Kids, social change
In announcing the NDP's child-care platform, Thomas Mulcair said it allows Canadians enough time to reflect on the potential of a national child-care policy (NDP Pledges One Million Child-Care Spots At $15 A Day – Oct. 15).
Jeffrey Simpson, while mainly enthusiastic, is concerned that a subsided child-care system will create a competition for spots that will be taken from families who actually need it (NDP Thinks Big With National Daycare Plan – Oct. 15). Tammy Schirle – much more critical – thinks that universal child care is unnecessary because she can afford good quality care and education for her children (Why Is Ottawa Giving Me A Child Care Benefit I Don't Need? – Oct. 14). Both neglect to recognize the place of inclusiveness in child care.
Every child should have a place in a diverse, inclusive child-care environment. A national child-care system should be more than just extended benefits, it should be the base for social change.
Arie Eitan Grinspun, early childhood education student, Toronto
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The NDP pulled the plug on the national child-care program proposed by the Martin government in 2005 when they cynically toppled it in a bid to win more seats.
The Conservative policy, the Universal Child Care Benefit, does little toward subsidizing real child-care costs. It is galling to me that the NDP, after engineering a decade of Conservative rule, is now bringing the big idea of universal child care into the limelight. It used to be that the Liberals were the ones stealing progressive policies from the NDP platform. Now it seems to be the other way around.
Tom O'Neill, Hamilton
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Mideast quagmire
Re Coalition Of The Unwieldy (Oct 15): What a difference a decade makes. Those who were dancing in the streets of Mideast cities after the twin towers of the World Trade Center collapsed at the hands of Islamic extremists are now praying openly that America will save them from the Islamic State?
I never thought I would see the day. Of course, neither did they.
John Stobbe, Welland, Ont.
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Canada's role in the Middle East must be consistent with three foreign policy guidelines applicable across the region. It must participate in establishing and securing a protective perimeter around any threatened liberal democracy in the region. It must help to shepherd, safely harbour and humanely sustain any minority population under attack. Finally, together with its allies, it must monitor the region's tribal and sectarian elements for possible threats to homeland security.
Beyond that, Canada cannot hope to effect peace in a region where tyranny has been the stabilizing alternative to an otherwise lamentable history of anarchy.
Mark S. Rash, Winnipeg
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Britain's Parliament
What bitter irony: The British Parliament has voted support for a Palestinian state; at the same time, parliamentarians are hesitating on their vow to give more powers to Scotland. Maybe the Israeli Knesset should vote to support an independent Scotland (Separatists Say Britain Reneging On Pledges After Independence Vote; British Public Opinion Is Shifting Against Israel, U.K. Am-bassador Says – Oct. 14).
Irv Salit, Toronto
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Colossus no more
Re Was Obama Eight Years Early? (Oct. 15): Timothy Garton Ash repeats what has become a favourite trope among commentators, that the President hasn't been "tough enough" internationally. What are the convincing alternatives to the major decisions Barack Obama has made?
International action led by the U.S. was preferable to bombing Iran to prevent its acquisition of nuclear weapons. The initiative shows every sign of succeeding.
Mr. Obama's "red line" was primarily to do with Bashar al-Assad's use of chemical weapons against his own people; negotiating the co-operation of other countries in ridding the regime of these weapons was an important achievement. His critics have no viable alternatives for facing up to Vladimir Putin, other than Mr. Obama's decision to work with the international, and specifically the European, community.
But his critics – and a good portion of the American public – cling to the mythology of an imperial president in charge of an all-powerful U.S. colossus astride the world, and criticize him because he is forcing them to face up to new international and domestic realities that constrain the exercise of American power.
Mike Hutton, Ottawa
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A realist, too
Re Oil Giant Feels Sting Of Corruption Scandal (Report on Business, Oct. 14): When Brazilian police raided the home of a former dir-ector of Petrobras, Paulo Roberto Costa, they found scrawled in his diary the words of humorist Millor Fernandes: "Rooting out corruption is the ultimate goal of those who have not yet come to power."
Alas, the Quebec construction industry scandal and the emerging story of corruption allegations at the top of SNC-Lavalin prove that Mr. Fernandez was not just a humorist, but a realist as well.
Norman Paterson, Thornbury, Ont.
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Gossip's awful price
Re Cries And Whispers – The Painful Price Of Gossip (Oct. 11): Thanks to Robyn Doolittle for her compassionate article clearing up misinformation about Doug Queen's death.
Some further points:
1) "Innuendo" began with the police. A police superintendent took to Twitter and spoke to CityNews; references to the "incident" at school suggested a teacher on the run. Doug was last seen on March 17; the police command post was taken down on March 19. On March 20, family and friends continued the search, even hiring a private helicopter. His body was quickly found past some large boulders dropping steeply to the shore. The delay in finding Doug added to speculation and emotional trauma.
2) Better protocols are needed to protect the well-being of teachers during allegations against them. Hundreds of Ontario educators are sent away from their workplace each year with little or no information about what they stand accused of.
We've met with the Office of the Premier, Ministry of Education, Toronto Police, Toronto District School Board and Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario. A working task force should be created to explore best practices and establish joint protocols for handling teacher allegations. We hope Doug's story is a catalyst for significant systemic change.
Andrew Queen, Karen Stille, Marmora, Ont.
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2 gets you 15
Here's a suggestion for the NBA when its tests shorter games (NBA To Test 44-Minute Game In Nets-Celtics Preseason Contest – Oct. 14). Just play the last two minutes of every game – in my experience, that should take all of 15 minutes. Everyone wins!
David Yorke, Toronto