It’s not easy to write about Canada’s recently erratic weather (Whither Winter – Jan. 27) without mentioning the term “climate change.” The unusual behaviour of the Arctic oscillation is almost certainly linked to dramatic increases in air and sea temperatures in that region. Around the world, thousands of scientists are working hard to understand the complexities of these climate-weather interactions. But few, if any, doubt greenhouse gas emissions are an important root cause.
Michael Byers, project leader with ArcticNet (consortium of Arctic scientists from 27 Canadian universities and eight federal departments)
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The Prime Minister’s blueprint for reforming Canada leaves me feeling blue and seeing red. As our finite planet moves ever closer to the tipping point of catastrophic climate change, his vision for a “sustainable” economic future is to extract ever-larger quantities of petroleum and minerals while pumping more and more greenhouse gas emissions into the air.
Wallace Beaton, Ottawa
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Just wondering
A permanent American base on the moon (Gingrich Vows To Build A Permanent U.S. Base On The Moon – Jan. 26)? Lately, God seems to be directly in touch with many Republicans. Is this moon real estate idea a Divine suggestion to shorten the approach to Heaven for conservatives, or is it Newt Gingrich imagining an off-planet lunatic-fringe location, perhaps with a nice room for Earth-lit Tea Parties?
William Emigh, Victoria
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A question of protocol: If Newt Gingrich were to win the upcoming U.S. election, would the (current) Mrs. Gingrich become the Third Lady?
David Brewer, Puslinch, Ont.
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Mind and soul
The dismal state of most reserves in Canada is extremely discouraging to my people (Atleo Hopeful On Education Funding – Jan. 25). In Attawapiskat, the nation became aware of the complexity of issues confronting the native populations of Canada. How many more Attawapiskats must there be before some “incremental” progress is made?
Colonial attitudes must change at all levels of government to bring positive change, both in reserves and urban areas, to improve the living conditions and position of Indian people within the Canadian mosaic. We cannot afford to stand by and allow our children and our communities to remain in a situation of extreme poverty, gang violence, lack of education, unemployment, lack of purpose. The time is now. The challenge for all of us is to put our collective minds and souls together to seek innovative ways of improving the lives of all native people, on and off reserve.
Mel H. Buffalo, president, Indian Association of Alberta; Samson Cree member, Hobbema, Alta.
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Just ‘Nurse’
Your article on nurse practitioners (Nurse Practitioners: An Untapped Resource – Life, Jan. 27) brought to mind district nurses in England’s rural areas before the Second World War. They were always known as Nurse, as in “go call Nurse.” She was given a telephone in her home and supplied with a bicycle. Those needing her help sent someone to the local public phone booth or walked if there wasn’t one.
She coped with scrapes, cuts, skin ailments, fever, bed sores in the elderly, births and aftercare. If the doctor was needed, she telephoned him. The patient was transferred to the local cottage hospital, a small four- or six-bed unit. Like the doctor, she was on call 24/7, in all weathers. The doctor had a car. She had her trusty Sturmey-Archer.
They were a special breed.
Sheila Barnum, Kingston, Ont.
