A terribly sad day
I'm writing this on a terribly sad day for Canada, when it seems appropriate that Canadians should share their feelings and thoughts (Attack On Ottawa: One Soldier Killed, One Suspect Dead – online, Oct. 22).
From here on, Canada will not be the open, friendly country we all have come to love. We will experience greater security. A mood of distrust will, like a fog, descend for a time across our country. Guns, police and army presence will become more intrusive. Hate-mongers will have their say.
It is a time for us to reflect upon how fortunate we have been for all these years and to hope that, in due course, the country will heal itself. We should try to remember that we live in a wonderful country. We are in a period of fear, mourning and frustration. But it will pass.
Our country is greater than the actions of a few extremists. We should not let them take from us our joy of living in a free, democratic society that is one of the safest in the world.
David Gladstone, Toronto
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Military families know their loved ones put their lives on the line, but they don't expect them to be run down walking across a parking lot or gunned down at a cenotaph. What a sad time for our country.
Christine O'Neill, St. John's
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How sadly ironic that Parliament, which abolished the long-gun registry, should be attacked by an assailant bearing a rifle.
Reality trumps ideology.
Joseph Gougeon-Ryant, Victoria
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The cold-blooded murder of a ceremonial soldier at our National War Memorial, and the shooting inside the hallowed Hall of Honour within our magnificent Parliament Centre Block have forever robbed Canada of our final innocence – all this following on the heels of Monday's horrors in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu.
Wednesday's act of terror, accompanied by the lockdown of Ottawa's downtown core, brings home forcefully the implications of such threats of terror on a much larger scale.
Within a couple of weeks, Canada will mark the annual Ceremony of Remembrance at the very cenotaph where the soldier was shot, where I jogged by just a few moments before the murderer arrived. My 90-year-old father, who is an Order of Canada and Order of Ontario recipient and Second World War veteran, and I will reflect at that ceremony on the quintessential values and freedoms represented by his heroism in the European theatre, and that of every person who stands for our cherished democratic principles.
Yesterday, a young soldier was murdered before the very emblem of our beautiful Canada. And yesterday, ironically, Malala Yousafzai was meant to become an honorary Canadian citizen for rising up to assassins' bullets, for the very freedoms we so cherish and must continue vigorously to defend internationally.
Floralove Katz, Ottawa
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Watching events unfold Wednesday morning in Ottawa as police cordoned off streets and military vehicles converged on Parliament Hill reminded me of the mobilization in 1970, the government's response to the FLQ's kidnappings, and the imposition of the War Measures Act by then-prime minister Pierre Trudeau. Sadly, we now have a second October crisis.
David Balcon, Toronto
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As a nation, we have often been critical of the United States' posture following 9/11: the "we are at war" call, and their grim determination to face down terrorism, and to deal aggressively with those who abuse a free and open society.
Well, now it's our turn.
We are being tested.
And we must not flinch.
Gordon S. Findlay, Toronto
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The events of the past three days with two soldiers killed reinforces the government's argument for more up-to-date security legislation. It seems obvious that we need more and more information on the lives of Canadians – except of course on the guns they have. That would be an infringement of their privacy.
James Burke, Woodstock, Ont.
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Define 'consultation'
Re Define 'Consultation' And 'Social Licence' (Oct. 22): Jeffrey Simpson has a great point that no environmental assessment process is going to satisfy all stakeholders, especially when the subject is a controversial project that crosses a good chunk of the country, like Enbridge's proposed Northern Gateway pipeline.
We continue in this country to rely on project-level environmental assessment to solve our problems when what is lacking is a forum and means to answer the bigger questions that these projects raise. The Enbridge hearings were not the place to discuss oil sands expansion or Canada's carbon policy, yet the hearings were all that people had.
Project-level environmental assessment should only be tasked with examining whether a particular project design for an already agreed-upon form of development is appropriate, not with examining the bigger questions beyond the level of the individual project.
Chris Joseph, Squamish, B.C.
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Uranium? No
Re It's Yes To Uranium (Oct. 20): I am an aboriginal resident of one of those northern Saskatchewan communities that Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission president Michael Binder claims has been consulted. Our village has been targeted by the nuclear and uranium industries as a possible site for a nuclear waste dump and expanded mining activity. Never have we gotten straight answers from industry about the risks to health and the environment.
Grassroots representatives from several northern communities expressed concern about the negative impact of uranium mining at a CNSC hearing in La Ronge in October, 2013. They were treated dismissively and disrespectfully.
The people's watchdog has become industry's attack dog.
Fred Pederson, Pinehouse, Sask.
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Beer insights
I'm a retired professional brew master whose hobbies include enjoying quality beers from domestic, local and international breweries (Let's Play Monopoly – editorial, Oct. 22).
In recent years, I've spent extended periods in Quebec, Newfoundland, Alberta and B.C. and visited many retail beer stores. I consider quality (fresher beer tastes better, and I can read the code dates for most brewers), selection and price.
My findings are: a) In all retail models except Quebec supermarkets, I found the beer is mostly older (lesser quality); b) In all four provincial retail models, the selection is considerably less; c) In Alberta, B.C. and Newfoundland, beer prices are much higher.
So for beer consumers who enjoy a wide selection of local and import beers, want quality and a good price (for Canadian standards), I believe Ontario has the best system in Canada.
Mark Hantiuk, London, Ont.
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I wonder if the president of Canada's National Brewers has ever crossed the border from Ottawa to Hull to see all the drivers in cars with Ontario plates lined up outside Costco to buy beer, not only for themselves but for neighbours, too.
They take it in turns each week for one of the group to fill up on their favourite beverage, not because they like the scenery but because they like the price!
Doris Labelle, Burlington, Ont.