Bogus claims revisited
I was shocked to read that federal Immigration Minister Jason Kenney believes that Canada's generous social-support measures are a factor in encouraging the abuse of our refugee system ( Minister Urges Provincial Welfare Review To Curb Bogus Refugee Claims - April 1).
I wonder if he is aware of the recent report by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities that confirms that traditional social policy tools to alleviate poverty and unemployment in Canada have eroded over 2001-2006. The report draws on an OECD study that finds that Canada spends less on cash benefits, such as unemployment benefits and family benefits, than most OECD countries. Another discouraging instance of ensuring that public policy development is not clouded by the facts …
Brian Bell, Ottawa
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Along with welfare programs, should we also review universal education, so prospective newcomers aren't lured by the prospect of their children receiving high quality education? How about health care? Best make that less appealing, too.
Leslie Shaw, Halifax
Breathe deep - and consider
Re Canada, U.S. Team Up To Restrict Auto Emissions (April 1): Look at how negatively you present this news. The new emission controls are "aggressive," "stringent" and will "force" fuel efficiency improvements and likely increase vehicles' cost. Where's the emphasis on the fact these controls could improve air quality and save lives? The Canadian Medical Association says each year air pollution kills 21,000 Canadians and sends more than 620,000 to the doctor. Why isn't that stressed?
Gideon Forman, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment
Accountability? Ottawa's turn
The federal government's lack of support for First Nations University Canada (FNUC) is embarrassing and shortsighted ( First Nations University Still In Crisis Despite $3-Million In New Funding - April 1). The government has demanded accountability and FNUC has responded: 1) the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) has dissolved the former board of governors and appointed an interim board along the lines recommended by the All-Chiefs Task Force; 2) the interim board has dismissed the former president and the former vice-president of administration and finance; 3) the FSIN, the First Nations University, and the University of Regina have reached agreement on a four-year transitional arrangement to ensure appropriate financial management.
Now the question is: Where's the government's accountability? Where's the commitment to healing? By drastically cutting federal support, the government is precipitating the almost certain demise of the First Nations University.
Marc Spooner, assistant professor, University of Regina
Abortion and maternal health
How can Hillary Clinton or The Globe talk about abortion and "maternal health" in the same sentence ( Choice At Home And Abroad - editorial, April 1)? Abortion is all about not being a mother - there's nothing maternal about it.
Marie-Therese Saunders, Vancouver
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Hillary Clinton is the conscience for us all - especially the hundreds of thousands of Canadian women who have had legal or illegal abortions over the past 40 years. No one is ever "pro-abortion." Canadian men and women who have accessed abortion services consider it private and want to forget. But all who have either had to make the horrific decision to terminate an unwanted pregnancy or have worked with women in this situation need to face the reality that their voices are needed in the current renewed debate.
Access to safe, legal abortion is an essential piece of maternal and child health. Canadian women have had access to such care for 40 years. Surely it is absolutely necessary in less secure places on this Earth where men and women watch their children suffer and women continue to be the victims of rape. We need to be realistic if we are to help.
Sarah VanderBurgh, MD, Toronto
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When the U.S. Secretary of State calls for Canada to support access to safe abortion in the same week the President signs a bill preventing the use of federal funding for abortion in his country, why are her remarks taken so seriously? Political posturing perhaps?
Joe O'Brien, Halifax
A show, nipped in the Budd
You report that CBC management's decision to let Barbara Budd's contract lapse after 17 years is "part of a larger move to replace CBC Radio's news and current-affairs announcers with journalists" ( Budd's Departure Signals Larger Shift In CBC Radio Programming, Insiders Say - March 31). Ms. Budd's role on As It Happens has never been to serve in a capacity that would benefit from former journalism experience. That expertise is provided by Carol Off, whose job is to interview a wide range of subjects in Canada and around the world.
Ms. Budd's long experience as an actress has helped her, over the years, to hone the rich wit and humour she has brought to her role as the introducer of successive interviews by Ms. Off and to relay the pithy comments of many of the program's listeners on previous shows. Over the years, she has become an integral part of the show's cut and flow. To recognize that is so, you need only lend an ear to those who pinch-hit in her absence.
Bruce E. Macdonald, Ottawa
Nursing a vision of health care
Re We're Not Short Of MDs, We Need NPs (April 1): I couldn't agree more with André Picard that nurse practitioners play an important role in the health-care system. I also couldn't agree more with his notion that a collaborative relationship between physicians and nurse practitioners is good for patients. Ontario's doctors know that when physicians, nurse practitioners, dietitians and other health-care professionals work together in collaborative teams, we can deliver a more comprehensive level of care that patients expect and deserve.
By contrast, independent nurse-practitioner-led clinics are counterproductive to the concept of collaborative care. And they have not proven their ability to be cost effective. Every Ontarian deserves to have access to the care of a family physician.
Suzanne Strasberg, president, Ontario Medical Association
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André Picard points out the legislative difficulties that limit the numbers of nurse practitioners. Another huge barrier was that of appropriate funding mechanisms. We should be proud in Ontario that our province has led the way in funding primary-health models that support collaborative family practice teams.
I very happily work in a practice that includes not only nurse practitioners and family physicians, but also social workers, pharmacists, dietitians, a physician assistant, a psychiatrist and a lactation consultant (I fear I may forget someone in this long list!). The care provided to patients can be enriched by the competencies brought by each professional - it is truly synergistic. While it may take some time for the research to show all the gains to patients, the benefits are clear to those of us in everyday practice.
However, it would be simplistic to think of any one of us as replacements for any of the others - rather, together we can offer more complete and more effective care to patients in our practice.
Allyn Walsh, MD, Hamilton, Ont.
A terrorist is a terrorist
Russell Smith ( A Terrorist By Any Other Name - Review, April 1) highlights the reticence on the part of the media and security organizations to use the word "terrorist" to describe the Hutaree, and the reservation of that word almost solely to describe Muslims who commit similar acts. It is through such willful stereotyping that all adherents and followers of the Islamic faith are stigmatized, and the subtle xenophobic seeds of discontent and disquiet against Islam and Muslims are sowed.
Yavuz Selim, Halifax
At minimum, spread the wealth
Having just returned from travelling three months in Australia, I'm amazed at how off base Stephanie Jones's speculations are about the dire consequences of Ontario's $10.25 minimum wage ( Wage Hike? Not Good News - letters, April 1). Australia has a minimum wage of $15 an hour and a thriving service industry. When we were in Ballarat, we talked to a news agent who informed us that he paid his staff $20 a hour, and $32 an hour on Sunday. We didn't hear any mention of these wages being a big problem, in fact we got the impression that employers were proud of paying a living wage. If it works in Australia, why wouldn't it work here? This looks to me as a way to spread the wealth and have more people take an active part in the economy.
Frank Thompson, Sidney, B.C.
Sunny, sunny daze
Sunshine list indeed ( Public Servants' $100,000 Club Jumps 19 Per Cent - April 1). More than 60,000 public service employees in Ontario, an increase of 19 per cent, were paid in excess of $100,000 last year. The numbers are staggering even before one considers the provincial, not to mention global economic crisis.
But that may not be the entire story. What if the "sunshine list" was expanded to include the "sunscreen list"? It might reveal the number of public service employees - who, through the magic of "flex hours" and such - are able to spend all that time on the golf course.
Vic Bornell, Toronto