Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Minister of National Revenue Diane Lebouthillier listen during a news conference in Ottawa, on Sept. 24.Justin Tang/The Canadian Press
Military might
Re Canada Poised To Sell More Arms To Qatar (Dec. 13): I cannot understand why our current Liberal government continues to sell military goods and technology to countries such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia. These weapons allow them to pursue aggressive agendas within their borders and in other vulnerable regions.
Canada likes to portray itself as a country that defends human rights and promotes peaceful solutions to conflict. Support of these repressive regimes for economic profit should be considered immoral.
Candace Yanchyshyn Toronto
Too late?
Re Anti-terror Law To Be Tweaked For Aid Groups To Operate In Afghanistan (Dec. 12): International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan hopes Parliament will give approval “by late spring” to changes in an anti-terror law. Late spring may be too late.
People are dying now in Afghanistan. I hope all parties will work together so that Canada can contribute urgently needed aid early in the new year.
Rosemary Carter Ottawa
Question and…
Re The Question Only Trudeau Can Answer (Dec. 10): There is a requirement that if the Emergencies Act is invoked, an inquiry is triggered to get to the bottom of why such an extreme measure was needed. However, the crux of Justin Trudeau’s decision is hidden behind a legal opinion that his government refuses to reveal.
As someone who has campaigned on openness and transparency, what harm is there in Mr. Trudeau sharing the opinion if it is sound? There would, however, be harm in setting a precedent of invoking the Emergencies Act without justification.
What is the point of spending time and money on an inquiry if the people responsible are not required to provide their reasons?
Robert McCullough Edmonton
The main question before the Public Order Emergency Commission should not be answered by a legal opinion, but by the facts it finds and the application of them to the relevant wording of the legislation. Just like other legal opinions secured by interested parties, the one secured by the government would answer nothing.
It should not be “flimsy” for the Prime Minister to rely upon solicitor-client privilege. Legal opinions are privileged to encourage both parties to freely discuss the circumstances that underlie the need for advice. Transparency is properly subordinated to ensure that frank discussions occur.
If the Prime Minister is required to release the opinion, next time the government may secure a verbal opinion or, worse yet, none at all.
Lee Shouldice LLB Toronto
Provincial problems
Re The Case For Constitutional Crisis (Opinion, Dec. 10): Canadians may be at risk of living in a bunch of petty fiefdoms if we don’t rally soon to preserve federalism.
Despite a lifetime of residing in Toronto, I would never describe myself as a “proud Ontarian.” My identity is 100 per cent Canadian; anything else is merely circumstantial and jurisdictional. A driver’s licence and health card do not make my heart swell.
I believe columnist Andrew Coyne is right to urge the federal government to stiffen its spine and use its formidable powers to fight back against provincial bullies, who are trampling the Constitution and threatening the rupture of one of the world’s most successful federations.
Anne Holloway Toronto
Re Ottawa Rebuffs Calls For More Health Care Funding (Dec. 10): The latest federal-provincial health care discussions seem to display a familiar pattern: lots of posturing, not much progress.
Current federal-provincial arrangements make it near-impossible for voters to know who is really responsible, either for performance problems or progress. Politicians usually get attention for posturing and blame-shifting, but can’t be confident they will get credit for improvements.
An obvious solution: Make one level of government clearly responsible. Constitutionally, provincial governments hold the jurisdictional keys. They should be made responsible for funding health care. Equalization arrangements would still be needed to enable smaller provinces to fully fund their systems.
In all provinces, voters would then know who to hold accountable. Politicians would be accountable for better health care – not excuses.
Jack Stilborn Ottawa
Home in
Re Why Canadian Medical Grads Trained Abroad Are Giving Up On Jobs At Home (Dec. 13): So let me get this straight: Every province has a deficit of physicians, especially family physicians; thousands of Canadians go abroad to pursue medical degrees because of limited seats in Canadian medical schools; upon graduating, many want to return home and furthermore practise in family medicine; Canada makes it hard for them to return and practise in the country they were born or raised in.
If we don’t take advantage of internationally trained Canadian doctors, could a more effective way of shooting ourselves in the foot be imagined? I think not.
Ravi Deshpande Toronto
I was involved with program accreditations for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada from 1995 to 2015. The pat answer for not accepting foreign medical graduates was always, “We don’t know their medical schools, so we can’t evaluate them.”
In 2019, I met up with a young faculty specialist in Israel’s Northern District. He graduated from medical school at Damascus University in Syria. I asked a hospital CEO how the country gives medical licences to graduates from a war-torn country without access to transcripts. He replied that they access the international body assessing medical schools.
If Israel uses international sources, why can’t Canada? The only answer seems to be that our provincial governments prefer to play games.
Allan Fox OOnt, MDCM, FRCPC (Founder Neuroradiology), FACR, FCAR; Toronto
Stopped
Re Work Pauses At Landfill In Alleged Serial Murder Case (Dec. 10): It is a terrible tragedy that two Indigenous women were allegedly murdered and their bodies dumped in a four-acre landfill. However, to locate their bodies under tons of garbage is seen by Winnipeg police as a challenge beyond challenges.
The waste would have to be shifted one load at a time, searched and moved to another location. Because dead animals are also put into landfills, forensic scientists would need to assess bone tissue. It would take weeks and months, maybe years, of painstaking searching.
Yes, maybe good fortune would lead to finding intact human remains quickly. But it may be impossible and drag out the agony of loss for the families.
I cannot imagine their sorrow. But when I look at a four-acre site and try to comprehend such a search, “not feasible” seems like too small a description. I’m so sorry.
Sally Barker Victoria
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