Tax that transaction
I find it hard to believe that the authors of Boom, Bust & Echo, a study of Canadian demographics, have somehow been duped into thinking our governments would use financial-transaction and foreign-exchange taxes to wipe out debt (A Tip Of The Hat To Prof. Piketty, Dec. 29). What exactly is it that David Foot and Daniel Stoffman think would make these governments – the same ones that misspent us into nearly insurmountable piles of debt in the first place – suddenly become fiscally responsible?
Peter A. Lewis-Watts, Barrie, Ont.
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Although I generally believe in capitalism as an economic model, it's been corrupted for the benefit of the few to the detriment of the many.
In addition to the oversized compensation received by senior players in the financial world, where no product is actually produced, these people (the 1 per cent) are also receiving a "free ride" within the tax system.
The volume and value of financial transactions has grown exponentially in the world of complicated financial dealings.
David Foot and Daniel Stoffman have offered reasonable solutions to the ever-growing problem highlighted by French economist Thomas Piketty. Their sales-taxation solution would create a better shared outcome for all participants in the capitalist system, rebalance the impact between ever-increasing services- and product-related transactions, and still allow the more successful players to retain more of their earnings by avoiding an increase in income-related taxes.
Jim Boyd (CFA, MBA), West Vancouver
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His story, not hers
Re Our Nation's Story (Dec. 27): The recent appointees to the Order of Canada may well be worthy of the honour, but of the new Members, only some 25 per cent are female; of those elevated to Officers, only 35 per cent are female; the three new Companions are all male.
Is this our "nation's story"?
I think not!
Harriet Wolman, Toronto
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It's the notoriety
Re The Year Justice Changed (editorial, Dec. 29): The problems of Jian Ghomeshi and Bill Cosby would not have been different with any change of the law. The problem is the notoriety of the accusations and the fact that the men are well known because of their success on radio or television. No law, no matter how detailed or finely worded, could have avoided their fate of "being treated as though they have been convicted in court" – except preventing the media from reporting on the allegations. In itself, not a desirable outcome.
Murray Rubin, Toronto
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Dentistry's women
Re Dentistry Has A Far Larger 'Boys' Club' Problem (Dec. 24): Women represent the majority of new dental graduates across Canada and make up an ever larger percentage of the profession. As befits our changing profession, women increasingly lead the work of national and provincial committees, seek election to boards of directors, and assume executive roles at these organizations. Their contributions are invaluable.
Working internationally, the Canadian Dental Association (CDA) has sponsored female dentists from Afghanistan and Cambodia to join our delegation at the World Dental Federation meetings over the past two years.
The CDA expects all practising and future dentists to uphold the ethical standards of the profession at all times. Universities have an obligation to provide an environment that is safe and free of harassment. The reported activities at Dalhousie University do not represent, nor do they reflect the ethical standards and professional responsibilities of our profession. There is no place for misogynistic or violent attitudes or behaviours in our society or the dental profession.
Gary MacDonald, president, Canadian Dental Association
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There I was …
Re Are We There Yet? Bring On The Playoffs (Sports, Dec. 29): I wish Cathal Kelly had published his piercing review of the NFL season earlier. There I was by my TV every week, thinking I was enjoying myself.
Irwin Silverman, Toronto
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Earth is finite
Many of us don't share Margaret Wente's sanguine "The world has escaped the Malthusian trap" confidence (Dare To Toast Your Good Fortune – Dec. 27).
In the space of a heartbeat, two more humans are added to global numbers: That's 10,000 per hour, which is an increase of a city of more than one million every five days; it's about 80 million more humans (more than twice Canada's population) every year with whom to share our planet's finite space, biodiversity and resources.
It's a mistake to shrug off the fact that when my paternal grandfather was born, there were barely one billion people on Earth, and that by last year, humans numbered more than seven billion, with global population projected to rise to nine-plus billion by 2050 (low UN estimate). To imagine infinite population growth on a finite planet is surely daydreaming!
Malthus did not subscribe to the notion that humanity was headed toward a "catastrophe" due to population overshooting resources, but rather that growth in numbers must inevitably be restricted by available resources. By ignoring relentless population growth, we sleepwalk into a future where environmental- and resource-related problems become harder – and ultimately impossible – to resolve, leading to the very Malthusian catastrophe to which Ms. Wente alludes, but would have us ignore.
Clifford Garrard, executive director, Population Institute Canada
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Santa, evicted?
Re Santa's House (letters, Dec. 29): Although the Harper government wants ownership of the North Pole, no doubt due to possible energy resources, I wonder if the Conservatives really want Santa Claus as well. Wouldn't doing away with such an expensive giveaway program, so they can lower taxes for corporations and the rich, be more in keeping with their economic policies?
Steen Petersen, Nanaimo, B.C.
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Er, going forward
As 2014 winds down, can I encourage politicians and media people to avoid at least some of the clichés that are driving me mad? For example: "at the end of the day," "going forward," "line in the sand," "the bottom line," "reach out" (meaning "contact"), "conversation" (meaning "debate").
And please stop turning nouns into verbs – for example, "gift" into "gifting" – and using nouns as verbs – for example, "to dialogue," "to author," "to task," "to source," "to medal" and so on.
Finally, don't forget "Atlantic Canada" consists of four provinces, not three.
James Hiller, St. John's