Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe speaks during a press conference before the speech from the throne in Regina, on Oct. 25.Heywood Yu/The Canadian Press
What about us?
Re “Saskatchewan threatens to withhold carbon fees on natural gas” (Oct. 31): Since premiers from Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario are demanding carbon pricing exemptions given to Atlantic Canadians, can we get our share of the $1.7-billion to clean up orphan wells out west, or the $30-billion to build electric-vehicle battery plants in Ontario and Quebec?
Cynthia Turner Sydney, N.S.
In 2008, British Columbia brought in North America’s first broad-based carbon price. Ever since, we have lived with the accompanying increases.
As some Canadians whine about the unfairness of discontinuing federal carbon pricing for heating oil in Atlantic Canada, we B.C. residents have remained generally silent. While other provinces agreed to variations of the federal carbon pricing plan, along with roughly offsetting tax refunds, many of us continue to pay for the “full ride” of carbon pricing without qualifying for income-based offsetting refunds.
B.C. is noted as having some of the highest gasoline prices in North America, certainly in Canada. In the Lower Mainland, wild price variations are not uncommon. The average retail price in May: 187.8 cents per litre. In August: 206.9 cents.
Almost none of this fluctuation has to do with adjustments in carbon pricing. If there is gouging, the jury apparently is still out on the source.
Don Chapman Surrey, B.C.
Pierre Poilievre accuses Justin Trudeau of playing politics in Eastern Canada. I guess that Mr. Poilievre’s recent foray into a Western Canadian orchard (”Getting to the core of Pierre Poilievre’s biting ‘apple’ interview” – Oct. 21) was simply because he likes eating apples while being filmed, and was a strictly apolitical event.
I think that hypocrisy should be pointed out when it occurs.
R. W. Priddy Surrey, B.C.
I nodded my head at all the sensible objections to Justin Trudeau’s carbon pricing exemption: It’s a slippery slope; incentives are better; it’s purely political.
You know what would really undercut carbon pricing? The election of a Conservative government that would scrap it entirely. Not a slippery slope; a cliff edge.
So perhaps the lesser of evils. Which, in politics, is often as good as it gets.
Brian Green Thunder Bay
Party etiquette
Re “Ontario NDP in turmoil after removal of MPP Sarah Jama over Israel-Hamas statements” (Oct. 30): I believe any political leader would have made the same decision that Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles did to remove MPP Sarah Jama from caucus. Politics is a team sport and it’s clear to me that Ms. Jama has not been a team player, even after repeated efforts to establish a workable rapport.
Furthermore, it is one thing that the public might conflate Ms. Jama’s expulsion with her censure from the legislature. It is worrisome when fellow NDP members cannot understand the difference.
Every single member of the NDP caucus voted against the censure. This, then, is not a free-speech issue, but one of professionalism and teamwork.
I now have a better understanding of why former NDP leader Andrea Horvath so seldom made tough decisions. Hopefully other NDP voices will emerge to support Ms. Stiles. It is my view that the party needs her much more than she needs it.
Paul Thomson Loyalist, Ont.
Free to …
Re “Head of York student union won’t retract statement on Hamas attack, says university is trying to silence group” (Oct. 31): I think what’s being lost in the discussion is the distinction between “freedom of speech” and “freedom from speech.”
The former is the right of every person to voice unpopular and even hurtful speech, within the bounds of law, and be free from state censorship or sanctions. The latter is the consequence that may come from non-state actors in response to one’s exercise of free speech.
I don’t have to financially support someone who has gone out of their way to insult and intimidate me. A university is not a state actor.
Michael Di Paolo Toronto
Re “Elon Musk’s hate for Wikipedia reveals his true views on free speech” (Oct. 30): This leads me to conclude that although Elon Musk has a genius for understanding consumers, he seems to have an impoverished ability to understand humans.
Philip Shepherd Author, Radical Wholeness Toronto
Local travel
Re “New Zealand looks to the future of climate-friendly travel” (Oct. 25): “The elephant in the net-zero hotel room: air travel.” I was heartened to see someone highlighting the large carbon footprint of discretionary air travel.
We recall activist Greta Thunberg sailing across the Atlantic Ocean to make a visible protest against the damage that aviation is doing to the environment. While none of us wants to miss out on connecting with loved ones, even if air travel is needed to do so, it would certainly be a good goal to minimize flights to far-flung holiday destinations.
At a time when air travel has developed heightened expense and cancellation challenges, it would seem that vacationing closer to home is a win-win.
Carol Lewis London, Ont.
Major penalty
Re “Shane Pinto’s ‘sports wagering’ suspension leaves an impression, but the NHL wants you to think otherwise” (Sports, Oct. 28): Let’s remember, as we consider the National Hockey League’s response to whatever Shane Pinto did, that it recently suspended a player, Rasmus Andersson, four games for a brutal hit on Patrik Laine.
It was a hit which included both a leap for added force and application of a rock-hard elbow pad to the cheek, resulting in the victim continuing to miss games. Apparently whatever Mr. Pinto, who hadn’t even played this season, did was 10.25 times worse than what Mr. Andersson did.
The NHL’s message seems clear: Potentially destroying a player’s career and health is one thing, but don’t even think of messing with the league’s reputation. One, it seems, matters much more than the other.
Tom Curran Prince Edward County, Ont.
Turn it up
Re “Ca-na-da composer Bobby Gimby is born” (Moment in Time, Oct. 25): As earworms go, that appalling song ranks near the top of my charts for its cloying quality, adhesiveness and endurance.
I really hated it as a kid in 1967. I like it no better now.
Yet, as The Globe and Mail saw fit to resurrect its memory, I must pick it clean with the mental floss of yet another renowned Prairie composer, Randy Bachman, and crank up Takin’ Care of Business – the best slayer of earworms ever invented.
Ron Beram Gabriola, B.C.
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