Need for foreign workers?
Re Pizza Place Faces Federal Grilling (April 22): Catherine Connolly, a Canada Research Chair at McMaster University who is reported to have been "recently awarded a four-year grant to study the [temporary foreign workers] program," says she does not see an argument in favour of maintaining it and "I think they should cancel it."
It seems the four years won't be necessary after all.
Don Cameron, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.
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Dan Kelly of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business says: "It's politically incorrect to say, but I've got hundreds and hundreds of pages of comments from business owners telling me that finding people who are available to work and will show up with a smile on their face, and not be on their phone for half the shift, is getting increasingly difficult to do."
It's not politically incorrect to say that, it's dumb. It maligns his membership, unless he is suggesting independent business owners are lazy, bad employers who'd rather spend time and money on lawyers to get temporary foreign workers (TFW) than engage the Canadians who want to work for them and live and pay taxes here.
Melinda Munro, Windsor, Ont.
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Next-door nightmare
Your marvellous juxtaposition of Winston Churchill's and Vladimir Putin's portraits on Tuesday's Comment page, their expressions so wonderfully matching, made me consider that one way to re-solve the crisis in Ukraine might be to lower the Iron Curtain again – this time as far east as possible, perhaps with a pedestrian gate for Ukrainians with wanderlust (Why Western Leaders Must Rally In Defence Of Their Values).
The adage has it that good fences make good neighbours.
John Monster, Dundas, Ont.
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Nothing could be more irresponsible than a robust military response to a nuclear-armed Russia's interference in the Ukraine.
We should take comfort from the fact that, over the years, the Russians (previously, the Soviets) have won their share of the battles (the invasions of Budapest and Prague come to mind), but that they are clearly losing the war for the hearts and minds of Eastern Europe. Patience, diplomatic negotiations and the threat of sanctions are in order.
Peter Love, Toronto
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Re Mr. Putin's Blatant Contradictions (editorial, April 22): You state "there is accumulating evidence that Russian special-operations officers are directing and supplying local pro-Russian militants in Ukraine." Do you believe that the CIA director's visit to Kiev was to discuss the weather? That it was any less provocative, controversial and intimidating?
The position you are adopting suggests every move the West makes in Ukraine is acceptable and honourable, while Vladimir Putin is to be blamed for all the upheaval in the area and condemned. Are you serious?
Ed Bodi, Oakville, Ont.
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'Threatened' whales
Re Ottawa Quietly Takes Humpback Whales Off 'Threatened' Animals List (online, April 22): The Federal Court rebukes Ottawa for missing mandatory deadlines to release plans to protect the North Pacific habit of the humpback whale. It warns the Harper government that this "could have an impact on the approval of the Northern Gateway oil pipeline."
Does the government do the reasonable and decent thing and get to work on those plans? No. It does through the back door what it can't through the front: It takes the whales off the "threatened" list, which means their habitat no longer requires protection.
Anyone who has seen these magnificent creatures, who has heard their haunting cry, will find this shameful on so many levels, it is sickening.
Marie Campbell, Victoria
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The real "species of special concern" here is the government types who make such ludicrous decisions. In honour of yesterday's Earth Day, may they succumb to their own electoral extinction.
Liz Stonard, Port Alberni, B.C.
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Scapegoated by AC?
Re Air Canada Suspends Two Workers In Baggage Video (Report on Business, April 22): Once again, the people at the bottom are scapegoats for failure at the top. Dropping passengers' carry-on baggage into a bin causes outrage. Two employees are suspended, possibly terminated.
One worker dropped the bags, the second adjusted padding to cushion them. Where was the necessary moving equipment? Where was the extra staff? Why was the baggage transferred from the plane to the cargo hold?
Overcapacity. More and more passengers bring carry-ons that exceed their allowance. In some cases, they put their excess luggage into the bin of other passengers. The last to board find no place for their carry-ons. Airlines turn a blind eye and employees are left to cope. Passengers abuse the system. Airlines are complicit.
It's the baggage handlers who are being abused.
Lorraine D'Antonio, Oakville, Ont.
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Statscan vs. Kijiji
Re Lack Of Funds Keeps Study From Public (April 22): Why pay to analyze Statscan data when the Conservatives have Kijiji?
Roland Jamieson, St. John's
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It's sad to see a $4.6-million data set sitting idle and not being analyzed to benefit the economy. Assuming the collected data are good, Statscan should've been able to partner with a university to analyze the information.
As an academic at a public-sector university who specializes in analytics, I'd be more than pleased to partner with Statistics Canada to analyze the material at no cost to taxpayers or Statscan.
It is embarrassing to learn that Canada's official statistical agency is stretched to the extent that it can't even analyze the data it has already collected.
Murtaza Haider, associate dean of research and graduate programs, Ted Rogers School of Management, Ryerson University
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1914-1918, M.I.A.
Re Why Is Canada Botching The Great War Centenary? (April 21): It is rather ironic that the Stephen Harper-led government spent millions on the 1812 celebration. Conveniently, it seems the Conservatives forgot the memorandum about the fact that Canada as a nation did not exist until July 1, 1867, via Confederation.
Canada earned her stripes in the Great War, and those long-forgotten veterans deserve their due as we approach the centennial – especially when the Harper government prides itself on the whole "support the troops" mantra.
James Mackie, Burlington, Ont.
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Yer done …
Re Life After Death: The Last Info Gap (April 21): With respect to the question of life, death and thereafter, I have developed a formula that sidesteps futile philosophical speculation: Yer born, ye live, ye die, yer done.
Mick Mallon, Victoria