Veiled divisions
A cultural requirement is not a religious necessity (Religious Freedom Is Citizenship – editorial, Feb. 13). Without going into a long and detailed assessment of Islamic religious regulations – which are a mix of conflicting rulings and interpretations, similar to those pertaining to Christianity – it appears clear that covering the female face is part of an effort to keep women subservient to men.
If the court grants legal status to this aspect of Islam, many Muslims could logically suggest that restricting the interaction of women with men to family members only is a requirement of their faith, as is barring women from driving. These and other practices are abhorrent to most Canadians.
Many distasteful or even vile beliefs, not all based on religion, are strongly held by certain groups of people. It makes no sense to campaign against some of them, female genital mutilation for example, while it appears others are becoming incorporated into our laws.
Canadians stand firmly for absolute gender equality, and as we have not yet reached that goal, we should not contemplate any backward steps on this journey.
Colin Lowe, Nanaimo, B.C.
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I am uncomfortable with women wearing the niqab. I am disturbed by its suggestion of submission and I worry about the ability of these women to integrate into the larger community. But the thing is, it's not my right to decide how one practises one's religion. That's why we have a Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
At the risk of invoking Godwin's Law, this is the oldest tactic of the fascists, to sow fear of the "other." I am particularly appalled that Prime Minister Stephen Harper invokes Canadian values in his defence. Which values? Hate? Mistrust? Divisiveness? Fear?
Leo Charbonneau, Ottawa
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The Charter, wisely, does not protect a practice simply because someone identifies it as "religious." For example, if I am qualified applicant for citizenship and the sacred text of my religion specifies that, "Verily, ye must stand naked before thy God when pledging thy word," does that give me the right to stand unclothed next to a veiled Zunera Ishaq when we're being sworn in?
Ashok Charles, Toronto
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How do you know when Stephen Harper is trying to co-opt the rest of us into his extreme right-wing ideology ? He prefaces his statement with "I believe, and I think most Canadians believe …" (Harper Says Ottawa Will Appeal Ruling Allowing Veil During Citizenship Oath – Feb. 12).
For a man who has been proven time and time again to not only be out of touch with, but ultimately to not really care what "most Canadians believe," this is grand licence indeed.
Neville Taylor, Toronto
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Another Putin win
The problem with doing deals with dishonest despots is that the deals are worthless (In Kiev, Ceasefire Deal Viewed As Another Putin Win – Feb. 13). Any ceasefire will be temporary, lasting only until Russian President Vladimir Putin thinks it is in his best interest to restart the conflict.
The free world (I use the term intentionally, because Russia is definitely not part of it) should prepare to further ramp up economic sanctions and arm the Ukrainian army, as force is the only thing this guy understands and is likely to respond to.
Garth M. Evans, Vancouver
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Maintiens le droit?
Re RCMP Rebuked For 'Gun Grab' (Feb. 13): Until learning of the "twin rebukes" the RCMP received from the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission and Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney for having had the temerity to remove firearms for safekeeping from evacuated homes during the 2013 flooding in High River, I had always thought that the Mounties' famous motto maintiens le droit meant "defend the law."
Apparently not. It is abundantly clear now that under the Conservatives, maintiens le droit has morphed to actually mean "defend the right," and in particular, the extreme right.
A generation ago, most Canadians scoffed at the NRA for promoting the slogan "I'll give you my gun when you pry it from my cold, dead hands." Seems it's now the law of the land.
Eric Bender, Kirkland, Que.
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Alberta's purse
Kudos to Alberta Premier Jim Prentice for having the courage to do some much-needed belt-tightening in the wake of falling oil prices and the drastic effect on Alberta's economy (The High Cost Of Low Oil – Feb. 13).
If only voters in Ontario had the intelligence to elect a legislature that would provide the same type of oversight of the public purse, in order to save future generations here from bearing a gargantuan, ever-escalating debt load.
I remain an eternal optimist.
Susan Silverman, Toronto
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I am appalled that more spending cuts are coming in Alberta. We do not need further tax relief. What we need is realistic spending on schools, health care, roads and other vital provincial services.
Last year, my daughter was one of almost 40 children in her kindergarten class. This year, two sets of Grade 1 classes have been put into what used to be the school library. This isn't just my kid's school – this is happening all over Calgary and Edmonton.
I agree with Premier Jim Prentice that "We all need to be living in the real world." The real world will require a politician with the spine to say to Albertans: Listen, we need to introduce a provincial sales tax or we need to rejig the 10 per cent flat tax.
Susan Vukadinovic, Calgary
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An untold joke?
Re He Managed To Inform While Entertaining (Feb. 13): The irony of the Jon Stewart phenomenon is that by belittling the "rich and powerful" for some $25-million a year, he managed to propel himself into the same demographic. That was the joke he never told.
Irwin Silverman, Toronto
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What is historical
Re Red-Flag Issue (letters, Feb. 13): Shame on the government, not because it spent millions commemorating the anniversaries of the War of 1812 and the birth of Sir John A. Macdonald, but because in comparison it spent zilch on anniversary celebrations for the repatriation of the Constitution, and snubbed its nose at the 50th anniversary of the Maple Leaf flag, undoubtedly because the latter two landmark events occurred under a government of a different colour.
Just because politics is part of history, it has no place in defining what is historical.
Wayne C. Vance, Toronto
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One of my favourite stories about the flag comes courtesy of former Toronto Maple Leafs owner and Great War veteran, Conn Smythe, who said of the new banner: "Sure it's a Maple Leaf flag. But why did Pearson have to make it in Red Wings colours?"
J.D.M. Stewart, Toronto
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A letter writer complains that the Canadian flag displays a symbol that is not specific to this country. Imagine how she'd feel if she were Japanese.
Rodney Boyd, Toronto