Letters to the Editor should be exclusive to The Globe and Mail. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. Try to keep letters to fewer than 150 words. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. To submit a letter by e-mail, click here: letters@globeandmail.com
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The sniper, the PM
Re Canada Not Involved In Direct Combat, PM Says (June 28): Justin Trudeau is doing his best Kellyanne Conway impression when he argues that a long-distance sniper kill by one of our forces is consistent with a non-combat role.
When the mandate to "advise and assist" includes long-distance killing, we are in the world of "alternative language."
David Beattie, Chelsea, Que.
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I am happy our military is taking the fight to the enemy, rather than sitting back on our heels and always reacting. Congratulations to the sniper and his team. This is what we expect our military to do. Otherwise, why have one?
Randy Sterling, Blenheim, Ont.
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How utterly perverse that there should be such a thing as a world distance record in confirmed kills by sniper fire, involving atmospheric variables and earth rotational parameters no less.
This is analogous to the vainglorious boasting of the number of "kills" by wartime aviators. In both instances, the concept is downright sick.
Morton Doran, Fairmont, B.C.
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Letters to the editor commenting on this remarkable achievement by a Canadian sniper have been largely negative. It appears many Canadians are unwilling to acknowledge that it's sometimes necessary to do bad things to bad people. Without that, we risk losing our freedom and safety.
We're lucky to have soldiers who are willing to do these jobs. They do it for us. And they're darn good at what they do. They deserve our thanks and support, not our denigration.
Judith Bussey, Toronto
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If this is how Justin Trudeau defines "advise and assist," please spare me from his advice – or assistance!
Shannon O'Neill, St. John's
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China connections
Re Trudeau Dismisses Security Concerns Over Chinese Takeover (June 28): I feel safer already.
Travers Fitzpatrick, Fonthill, Ont.
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The topic of trade with China focuses too much on the issue of human rights. Not because we should not take a stand (we should) but because we gloss over the very real questions of whether a fair deal can be struck.
China routinely demands massively one-sided deals in exchange for access to its market. Then it puts severe restraints on access to that market and reserves the right to change the rules later.
Remember when we thought globalization meant we would be the engineers and managers and developing countries would do all the work? Then we woke up and realized the Chinese have pretty good engineers and they don't really want just to do our bidding.
I do not want to support China's appalling human rights record. But more than that, I do not want to see my country taken to the cleaners.
Darryl Squires, Ottawa
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Act like Canadians?
Re Reconciliation (Folio, June 28): On Wednesday, I signed a petition regarding water quality on the Kashechewan First Nation Reserve. The explanation noted that in Canada, two-thirds of First Nations have been under a drinking water advisory.
Is it selfish to ask Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other decision makers to stop shaming us all by failing to take concrete steps now to address these and the other problems of the First Nations people? Why can't politicians act like Canadians?
What better target for the long-promised infrastructure spending than the infrastructure in the reserves? Aside even from treaty obligations and the need to correct or compensate for past wrongs, if a nation is judged by how it treats its poorest people, Canada is failing badly.
Geoff Holland, Barrie, Ont.
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'Flat-out coercion'
Re Who Owns The Pride Movement? (June 28): During last year's Pride Parade, Black Lives Matter Toronto physically blocked the route. The parade continued only after BLM extracted a promise that the Toronto Police Service would be excluded from this year's parade.
This is flat-out coercion.
Shawn Ahmed writes that this year, "space and attention wasn't taken away from other marginalized groups by halting the parade with demands." Allow the obvious: Why would BLM indulge in disruptive conduct this year, when its coercive action last year achieved the goal it desired?
When will attending politicians be asked directly: Is coercive conduct acceptable in public civil matters?
Roy Sullivan, Sudbury, Ont.
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If Shawn Ahmed truly believes that "Pride belongs to all of us," can he explain how blackmailing the 2016 Pride Parade into excluding the Toronto Police Service from the 2017 parade works?
Robert B. Day, Ottawa
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Marine life, oil
Re Marine Protected Area May Open To Oil Exploration (June 24): What are we to make of Justin Trudeau's plan to allow oil exploration in the planned new marine protected area in the Gulf of St. Lawrence? Despite his public championing of the Paris climate accord, is it really just business as usual for fossil fuels?
The Prime Minister has not altered the inadequate greenhouse gas reduction targets set by our previous government, and almost halfway through his mandate, we are nowhere near being on track to meet them.
Norm Beach, Toronto
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Poo and woo woo
Re Beware Gwyneth And The Post-Truth World Of Woo Woo (June 23): While one agrees heartily with Leah McLaren's list off Paltrowesque woo woo idiocies, fecal transplants should not be included. Whether or not such transplants (or modified versions thereof) will pan out in a clinical sense is not a function of New Agers' opinions. The answer will come from empirical evidence based on extensive research currently being carried out in various laboratories. That research follows established, good scientific practice.
Michael Peters, professor emeritus, neuroscience and applied cognitive sciences, University of Guelph
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Hmm …
Re Countess Laid To Rest (June 28): The caption next to your large picture of pallbearers carrying a coffin tells us that the Countess Mountbatten of Burma was laid to rest. It was oddly comforting to know that though much has changed in journalism since G.K. Chesterton's days, one description of the profession remains quite accurate: "Journalism largely consists of saying 'Lord Jones is Dead' to people who never knew that Lord Jones was alive."
Wael Haddara, London, Ont.