October's wild ride
Re What Fear Looks Like (Report on Business, Oct. 16): October has been a yo-yo month for market returns since the Second World War. This ride's a little rougher than some, but in a petrodollar economy, that's to be expected.
Marilyn White, Charlottetown
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Perhaps a better headline for this article would be What Fear-Mongering Looks Like.
The following words all appear within the first six paragraphs to describe the recent volatility in global equity markets: tumultuous, harrowing declines, dramatic shift, startling declines, plunging, thrashed, and free fall.
Maja Kaffanke, investment assistant, Victoria
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Nature's fury
Under normal climatic conditions, the Thorong La pass, altitude 5,416 metres, is a difficult but not dangerous trek (Terrain, Weather Hamper Hiker Search – Oct. 16). However, the last 1,000 metres is very steep; it can easily take more than four hours from the base camp to reach the pass, depending which route one takes.
A heavy snowfall in October is very rare at this pass. Trekking would be safer if correct weather forecasts were available for all mountain peaks and routes in Nepal, but it isn't possible, at least not currently. Cyclone Hudhud, which brought the heavy snowfall to the Thorong La pass, was predicted to strike coastal areas in India. Despite the warning, it still killed dozens of people and left hundreds homeless. Sometimes, we can't escape nature's fury.
Avtar Dhanota, Toronto
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Child-care divide
I agree there are "deep differences in philosophy on display this week" with the NDP's national child-care plan contrasting with Stephen Harper's tax cuts-and-cheques approach (For Parents, A Real Choice – editorial, Oct. 16).
But to suggest that both Thomas Mulcair and Mr. Harper "offer real options on daycare" is hogwash. The NDP plan aims to build a million affordable child-care spaces. Mr. Harper gives parents $100 – which neither makes a dent in child-care fees nor gives parents spaces to access.
Yes, both Mr. Mulcair and Mr. Harper are options, but only one has a child-care plan.
Carolyn Ferns, Toronto
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Economist Tammy Schirle questions why a universal benefit, like universal daycare, should be given to someone who is as well off as she is (Why Is Ottawa Giving Me A Child-Care Benefit I Don't Need? – Oct. 14).
Most importantly, probably because it is hard to get politicians to care about maintaining the quality and funding of services that go specifically to poor people, since the poor generally cannot afford to lobby them for the upkeep of those services.
Also, only giving a subsidized program like daycare to people with low incomes has the potential to create a two-tier system, where the well-off go elsewhere for that service. Finally, if a service goes only to people under a certain income bracket, it gives people just over that income bracket an incentive to make less money, which makes little sense.
A simple solution to Ms. Schirle's problem is to have the well-to-do pay more for universally provided service using the magic of a well-designed income tax system. That is especially true for an area like early education, where we should be providing all children with an even playing field.
Jason Dumelie, Toronto
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How on earth is a national daycare plan a "Big Idea"? It would have been introduced in 2005 if the NDP hadn't pulled the plug on Paul Martin's government – which raises the question of whose fault it is that such a scheme isn't in place right now.
John Yolkowski, Halifax
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End of the road
Re The Maze At The End Of Mom's Road (Facts & Arguments, Oct. 15): A few years ago, my mother-in-law, in her 90s and living independently, was taken to hospital after a suspected heart attack. She walked to the ambulance, refusing a stretcher. Once admitted to hospital, she was immediately put on regular doses of morphine, which made her weak and disoriented.
She was neither rehydrated (until a family member demanded it) nor fed. Although tests for heart attack were given, no diagnosis was ever made. She gradually weakened under this "care" and died two weeks later.
Subsequent letters to the Ontario health authorities asking for a diagnosis were ignored. With this kind of "collective throwing-up of hands," we may not need to worry about changing the law on assisted suicide (Top Court Pushes Back On Assisted Death – Oct. 16).
Mary-Ann Stouck, West Vancouver
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Gossip, justice
Re Cries And Whispers – The Painful Price Of Gossip (Oct. 11): This is a very poignant and disturbing article. I've been a teacher and administrator, and have seen how something everyday can get out of hand and acquire a life of its own – especially with social media lubricating it along.
We need to protect youngsters who start playing with fire, but it helps nobody if our well-intended "protection" gives them immunity from the consequences of their actions. The young folk involved need to be brought in to help contribute to a solution to what they initiated.
They can learn and grow with this non-punitive approach to restorative justice. It is realistic and fair to all involved. School boards need to follow this model.
Barry Rolston, Victoria
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Cash needs a reward
The president of MasterCard Canada is hardly an impartial voice in the debate on the fees retailers are obliged to pay to credit- and reward-card companies to use their services (Credit-Card Fee Problem Needs A Voluntary Solution – Report on Business, Oct. 15). But then, I'm not impartial either: I go shopping.
Any agreement between the credit- or rewards-card companies and retailers should be subject to the principle that "Cash is King," and any agreement that restricts or discourages the use of cash or debit cards in trade should be made unlawful. It's up to the government to do that.
Frank King, Sydney River, N.S.
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The president of MasterCard Canada self-servingly says consumers would suffer grievously if Canada followed the U.S. and Australia in regulating the fees charged to merchants for credit-card transactions.
Only mandatory regulation will reduce the rising fees charged to merchants. Yes, loyalty rewards will be reduced as a consequence.
If mandatory fee limits are not the answer, merchants must be allowed to give discounts for debit and cash. Right now, that discount would be 7 or 8 per cent. That way, a credit-card holder could decide what the rewards were worth.
Ron Fast, Ancaster, Ont.
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As Mark Twain once wrote: "I wasn't worth a cent two years ago, and now I owe two million dollars." And that debt load was before credit cards – although the amount sounds about right for the fees they like to charge!
Megan O'Connor Campbell, Regina