Police Chief Mark Saunders: ‘If there are things that we can do to increase relationship, if there are things to be operationally better, I’m willing to hear that.’Chris Young
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21st century reckoning
Failing to ban romantic relationships between MPs and office staff is not the only way Ottawa's proposed flagship sexual-harassment legislation falls short (Try Setting A Better Example – editorial, Feb. 27).
Information is key to measuring progress. As it stands now, the federal government requires more information to be disclosed on the label of a jar of peanut butter than about sexual misconduct in its own workplaces.
That's why, as an advocate for survivors, I've been calling for a sunshine law that would require the annual disclosure of statistics on the number and outcome of sexual misconduct complaints, along with any financial settlement paid, for every federally regulated entity, including Parliament itself.
A 21st century time of reckoning for an odious and unacceptable cause of harm in society requires true 21st century transparency. The federal government needs to set the tone for the rest of the Canadian workplace, not hide behind a heavy curtain of secrecy.
Kathleen Finlay, founder, Zero Now Campaign; Toronto
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A police chief's cop-out
Re Toronto Police Chief Says Civilians Failed To Help Investigation Into Alleged Serial Killer (Feb. 27): It is sickening that Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders is blaming the community for his abject failure to track down a serial killer.
A real leader would never say: "If there are things that we can do to increase relationship, if there are things to be operationally better, I'm willing to hear that." A leader gets off his butt and gets out in front of events to develop relationships with a marginalized community. He devises strategies to ensure that his force is operating effectively to achieve results.
An authentic leader knows this and does not whine and blame.
Marty Cutler, Toronto
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A driver. An officer. And race
Re Driving While Black – In Canada (Feb. 26): When Marci Ien's "reporter instincts kicked in" during her upsetting encounter with the police officer, were they strong enough to let her consider the circumstances dispassionately? If she were interviewing someone else about this incident, perhaps she would explore an alternative narrative rather than portraying the police officer as racist.
Some potential questions:
Did you fail to come to a full stop for the flashing red lights, thus legitimately attracting the officer's attention?
It was dark and you were wearing a hooded parka. Why do you think the officer recognized you as black before approaching you?
How should an officer react to an unknown driver leaving their vehicle and approaching him?
Have you submitted a formal complaint to the police department and asked that the recording of the encounter be reviewed?
There is racism in Canada. Minority groups suffer individual and systemic prejudice. But sometimes, a traffic stop is just a traffic stop.
Given her parting dressing-down of the officer, his response – "he looked at me, bid me good night and walked away" – seems restrained and professional.
Kishore Visvanathan, Saskatoon
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I have been intermittently disgusted and outraged all day thinking about Marci Ien's experience.
That a well-known, well-educated professional woman could be subjected to a flagrantly inexcusable display of police harassment, in her own driveway for heaven's sake, makes me despair for law-abiding teenage black male drivers, who presumably get this treatment much more often.
If the officer decided he had no basis to issue a ticket to Ms. Ien, then he had no justification to follow her home and question her.
Police officers must be instructed to stop this unreasonable intrusion immediately. And I say this as a white woman, who likely will never have to understand what this must feel like. This practice is not part of my Canada.
Jennifer Copeland, Thornhill, Ont.
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Sounds like poor driving is the issue here, not racism. If anything, it sounds like Marci Ien received preferential treatment in the form of a warning. She should put the race card back in the wallet.
Mark Miller, Grimsby, Ont.
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The NRA in the USA
Re Corporate Backlash Grows Against NRA (Feb. 26): While the move by some U.S. businesses to eliminate customer discounts for NRA members is laudable, corporate America can do far more to facilitate gun-control legislation.
In 1971, Coca Cola took the unprecedented step of producing an engaging commercial that espoused racial harmony and linked that sentiment to its product. I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing became an international phenomenon and went a great distance to promote tolerance. It also sold boatloads of Coke.
Where are those corporate leaders who are willing to put their advertising dollars on the line to promote a cause that will benefit a customer base far greater than the five million members the NRA says it has?
For progressive, savvy ad agencies and business leaders, this is a chance to shine. If they sidestep the issue, student activists should hold their feet to the fire by voting with their pocketbooks.
Jeff Goldman, Toronto
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'I'd run in there'
Re NRA 'On Our Side,' Trump Tells Governors (Feb. 27): It is hard to imagine how Scot Peterson (the armed school-resource deputy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School who did not confront the gunman) feels after being utterly slagged by President Donald Trump.
When the person running your country calls you "a coward," there's pretty much nowhere to hide. So I hope that Mr. Peterson was able to take some solace when he heard that Mr. Trump really believes that he would have run into the school "even if I didn't have a weapon."
After all, in the real world, it was Mr. Trump who hobbled away from the Vietnam draft because of heel spurs.
He may have run for president, but I suspect he is not about to run anywhere now. Especially not toward a field of fire.
Nigel Brachi, Edmonton
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The NRA "is on our side," Donald Trump says? Seems the NRA governs the USA – and Mr. Trump is on their side.
Doug Hacking, Sarnia, Ont.
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Donald Trump has the same problem I do. There are few telephone booths available to change into our Superman costumes before we confront danger.
Don Anderson, Regina
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The PC Pokey
Re Brown Abandons Bid For Ontario PC Leadership (Feb. 27): The Ontario PC Chicken Dance (with apologies to the Hokey Pokey): "You put your leader in. You put your leader out. You put your leader in. Then you shake him all about. You do the PC Pokey. And you turn yourself around. That's what it's all about."
Martin Birt, Uxbridge, Ont.