Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals celebrates a third period goal against the Seattle Kraken at Capital One Arena on March 5, in Washington, D.C.Rob Carr/Getty Images
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In the West
Re In This High-stakes War, The West Is Paying A Shamefully Small Price (March 4): I see that the United Nations found a backbone and sanctioned Russia for invading Ukraine. There were 141 nations that decided, finally, a lot more is at stake than just one country’s sovereignty.
What bothers me is that five countries stood firmly with Russia and another 35 abstained from the vote. I’m wondering why the world isn’t imposing sanctions on those countries?
Enabling Russia should be nothing short of guilt by association.
Paul Baumberg Dead Man’s Flats, Alta.
War in Ukraine has revealed to me that the United Nations is little more than a debating society.
For this, in January, Canada paid the UN US$75,493,777, its annual budget assessment. What’s the point?
Daryl Gray Chester, N.S.
The United Nations should go one step further and indict Vladimir Putin as a war criminal. Should he ever put one foot outside Russia, he should be arrested.
Furthermore, Canada should upgrade and modernize its armed forces – now. We should send the forces we do have to support Estonia, Latvia, Finland and Moldova, and better support NATO.
Turning swords into plowshares is fine, but if all swords become plowshares, we will soon find someone else running the farm.
Tom Bell Peterborough
NATO doesn’t have to declare war on Russia, just friendship with Ukraine. Send our collective soldiers to Ukraine. This is a fight for humanity and we are already involved.
NATO members should really stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine. It’s nice that we provide refuge for those fleeing Vladimir Putin’s war, but what about protecting Ukraine?
Karin Treff Toronto
Joe Biden seemed to seal the fate of Ukraine when he vowed only to protect NATO allies should they be attacked by Russia. In response, Russia has gone to full-out war.
Are we paying a price? Perhaps more costly gas, but not much more. We should be ashamed of ourselves as we watch Ukraine being annihilated in front of our eyes.
I am sure there are many people who are more than uncomfortable with the lack of backbone showed by NATO members. The phrase “too little, too late” comes to mind.
David Bratton London, Ont.
We should think seriously about how far we are willing to let Vladimir Putin’s invasion go.
If his military triumphs – as most military analysts still think it ultimately will – then are we willing to let Ukraine be subjected to Russia, possibly for decades? How can this be an acceptable outcome?
This is a profound choice that will affect our world for the next generation. Are we for good or for raw power (which we would be showing that we don’t have)?
If we let him have Ukraine, it will endorse this whole fiasco; it will be more likely he does it again. He will create chaos at a critical time in history, when we need to focus on climate change.
He has to lose this war.
Dan Carr Toronto
Re Ukrainians Say They Have No Choice But Fight. Yet, They Did Choose Courage (March 2): “Our hesitation to disturb this balance is entirely understandable, if the alternative is war with a nuclear power. We are doing what we can, we tell ourselves, without putting our own populations at undue risk.”
The only part of this statement that I find true is “we tell ourselves.”
Irene Tomaszewski Ottawa
At home
Re Ready Or Not, Canada’s Defence Capabilities Will Be Put To The Test (Feb. 25): It takes the invasion of Ukraine to finally initiate more debate on the military buildup of Russia in the Arctic and our own military capability in the region.
Why do we not have a funding agreement with the United States to upgrade the North Warning System? Why do we not have a decision on replacing our aging CF-18 jets? Why do we not have a new defence strategy?
After years of neglect, the government should realize that Arctic defence is an important matter that should have been addressed years ago.
J.G. Gilmour Calgary
Re Berlin’s U-turn Can Help Fuel Canadian LNG (March 2): Columnist Konrad Yakabuski suggests that the government “do everything in its power to promote and facilitate the construction of LNG export facilities in Quebec and Atlantic Canada.” What about Churchill, Man., as has been suggested by a group of Calgary executives who formed an organization called Western Energy Corridor?
Their vision, that appears to include only Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, could be extended to source natural gas from British Columbia and Nunavut. The advantages over Quebec or the Atlantic Provinces would be many, including: possible investment by all Western jurisdictions, the federal government and Indigenous nations; an approval process that would not include objectors in Quebec; the ability of small LNG tankers to navigate narrow straits among Arctic islands to serve natural gas markets both domestic and European.
With backing from various governments, plus undoubted interest from major gas companies, an LNG export terminal in Churchill could quickly be reality.
James Neville Vancouver
On the ice
Re Russian Athletes Are Doing PR For Putin’s War Machine (Sports, Feb. 28): Russian teams have already been banned from various sports leagues and events. Opera star Anna Netrebko and conductor Valery Gergiev have had concerts cancelled. But Alexander Ovechkin refuses to criticize the Russian leader and is still playing for the Washington Capitals.
The National Hockey League should ban Mr. Ovechkin and any other Russian players who do not publicly condemn Vladimir Putin and his war.
Terry Reardon Toronto
At root
Re Ottawa Bolsters Support For Ukrainians (March 4): Vladimir Putin had been president of Russia for just seven months when he made an official visit to Canada in late December, 2000. He met with then governor-general Adrienne Clarkson and prime minister Jean Chrétien.
Mr. Putin also planted a ceremonial tree at Rideau Hall. I feel that we should leave this sugar maple tree in peace, since it is not the tree’s fault for being planted by him.
However, I strongly recommend removing the plaque with Mr. Putin’s name from the base of the tree.
Howard Simkover Ottawa
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