Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault listens to questions from journalists as he arrives for a meeting of the Liberal Caucus on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Feb. 14.Justin Tang/The Canadian Press
Military might?
Re “Canada must realize that a strong economy comes from a strong military” (Report on Business, Feb. 14): While it may be true that “securing and maintaining the country’s trade is thus one of the topmost responsibilities of the federal government,” I read no evidence that “Canada’s weak performance in defence and security” can “harm the country’s key trading relationships.”
As Jean Chrétien once said to war hawks (”How Chrétien’s gutsy call on Iraq put him on the right side of history” – April 29, 2023), “Give me a list of all the goods and services that the Americans buy from us just because they love us.”
As for our international standing, I’m with the 93 per cent of Canadians with no concern for military matters; I’d rather be known as a dove.
Brooks Rapley Toronto
Honouring our NATO commitments? Absolutely.
Bowing to U.S. political noise to enhance trade? Nope.
A strong economy “comes from” a strong military? That would be putting the cart before the horse.
Mike Firth Toronto
Better way
Re “The ArriveCan app is the graveyard of accountability and common sense” (Editorial, Feb. 15): As a federal public servant during the early days of the smartphone, I was responsible for developing several apps for iPhone, Android and BlackBerry.
I worked closely with our IT and procurement people to develop statements of work and run procurement processes. I assessed the many bids we received.
The app development industry was new and quotes for work were wildly divergent. Fortunately for the public purse, we sought best value for money. Additionally, we undertook many tasks in-house (content development, translation, revisions etc.) to keep costs down and make use of our skills.
Had I been reaping commissions based on contract values, there would have been incentive to find less economical ways to complete work. That never crossed our minds; we were more than capable of doing the contracting and project management ourselves.
What an expensive mistake and waste of in-house capacity to rely on external contractors for ArriveCan.
Tamara Tarasoff La Pêche, Que.
Top secret
Re “Canada has a secrecy problem. The Supreme Court just made it worse” (Editorial, Feb. 12): Many of the articles published in your Secret Canada series, highlighting the opacity of our public institutions, have been astonishing and dismaying in equal measure. But the Supreme Court’s decision to disallow the release of mandate letters baffles me.
A key prerequisite of basic democratic accountability is the capacity of citizens to assess whether their political representatives have fulfilled their declared mandates – unless what parties say during election campaigns diverges significantly from what they intend to do in office. If so, citizens should have an even greater right to know.
Sanjay Ruparelia, Jarislowsky Democracy Chair, Toronto Metropolitan University
There have been many reports and investigations by this newspaper over the past year concerning this subject, highlighting the long delays and costs to the public and news media in obtaining information. Also of significance is the huge cost to governments (at all levels) in either providing requested information or, as is sadly often the case, finding ways to not provide it or redact important parts.
It seems to me that in a great many cases, the information requested should already be published as a normal administrative function of the governing body. Could all levels of government please save our money by becoming more transparent?
Keith Rasmussen Milton, Ont.
Alberta alienation
Re “Message received” (Letters, Feb. 15): A letter-writer would like us to understand that an independent Alberta will thrive thanks to its oil and gas reserves, while what remains of Canada will freeze to death in the dark.
Just wondering how Alberta would get its precious oil out of the province. Fly it out? Good luck with that.
John Anderson Parksville, B.C.
Re “Environment Minister tries to clarify remark that Ottawa will ‘stop investing in new road infrastructure’ ” (Feb. 15): This sends a message to those in the West that the Environment Minister seems to have no interest in having us better connected to the rest of Canada, if it involves anything to do with improving the low-quality two-lane sections of the Trans-Canada Highway that run through the Canadian Shield in Ontario.
This type of extremism should have no place in federal cabinet.
Bruce Alger Calgary
If the Trudeau government decides that we will have zero dollars for roads, can we just cancel the billions of dollars being given away for electric cars? I would rather have that taxpayer money back in my own pocket.
Chris Robertson Stony Plain, Alta.
Fly away
Re “UN report reveals major declines in migratory species” (Feb. 12): It’s a big planet, but wildlife reminds us that space is at a premium.
From childhood, we are bedazzled by migratory animals – from whales to wildebeest, from salmon to snow geese – and their journeys across vast distances, tied to the rhythms of the seasons. Among nature’s marvels, migration may be the most spectacular.
Consider caribou, the animal on our quarters, which display the greatest overland migration on Earth. During one year, a female caribou traverses 4,000 kilometres or more, returning each spring to traditional birthing grounds, where she herself was born.
But increasingly, we are fragmenting and degrading the habitat of migratory species, blithely erecting obstacles to migration. Increasingly, we are pushing the climate into unrecognizable forms, disrupting the timing of migration.
Migratory species are a call to action, to conserve space for nature. The questions are poignant and pressing. If not us, who? If not now, when?
James Schaefer Professor of biology, Trent University Peterborough, Ont.
Melt away
Re “How crashing metals prices are dashing Canada’s dream of leading in critical minerals” (Report on Business, Feb. 7): Wait until the ice melts, oh ye of little faith.
Peter Jermyn Toronto
House rules
Re “Learning mah-jong makes me feel closer to my grandfather” (First Person, Feb. 9): My mother and mother-in-law played mah-jong, as has my wife at least weekly for more than 30 years.
I felt it necessary to do some research into the game. Studying mah-jong in a condo where both versions are played, I have come to the conclusion that the difference between a Jewish mah-jong game and a Chinese one is the gossip.
Ronald Appleton Vancouver
Letters to the Editor should be exclusive to The Globe and Mail. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. Keep letters to 150 words or fewer. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. To submit a letter by e-mail, click here: letters@globeandmail.com