Road to Tehran
John Mundy, a former Canadian ambassador to Tehran, totally misreads the fanatical Islamic regime in Iran (Tone Down The Rhetoric On Iran – Feb. 23). Iran only understands decisive action and words backed up by military resolve. Thankfully, Prime Minister Stephen Harper recognizes this fact.
Mr. Mundy's appeasement sentiments belong in the annals of historic misjudgment (think Neville Chamberlain).
Ken Stewart, Richmond Hill, Ont.
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John Mundy's faith that negotiations can resolve the impasse over Iran's nuclear weapons program rings hollow in light of the facts.
The UN's nuclear watchdog has strong, published evidence that Iran is developing the capability for nuclear weapons, and Iranian officials recently thwarted (again) the UN from inspecting nuclear sites. The Security Council has already passed seven resolutions on Iran since 2006.
This is reflective of a trend of Iranian aggression and outright violence. Iranian weaponry has been used by the Taliban against coalition forces in Afghanistan. Iranian arms and funds have ended up in the hands of terrorists in Lebanon and Gaza, and even in Syria, with its murderous government. Now imagine this same Iranian regime with nuclear weapons.
Negotiations are important in principle but not in practice when used as a stalling tactic by Iran for the completion of its illegal nuclear program.
Sayeh Hassan, Toronto
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Mr. Mundy's sage advice to Canada on the Iranian file will surely fall on deaf ears. What Stephen Harper fails to understand is that, while he sees himself rattling a mighty Canadian sabre, Iran and much of the rest of the world see only a small pocket knife.
Wayne Newman, Vancouver
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Is it not obvious that any first use of a nuclear weapon by Iran would be suicidal? The most important message Stephen Harper should deliver to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he visits Ottawa next month is that Canada won't support a unilateral military strike by Israel.
Peter Riediger, Oakville, Ont.
Road to Damascus
Lewis MacKenzie cites the oft-mentioned poll in which 55 per cent of Syrians reportedly support the Assad government (The Road To Damascus Goes Through Moscow – Feb. 22). This is a BBC/Doha Debates online poll, where only 101 Syrians were able to respond.
While it's understandable that we're seeking some honest measurement of how much support there is for the government, let's not give these numbers any credence – as they would fail any academic litmus test for objectivity, randomization and accuracy.
The truth is, we won't know how much support this regime has until its tactics of fear, repression and murder is finally stopped.
Bessma Momani, associate professor, Department of Political Science, University of Waterloo
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"It would be wise for Western governments, including Canada, to redirect our efforts from sabre-rattling to coming up with some carrots to convince Vladimir Putin to visit Damascus," Lewis MacKenzie argues. Maybe we should tell Mr. Putin that we're reconsidering his invitation to attend the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Brian Murphy, Calgary
GM pension plan
Re Bailout Can't Fill GM Pension Hole (front page, Feb. 22): General Motors' solid results for 2011 show strong progress toward building a profitable and sustainable company. A healthy automotive business is in the best interests of all GM Canada stakeholders, including its retirees.
GM Canada has recently made significant contributions to the company's pension plans that have improved the funding levels, has committed to make additional annual contributions and will fund the plans on a solvency basis thereafter, further limiting the risks for GM Canada retirees.
While we still have work to do, we remain focused on putting our customers first as we improve profitability and sustainability, returning value to our employees, our shareholders and the communities in which we operate.
Kevin W. Williams, president and managing director, General Motors of Canada Ltd.
Mayor Ford's vision
"A hundred years from now" is the key phrase in Toronto Mayor Rob Ford's assessment of the future of public transportation and the Toronto Transit Commission (A Better Way To Retool Toronto's Ailing TTC – Feb. 23).
It takes years, often decades, to put infrastructure in place for mass public transportation, be it streetcars (light rail transit) or subways.
Unfortunately, LRT vies for the same real estate that's already in limited supply because it's being used by service vans, delivery trucks, taxis, buses and, yes, cars. A hundred years from now, the demands for use of that real estate will be immensely greater, or have fled even farther into the countryside.
Subways don't compete for that limited resource – they go under it. And subways attract intense use of the land above them, the opposite of urban sprawl.
Love him or hate him, Mr. Ford has a vision of Toronto's transportation future that is vibrant and sustainable.
David Kister, Toronto
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Rob Ford was elected on a platform of building subways. Why is this so difficult to accept?
Marty Cutler, Toronto
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Switzerland's major cities rely heavily on light rail. Far from the second-rate chaos that Rob Ford imagines, their public transit networks are among the world's most efficient.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Zurich residents rejected proposals to bury tramlines within tunnels and build subways. (The Swiss seem to do better at connecting expenditures with revenue when voting than we Canadians do.)
Instead, street-level trams were given priority ahead of cars, and tram routes insulated from road congestion. Today, two-thirds of Zurichers use public transit to commute within the city.
Swiss public transit works for a few reasons. One, cities are relatively dense, reducing distances and the cost of transit infrastructure. Two, the war on the car has been decided – and the car decisively lost.
At rush hour in central Geneva, walking is as fast as driving. Buses and trams, meanwhile, glide by in their special rights-of-way.
Mr. Ford envisions a car-friendly (low density, by definition) Toronto lavishly serviced by cheap subways. He might as well base his transport strategy on unicorns.
Trineesh Biswas, Geneva
Speaking of Ford
Re Embattled Halifax Mayor Waves White Flag (Feb. 23): Right move. Wrong city.
Pat Bourke, Toronto
Brawl and disorder
Re Headbutts, Flying Fists Break Out At Britain's House of Commons (online, Feb. 23): I guess George Bernard Shaw was right. In his play Major Barbara, one character extols the benefits of alcohol by noting "it enables Parliament to do things at eleven at night that no sane person would do at eleven in the morning."
Ken DeLuca, Arnprior, Ont.