Police officers patrol on foot along Albert Street in Ottawa, on Feb. 10.Justin Tang/The Canadian Press
Watch out
Re From ‘Just Watch Me’ To ‘Just Trust Me’ (Editorial, Nov. 29): On Oct. 15, 1970, then-Montreal mayor Jean Drapeau sent a letter to Pierre Trudeau. As the chief of police had advised that “the means available to him are proving inadequate,” Mr. Drapeau asked “for every measure of assistance the Government of Canada may deem useful and desirable in order to carry out the task of protecting society.”
On Oct. 16, then-Quebec premier Robert Bourassa also sent a letter to Mr. Trudeau. “Under the circumstances, on behalf of the government of Quebec, I request that emergency powers be provided as soon as possible so that more effective steps may be taken.”
It would appear that in 1970, the Trudeau government went as far as it was asked by Montreal and Quebec. The judge leading the inquiry will determine if the 2022 Trudeau government went too far.
Dave Sanderson Carleton Place, Ont.
The Globe and Mail concludes that “a handful of blocked roads, in one Canadian city” is “too low a bar” to declare a national emergency. But it was hardly just one Canadian city – it was our capital.
Protesters blocked roads in front of our Parliament and Supreme Court and refused to move. Deciding to remove them by force does not seem like using “too low a bar” to me.
Jim Regan Hamilton
If one sees smoke or flames in a neighbour’s house, call 911 immediately. Don’t wait until the fire engulfs the structure. Similarly, government declared an emergency before things got completely out of control. I support it for doing that.
The situation was bad, especially for citizens in Ottawa, and all the conditions were right for it to flare up into something much worse countrywide. Surely we wouldn’t have wanted to see our nation become an inferno before government acted.
Christopher Clunas Ottawa
As old as time
Re Indo-Pacific Policy Sees China As ‘Disruptive Global Power’ (Nov. 28): So “China’s assertive pursuit of its economic and security interests, advancement of unilateral claims, foreign interference and increasingly coercive treatment of other countries and economies have significant implications in the region, in Canada and around the world.” Nothing new here. Britain wrote the book 200 years ago.
Howard Dallimore North Vancouver
Zero tolerance
Re In A Rare Show Of Weakness, China’s Censors Struggled To Keep Up With Zero-COVID Protests (Nov. 29): When I watched what little news was permitted to leave China in the fall of 2019, I saw images of some citizens being dragged back into residences to help contain viral transmission.
As COVID-19 became a global pandemic, I couldn’t help but notice how China’s strict handling of its outbreak, while allowing little rights and freedoms to its people, likely enabled a relatively short duration of the initial crisis. But matters look to have gone too far with China’s current “zero-COVID” policy.
Meantime, Chinese citizens have tasted samples of freedom’s sweetness, through travel or Western images missed by China’s censors. And with such greater liberties typically comes weaker national security, and vice versa.
While I wouldn’t exchange my Western freedom for such national security, it would still be foolish to pretend a national-security sacrifice isn’t being made in exchange.
Frank Sterle Jr. White Rock, B.C.
Country to country
Re India Envoy Calls On Ottawa To Crack Down On Funding Of Khalistan Separatists (Nov. 28): India’s new High Commissioner to Canada should understand that Canada does not enforce the laws of other nations.
Our citizens and residents are free to act in any manner that doesn’t transgress our own laws. If people here wish to peacefully advocate for the independence of Quebec, Taiwan, Palestine, Tibet, Catalonia, Scotland etc., that is their Constitutionally-protected right.
Welcome to Canada.
Ron Sigler Montreal
Climate calamity
Re Ottawa Charts Course For Climate Resilience (Nov. 25): Yes, clarifying Canada’s Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund is essential to “minimize climate change’s human and economic toll.” This toll, however, has both a cause and an effect.
The cause is increased concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. A major reason for this is Big Oil, which sent 600 lobbyists to the COP27 climate summit in Egypt to prevent petroleum from being added to a list of pollutants to phase down such as coal.
Big Oil’s success flushes some of our money for the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund down the toilet. Big Oil’s reduction should be clarified and dealt with by Canada, along with the fund.
Glen Aikenhead Saskatoon
Re Time To Kill Off The Big, Fat COP Climate Conferences (Report on Business, Nov. 26): I agree that United Nations climate conferences have become grossly inflated gatherings. Like Davos, a place to be seen more than heard.
Columnist Eric Reguly’s best idea was for specialized teams on specific topics. For example, methane: Canada should take the lead on this potent greenhouse gas, as we have so much of it trapped in our tundra.
If it is released (as it would be if global temperatures continue to rise), it would offset all our reduction efforts in the rest of our country. The billions of dollars spent to meet national GHG targets would be for naught.
Bryan McConachy West Vancouver
Once more
Re Canada Scores Historic First Goal At World Cup, But Its Dream Is Over (Nov. 28): “Canada’s World Cup doesn’t officially end until Thursday.” Who will organize, and where will the ceremony to hand out participation trophies be held?
Greg Schmidt Calgary
Coach John Herdman’s “eff Croatia” comment felt like nothing more than an attempt to persuade the 41st-ranked Canadian team that they belonged on the same pitch as the 12th-ranked Croatian squad who were runners-up to France four years ago.
If anyone listened further, he also said Croatia had the best midfield in the world and he has nothing but respect for them. What the Croatian coach and media did to take his comment out of context, to perhaps fire up their own players, is fair enough. But that had nothing to do with the game’s outcome.
Kudos to Mr. Herdman for trying to persuade his team to fight the fight. I would bet my last penny his players understood it that way, and are grateful for his faith in them.
Good luck to the lads against Morocco. I’ll be watching and cheering, for the team as well as the coach.
Dan Chitiz Toronto
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