TAX ALTERNATIVE

Re “Questions for a carbon tax election” (Oct. 29): I have a question. What’s the plan, Pierre? Poilievre has repeatedly stated his intention to do away with Canada’s pollution pricing policy if the Conservative Party forms government, but has not said what he plans to do instead to fight climate change. Meanwhile, a groundbreaking new study published in The Lancet has revealed that climate change is fueling a mental health crisis among young people, with 85% of nearly 16,000 respondents reporting significant distress. Young Canadians — some of whom will be voting for the first time in the next federal election — might be interested to know whether Poilievre’s cry of “Axe the Tax” is accompanied by any viable alternatives.

Mary Blake Rose
London, Ont.

(Imagine their levels of distress when they cannot afford to buy a home, pay their rent, choose between eating and heating and the myriad of other problems that come with unreasonable taxation of citizens)

COURTING CONTROVERSY

Re: “B.C. trans basketball player speaks out about verbal, physical mistreatment (Canadian Press, Nov. 1): It is discourteous to verbally attack an individual player because of their gender identity or expression. At the same time, there are serious issues about transgender women in sports that deserve discussion. The issues in individual sports and team sports are somewhat different. In individual sports, such as running or cycling, the simplest approach is to have an open category in which anyone can compete and a category for cisgender women only. For team sports, transgender women who have gone through puberty as males should only be allowed to participate if the opposite team also has a trans woman. If the opposing team does not have a trans woman, they should be required to sit out that game. They should always be allowed to participate on men’s teams.

Bruce Couchman
Ottawa

(The belittling is terrible and shouldn’t happen. But biological males should not be in women’s sports)

LOW STANDARDS AT TMU

Re “TMU medical school lowering standards for diversity” (Brian Lilley, Nov. 2): I always say that when standards are too high, lower them. New recruits to Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) could bring a new meaning to the term “partial knee replacement!” How terribly insulting to everyone that TMU has lowered the standards for admission in their medical school based on the ill conceived DEI standard. “Hi, please don’t expect as much from me. I’m gay.” What? Intelligent people come from everywhere. It’s clear to me on so many levels that TMU has already lowered the standard when it comes to administrative leadership.

Jim Miller
Stouffville

(In the name of diversity, they are putting the public at risk. It’s insane)