200, 890 Yonge St., Toronto, ON M4W 2H2. Phone: 416-340-1981 Web: www.mediacouncil.ca newsroom@theifp.ca IndependentAndFreePress @IFP_11 WHO WE ARE Publisher Kelly Montague Regional Managing Editor Catherine O'Hara Managing Editor Karen Miceli Distribution Representative Iouliana Polar Real Estate Kristie Pells Regional Production Manager Manuel Garcia Halton Media General Manager Jason Pehora CONTACT US The Independent & Free Press 280 Guelph Street, Unit 77 Georgetown, ON L7G 4B1 Phone: 905-873-0301 Classifieds: 1-800-263-6480 Fax: 905-873-0398 Letters to the editor All letters must be fewer than 320 words and include your name and telephone number for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject letters. Published letters will appear in print and/or online at theifp.ca Delivery For all delivery inquiries, please e-mail lpolar@miltoncanadianchampion.com or call 905-234-1019. OPINION TO LEARN HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN CONTENT VISIT THEIFP.CA I saw an elderly man; blue plaid shirt, his hair a white cloud around his head. He was standing out- side an emergency de- partment, his hand on the window, watching his wife; frail, coughing, waiting for masked health-care workers to take her through triage. "Is this the last time I'll see her?" I hugged my mom and dad. I hadn't seen them in months because of the pandemic. But now, as case counts dropped, it became safe enough to al- low gatherings big enough to include me, my kids and my parents. Hugging them was clumsy, all elbows and chins. We had forgotten how to hug, it seemed. But my heart lifted all the same. The cost of this pan- demic can't just be mea- sured in illnesses, ICU beds, deaths, job losses, overwhelmed health- care systems and burned out front-line workers. There has been a human toll that we've only just begun to realize. Mental illness has spiked. Isolated, afraid, faced with an uncertain present and future, many struggle with newly on- set depression and/or anxiety. The incidence of do- mestic violence has in- creased. Parents are frus- trated juggling home- schooling with working from home. Teenagers, whose identity and develop- ment is shaped by their social circles, stare at si- lent walls in their bed- rooms. Loneliness has shot through the roof as peo- ple are forcibly separated from their usual social supports. Caregivers and fami- lies are left unable to help, watching as their loved ones have gotten sick, sicker or even died. Alone. Apart. Similarly, my patient watched through the win- dow of the nursing home: her husband, short of breath from a COPD exac- erbation, weakened from dementia, unable to un- derstand why she could no longer be by his side when she had been there every day for 63 years. As we work to get our lives in order, our health- care system and economy up and going, we can't for- get the human toll of this pandemic. A second wave will likely hit our shores this fall. We have a window of opportunity here to con- sider how, armed with knowledge and experi- ence, we can and must do better the next go- around. Nadia Alam is a Georgetown physician and past president of the Ontario Medical Associa- tion. Her columns also appear on www.drna- diaalam.com. She can be reached through her web- site. THE IMMEASURABLE TOLL OF COVID-19 WITH THE COUNTLESS LOSSES IN RECENT MONTHS, A SIMPLE HUG TRULY LIFTED THE SPIRIT, WRITES DR. NADIA ALAM Kudos to the Halton Hills Alliance for Social Change for organizing a peaceful protest march. The Town and Halton Po- lice supported this effort. Councillors Fogal, Far- row-Reed, Lawlor, Hurst, Lewis and I attended, along with about 1,000 oth- ers. Everyone wore masks. We heard from speakers on their experi- ences of systemic racism growing up here. Their stories were shocking and quite sad. I cannot possibly com- prehend how people of Black, Indigenous and other People of Colour are made to feel uncomfort- able or even insulted while doing something as simple as shopping or go- ing to the park. As a community, we must be inclusive so as to recognize that discrimi- nation, whether it be Black, Indigenous or LGBTQ communities, is unacceptable and unwel- come in Halton Hills. I want Halton Hills, On- tario and Canada to be recognized as welcoming, inclusive, respectful plac- es that celebrate both dif- ferences and commonali- ties. We have to continue coming together to be more than just not racist, but rather anti-racist. PLEASE WEAR A MASK Halton Region has now moved to Stage 2 of the CO- VID-19 recovery. More stores and businesses are open. I've been asked, "why haven't you mandat- ed wearing a mask?" As mayor, I have no authority to mandate wearing masks. This comes from the premier and medical officer of health. The premier has said he would not mandate masks at the time I am writing this column. I en- courage all stores and shoppers to wear masks, especially if you can't physical distance. Wear- ing a mask doesn't protect you from getting the vi- rus, but it keeps you from spreading it. Remember to wash your hands frequently and physically distance. For more information on the Town's response, go to haltonhills.ca. I want to again thank all of our front-line workers. CELEBRATING SENIORS June was Seniors' Month, and we celebrated our Hillside Active Living Centres in both Acton and Georgetown being open for 25 years. Thank you to former Acton councillor Gerald Rennie and Georgetown resident Lew Ward, who spearheaded the senior centres to be- come a reality. Rick Bonnette is the Mayor of Halton Hills. Follow him on Twitter @RickBonnette1 and In- stagram rick_bonnette1. WE MUST COME TOGETHER FOR ANTI-RACISM DISCRIMINATION IS NOT WELCOME IN HALTON HILLS, WRITES RICK BONNETTE RICK BONNETTE Column NADIA ALAM Column