Some residents are complaining about the complexity of recycling instructions and restrictions.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
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Guaranteed income? 50 + 50 + 10 …
Re Affordable, But Wise? (editorial, April 23): Let’s go through the exercise to see if a guaranteed minimum income is really affordable. The Parliamentary Budget Office projects the cost of expanding Ontario’s pilot plan nationwide at $43-billion. Add 50 per cent to that because the estimate is from a government entity, and most of the savings from replacing other programs likely won’t occur. Add another 50 per cent to cover the waste and mismanagement because it will be the government implementing it.
Finally, increase the resulting cost by 10 per cent for every year the program is in existence to cover inflation, population growth and the influx of economic refugees who will be attracted by it.
There. Now let’s talk about it.
Paul Bennett, Richmond Hill, Ont.
Common sense, M.I.A.
Re Facts Vs. Politics: The Truth About Hydro One (Report on Business, April 23): Doug Ford, who would like to be premier of Ontario, is offended by the compensation of Hydro One executives and appalled by the decisions of its board. His antipathy is not without merit. His plan, however – “You’re fired” – reflects a commitment to pugilistic dogma rather than honest talk and serious problem-solving.
David Denison, chairman of Hydro One’s board, defends its compensation practices with his version of that old standby: The consultants made me do it. More alarming, he myopically states we won’t pay for certain elements of the compensation through our hydro bills. To argue we won’t pay as ratepayers is disingenuous. Of course we will pay: We will pay as taxpayers.
Serious, thoughtful discourse would be helpful. As a precursor, both Mr. Ford and Mr. Denison could find long pants and a big-boy haircut – and demonstrate respect for common sense.
W.M. Howick, Burlington, Ont.
Unemployed doctors
Re More Canadian Medical-School Graduates Than Ever Fail To Secure Residency (April 18): Canada has more physicians and surgeons per capita than ever before. Residency positions are slowly being reduced, as graduating specialists cannot find the work they were trained to do. Most cardiac surgeons, neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons and nephrologists (among other specialties) cannot find adequate full-time employment. This is not because of lack of demand, but rather a lack of resources – operating room resources, dialysis units, endoscopy facilities – for many surgeons and physicians.
It is poor policy and fiscally irresponsible to train more doctors, only to have them unemployed. On a provincial and national level, medical schools, health systems and policy makers need to work together to match work force requirements with available resources and health-care demand rather than simply funding additional residency spots.
Indraneel Datta, Program Director, General Surgery, Cumming School of Medicine
Paul McBeth, Trauma surgeon and intensivist, Cumming School of Medicine
Messed-with books
Re Ontario Kept Billions Of Borrowed Money Off Its Balance Sheet. Here’s How (Folio, April 21): What ever happened to transparency? Apparently, this “rate-regulated accounting” violates government accounting standards. What to do when the government messes with the books?
A shell game if ever I saw one.
Leslie Martel, Mississauga
Recycling fixes
Re Confessions Of A Recycling Slacker (April 21): It is good to know Margaret Wente is too lazy to bother recycling or washing out her peanut butter jar. We should all stand up to the garbage police and just find some nice neighbourhood nearby to bury our plastic containers and paper cups. I pick wherever Ms. Wente lives.
Meanwhile, Iike the big schlep I am, I will continue to compost and recycle, and wash out my yogurt containers even though I – unlike Ms.Wente, I suspect – do not have a dishwasher. And I will try to limit my garbage to one bag every two weeks. And I will try to be a good example to people who can’t or won’t recycle. Because I do care about the planet. I do care about the next generation.
Recycling has been a fact of life for decades. It’s incredible that some people still feel it’s okay not to do it. And I like the dump, too. I still go to one. I recommend it as a weekly spiritual practice to anyone who thinks dumping their recycling is a great idea.
Mary Burbidge, Coe Hill, Ont.
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Margaret Wente aptly describes the costly systems and processes associated with our current model for recycling. There are entire industries and bureaucracies built on this, with the costs ultimately borne in large measure by taxpayers. This model, in effect, is imposing discipline on the wrong end of the value chain.
Conceptually, the fix is simple. Impose discipline at the beginning. Raises taxes on the producers of plastic coffee-cup lids, yogurt tubs, vegetable containers etc. to levels which would make continued production economically nonviable. Businesses would get busy in a hurry finding economical and sustainable ways to package and distribute products.
Reduce taxes for those businesses which innovate effectively.
Martin Birt, Uxbridge, Ont.
Not paid to women
Re Male CBC/Radio Canada Hosts Earn More Than Their Female Colleagues (April 20): Gender-based pay inequity at the CBC is not new. I had 16 consecutive one-year contracts with CBC TV in Montreal. I created and produced several series for CBC TV in Montreal – a consumer show, an entertainment weekly, documentaries and more, and earned a few awards.
At the end of my time at CBC TV, my boss, a man I liked very much, told me that over the 16 years I had been paid 27 per cent less a year than my male colleagues. When I asked why, I was told that the men were married and have families.
Curiously, I, too, was married and had a family. My husband was not always working.
I tried to right this large pay gap retroactively through the Quebec Producers Association. No joy there as I had been a “contract employee.” I even asked my MP if there was not a federal law that would restore my missing pay. It seems there was not.
Surely women are, must be, entitled to equal pay for equal work. Otherwise, any talk of gender equality is false.
Judith Murray, Burlington, Ont.
Hmm …
Re TTC Issues Warning Against Despacito Accordion Buskers (April 21): The article about the Despacito buskers on the Toronto Transit System immediately brought to mind a classic Gary Larson cartoon from the Far Side. Top of the panel: “Welcome to Heaven. Here’s your harp.” Bottom of the panel: “Welcome to hell. Here’s your accordion.”
Bill Kummer, Newmarket, Ont.