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Rules put on ice
Re Sidney Crosby Concussion Puts NHL Rules In Spotlight (May 3): The issue is not that penalties are not severe enough for rule infractions. The issue is that far too often the rules are not enforced at all. Some players are constantly trying to get away with dirty plays (knowing that they likely will), while other players are constantly seeking retribution (because officials refuse to do their jobs).
Alex Ovechkin slashes Sidney Crosby to the head, Crosby slashes Marc Methot on the hand, Carey Price punches Kyle Palmieri in the head with his goalie blocker, and with these examples either there were no calls made or the officials refused to impose the match penalty that the rule book sets out in black in white.
The officiating in the NHL is a joke and has been for decades. Most of the pushing and shoving and stick whacks after the whistle are never called, but similar behaviour in the NBA or the NFL would be called immediately.
There is a culture of intimidation and violence in the NHL that from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on down is accepted and perpetuated year after year.
The NHL is still a garage league, as Mario Lemieux described it some 25 years ago.
Trevor Amon, Victoria
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Only hockey tolerates such premeditated, cowardly brutality.
In any other sport, Matt Niskanen would be gone for the season or longer. But hockey will trot out its usual pathetic excuses: It's a contact game; it's emotional; it's the playoffs, Sidney Crosby's a star so he's fair game; it's Trump's fault.
Tim Jeffery, Toronto
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Sidney Crosby was mugged.
Alex Ovechkin and Matt Niskanen should be suspended by the clown car called the NHL department of player safety until the best hockey player in the world is cleared to play.
Bill Darling, Victoria
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Confidence, M.I.A.
As a Home Capital depositor, I was disturbed to read that the trauma we see unfolding could have been triaged at an earlier stage (OSC Nixed Deal With Home Capital Founder – May 2). What was the Ontario Securities Commission thinking?
Playing the tough guy has cost investors millions, affected other institutions, and cost Gerald Soloway, the company's founder, personal losses of more than $150-million in stock depreciation. Some fine!
All this because of an apparent lack of foresight about where this would all lead without a settlement.
Yes, the principals of the company share responsibility for this fiasco, but so does the OSC. The lack of confidence in Home Capital should be matched with a lack of confidence in the OSC.
George Melnyk, Calgary
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#IamLinda
The Manufactured Outrage Of #IamLinda (May 3) is less contrived than the manufactured outrage of your editorial.
Christy Clark did not handle the encounter with Linda Higgins well; she was cold and dismissive, which is exactly why the video of the encounter went viral. It starkly illustrated what is wrong with Ms. Clark and her government: No one matters who either won't fawn over her, or donate thousands of dollars to her and her party.
I suggest The Globe and Mail's editorialists view the video of John Horgan addressing a heckler at a rally for $10-a-day child care and observe the patience he shows, the willingness to engage respectfully with someone who is obviously not a supporter.
Elizabeth Woods, Victoria
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Christy Clark's response to the voter who said she would never vote for her – "You don't have to. That's why we live in a democracy" – was exactly what the late George Hees told me do when I was a candidate for the Progressive Conservative Party in Nanaimo in 1979.
Mr. Hees, a cabinet minister in the Diefenbaker and Mulroney governments, came to Nanaimo to give me advice and assistance. He said: Your riding is like mine and when you knock on a door and it is obvious the inhabitant is NDP, shake hands, say isn't it great we have a democracy and move on.
So, what is the problem?
Scott Van Alstine, North Saanich, B.C.
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Hail, The Maleficent
Re In Accelerating Crackdown, Turkey Fires Thousands, Blocks Wikipedia (May 1): The Turkish government says it blocked access to Wikipedia because its articles constituted "a smear campaign against Turkey in the international arena." Sadly, the real smear against Turkey's reputation in the international arena has been and continues to be administered by its 21st century would-be autocrat, Sultan Erdogan the Maleficent.
Eileen Garvey, Nepean, Ont.
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Ambience initiative
Re Without WiFi: Café Owners Reconsider Free Internet (Report on Business, May 1): The café culture has been changed significantly by the digital revolution.
As cafés were to a large degree European in nature, perhaps it is time to appropriate another aspect of the continental culture – that of sharing tables – particularly when a solitary patron, not in the midst of a conversation, is monopolizing the table, with his or her face glued to a device or laptop.
A sign could be prominently posted at the cash promoting the practice and alerting all patrons of the ambience initiative.
Regardless, in a civilized society people should be politely assertive enough to plop down in available seats with an acknowledging, friendly smile, remain quiet and excuse themselves (leave) if the need arises to make or take a call.
Tom Hiller, Kitchener, Ont.
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Parliament of fouls
Re Senate Tries To Decide The Price Of Privilege (May 3): If Don Meredith is not expelled, one might ask the Senate: How much lower would he have to sink to earn expulsion?
If he is not expelled, how will the Senate expect the populace to have one whit of respect for a body that protects and forgives its own, ignoring standards we cherish as normal in Canada?
To the ethics committee that recommended Mr. Meredith's explusion: Well done.
To the Senate: Vote firmly.
To Mr. Meredith: Goodbye.
Daniel Owen, Toronto
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In a recent publication, the Senate represents itself to children as a chamber of "wise owls." Good luck with that.
Even though a group of owls is known as a parliament, I don't think wise owls engage in sexual harassment, find virtue in residential schools, claim travel expenses for a principal residence, make other inappropriate expense claims, call the press "parasites" or complain about cold brie and broken crackers.
Perhaps the Senate would be better described as a murder of crows: something sinister and raucous.
David Beattie, Chelsea, Que.