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The harm done
Re: Ottawa Sets Date For LGBTQ Apology, But Compensation Not Yet Settled (Nov. 20): My uncle David Moffat Johnson was one of those people affected by the purge of homosexuals from the Canadian civil service. He was a high-ranking diplomat stationed in the Soviet Union from 1956 until 1960, when he suddenly handed in his resignation as ambassador.
Another high-ranking diplomat, John Wendell Holmes, after being "interviewed" by the RCMP in 1959, also suddenly resigned from the service.
No one knew at the time why these men decided to leave, except perhaps their superiors and the RCMP. The tragedy in their case was that after years of loyal and valuable service to Canada, they were suddenly treated as pariahs and their service brought into question.
Although my uncle has long since passed away, it remains a mystery to his family how he experienced this persecution. It would add to the government's commitment to redress these wrongs if they would release government documents that outlined how individuals were identified as homosexuals and what pressure was brought on them to resign.
It is not only incumbent upon the government to apologize, but also to allow the public to understand the full extent of the harm that was done to them.
Kate Johnson, Toronto
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Tiresome travesty
Re Morneau Issue Flagged For Ethics Czar Weeks Before Probe Launch (Nov. 20): It is well past the time for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to choose between his unwavering dedication to the citizens of Canada, and his unwavering support for his friend, Finance Minister Bill Morneau.
Toan Klein, Toronto
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Finance Minister Bill Morneau, Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in that order, should resign without any further ado.
What is at issue here is clear, with only these three muddled officials staring into their muddy water, expecting the inconvenience to just fade away. A tiresome travesty.
Wik Van Weel, Pierrefonds, Que.
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Windows wide open
Re Many Women Have Spoken Out, But Too Many Still Suffer In Silence (Nov. 18): Elizabeth Renzetti writes about the price women pay when they come forward to speak out against sexual harassment. She also talks about the anger window being quietly closed, and a brewing backlash.
I started to imagine Canada with all the windows open: the rural farmhouses, the urban condos, the elementary, secondary and university classrooms, the office towers, as well as the factories and farms, large and small.
Imagine for a moment the conversations Canadians would hear coast to coast if every woman who had ever suffered from harassment had the opportunity to speak? Can you hear their voices in many languages? Can you feel the gusts of wind from east to west?
It's time to open the doors, too.
Lesley Simpson, Toronto
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Lebanon's plight
Re In Lebanon, Everyone Has A Favourite Hariri Conspiracy Theory (Nov. 20): Israel and the United States maintain as a foundation of their foreign policy the demonization of Iran, while essentially embracing Saudi Arabia. While this may not create cognitive dissonance for some Globe and Mail readers, the Lebanese people are comfortable with the reality that there are no virgins in politics. Canada should actively respect and support their position of neutrality.
Lebanon, a tiny country of 4.5 million souls, now shelters some 1.5 million Syrian refugees, in the spirit of its long history of providing sanctuary – e.g. Armenians/Palestinians/Copts. They have done the heavy lifting at significant cost and where are the thanks?
It behooves the international community to put the brakes on Saudi Arabia's unnecessary interference and destabilization of a country where people are just trying to get on with life.
Young Lebanese have embraced social innovation, the arts and technology to create and share a narrative of who they are and their vision for the future. It is up to them to determine their future; it would be a global tragedy to stand by and watch as Lebanon dissolves again into violence and instability.
Nancy Lawand, Ottawa
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Selfie? Lost art
In Paul Patterson's essay, Gallery Grumble (Facts & Arguments, Nov. 17) he asks if he is the only one who finds that people taking selfies in galleries diminishes his enjoyment of the art.
No, it's not just him. This past summer, I took a very special trip to see the Venice Biennale. The most disturbing experience of many happened in a small gallery room exhibiting the work of a Syrian artist. The series of paintings done over the past few years consisted of self-portraits which grew more abstract as they grew more disturbing – you were looking into a face that was looking at something you didn't want to see.
There were only two of us in the room, myself and a man of about 50, tall, well-dressed. He was taking selfies with himself directly in front of these troubling and troubled paintings – in each, he had a casual, quick little smile that seemed practised for taking a good photo.
When I took a photo of him – and he realized I had – I think he saw that I did not have a practised "little smile" (but I had the "little glare" down pat), and he grinned/grimaced as if to say "No, no, it's not what you think" – but then, I assume, realized it was exactly what I thought and left the room.
Maureen Thomas, Calgary
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Leftist, rightist
Re The Credibility Machine (Nov. 18): I take issue with the characterization of Michel Chossudovsky as "leftist" for two reasons.
I regret the trend toward identifying individuals as leftist or rightist, rather than letting their words and actions speak for themselves. This is a trend that has proven to be very divisive in the United States and is not one that we should encourage in Canada.
I would also suggest that Mr. Chossudovsky's embrace of all things conspiratorial would suggest that if he is to be reduced to one descriptor, several others, more apt than leftist, come to mind.
Elizabeth Hay, Ottawa
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Both sides, now
No one can accuse The Globe and Mail of not practising what it preached in its recent editorial on Wilfrid Laurier University (Why Are We Killing Critical Thinking? – Nov. 17).
On Monday, John Ibbitson began his opinion piece, Trudeau's Feather-Ruffling Foreign Policy, by stating that "Justin Trudeau's Asian excursion may have been something of a disaster."
The same day, Eric Miller began his opinion piece by stating that "November has been a good month for Canadian engagement in Asia" (Retooling Canada's Asian Trade Strategy, Report on Business).
Still, this business of exposing your readers to both sides of an argument simply has to stop.
Hamar Foster, Victoria