Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, centre, accompanied by then Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland, right, and Saba Abbas, general counsellor of COSTI refugee service agency, arrives at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Toronto, on Jan. 12, 2019.CARLOS OSORIO/Reuters
Smoke screens
Re “Tories dig in against carbon pricing plan” (Aug. 30): Carbon pricing is intended to make carbon-intensive goods and services more expensive, leading to reduced consumer demand for those things, and ultimately lower climate-heating emissions.
Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives are correct that the federal carbon pricing plan will not stop the wildfires burning across Canada. These fires could have been prevented years ago had previous federal governments, like Stephen Harper’s Conservatives, implemented carbon pricing plans when they had the chance.
Ian Lipton President, The Carbon Accounting Company Toronto
No to user fees
Re “To fix Canada’s health care, a hard economic truth must be acknowledged” (Opinion, Aug. 28): The authors claim that income-based user fees are needed to supplement public-health care funding from tax revenues. They claim taxes can’t increase because “Canadians are already among the highest tax citizens in the world.”
In reality, taxes as a share of GDP in Canada (33 per cent) are slightly less that the average of the 38 OECD member countries and well below the European average of 37 per cent. The hard economic truth is that if increased resources are needed for the health care system, they must come out of national income, one way or the other.
The authors’ proposal would have the additional burden fall on those who need the services, exposing households to financial risk, or (more likely) would lead to the development of private health insurance to cover the risk of those additional costs. Haven’t we learned from the U.S. experience about the inefficiencies and inequities of private health insurance?
Rod Hill Saint John
Welcome, sort of
Re “I want to fit in with your society” (First Person, Aug. 29): Our prosperity relies on a steady flow of immigrants. Are we really a global role model for diversity when immigrants such as Arty Sarkisian arrive at a Canadian airport with a passport and a study permit in hand and are “greeted” by a customs officer who mocks their name, asking, “How the hell do you pronounce that?”
Like Arty, my paternal grandparents were Armenian. My grandfather, Poghos (Paul) Kushikjian, emigrated to Canada in 1919 (thanks to the Salvation Army) after his mother, father and siblings were slaughtered during the Armenian genocide. The customs officer allegedly mocked his family name and required him to change it. Our family name became Postian (an anglicized version of his mother’s maiden name).
While the customs officer didn’t force Arty Sarkisian to change his name (things have changed), surely we can do a better job of screening and training our customs officers to limit the influence of their biases (racial and others) in how they behave on the job (more of the same).
Pamela (neé Postian) Jeffery Inkster Stratford, Ont.
Canada coveted
Re “Canada’s definition of ‘immigrant’ is overly inclusive” (Opinion, Aug. 28): Asylum seekers, economic migrants, international students, temporary residents, newcomers, whatever you call them, they are all people hoping to make Canada their home. And with wars, climate change, fires, floods and pathogens, there will be more people wanting not just food, clothing and shelter, but peace, order, good governance, jobs, education and health care.
The restless migration of people means that we will have to learn to share what we have with others. Michael Barutciski is right to point out we need more clarity in our immigration policies. Immigration Minister Marc Miller has a difficult job ahead. Canada is the country of choice for millions of unhappy but hopeful people.
Margaret van Dijk Toronto
Herdman heroics
Re “John Herdman steps down as head coach of Canadian men’s soccer team to join Toronto FC” (Aug. 29): I attended all of Canada’s matches at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Outside the stadium before the first match, I was interviewed by a Brazilian TV channel and asked about my expectations for the team. “I might be overly optimistic here,” I responded, “but I think Canada can win the World Cup.”
I was being facetious, but only partly. Canada had a great team – and a great coach in John Herdman. Anything was possible.
When Alphonso Davies scored Canada’s first-ever World Cup goal in the second minute against Croatia, a euphoria ran through the Canadian supporters (and my veins). It was a peak patriotic experience, comparable to when Sidney Crosby scored the gold medal overtime winner at the 2010 Olympics. I was right, I thought. We’re actually going to win it all!
Alas, it was not to be. But thanks in no small part to Mr. Herdman, it was a possibility, if only for a moment.
Mark Bessoudo London
John Herdman likes working in Canada. After he has improved Toronto FC, the next obvious team he can improve is the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Murray Moore Mississauga
Red card kisses
Reading Marsha Lederman’s comments on Richard Dawson’s creepy kisses took me back to a Valentine’s Day bus ride in the 1970s (”That moment at the Women’s World Cup was more than just a kiss” – Opinion, Aug. 30).
As a university student heading home from a part-time job, the (male) bus driver refused to open the back door allowing young women to exit. Instead, we had to leave the bus by the front door and give him a kiss. Again, creepy. That I remember it clearly all these years later says a lot; at the time, I said nothing.
Marg Heidebrecht Dundas, Ont.
Re “Spain promises bigger role for women in sport as Rubiales urged to resign” (Sports, Aug. 30): It is fascinating to watch an incident disqualify a man for the presidency of a soccer organization that would not on the evidence of the 2016 election disqualify him to be president of the United States.
Chris Stoate Oakville, Ont.
Psychological warfare
Re “Russia’s first state-sponsored drama about war in Ukraine arrives to a moviegoing public longing for distraction” (Aug. 29): The piece by Dasha Letvinova on Russia’s propaganda movies was right on. On the other hand, what would we call American Sniper or Top Gun?
Michael Dettman Vancouver
Who shot J.R.?
Re “Dallas creator struck oil with megahit prime-time soap opera” (Obituary, Aug. 28): While reading the obituary on David Jacobs, it reminded me of my travels. In 1977, I met a Turkish girl in Istanbul and returned in September, 1980, to visit with her and her family. The very first words she welcomed me with were, “Who shot J.R.?” That’s a pretty good indication of how popular that show was.
Deborah Green Duncan B.C.
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