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Christianity's role
My hobby has been to trace the evolution of liberal democracy to better understand "Canadian values" and Western civilization (An Atheist Celebrates Christmas – Dec. 23). This task involves making choices between different historical theories of social development – which complicates the research to say the least.
Nevertheless, I have been surprised to discover the role of Christianity in shaping our secular political framework. This history conflicts with recent efforts by municipal councils to remove Christian references from the walls of their chambers.
I, too, am not religious, but I do take the roots of our liberal democracy seriously and I want this political environment to continue. My suggestion to The Globe is that you consider commissioning a Folio piece depicting the role that religion has played in the evolution of our political culture.
This presentation should be balanced, objective and historically accurate, and strive to leave the reader with a good sense of the operative foundations of Western democracy and liberalism. (Perhaps you could add some history on the development of English common law and the contribution of this institution to liberal democracy.)
John Krauser, Mississauga
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Arthur Cockfield wrote about Jesus bringing into the world the ethic that "inspired 17th-century European intellectuals to provide the moral foundation for the political philosophy of liberalism." He writes that John Locke and other Christian thinkers promoted a revolutionary political doctrine based on "natural" rights bestowed by a Christian God.
This leaves out 1,500 years of these natural law practices. It is the Jewish people who gave this ethic to the world more than 3,500 years ago. Not Jesus.
Diane Weber Bederman, multi-faith chaplain, author Back to the Ethic: Reclaiming Western Values; Caledon, Ont.
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Dr. Strangelove …
Re U.S. Must Grow Its Nuclear Force: Trump (Dec. 23): When I first noted that president-elect Donald Trump will seek to "grow" America's nuclear arsenal, I recalled all those long-ago air-raid drills when we school kids practised the art of "duck and cover."
A decade later came Dr. Strangelove, which I considered high black comedy. To think otherwise would be too depressing.
Now, Mr. Trump. Life imitates art imitates life.
Is it time to start digging those bomb shelters again?
Doesn't he realize that nukes have no use today except to destroy the planet?
Geoff Smith, Kingston
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Donald Trump's hawkish stand on nuclear missiles gives a scary new meaning to president-elect Trump's tagline: "You're fired."
William Christian, Guelph, Ont.
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We, the governed
Kudos to Lawrence Martin for his review of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's work this year. With daily headlines denouncing just about every decision by the government for the past few weeks, the media has more than done its job in painting a negative picture of our PM and his policies (For Trudeau, a sour ending to a year of progress – Dec. 21).
Admittedly, some of the decisions made by the Liberals in recent weeks have been disappointing, but over all the government has made considerable progress in many social and economic areas.
In a very short time, Mr. Trudeau has reached out more to the provincial leaders, the aboriginal community, immigrants, women, the elderly, youth and yes, even the press, than his predecessor.
With consultation as the hallmark of his leadership so far, his government's achievements on engagement alone should be given full credit. Isn't that what democracy is all about?
Carol Victor, Burlington, Ont.
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Politics is how we govern ourselves and we should take ownership of that responsibility. As such, we should be the ones paying for politics in our own country. The alternative is cash for access, with a small subsection of our society paying for our politics. We know that approach comes with its own costs. Governments, like it or not, have an impact on almost every part of our lives. When they are bought and paid for by someone else, they are far less likely to care about the rest of us. Is that really what we want?
Jason Dumelie, New York
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It's not in the mail
The recent recommendation to restore door-to-door mail delivery is like turning the clock back to the previous century (Commons Committee Calls For Return Of Canada Post Door-To-Door Delivery – Dec. 13). This service is not needed; it's been surpassed by e-mail, texts, cell phones and community mail boxes.
Restoring door to door delivery would amount to imposing a huge tax on the Canadian public to pay for it – an estimated $80-million annually, increasing by another $450-million if the community mail box plan is not rolled out across Canada.
The Canadian public, government and businesses have spoken out about the lack of productivity and the inefficiencies inherent in Canada, especially compared to the United States. This was a straightforward plan to improve competitiveness; a first-class stamp is almost double the cost in Canada.
The federal government needs to do the right thing, not the political thing and install community mail boxes across Canada, or we could see Canadians paying billions more than they need to over the next 10 years for mail delivery in Canada.
Bryan Walden, London, Ont.
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A language musician
Russel Smith notes that P.G. Wodehouse, the British humourist, is renowned for his "brilliant turn of phrase," but then goes on to call him "a minor writer." Many authors and critics, including Rudyard Kipling, A.E. Houseman, Evelyn Waugh and Christopher Hitchens would have disagreed. Waugh called Wodehouse "the Master" of English prose and Douglas Adams said that "What Wodehouse wrote is pure word magic and he is the greatest musician of the English language."
Such high praise from his peers surely gives Wodehouse a ranking far above "minor" as a writer.
John D. O'Leary, Toronto
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Currency horse sense
There's a simple solution to the ongoing controversy over replacing Sir John A. Macdonald's portrait on the $10 bill with a portrait of Viola Desmond (Leave Sir John Alone – letter, Dec. 12).
Now that our banknotes are made of plastic instead of paper, why not reissue the two-dollar bill and put Viola Desmond's picture on it? And, while we are at it, replace the politicians who grace the $50 and $100 bills with pictures of Terry Fox, and war hero and Nobel laureate Dr. Frederick Banting?
As for the $20 bill, it should picture the greatest Canadian of all time – the one-and-only Northern Dancer.
William Bedford, Newmarket, Ont.