Olympic cris de coeur
Every time I see people celebrating the Olympics, I want to cry. I feel terribly depressed about where this planet is headed. How can so many human beings find such joy in an event that has devoured billions of dollars that could have otherwise provided aid and shelter to the poor in Vancouver?
There are those previously opposed to these Games who now say we might as well enjoy the whole thing because it's here. I can't conceive how this is possible, for what kind of glory is achieved at the expense of another? That's not patriotism; that's shallow-ism. That's like protesting against bullfighting, then showing up to cheer the matador.
If we could have played host to the Games and lifted our downtrodden from the depths of their poverty and despair, I would be dancing in the streets with the rest of you, instead of hanging my head in shame. The evolution of a society is measured by how well it treats the most vulnerable among its members, and it is a heart-wrenching statement of where we are on the evolutionary scale when the speed of a skier down a hill generates a larger public reaction than does human suffering.
Maureen Kerr, North Vancouver
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Okay all you armchair critics, ask yourself this: What are the Olympic Games all about? Well, they're about overcoming enormous obstacles in pursuit of your dreams, they're about doing your very best even when everything is against you, they're about sportsmanship and about picking yourself back up when you fail.
Yes, the weather sucks. Yes, there've been cancellations because of safety issues. Yes, there's an ugly fence around the cauldron. But you know what? VANOC is doing everything in its power to deal with the obstacles (primarily Mother Nature). Unless you want to get off your couch and help, just enjoy what these Games are all about.
From my living room, I've seen so many amazing inspirational stories, from the opening ceremonies to the spirit in the village. So enough with the negativity. Try acting like an Olympic athlete for a change.
Leslie Gould (former member of the Canadian gymnastics team), Toronto
Olympic media
I, for one, am grateful to correspondents from The Guardian and sundry other British newspapers for drawing the world's attention to the shortcomings of the Vancouver Olympics. We are obligated, of course, to heed the instructions of our Mother Country and acknowledge, while tugging at our forelocks, that colonials cannot be trusted to deliver such a complex event while meeting Britain's high standards of beauty, efficiency and environmental standards.
Thankfully, we are soon to receive a practical lesson on Olympic site selection and management from the same source. I can hardly wait to experience the 2012 Olympics in London and revel in the prospect of damp foggy days, the threat of galloping skinhead football fans, the delights of a cuisine based on beef fat and organ meats, and the potential appearance of Prince Charles to show us his ears.
John Lawrence Reynolds, Burlington, Ont.
Olympic essence
With all the hand-wringing over the Olympics, I realize my wife, two sons and I must be the luckiest of attendees. We drove to Vancouver for the weekend. On Saturday, we strolled around downtown to see the myriad of exhibits and attended a short-track speed-skating event at the Pacific Coliseum. On Sunday, we were at Cypress to see Alexandre Bilodeau do Canada proud.
Sure, the fenced-off Olympic cauldron was a bit disappointing. The almost two-hour wait in line at Cypress for a warm drink was, to put it mildly, excessive. Stuff happens. But we saw athletic performance at its finest. We experienced the great cultural gathering that is the Olympics. We had the time of our lives.
John Smeeton, Calgary
Olympic medals
Given your excellent and most comprehensive coverage of the Olympics, could we not have a complete list of medals won? There are more than five countries competing.
Andrzej Derkowski, Oakville, Ont.
Always look on the bright side
Not a day goes by without someone taking a cheap shot at our Prime Minister ( The Gift That Keeps On Giving - letter, Feb. 17). Instead of politicking in the comedy and drama house otherwise known as the House of Commons, Stephen Harper is actually managing the country and offering help to Haitians. We would be well-advised to can the negativity and examine our own contributions to Canada and Haiti.
Robert Jamieson, Mississauga, Ont.
Scary nuclear stuff
Your article Possible Mass Radiation Exposure Investigated (Feb. 17) reminds us that nuclear energy is a hazard to workers - but no one in authority will admit it. Bruce Power says its radiation limits are stricter than the federal government's, meaning it allows employees the equivalent of "only" 400 chest X-rays annually. But this is okay because Ottawa allows as many as 500.
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission says Bruce staff were exposed to alpha contamination - a potential carcinogen - but that's all right because Bruce suggests the exposures were below the regulatory limit. The fact is, no amount of radiation is safe. Atomic power is a cancer-risk for all of us, with workers on the front lines.
Gideon Forman, executive director, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, Toronto
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When they build reactors that will last as long as the toxic waste they create ( Pickering Nuclear Plant To Close In 10 Years - Feb. 17), then I'll support nuclear energy.
Hugh Robertson, Ottawa
On guard for taxpayers
In your article Native University Pulled Back From Brink (Feb. 16), you speculate on a possible new funding arrangement for the institution, and the participation of the federal government in any new arrangement. While I continue to remain an active participant in these discussions, I want to be clear that the government will no longer directly fund First Nations University. We will continue to work with our partners to ensure that the university's students are able to complete their current academic year.
The decision not to renew funding for this institution was based on many attempts to help make its governance accountable and its spending transparent. Unfortunately, these efforts proved to be unsuccessful, and the decision to discontinue funding as of March 31 was necessary to protect taxpayers' money. Our government remains committed to helping first nations students access and complete their education - no matter what university they choose to attend - but we must also be accountable to all Canadians.
While no decision has been made on how funds will be reallocated, I can confirm that they will be used to support first nations learners to ensure that they continue to enjoy the same educational opportunities as other Canadians.
Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Ottawa
Quebec sovereignty update
Re Bouchard Says PQ On Cusp Of 'Radicalism' (Feb. 17): Have you noticed that the only time Quebec sovereignty gets media exposure these days is when two former leaders talk about it - Jacques Parizeau for, and Lucien Bouchard against?
Howard M. Greenfield, Montreal
Middle East update
Re Attack On Israel Is An Attack On Canada, Kent Says (Feb. 17): Is an attack on Canada an attack on Israel?
Nesrine Abbas, Edmonton
Bilingual clarification
Letter writer John Savage ( Two Solitudes Redux - Feb. 17) says New Brunswick is Canada's only bilingual province. Manitoba was constitutionally constituted as a bilingual province in 1870.
J.R. Léveillé, Winnipeg
Budget revelation
A 4-per-cent property tax hike ( A Balanced Budget, But No Long-Term Plan - Feb. 17)? No big deal. Unless you multiply it by the 50-per-cent assessment increase on my house in Toronto, and add the extra tax I pay each year to own a vehicle in Toronto, and to pay my provincial and federal taxes so those governments can transfer money to Toronto. I estimate that my 2010 expenditures to be a citizen of Toronto will reach well beyond $10,000.
And what do I get for that? My garbage doesn't get picked up for months, my street doesn't get plowed when there's snow, a public transit system that is woefully inadequate, and a bloated city government that, under "fiscal restraint," lays off a measly 1 per cent of its work force and starts charging me for the only city service I desperately want and need - firefighters responding to an emergency call.
J. Rees, Toronto (reluctantly)
Uncollected wisdom
In My War On The Heating Bill: I'm Buying Slippers (Life, Feb. 16), one recommendation is to open the oven door after you've finished baking and let the heat out into the house. Where does the heat from the oven go if you don't open the oven door?
Tony Ashley, Edmonton