Britain's Queen Elizabeth II arrives to greet U.S. President Joe Biden and U.S. First Lady Jill Biden at Windsor Castle in Windsor, west of London, on June 13, 2021.CHRIS JACKSON/AFP/Getty Images
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Open for business?
Re Let Vaccinated Travellers Enter Canada (Opinion, June 14): There is no one more protected from COVID-19, its variants or transmission than someone fully vaccinated with two doses. Nationality should have nothing to do with this.
Americans and others fully vaccinated should be admitted to Canada on the same risk basis as Canadians.
David Mitchell Vernon, B.C.
We need to show proof of a COVID-19 test when re-entering Canada. Why not also show proof of vaccination until a national registry is made? I believe one reason we get vaccinated is to regain our freedom and, for a lot of us, this includes travel.
Please reopen the border now to all who are fully vaccinated. It would convince some who are vaccine-hesitant to get their shots. It would also be a nice gesture to the new U.S. administration, our largest trade partner.
Bon voyage.
Yvon Rochefort Brampton, Ont.
Safer together
Re How To Keep Workers Safe From COVID-19: Focus On The Air They Breathe (June 16). As a retired union organizer, it is no wonder to me that, in the absence of proper precautions, workers are flocking to unions. In Ontario, union coverage of warehouse workers is up 16 per cent since January, according to Statistics Canada’s monthly labour force survey.
Tom Baker Burlington, Ont.
Church conflict
Re The Theological Reason Why The Catholic Church Is Reticent To Apologize (June 11): The call for the Pope to apologize for the Catholic Church’s role in residential schools feels a little one-sided. Queen Elizabeth, as Supreme Governor of the Church of England, should also apologize for the Anglican Church’s role in the fiasco.
What is good for the gander is also good for the goose.
Bernard Bennell Toronto
“In traditional Catholic theology, the church can act collectively, but as the Body of Christ it cannot sin.” That is a very convenient philosophy and can, theoretically, excuse the church of even murder or other immoral crimes against humanity. This also means the church can, as a corporate entity, live on forever because it cannot be challenged.
Successful corporations are beholden to mortal laws and unpredictable market forces and, therefore, can fall or even cease to exist. That makes them incredibly envious of a permanent, invincible organization. That’s one thing they don’t teach at Harvard Business School!
Douglas Cornish Ottawa
I would like to ask those who constantly reference sin: Would they continue in this vein were it their child lying in an unmarked grave? Where they see sin, I see criminal negligence and the Catholic Church complicit in that.
Let’s call a spade a spade. These should be crimes, not sins.
Dan Marchand Windsor, Ont.
Recent memory
Re Six Nations Moves To Restore Ontario Residential School As A Place To Learn (June 16): The Woodland Cultural Centre is undertaking an incredibly courageous and forward-looking project championed by survivors and Six Nations, the very people who were the victims of the Mohawk Institute Residential School’s horrendous history.
The Save the Evidence campaign will likely be the most nationally significant memorial and community-centred path forward to confront this shameful chapter in Canada’s history. I urge everyone to help ensure the campaign reaches its goal to create this historic and unparalleled landmark.
William Boyle CM; founding CEO, Harbourfront Centre; Toronto
Standing for notwithstanding
Re The Canadian Charter’s Notwithstanding Clause Is Increasingly Indefensible (Opinion, June 12): I hope the notwithstanding clause is maintained in the Constitution. I find that the Charter of Rights and Freedoms places far too much emphasis on rights and not enough on our responsibilities to one another and to society. For this reason, I see the notwithstanding clause as a limit on judicial interference with the collective will.
Columnists such as Andrew Coyne are against the notwithstanding clause and I understand the reasoning. Perhaps our difference in opinion rests on the Charter. The B.C. government, for example, is reluctant to require masks in health care institutions, fearing a Charter challenge – it would need the notwithstanding clause in order to pass such legislation.
One may disagree with some of the legislation being shielded by the notwithstanding clause, but for me it lies with us to change the government.
David Pearce Victoria
Class debate
Re Vancouver School Board Phasing Out Courses For Gifted Students (June 16): How are we supposed to nurture our best minds and future leaders? This policy would further the dumbing down of public education for the sake of political correctness, leading to an increase in private schools and, ultimately, the divide between haves and have-nots.
Seems to me this is the opposite outcome of the stated policy.
Brock Williamson Lantzville, B.C.
Despite my desire to believe in education equity, I couldn’t help but think: “Perhaps these privileged students and their guardians will learn about exclusion and being denied something they regard as a right.”
I’ve seen many programs disappear because of funding decisions, including classes for students with learning differences. Other programs – which many believe to help students – can run severe risks of isolating them according to socio-economic status or stereotypical intelligence.
Many people are shocked that I would cancel French immersion programs. My explanation isn’t that hard: Advancing French skills shouldn’t be a privilege restricted to students who can summit pretty much any and every ivory tower.
To that effect, gifted students aren’t the only ones who should have access to classes that meet their needs; all students should be able to do so. May our governments give more resources so that schools can accomplish that objective.
Amy Soule Educational assistant, Hamilton
Vancouver looks headed for inclusion and mediocrity in cancelling gifted classes.
Teachers cannot teach to the common weal and somehow stretch the minds of the gifted in the same classroom. They are going back to a time of one-room schools and a row for each grade. The brightest in one row could incidentally listen to the next row’s work. Equal and inclusive it was, but incidental brilliance was hit and miss.
With this structure in place, our “gifted” workers would be imported from other countries that still stream in education. Back to the future, for sure.
John Marion Toronto
The Vancouver School Board is teaching a lesson in mathematics: They are reducing everyone to the same denominator.
Howard Bargman Toronto
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