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Trade: wins, losses
Manufacturing business-development consultant Roman Kuczynski makes an important point regarding some of the unfortunate consequences of the acquisition of Canadian manufacturers by Chinese companies (China: Who Benefits? – letters, March 30). More importantly, this is not limited to the Chinese.
For example, recently a successful manufacturing company in Calgary closed shop and moved to the United States, resulting in the loss of all jobs. This successful company, which was started by Calgary entrepreneurs, was acquired by a large American corporation and, as sometimes (or often) is the case, eventually the Canadian operation was shut down due to supply-chain rationalization.
This phenomenon will continue to be a challenge in a relatively small market like Canada, not only in manufacturing but in emerging fields like AI.
Jaydeep Balakrishnan, director, Canadian Centre for Advanced Supply Chain Management, University of Calgary
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Our trade imbalance with China has, over the past four years, averaged about $35-billion annually. We ship them mostly our natural resources with little or no value added, they ship us mostly manufactured goods. Who has the most to lose?
Why would we sell our natural resource companies to Chinese government-owned companies under the complete control of the Chinese government? What could be the possible long-term benefit to Canada? There are friendlier sources for investment in Canada.
Why bring into the negotiations non-trade-related items such as Chinese civil liberties? We would never be in a position to enforce any agreements they might make.
Robert Hunter, Guelph, Ont.
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Lives to be changed
What a contrast to turn the page from the dark and gut-wrenching report on Syrian refugee teen-brides to the bright and joyous photo of Congolese immigrant Messia Ditshimba and her daughter at their citizenship ceremony in Vancouver (Syrian Refugee Crisis – Folio, March 30; Turning Over A New Maple Leaf, March 30). As a mother, I found this pairing very poignant and it made me question how randomly the cards of life are dealt out. As we celebrate our 150th, let's not risk becoming too complacent on our refugee policies when there is still so much work to be done and lives to be changed.
Clare Samworth, Toronto
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Housing fixes?
While urban containment is one of the main culprits behind rising housing prices, governments also need to put checks and balances on developers offering chicken coops for the price of mansions.
There is no dearth of land, but increasingly multiple-housing units are being sold in the shape of small townhouses and condos. Suburbs are losing their quintessential "Canadianness" as fenced yards disappear, and low- to mid-rise condos are plonked in residential areas.
A home is a place for a family to grow. But with so much housing offering no basement, no garage, barely enough living space and no break in prices, the demand for – and prices of – good properties will stay high. Over time, this will also affect demand for products related to homes since there's so little space in these newer units.
Unless this is addressed, the middle-class homeowner will be wiped out over time.
Hina Zia, Oakville, Ont.
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A key fact is missing in the assertion that Greenbelt-constrained land supply is driving up housing prices: There are more than 100,000 hectares of land sitting within existing urban boundaries in the Greater Golden Horseshoe area waiting to be developed.
Paving forests, farms and wetlands won't build affordable housing. The only things that will are to focus on requiring industry to build multi-bedroom condos in downtowns, mixed-use and mid-size housing in smaller communities, and slowing rent increases everywhere.
Tim Gray, executive director, Environmental Defence
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No one disputes the demand side of the equation, but if supply can't respond, what happens? Prices go up, which causes speculation and hoarding. We see both of those things now occurring, thus aggravating the situation in the Greater Toronto Area.
Ontario is actively contemplating higher levels of density, and "reforming" the Ontario Municipal Board – thus aggravating the supply situation further.
It is not hard to see what should be done, but the easy money is on more taxes, which seems to be a favourite go-to place of Ontario's provincial government.
Brian Johnston, chief operating officer, Mattamy Homes
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TB's grip in Canada
Re When TB Strikes In The North, Complacency Is Deadly (March 28): A number of common misconceptions about tuberculosis exist in Canada today, including that it is no longer a significant problem. Reducing the national incidence of TB is a complex issue, but the principles include timely diagnosis of active cases, preventing TB among those with increased risk for TB, and addressing the factors that foster tuberculosis reactivation and spread.
The recent death of a Nunavut child due to tuberculosis is a tragedy. With the staggering incidence of TB in Canada's North, children are at risk. Certain forms of TB, such as central nervous system and disseminated disease, carry a high mortality, especially if not diagnosed in a timely manner.
The annual incidence of active TB in Canada has not budged in recent years. Without a federal TB-elimination strategy that addresses the contributors to ongoing transmission in high-risk populations, TB elimination in Canada will not be realized.
Geetika Verma, MD, Peterborough, Ont.
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A Trump trajectory
Re Rebel Without A Clause (March 29): If Kevin O'Leary is so unqualified for the job of PM and "doesn't have a clue how the country he hopes to govern one day operates," why is he getting most of the coverage while we hear little about the other candidates?
One would think Mr. O'Leary is the only real possibility for the leadership. We underestimate him at our peril. Isn't this how Donald Trump got elected?
Daniel Levin, Winnipeg
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Budding palate?
The New York Times reports that chefs and sommeliers in California's Sonoma County are exploring how best to pair cannabis-infused dishes with their local wines. In Canada, meanwhile, Anne McLellan has sternly recommended in her task force report on the legalization of marijuana that cannabis and alcohol should not be sold in the same retail establishments because of the possible risks of combining the two substances (Ottawa Rushing To Craft Marijuana Bill Ahead Of 4/20, March 27).
No doubt it is safe to assume that Ms. McLellan will not be travelling south any time soon to sample Sonoma's new cuisine?
Jeff Taylor, Ottawa