Direction, interference

The ill-advised decision by the Prime Minister to lash out at opponents of the Northern Gateway project (For The Harper Government, A Gateway That Must Be Open – Jan. 10) is guaranteed to have two consequences: an appeal to the Federal Court of any decision the National Energy Board ultimately makes on the project; a renewed call for public examination of the corporate ownership and business practices of the major energy producers operating in Canada in order to “follow the money” of all intervenors.

If the Harper government truly wants the Northern Gateway hearing to proceed expeditiously, it should let the board proceed with a minimum of implicit direction and interference.

Martha Musgrove, former member, National Energy Board

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We need energy, we need jobs, we need to protect the environment – we do not need to be slaves to any one of these at the expense of the other two. We need a pipeline built to rigorous and exacting safety standards. We need, as Margaret Wente said, common sense (Seeking Pipeline Common Sense – Jan. 10).

Philip Murphy, Calgary

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Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver accuses Tides Canada of enabling foreign interference in the Northern Gateway regulatory process. This is a classic red herring. Like Mr. Oliver, we are fully committed to protecting the nation’s interests. We are a Canadian organization, run by Canadians, and focusing on issues that matter to Canadians. We believe citizens want an open and democratic discussion about how best to use and protect our resources.

We are not against the oil sands or other resource-development projects. We do, however, support a comprehensive public policy discussion about the true benefits and costs of these activities, the pace of development, and about alternatives that could create jobs and prosperity for all Canadians.

Like many Canadian charities, foundations and think tanks, Tides Canada receives donations from both Canadians and Americans. Global challenges like energy and climate change attract international philanthropy. Even so, the resources that we devote to these issues amount to a tiny fraction of what industry and the Canadian government are spending to advocate on behalf of the oil sector.

Ross McMillan, CEO, Tides Canada

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The Northern Gateway project should be modified to include requiring refining in Canada; the fuel should be shipped in Canadian-built ships manned by Canadian crews. The additional benefit to the economy would be significant.

Wayne Brown, Nanaimo, B.C.

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The new normal: Nature is a radical foreign conspiracy; international oil companies are proudly Canadian. Point taken – time to bag a spirit bear for Stephen Harper.

John Sifton, Ottawa

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Tax (dis)credits

For once, I agree with our rivals, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, when they criticize the many tax credits introduced by the Conservatives (Flaherty’s Tax Credits Cutting Into Ottawa’s Bottom Line – Jan. 10.)

With the exception of the refundable tax credits – such as the child tax benefit, the GST credit and the working income tax benefit, which benefit those with low incomes – many of the credits, such as the stock option, RRSP and capital gains deductions, mainly benefit the rich and make the tax system less progressive. Just these three tax deductions cost more than $12-billion. In the case of the stock option deduction, close to 90 per cent of the benefit went to the less than 1 per cent of tax filers with incomes exceeding $250,000.

Where we still disagree with the Taxpayers Federation is that, rather than replacing these credits with across-the-board tax cuts, as they suggest, we would use them to lower the deficit and avoid costly cuts to social programs and public services.

Dennis Howlett, co-ordinator, Canadians for Tax Fairness

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Policing mental health

The proportion of health-care spending devoted to mental-health care in Canada is 5.4 per cent – one of the lowest in OECD countries (Police Learn Hard Lessons On Dealing With The Mentally Ill – Jan. 9). Psychiatric-bed provision lags: In Ontario, 30 beds per 100,000 is the government-mandated ratio; in Western Europe, it ranges from 52 to 150 per 100,000. Mental-health patients in Canada cannot get timely expert help, pressure builds up in the system, it explodes into the community. Police and hospital emergency rooms get stuck with the inevitable result – a rising tide of severe mental health crises.

The patient in a mental health crisis is the canary in the coal mine – a warning something is seriously amiss. We pay too much attention to “resuscitating the canary” – police training; expanding ER mental-health services; mobile crisis clinics, etc. Instead, we should face the facts: Mental-health care needs a much bigger slice of the health-spending pie.

David S. Heath, psychiatrist, Waterloo, Ont.

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As an ER-based psychiatric nurse, I find that the police are much better at dealing with mental illness than they used to be. Families often call police as a last resort to get their ill relatives psychiatric care when all other measures have failed. The police are expected to deal with the sickest of the sick.

There have been some tragedies involving police apprehension of mentally ill people, but many more successful stories occur every day.

Sarah Reynolds, RN, Toronto

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Flew through hell

The Lancaster “was not a beautiful airplane,” you say (A Moment In Time – Jan. 9, 1941). I’m sure others (like me) who flew Lancs through hell and survived would share my view that they were more than beautiful – they were magnificent.

Les Morrison, Burlington, Ont.

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Toss the Crown?

I’ll accept that not everyone sees the genius of constitutional monarchy (Drop The Monarchy: The Grits’ New Frontier? – Jan. 10) but the toss-the-Crown crowd might give some thought to the paralysis that would seize the country if a constitutional amendment was launched to get rid of it.

It would take affirming resolutions in both chambers of Parliament and all 10 provinces. It almost certainly would also require a referendum. There is then the matter of a replacement. An elected head of state would inevitably mean a political power shift in the country; there is absolutely no certainty Quebec would vote in favour of replacing the sovereign with some glitzy federal icon, and the provinces would all have to fix their own constitutions.

Other young Canadians are worried about inequality. Why can’t young Liberals – who have initiated the dump-the-monarchy resolution – be equally as serious.

Michael Valpy, Toronto

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Head and tummy

Beppi Crosariol’s comment about holiday excess hitting like a “Jägermeister hangover” (Got the January Blues? –Style, Jan. 7) is unfair. I have been acquainted with Jägermeister for decades, have often enjoyed a shot and, on a number of occasions, many shots. The liqueur, with its 56 herbs and spices, helps settle the stomach. Cheers!

Jan Feberwee, Oakville, Ont.