Follow the … money
The government’s lawyer complains that George Galloway had no way to track how Hamas authorities spent the £25,000 he gave them (British MP Barred For His Political Views – April 29). Does this mean a higher standard of care is now expected when giving someone money than when giving them Afghan prisoners?
David Arthur, Cambridge, Ont.
While they’re at it
Perhaps, while our MPs are busy compromising on who sees the detainee documents, they can also agree on what the military should have done with the detainees in the first place (Parties’ Fragile Truce Offers Hope For Deal In Parliament – April 29).
Richard J. Pantel, North Vancouver
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So now Stephen Harper is offering a veiled warning about the consequences of failure? Were he in court, would he give the judge veiled warnings not to find him in contempt of court, or the jury veiled warnings not to find him guilty? For a man who claims to be tough on crime, he shows little respect for the rule of law.
Kevin Fournier, Winnipeg
Zoned for free speech
The plan to have protesters confined to Trinity Bellwoods Park in Toronto during the G20 meetings is reminiscent of so-called “free speech zones” in the United States (G20 Protesters To Be Confined To Downtown Toronto Park: Report – April 28). In Canada, the entire country is a free speech zone.
Paul Calarco, Toronto
Risk and horse sense
During the recent U.S. Senate hearing on Goldman-Sachs’s contribution to the financial collapse, one chilling remark stands out (Goldman CEO Denies Wrongdoing – Report on Business, April 28). CEO Lloyd Blankfein pronounced: “Investors came looking for risks and got them.”
The investor accepts a reasonable risk when he bets on a stock. Similarly, he accepts a reasonable risk when he bets on a horse. He does not expect the racing stewards to set up a trip-wire a furlong from the finish line and then be told, “You came looking for risk and we gave it to you, baby.”
Allen Strike, Port Hope, Ont.
How ‘special’ isn’t important
Author Brian Bow touched on several topics that are likely to make both U.S. and Canadian officials and policy-makers squirm a bit (We Can’t Return To Our Special Relationship With The United States – April 29). But whether the relationship the U.S. has with any country, including Canada, is “special” or not – depending on how one defines special – is not that important.
What is important is that the U.S. and Canada realize we have a history of peaceful relations, for which we should be proud; cultures and value systems that share many similarities; interdependent economies; and a requirement to recognize and understand the other’s needs and wants in respectful ways that may foster disagreement, even argument, but do not preclude a good working relationship that produces real benefits and agreements for both. I’ll take that over any ill-defined “special” relationship any day.
Mary Stanik, Minneapolis, Minn.
Bark, bite, ban
It has been four years since Ontario banned pit bulls, yet there has been no statistical decrease in dog bites (Of Barks And Bites – editorial, April 29). The Toronto Humane Society would very much have liked to include an analysis of the severity of dog bites over the period in question, however the data has not been collected and is not available. The government did not collect any data regarding dog bites on its own and did not follow up on the effectiveness of its legislation.
If the government is interested in increasing public safety regarding dog bites, let’s look at real solutions: better public education and stricter licensing standards for dog owners, to name two. To ban and persecute a single breed of dog is not the answer.
Ian McConachie, senior communicator, Toronto Humane Society
The sorry truth of the matter
Greater Manchester voter Gillian Duffy tells Prime Minister Gordon Brown that there are too many people abusing Britain’s social welfare system (Warning for Gordon Brown: Beware The Open Mic – April 29). She then interrupts him and says, “You can’t say anything about the immigrants because you’re saying that you’re … all these Eastern Europeans what are coming in, where are they flocking from?”
Mr. Brown is later caught on tape calling her a bigot. Next, he falls all over himself apologizing, publicly and privately. We live in an interesting world where politicians must apologize for telling the truth.
David A. Welch, Toronto
Smoking and the mentally ill
Hats off to the Centre For Addiction And Mental Health on their plan to become smoke-free this summer (Singling Out Sufferers – April 28). This is a much-needed response to a health crisis facing those with mental illness.
An estimated 75 per cent of people who are mentally ill smoke, and they are two to six times more likely to die from smoking-related illness. People with schizophrenia, the mental illness most likely to result in hospitalization, have a life expectancy that is reduced by 25 years, due in part to smoking-related illnesses.
St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton implemented a smoke-free policy at our mental-health campus last month and we have been greatly encouraged by our experience. This success would not have been possible without the leadership of our clients and peer support workers who have partnered with a devoted team from our staff to advocate for the health of people affected by mental illness. The transformation of psychiatric hospitals to smoke-free environments is a landmark step forward in the care of the mentally ill.
Robert B. Zipursky, vice-president Mental Health and Addiction Services, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton
Energy incoherence
The Mackenzie Gas Project – the largest development in the North’s history – is being considered by the National Energy Board (Canada Suffers For Its Energy Incoherence – April 23). The Joint Review Panel for the project considered its national implications and made progressive recommendations, which include greenhouse gas targets and a climate change strategy that will use natural gas as a transition fuel in the process of developing a low-carbon economy.
While the panel recognizes the importance of the strategic use of Canada’s finite energy resources, the question is: Does the federal government? Unless something changes, the ad hoc approach to managing our resources will continue to threaten Canada’s reputation, economic future and our ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Jennifer Grant, director of Arctic Energy Solutions, Pembina Institute
No one’s backyard
It troubles me that Oakville residents’ opposition to the construction of a massive natural-gas-fired power station less than 300 metres from the nearest homes and 400 metres from the nearest school is being characterized as NIMBY-ism (Why MPP Won't Have Power To Stop Oakville Plant – April 29).
Oakville residents (along with residents of many other towns in the province) don’t believe that massive power stations should be built in anyone’s backyard, particularly when an independent environmental impact assessment study has not been conducted.
Damian O’Hara, Oakville, Ont.
Ensure, insure
We certainly agree financial advisers need to put clients’ needs first (Reform To Prevent Conflict Of Interest – editorial, April 26). This is a central principle for the Canadian life and health insurance industry. In 2006, insurance regulators here adopted a series of principles for managing conflicts of interest, including: the requirement for financial advisers to put the interests of insurance purchasers and prospective purchasers ahead of their own; to disclose any conflict or potential conflict of interest; and to recommend products that are suitable to the purchaser’s needs. These principles provide an important standard of expected behaviour for all financial advisers who are licensed as life and health insurance agents.
Frank Swedlove, president, Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association
Mike would’ve been OK with it
You reported that the NHL’s Lester B. Pearson Trophy would no longer carry his name. Instead, Ted Lindsay, who helped form the NHL Players’ Association, will have the award named for him (Terrible Ted Lindsay To Be Honoured For Role In Creating NHLPA – Sports, April 28). My first reaction was to be upset at the cavalier nature with which we change/erase the past in this country, ignoring the history that originally inspired such names. Upon further reflection, however, it is entirely possible that Mike (no one called him Lester) Pearson, who loved hockey, would have supported the move.
The former prime minister was a humble man, despite his worldly accomplishments, and he probably would have been comfortable seeing someone such as Mr. Lindsay have his name in the spotlight. Plus, Mr. Lindsay wore red and white with the Red Wings, good Liberal colours.
J.D.M. Stewart, Toronto
