Justin Trudeau speaks with a young Montreal Canadiens fan at the Frank Conservation Area in Plainfield, Ont. on Oct. 6, 2019.Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press
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Far from over
Re Sorry, But This Isn’t Over Until It’s Over (Editorial, July 24): We are experiencing a twisted version of Terminator 2: Judgment Day. How long will it take, how many painful interactions must we endure, before government leaders conclude that this monster has more lives than Dracula and come up with an appropriate response?
When our health officials proclaim that it’s dead, we should all play it safe and lay low for a couple more months.
Patrick McHugh Toronto
Re Assessing COVID-19 Risk Different Now, Thanks To Vaccines (July 24): Some health officials are proposing to change their method of measuring the effect of the Delta variant by counting hospitalizations, while de-emphasizing total number of cases. They are not suggesting the same testing and isolation measures as they were earlier. They predict that fully vaccinated individuals will not become seriously ill or hospitalized, and therefore the health system will be able to cope.
But what about us folks at work or kids at school who will not have any idea who among us is infected? Sure, tell people to stay home if they feel ill or have a fever. Will workers in Ontario with no sick days stay home? When schools were open, did some infected kids go to classes anyway because their parents had no access to child care?
Many infected people did not follow orders before, and they will likely not in future.
Some plan!
Steve Harker Kingston
I will continue to wear a mask in indoor public places, carry one for outdoor congestion and avoid indoor dining and public events. I do not want even a mild case of this virus more than I want my freedom to return to “normal.”
I will not rely on government-imposed restrictions because many public-health officials have consistently stated that their goal is to prevent health care systems from being overwhelmed. They have accepted that people would get sick, that many of them would die, that others would develop long-term symptoms, that a vaccine would meet with some resistance.
Although they would be thrilled by a 100-per-cent vaccination rate, they probably know they are not going to get there. The political class would not interfere if it means the economy shuts down again.
We are on our own.
Bernie Teitelbaum Toronto
Liberal lead
Re PM Says Drafting Mailloux Shows A ‘Lack Of Judgment’ (July 28): The Prime Minister is deeply disappointed in the Montreal Canadiens and says the team needs to explain its decision to fans. At least Logan Mailloux has apologized and is contrite in accepting what he did was wrong.
The Prime Minister did quite a few well-publicized stupid things as a young man, and more recently in picking a governor-general without doing due diligence. He has not apologized for this failure; the public is still waiting for an explanation and remains deeply disappointed.
The poor judgment of a hockey team seems a greater failing to Justin Trudeau than his own.
Richard Austin Toronto
Re Liberal Ideologues’ Continued Support Of Trudeau Is The Party’s Great, Unshakable Shame (Opinion, July 24): Columnist Andrew Coyne can fume all he wants about Justin Trudeau’s Liberals and the so-called ideologues. But the question remains, which has been asked in many a federal election: What are the alternatives?
My answer: There are none.
Ken Cory Oshawa, Ont.
Human rights
Re Ottawa Approved Deal To Sell Weapons To Saudi Arabia (July 27): We are not the country we think or claim to be. As a result of the treatment of our First Nations communities and the sale of weapons to a country I find to be one of the world’s worst human-rights offenders, I will never vote Liberal or Conservative again in my lifetime.
David Moore Keswick, Ont.
Good read
Re Alberta’s Energy Report Is A $3.5-million Dud (July 28): As an inquiring Canadian nationalist, I’m looking forward to the findings of the committee tasked with investigating those insidious foreign interests that are funding the anti-pipeline, anti-oil sands environmental groups bedevilling Jason Kenney’s government.
At the same time, I’m also keen to read its findings on how many of the big players in Alberta’s oil sands – companies such as Chevron, BP and ConocoPhillips – are foreign-owned multinationals, and how many of their executives are personal donors to the United Conservative Party.
All this should make for informative reading that more than justifies the $3.5-million price tag.
Ken Cuthbertson Kingston
Hazy logic
Re B.C. Wildfire Evacuees Scramble For Hotels (July 24): I’m baffled by people who are “vacationing” in British Columbia’s Okanagan, Interior and Kootenay regions during one of the worst wildfire summers. What are they hoping to experience in areas of widespread, unpredictable, life-threatening fires?
I saw a media briefing with emergency officials. They understandably walked a fine line to not discourage tourists (given the need for an economic boost) by telling “vacationers” to consult with their local contacts before travelling, while no doubt being tempted to tell people to stay away.
The whole thing reminds me of an old remark: “The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.”
Sam Rainboth Vancouver
Safe schools
Re Governments Are Doing Little To Ensure Schools Are Safe When Students Return (Opinion, July 24): As a mother to a six-year-old boy and a long-time elementary teacher, I, too, have been disappointed and bewildered that parents are not advocating more forcefully.
We should be, at minimum, advocating for mask mandates for all students and staff, adequate indoor ventilation and outdoor classes where possible. In a position to do so, I chose to home-school my son this year, thinking he would return to class in the fall.
Despite plenty of experience with the pandemic and class closings, governments have yet to come up with safer school plans. In Quebec, even with new variants and no vaccine for young children available, the plan is for “normal” classes, with no mask requirements.
More parental voices should demand that governments establish safer school plans. Nothing changes unless we speak up.
Karen Scale Montreal
Time capsule
Re Decluttering Motherhood (First Person, July 27): One piece of advice I would offer future motherhood declutterers: Hold on to some toys and books. Keep them in a box for the grandchildren.
Our grandchildren love playing with their parents’ “ancient” toys when they visit. And the books are always popular.
Margaret Moore Picton, Ont.
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