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'Yuge' ramifications
Your editorial The Dangers of Trumpenomics (Dec. 6) outlines the problems for the United States if Donald Trump bribes and browbeats corporations to reshore their operations. If Mr. Trump is successful, the greatest irony is that these policies will tremendously accelerate the implementation of robotics and artificial intelligence in the manufacturing process.
American corporations will still have to compete with global competitors, whose salary expenditures will be much lower than the salaries of American corporations, and the only way Americans can compete is by "yuge" investments in automation.
The end result will be even fewer people employed in American services and manufacturing, as the bots take over. And here I thought The Donald was for the (human) working stiff.
Geoff Lee, Thunder Bay, Ont.
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There is a word for this kind of behaviour. It's often called blackmail.
Eric D. Ferguson, Burlington, Ont.
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Re Canada's Man In Washington Makes Case For Playing Nice With Trump (Dec. 3): Canada could make nice to Donald Trump, but would he respect us in the morning?
Jo-Ann Fellows, Fredericton
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CBC's course
Re Proposal For Ad-Free CBC Gets Its Moment In The Sun (Dec. 3): Yes, CBC's non-commercial plan is a bold move, requiring both funding and nerve, but it's time to end the conflicted construct, cede the advertising revenue to the private networks and refocus the CBC's programing in the public interest of Canadians.
Look at CBC Radio.
The service underwent a programing revolution after advertising was dropped in 1974. It become more relevant; internationally lauded, it became the kind of service Canadians will march in the street for.
Let's remember that the CBC was created in 1928 to "interpret national citizenship" and to "guard against" the flood of foreign content. Who could have predicted the torrent of content that's now available (let alone the "fake news")?
Actor Eric Peterson has described Canada culturally as "an occupied country." He's not wrong. As budgets at quality newspapers, magazines and media organizations are increasingly challenged, funding the public broadcaster – one engaged in strong journalism and celebration of Canadian culture – is critical. On the cusp of our sesquicentennial, it's the time for another bold move.
The question remains: Why should Canadians invest in a strong public broadcaster?
The answer: Because we deserve it.
Denise Donlon, Toronto
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The CBC is like a grand old ocean liner sailing through uncharted waters and looking for money for new lifeboats. This is happening even as some politicians of the Conservative right are saying it's time to scuttle the old ship. And who can blame them? CBC has spent so many years cruising along a left-of-centre course through the tranquil waters of political correctness that meaningful and vigorous balance in its current affairs programing has been thrown overboard.
Maybe the Heritage Minister's review of the broadcasting, media and cultural industries will send the CBC off on a brand new tack through rougher waters.
If the CBC were fulfilling its mandate to inform, reflect and encourage real and lively debate on the issues facing this country, people would be annoyed – but it wouldn't be the same people all the time.
Let's hope the day will dawn when some Liberal MPs are calling for the Corp's demise. That's when the grand old ship will be sailing where it's supposed to go.
Frank King, Sydney River, N.S.
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Re A Changing Media Landscape And A Bid For An Ad-Free CBC (Report on Business, Dec. 3): As a point of clarification, PBC21 (Public Broadcasting in Canada for the 21st Century) believes that the CBC needs to figure out its priorities as a public broadcaster first as a matter of some urgency. Funding could follow once that is agreed upon.
We are not opposed to additional resources for the CBC in the future, but only if it operates as a true public broadcaster that serves Canadians as citizens first, and consumers of content, second.
To increase budgets now would only reward the CBC for its present precarious circumstances.
Jeffrey Dvorkin, Public Broadcasting in Canada for the 21st Century
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White and male
Re Academic Extremism Comes To Canada (Dec. 3): The idea that there is "an atmosphere of terror" at universities is preposterous. As an "older, white male," I can report that the status quo remains sturdy and sustained; universities are quite conservative in regard to academic and institutional matters. Indeed, despite some welcome, but marginal changes, most centres of social and political power are still white and male even after decades of protest and attempted subversion.
Repelling efforts at diversification and transformation in the name of illiberalism and radicalism is a desperate discourse of waning privilege. Of course, there are unfortunate incidents along the way, but that is a measure of the elite's resistance to egalitarian and progressive forces having an impact.
Allan C. Hutchinson, Distinguished Research Professor, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University
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I'm right, right?
Re First Nations Turn To The Courts (Report on Business, Dec. 5): If I were to write the Prime Minister a letter, here's what I'd say:
Dear Mr. Trudeau,
Congratulations on your astute political decision to approve Knder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipeline project. I realize that politics requires compromises, and you appear to have made some good ones.
I'm sure you know that the prevention of catastrophic global warming means we need to leave most of the oil in Alberta in the ground: The years of meeting requirements for permissions and the court challenges from many different groups probably mean that, by the time the pipeline is actually built, the world will be rapidly moving past the use of fossil fuels, so the pipeline is unlikely to actually carry much oil anywhere.
That's your plan, right?
Right?
Linda Peritz, Vancouver
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So pick a plan
With all the ruckus over electoral reform, here's a simple solution: Pick a plan, any plan, and try it for two elections. Build in a sunset provision so that after the second election, the plan expires and Canada reverts to first-past-the-post unless Parliament votes otherwise. There is no need for a referendum, just get on with the job and give it a try.
But if Canadians really want to stick with first-past-the-post for at least another generation, then by all means go ahead and have a referendum.
Allan Brayley, Broomfield, Co.