‘Economists have perfect answers to last year’s questions’
Re: Mark Carney says Conservative Party ‘doesn’t understand the economy’ on MP’s podcast — Jordan Gowling, Oct. 24
Mark Carney is an economist, not a businessman; not only that, he’s an elitist. This is precisely what Canada does not need.
If we had less of the corporate welfare and special deals that Mr. Carney calls for, large, inefficient corporations wouldn’t be so entrenched. In Mark Carney’s world, uncompetitive legacy firms live on only to crowd out the small and innovative. Such actions are to the detriment of Canada’s economy, specifically, to the productivity gains we desperately need.
Economists have perfect answers to last year’s questions, but they don’t have a clue when it comes to understanding the dynamic complexity and day-to-day decision-making needed to run a business, and the innovation and growth that is the natural result of new players operating in an unfettered free market.
Looking down from above does not give you an understanding of what is going on below.
Glen Leis, Aurora, Ont.
Please don’t step down, PM Trudeau
Re: Liberal MP Sean Casey explains why he’s calling for Trudeau to go — Catherine Lévesque, Oct. 16
My greatest fear is that Justin Trudeau heeds his critics’ advice and steps down, because Canadians might then consider re-electing a Liberal government.
It is easy for the electorate to reason in their own minds that the problem with the governance of Canada is strictly because of Trudeau and not the Liberal party per se. But the rot goes much deeper than that. The damage that the Liberal party has caused to Canada has been fuelled by sycophants who toe the party line so that they can keep their cushy jobs. Please Mr. Prime Minister, do not resign. Live to fight another day in a losing battle.
Shael Greenwood, Thornhill, Ont.
‘Canadians should carefully rethink MAID’
Re: You should be able to reserve MAID service — Andrew Roman, Oct. 16
Andrew Roman’s op-ed provides us with a useful summary of the law regarding MAID but it seems to assume that the debate as to the morality of MAID is completely over. It seems more likely that the debate about this issue, like that of abortion, will continue to be a thorn in the side of politicians for years to come.
Should Canadians just let the medical profession “do its work?” Doctors are well-trained in such issues as gastro-intestinal disorder, heart attacks and lung cancer, but few, I believe, are well-studied in moral philosophy or religion. Canadians should carefully review, rethink and debate this issue, which is very obviously a matter of life and death.
Patrick McKitrick, Burnaby, B.C.
Quebec premier’s ‘alarming message’
Re: Legault’s desperately trying to win back nationalist vote with refugee proposals — André Pratte, Oct. 9
Quebecers are renowned for varnishing the veneer that they are the world’s most welcoming people. But, in fact, behind the façade, Quebec is a relatively closed culture of French de souche supremacy.
Notably, Premier François Legault’s heavy-handed handling of the immigration file is embarrassingly empty of empathy for arriving outsiders. And, his defence that most Quebecers favour the forced relocation of 80,000 asylum seekers is rooted in the distinctly Quebec conceit that majority authority trumps moral authority when it comes to minorities.
The alarming message sent by Legault’s ongoing objections to immigration is that Quebec is a two-tiered society where newcomers are classified as second-class citizens.
Moving forward, let’s hope that Premier Legault finds the compassionate courage to do the right thing for the future co-existence of all Quebecers.
George McArthur, Montreal
Carbon tax must be fair
Re: Premiers should take Trudeau’s carbon tax back to court — Devin Drover and Franco Terrazzano, Oct. 23
Devin Drover and Franco Terrazzano argue that the carve-out for furnace oil from the federal carbon tax undermines the constitutional argument for carbon pricing, echoing a point made by the outgoing premier of New Brunswick.
The problem they flag is valid. Carbon pricing works best when it is applied consistently and in a manner that is broadly perceived to be equitable. However, their proposed solution is backwards. We should not be asking the Supreme Court to reject the carbon pricing mechanism. Instead we should be asking it to restore it by disallowing contrivances such as the carve-out that detract from its consistent and fair application.
Carbon-pricing mechanisms are widely understood by economists to be among the most effective policy tools for lowering carbon emissions.
Niall Whelan, Toronto
America’s ‘deep state’
Re: America’s crummy candidate paradox — John Robson, Oct. 17
John Robson omits the salient fact that the U.S. president has become less and less significant in terms of policy in the past generation or two. Political power in the U.S. has largely been captured by the deep state, which is shorthand for a coterie of unelected senior managers in the various federal agencies buttressed by much of the judiciary and the media, to the point where what the president might actually want has very little effect on what the U.S. actually does.
The Democratic Party itself appears to have been captured by the deep state. Does anyone think that Joe Biden, in the rare intervals when he was fully conscious of what was happening, had any real control? As for Kamala Harris, it is difficult to conceive of a puppet of a chief executive more amenable to the deep state’s control.
Donald Trump on the other hand became the arch enemy of the deep state when he announced in 2016 that he was going to “drain the swamp” in Washington. This was in effect a declaration of war, a declaration that he was going bring the deep state to heel. The deep state promptly launched a series of pre-emptive attacks on him, secure in the knowledge that any accusations, no matter how absurd, would be gleefully picked up by the media. It is noticeable that real scandals relating to the Democrats, such as the Hunter Biden laptop affair, always seem to fizzle out. One could almost believe that a deep state was deliberately protecting its own.
Roger Graves, North Gower, Ont.
The right way to increase diversity in education
Re: Education activists need to leave the kids alone — Jamie Sarkonak, Oct. 15
As a student of Early Childhood Education (ECE), I believe the recent changes to Ontario’s Strong Start reading program highlight important discussions about diversity, equity and inclusion. However, I am concerned about how we are addressing these changes.
Equality and diversity are important in children’s learning, but completely removing games like “Three Bears Alphabet” and “Race to the Castle” may take away valuable learning opportunities. These games, which involve castles and ships, are part of world history and inspire children’s imagination. Instead of removing them, why not balance traditional games with new ones that represent a wider range of cultures? Children benefit from a variety of experiences and perspectives rather than eliminating symbols from their heritage.
In early childhood education, we aim to create spaces where all children can learn and grow. While it’s essential to promote equity, erasing certain symbols from learning materials may limit children’s exposure to important cultural stories. Rather than focusing on what’s “problematic,” we can teach children to understand history and celebrate differences in a positive way.
Renu Yadav, Toronto
Conservative leader is no bogeyman
Re: The desperation of Justin Trudeau is dangerous for everyone. Especially Liberals — Chris Selley, Oct. 18
I can’t help but draw comparisons between the type of scare tactics that some on the left once attempted to use against former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper, and those that are now being perpetuated by critics of Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. The warnings about Harper’s supposed “secret agenda” and his alleged plan to implement said agenda if he won a majority, never came to fruition. The fact is, Poilievre is no bogeyman. Attempting to portray him as such reveals more about some of his detractors than it does about him.
Brent Towsley, Toronto
Reform, don’t dismantle the CBC
Re: ‘The “defund” narrative has picked up momentum,’ CBC president warns in email — Stephanie Taylor, Oct. 15; and Even Catherine Tait doesn’t know why we need the CBC — Jesse Kline, Oct. 23
The growing momentum of the “defund-the-CBC” narrative is concerning. The push to defund and dismantle this institution is not just short-sighted but a myopic attempt to score political points at the expense of our cultural heritage. As we approach a federal election next year or sooner, it’s vital that all Canadians recognize the value of public broadcasting in an era of misinformation, disinformation and foreign interference.
Instead of defunding and dismantling this institution, the effort to reform the broadcaster should be supported. Let’s not allow partisan rhetoric and populist pandering to jeopardize our national treasures.
Harjaap S. Ahluwalia, Brampton, Ont.
TMU undone by woke policy
Re: At TMU medical school, some students are more equal than others — Bruce Pardy, Oct. 19
Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson Polytechnical University) originated as a college based on important technical training that hoped to become an institution of the highest educational standards. That goal, however, has been chronically undermined by its woke policies.
TMU’s performance and reputation were not uplifted by the post-October 7 behaviour of its law students nor will its reputation be enhanced by the recently announced entrance policies of its new medical school. No intelligent, hard-working and qualified medical school candidate of any race will apply to this failed institution knowing that for their entire medical career they will have to hide their TMU degree in a very dark place.
Daniel McAlister, North York, Ont.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s $200 gift
Re: Is Doug Ford just a progressive in slow motion? — Raymond J. de Souza, Oct. 17
Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s decision to send every Ontarian — even millionaires — a $200 cost-of-living “rebate” is a failure of conservatism, which advocates the responsible stewardship of public funds. It will cost the province, which is already $416 billion in debt, more than $3 billion.
This gift from Ford is a perfect example of a politician spending money he doesn’t have to gain votes prior to an election. The premier has seemingly forgotten Ontario’s struggling health-care system and its low-income families trying to survive, to whom $200 is just a drop in the bucket of the help they need.
Peter J. Middlemore Sr., Windsor, Ont.
Free speech is paramount
Re: We have strayed from freedom of expression into terrain where rape and murder are lionized — John Ivison, Oct. 7; and Let the terrorists speak, so we know who they are — Amy Hamm, Oct. 24
The Criminal Code of Canada outlaws speech promoting genocide or inciting hatred against an identifiable group. But while incitement to violence and mayhem must be controlled, we must also be vigilant regarding the fundamental rights of free expression.
I should not be liable because I say something that offends the sensibilities of my neighbour, or his bingo club. As to the policing of political protests, as long as they are peaceful and do not violate any laws, they should be allowed. But littering laws, nuisance laws and graffiti laws should be enforced. Impeding traffic or passage on any public thoroughfare must be prevented. Any destruction or violence must be met with strict law enforcement.
The Freedom Convoy had a right to protest unfair (and maybe unconstitutional) law. They did not have the right to block city streets and their trucks should have been cleared on Day 1. However, their voices of disagreement with the prime minister’s agenda should not have subjected them to the illegal seizure of personal property and wrongful detention.
Larry Sylvester, Acton, Ont.
Support Jewish Canadians
Re: Reach out to Jewish Canadians — Letter to the Editor, Peter Dukesz, Oct. 19
One year ago, Hamas initiated one of the most horrific attacks on civilians in peacetime history. Its wanton cruelty against Jews was unimaginable. Iran and Hezbollah continue these vicious assaults, and yet it is Israel that the world calls on most strongly to cease fire.
Jews around the world are being subjected to acts of antisemitism not seen since the Holocaust. In Canada, our university communities, unions, left-wing ideologues and many in our government are arrayed against Israel and our Jewish citizens. It is a frightening time.
Unlike the 1930s in Germany, there are many in Canada today who are willing to speak up. The undersigned are among them. We urge the Jewish community in Canada to not lose hope. You can count on our support.
Rob and Penny Richards, Toronto, and Mike and Linda Radcliffe, Winnipeg
National Post and Financial Post welcome letters to the editor (200 words or fewer). Please include your name, address and daytime phone number. Email [email protected]. Letters may be edited for length or clarity.