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Organized crime’s reach
The reports on money-laundering activity in B.C. casinos offer stunning confirmation of retired RCMP commissioner Bob Paulson’s recent warning that organized crime is a greater threat to Canadian society than terrorism.
Unfortunately, the federal government, instead of confronting this challenge, has continued to give absolute priority to the war on terror, reinforcing CSIS and the CSEC while RCMP crime-fighting resources have been allowed to dwindle to crisis level. It is time to redress the balance, and start planning for a renewed capacity to address organized crime, either reinforcing RCMP leadership or creating a new federal/national enforcement agency.
Scott Burbidge, Port Williams, N.S.
The press, under attack
Re The Capital Gazette Shooting Shows We Need To Rally Around The Press, Not Denounce Them (June 29): The fourth estate is our last defence against the political illiteracy and lack of involvement that produces leaders of suspicious fitness to hold high office.
The shooting in America at a regional newspaper is a reminder of just how valuable a free press, transparency, and open debate are to society.
Elie Mikhael Nasrallah, Ottawa
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While there is no direct link between alt-right darling Milo Yiannopoulos’s words that he couldn’t wait “for the vigilante squads to start gunning down journalists on sight” and the deadly attack on a Maryland paper’s newsroom, this kind of rhetoric contributes to the caustic, divisive atmosphere in the United States, where Donald Trump regularly bashes the media, and refers to migrants as an “infestation.” Even after five people died in the newsroom attack, Mr. Yiannopoulos still persisted in calling journalists “vermin.” His words would amount to hate speech if they were targeted at other groups. Why hasn’t he been charged?
Virginia Mason, Regina
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The atrocity in Maryland points up the difficulty in protecting free speech in all instances. When incitement to violence – so prevalent these days in the rhetoric of the alt-right – is followed by violence, then free speech seems an extravagance, even an anachronism. I recall the old adage, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” That long-revered adage now seems out of date. Words do kill.
Geoff Smith, Kingston
Silence of the moderates
Lawrence Martin charges the Trump administration with the blame for the turmoil in that country (Is The The United States On The Brink Of Civil Unrest? – June 27). Some of that blame should be shared by a liberalism that morphed into political correctness. It was the adherents of political correctness who, under the slogans of “inclusiveness and diversity,” began to ostracize anyone who questioned their views.
As a result, moderates do not challenge the orthodoxy of political correctness, thus leaving it to demagogues such as Donald Trump to rise to power.
Bill Kalanchy, Toronto
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Lawrence Martin pivots his discussion of a divided America and the prospect of civil strife around Donald Trump. The roots of American political rancour are surely deep, but well exemplified by the 25-year run of Crossfire.
The CNN show’s premise was that partisans of the left and right would debate issues of the day. However, each side excoriated the other as unhinged, if not demonic. Rather than focus on matters of common concern and move to agreement, Crossfire demanded demolition-derby rhetoric and no common-ground hyperbole. Politics was evil versus virtue.
Canadian political discussion programs have none of the heated symbolism found in the U.S. Indeed, it is hard to imagine a Canadian show called “Crossfire.”
Peter Woolstencroft, Department of Political Science, University of Waterloo
Grace and joy
Re Black Players Cheer O’Ree’s Hall Of Fame Selection (June 28): Congratulations to Willie O’Ree on his selection to the Hockey Hall of Fame. He endured a lot of abuse in his hockey career but always handled it with class and dignity. I witnessed one egregious incident when Willie was playing for the Kingston Frontenacs in the old Eastern Provincial Hockey League. After a routine skirmish in a game against the Sudbury Wolves, a player slung his stick over Willie’s head and began to choke him. The crowd reacted in disbelief and anger.
Fortunately, before the referee could intervene, Willie’s teammate intervened, pulling the other player away and pummeling him into submission. Willie didn’t retaliate himself nor do I think he ever said anything about it. There was no league investigation of this incident. I don’t know if the attack was racially motivated but it was sickening to see.
Willie’s linemate on the Frontenacs was another black hockey pioneer, Stan “Chook” Maxwell from Truro, N.S. Both Willie and Stan were fast, skilled players of slight stature who would have had very good careers in the NHL had there been more teams. It was very difficult to make one of the six original teams, and I don’t doubt that race was a factor when you were a fringe player.
Willie O’Ree’s impact for all these years as shining example of perseverance, grace and outright joy has made him an ideal ambassador for the sport of hockey. I hope he has many more years to share his story and inspire every kid who wants to play the game.
Michael B. Davis, Bolton, Ont.
An ambassador is …
I was one of those Canadians who contacted U.S. Ambassador Kelly Craft to let her know “loud and clear” how much I dislike the way Donald Trump is behaving toward my country. So, I was interested in her response (The Canada-U.S. Trade Relationship Will Always Thrive – June 27). Pretty mealy-mouthed. It brought to mind 17th-century diplomat Sir Henry Wotton’s words: “An ambassador is an honest man [or woman] sent abroad to lie for the benefit of his country.”
Rupert Taylor, Waterloo, Ont.
Man vs. barbecue
Re Man Vs. Fire: My Day In Barbecue-Assembly Hell (June 29): A few weeks ago we also took possession of a new barbecue, but went to the other extreme. We arranged for the barbecue to be assembled before being delivered and were happy to have it carried onto our patio looking like the picture on the website.
Since it runs on natural gas, the only thing we had to do was hook it up to the gas outlet. Having heard stories of singed eyebrows and worse from people who had not hooked up the appliance correctly, and having been warned by our son about the need for a fully licensed person to do the job correctly, we called in a “gas man.”
He arrived, looked at my husband, took the hose and screwed it into the appropriate pipe (obviously wondering why a skilled person had been called in for the job). “No charge,” was his verdict.
Clearly, having a story to tell his colleagues was payment enough.
Avril Taylor, Dundas, Ont.