Letter to the Editor – March 2025
Janus raises awareness of organ transplants
Editor, Glebe Report,
Re: Janus V, Glebe Report, December 2024
I read with delight about Janus V and in particular about the “transplanting” of snow samples from the previous year.
As the recipient of a kidney transplant 38 years ago, I can testify to the life-changing results of receiving an organ, particularly from a living donor. There are currently 12,400 people in Ontario with end-stage renal disease who are on dialysis. Only 5.6 per cent of patients receive a transplant, with less than 2 per cent of these from a living donor, the best option. The stats for liver transplantation are similarly in need of awareness and improvement.
I will be telling the story of Janus to the various organ donation and transplantation groups (including professionals and patients) that I work with. The TLC that he receives evokes the care provided by volunteers and practitioners in the renal field, and it will make the patients smile!
Fiona Gilfillan
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Absurdity and pandering to a minority
Editor, Glebe Report
Here I sit on one of the Ottawa streets that pays the highest property taxes in the city.
To my chagrin, the street is barely passable a full week after our last snowstorm. Of immediate concern is the fact that no fire truck could even be able to think about navigating up our street. This exposes us to one of the fundamental risks associated with living in a city i.e., having your house burn down. Ironic that this is one of the risks that a city government is meant to mitigate. God help you if you want a friend to park on the street as all the parking spots are six-foot snowbanks.
I was astounded to note that the city had chosen to clear the snow from bicycle lanes on O’Connor Street. I view this as pandering to a small minority of citizens at the expense of the overwhelming majority of taxpayers. I am a statistician and have done the mental math to conclude that it would be cheaper to buy all the cyclists a gym membership.
I am an ardent cross-country skier and feel the city is doing me a disservice by not allowing me to ski in the summer. I propose that the city install refrigeration systems so that I and my four friends can ski all summer. Cross-country skiing consumes far more calories per hour than biking so is a much better form of active recreation. I realize that doing so might involve reducing city efforts on fire protection, road clearing, policing, enforcing the garbage bag limits and other important duties. So be it.
If the city is willing to pander to the four per cent of citizens that bike, I deserve and demand equal treatment. Denying my request for my virtue-signalling cross-country skiing would constitute discrimination of the most offensive sort.
Scott Murray
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Remembering Richard Webb: a life of love and dedication
By Erik Webb
Photo: Richard Webb, 1950-2024.
To me and everyone who knew him, Richard Webb was an extraordinary person. It didn’t matter who you were or for what reason you came into contact with him, you were always better off for it. He was a great father, a devoted husband and a symbol of all that is good in the world. He wouldn’t hurt a fly – literally. He would rather take the time to chase it around the room and catch it because as he always said, “it deserves to live just as much as me.”
And live he did. Born in Calgary in 1950, Richard graduated from high school at 16 and pursued a Bachelor’s in Economics and English at the University of Calgary. He then went on to York where he attained a law degree and eventually found his way to Ottawa where he opened a practice for several years. Next, like many in Ottawa, he joined the federal government, both in the Department of Energy and then Finance. But this wasn’t his true calling. Richard spent the rest of his career as a consultant on financial services with USAID. This job took him around the world, from Kazakhstan – where he met my mom – to Albania, India and many more countries.
But he wasn’t just his career. He had an amazing sense of humour and was an animal lover, an avid sports fan and a great athlete too. Above all, he was an amazing father and husband. It didn’t matter if it was a 7 a.m. house league practice or a AAA All-Star showcase, he was always there, supporting, giving tips and teaching. If his kids were involved, he took an interest. He loved being with his family, and his family loved being with him. He was also a lifelong learner – he loved to learn new things and would often throw himself headfirst into a new concept and before too long, it seemed he was the world’s foremost expert on the subject.
He is perhaps best known in the Glebe for his work in reinstating the outdoor rink on Mutchmor field. There were many roadblocks and obstacles, from the city councillor to the school board, but this did not deter him. He got it done and was always so pleased to see kids using it in the winter. He did not even skate anymore, he just wanted the kids to have a good rink. He was eventually awarded for his efforts on the rink, and in true Richard Webb fashion, he didn’t mention it to his family and filed the award away. He never sought recognition, but his quiet dedication left a lasting mark. Every time I see kids skating there, I think of him.
I know I would not be the man I am today if not for his unwavering support in all my endeavours and his lessons. He taught me the value of humility, work ethic, empathy – and above all kindness. I aspire to live my life as fully as he lived his – with generosity, humour and an open heart.
Dad, I miss you, and I love you. I hope you are at peace. More than anything, I hope I can live a life as complete, happy and genuine as yours.
Erik Webb is the son of Glebite Richard Webb.