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Not at all simple
Re How Dare They Vote To Leave (June 28): Margaret Wente presents an idyllic version of English values. "No reverence for the toffs" (except perhaps the monarchy). When "all hell breaks loose, how about a nice cup of tea?" (except perhaps when personal hardship is seen to be the fault of immigrants and specifically non-white immigrants). "Unlike Canada, Britain has never been an immigration country" (instead, British history includes invasion and colonial rule).
Ever more people in many parts of the world are looking for simple solutions to the very real and systemic problems of global capitalism. We are living in a world of fewer well-paid jobs, climate change and wars with sophisticated weapons of destruction.
Racism and xenophobia are not difficult concepts. A greater challenge is how humans will learn to live together peacefully, accepting difference and within an economic system that is not dependent on destroying the natural world.
There are no simple solutions.
Margaret Shaw, Toronto
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Your editorial (Bloody Old England, June 25) captures the fully justified anger and frustration, not to say dismay and deep concern, of the friends of the U.K. and EU over the results of the unnecessary Brexit referendum.
Clearly, the three amigos must discuss the implications this week at their North American leaders summit in Ottawa. But they must go beyond hand-wringing. This is the moment, before the shock wears off and positions harden, for friends to intervene with friends, carefully, quietly, firmly.
We cannot put the clock back. But the countdown need not be to an explosion. The sine qua non is decisive, rapid personal intervention, above all by Barack Obama, behind the scenes – a direct mediation initially involving a small number of key players, including Angela Merkel, followed quickly by very high level negotiations. The first step is to hold off the invocation of Article 50 covering an EU member's departure and avoid definitive action by any side until solutions are found.
This kind of courage and hard work was demonstrated in the postwar period. It is not too much to expect again today.
David Lee, Ottawa
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Roiled eco-waters
Re Deep Waters Ahead (editorial, June 28): Where is the environmental outcry when we need it? To divert water from the globally precious Great Lakes ecosystem to a city outside the recognized watershed sets a disconcerting precedent, especially in light of the growing environmental awareness of Canadians generally.
What struck me as most astonishing is the general lack of publicity or environmental protest over this move by a U.S. city. As an Albertan and proud supporter of Canada's energy sector, I was shocked there were no protests for this "pipeline" project.
Tom Trifaux, Cold Lake, Alta.
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Eduspeak
Re Report Cards Are Failing Parents, Kids (June 27): What's with the politically correct gibberish about students' progress? If teachers must choose from a menu of such puzzling comments as Naomi Buck describes, why not go back to A's, B's and C's? Or better yet, have them say, "Achieving at grade level (or not)."
Are teachers being encouraged to refrain from making critical comments in the same manner that we give all soccer players a trophy rather than reward only the winners? No wonder our scholastic scores are slipping behind other nations'.
Mike Pengelly, Cambridge, Ont.
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That sleep thing
Re Kids Of Working Parents: Good Luck With That Sleep Thing (June 24): I am one of the Canadian sleep experts consulted in the development of the new 24-hour ParticipAction Canadian movement guidelines. The sleep guidelines were developed after extensive review of scientific evidence and complement the activity guidelines, emphasizing that tired children do not have the energy to get adequate exercise and conversely active children sleep better at night.
The ParticipAction guidelines cited in the article are not for toddlers (nap time counts as part of their sleep time) but for children over 5. The sleep guidelines recommend that children 5-13 need nine to 11 hours of sleep per night and 14- to 17-year-olds need eight to 10 hours of sleep per night. Being a "working parent," as the majority of Canadian parents are, should not preclude that your child obtain these recommended sleep hours.
The 2016 ParticipAction report card on physical activity for children and youth gives a B grade for sleep but an F for sedentary behaviour (sitting too long, often in front of screens) for Canadian children. Children need to sweat more, step (which means light activity) more, sleep more, sit less.
Shelly K. Weiss, pediatric sleep expert, neurologist, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto
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CEOs, try the reverse
Re Grads Have Duty To Taxpayers, CEOs Say (June 24): Could it be that CEOs have this wrong?
Shouldn't CEOs pay universities for each graduate who contributes to the success of their company?
Sandra Kuelz, Ottawa
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$120 per Canadian
Re How Much Should Ottawa Spend On Health? It's Complicated (June 28): The Parliamentary Budget Officer has noted that provinces will have a hard time maintaining their health services if the federal government reduces transfers to 3 per cent from the current 6 per cent. It will make it difficult for provinces to make new investments in areas like mental health, which did not receive investments under that last accord.
A report commissioned for the Ontario government indicates that mental health is underfunded by $1.5-billion, based on disease burden. This is the amount required to get Ontario to the benchmark of 9 per cent of health spending recommended by the Mental Health Commission in 2012.
Nationally, this would require an injection of $4.2-billion over 10 years or $120 per capita. It's not complicated: If provinces are given funds to implement their mental health plans, access to mental health services will get better and the burden of illness will decline.
Steve Lurie, executive director, CMHA Toronto Branch
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A new low
Re England Laid Low By Iceland In Stunning Upset (June 28): From the little island nation that could, to the soon-to-be little island nation that couldn't – this is absolutely the last straw!
Still, there's always Wales…
Tim Elson, expat Brit, proud European and recent Wales supporter; Markham, Ont.
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Best line doing the rounds about England's loss to Iceland: It hasn't been this embarrassing to be English since Friday.
Helen Gibson, Vancouver
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Defeated by Iceland. Brrr… Exit!
Eric Bender, Kirkland, Que.