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Letters to the Editor should be exclusive to The Globe and Mail. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. Try to keep letters to fewer than 150 words. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. To submit a letter by e-mail, click here: letters@globeandmail.com

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Bad faith conduct

Re: Ottawa To Press Church Groups To Meet Settlement Obligations (April 20): When the Roman Catholic Church chooses to oppose or contest the laws of the land on moral issues – such as gay marriage, assisted death, access to abortion – the cri de coeur is always that God's laws take precedence over the laws of man.

Strange then that in the case of a strong moral obligation to com-pensate residential school survivors, a loophole in the laws of man can supersede the moral authority of those God-given laws.

Jim Young, Burlington, Ont.

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Applying "deeper pressure" and relying on the court of public opinion may well be the only avenues left to the federal government to force Catholic organizations to fulfill their (now) non-binding obligations.

But what if the Catholic entities don't bow to the pressure?

What if public opinion is insufficient to compel meaningful penance?

The federal government's refusal to take up the obligations of the Catholic Church opens the possibility that, ultimately, the compensation will remain unpaid. But hey, Aboriginal Affairs tried its best … right?

Regardless of the specific organizations that administered certain schools at the behest of the Crown, the final moral responsibility lies with the Crown to ensure compensation is meted out for the survivors of the horrendous program of assimilation, neglect, and abuse that occurred in residential schools.

If the government cannot compel the Catholic organizations to pay, the honour of all Canadians demands that our government satisfies these obligations.

Zac Smith, Toronto

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I am an R.C. (Recovering Catholic). When I read about the church's decision to walk away from its moral obligation to residential-school survivors, it confirms my decision about leaving.

The second-greatest commandment is "Love thy neighbour as thyself." Is this how the Roman Catholic Church demonstrates love for its neighbours, its "converts," those whom it has "saved"?

Good faith, indeed.

George Kraemer, Moncton

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Politics: Who pays?

Your editorials have recently come out against per-vote taxpayer subsidies for political parties. You have described them as "involuntary donations" (Money & Politics – ongoing series).

They are nothing of the kind. People give their vote voluntarily, knowing that even if the candidate of their choice cannot win the seat, they can at least provide some small financial support via their vote.

If parties can only raise money from personal donations, then only those people with sufficient money will be able to participate.

Those who struggle just to pay the rent each month have no voice except their vote – and you propose that we should diminish the power of this voice.

If you are really against taxpayer subsidies, you should oppose the generous refunds given to donors at tax time.

All donations are subsidized by the taxpayer in one way or another, but some forms of subsidy are available to everyone and others are only available to those with money.

Andrew Hodgson, Ottawa

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Death is singular

"I want a doctor who doesn't make the default assumption that it would be better that I die a so-called dignified death," a letter writer says (Choice In Death – April 20).

There is a difference between helping a person die and killing someone. Doctor-assisted dying is always the patient's choice, not the doctor's and not the family's.

In the Netherlands, where doctor-assisted dying has been in place for a long time, only a small minority actually choose that option. But the vast majority want to keep the option.

Doctor-assisted dying is not mandatory, nor is it a doctor's default assumption. It's a choice and we must allow everyone the option to choose what is best for them.

Ali Weisenberg, Kingston

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When my dying husband was offered palliative hospice care at home here in Ottawa, a doctor was available 24/7 to be at his bedside within two hours of calling, whether at 2 a.m. or 5 p.m. (The Next Court Challenge: The Right To Better Care – April 20). There were no chilly ambulance transfers to the emergency department. Immediate medical assistance at home was one phone call away.

Unfortunately, palliative hospice home care is not available everywhere. Is it even universally possible in our current medical system?

To someone waiting many months to see a doctor or for necessary surgery, their medical condition deteriorating as they wait, palliative hospice home care where the dying have direct access to doctors 24/7 sounds like an obscene dream.

Our inability to provide for the living could derail political promises of a palliative care-guided death for Canadians who want it.

Marija Papaurelis, Ottawa

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Latte aftertaste

Avi Lewis may insist that the Leap Manifesto was created by a broadly based committee from a spectrum of different causes (The Masterminds Of The Leap Manifesto – April 16).

It certainly reads as if it was written by a committee. But the document also has a tone-deaf quality that, alas, does bring to mind images of latte-swilling, ivory-tower types.

Take the concern expressed in an ever so slightly patronizing way in this sentence: "We want training and other resources for workers in carbon-intensive jobs, ensuring they are fully able to take part in the clean energy economy. This transition should involve the democratic participation of workers themselves."

Why not replace it with: "Harness the considerable energy, know-how and talents of people current working in the carbon-intensive sector to develop solutions for clean energy. If needed, provide incentives."

Doesn't that remove that unfortunate latte aftertaste?

As for the rest of the document, there are lots of worthy items in it, but a complete rewrite would make it more palatable.

I suggest to the broadly based committee that, for each idea and section, look at the language before you Leap.

Gillian O'Reilly, Toronto

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Playoff passions?

There are 23 NHL teams in the United States: Since 16 teams make the playoffs, that means seven didn't – the same number as the Canadian teams, none of which made the playoffs, either.

To generate playoff interest here, these seven American losing teams and the seven Canadian losing teams could have their own series and play for a new trophy – the Stanley Spoon, to go with the Cup. After all, who wants a cup and no spoon?

We have some old silver spoons we would be willing to offer (for a small fee) as the trophy.

Céline Papillon, New Glasgow, N.S.

PS: Our name doesn't need to be on the spoon.

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