The terror
Re 'We Are At War' (front page, Jan. 8): With guys with explosives in their underpants? Barack Obama has officially jumped the shark.
Richard Bingham, Toronto
The fear
I took comfort from reading Judith Timson's column It's Time To Break Our Fear Addiction (Life, Jan. 8). She admitted that the media are, in part, to blame for their constant sky-is-falling refrain. Nevertheless, she advised us to say things such as "but, of course," as the French do in the face of disaster, and to be aware that, no matter how often we fly, statistics show we are likely to survive. I actually began to feel better.
Then I turned a page and found this blaring headline: Passengers In Economy Class Have Higher Risk Of Catching H1N1. Good grief, I was back where I started. But nice try, Ms. Timson.
Jim Regan, Dundas, Ont.
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People in economy class are much more likely to be infected with swine flu than people in first class? That's a shocker. Does the government know about this? Simple solution, I guess, is that everyone buys the more expensive seats. Hmm, just a second now ...
Robin Collins, Ottawa
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So, new body scanners at all major Canadian airports by spring ( 13 Items, Endless Questions - front page, Jan. 8)? Wonder how long it'll take for that "enhanced security surcharge" to be added to the airfare.
Pierre Home-Douglas, Dorval, Que.
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If the Canadian Transportation Agency thinks it can create a nut-free zone in a plane with a closed air-circulation system ( Reserve Nut-Free Seats, Watchdog Tells Air Canada - Report on Business, Jan. 8), it's, well, nuts.
Brian Cornelson, Toronto
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Canadian Matthew Salmon has a degree in world religion, is currently studying Arabic in Yemen and plans to get his master's degree in Islamic studies ( Failed Bomber Had 'No Animosity,' Canadian Recalls - Jan. 8). Good luck trying to get on a plane.
Michelle Gage, Toronto
Suspended politics
Let me assure the anonymous "top Conservative organizer in Ontario" that concern over the prorogation of Parliament is hardly a media creation ( Concern Over Suspension Of Parliament Grows, Poll Finds - Jan. 8). The media are doing their jobs, but Canadians already knew Parliament was not only a place where work got done but also the daily point of accountability for those doing that work. Perhaps that's the point the anonymous organizer and his better-known colleagues wish to avoid.
Andrea Laforet, Peterborough, Ont.
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Stephen Harper should stop tickling the ivories and face the music.
M.J. McKenty, Winnipeg
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Rather than ask ordinary Canadians what Ottawa's spending priorities should be ( Harper Asking Canadians For Budget Advice - Jan. 8), perhaps the Prime Minister should reconvene Parliament and ask our MPs instead. After all, they're the people we elected to speak for us.
Daina Di Veto, Lynden, Ont.
Constitutional showdown?
Jeffrey Simpson ( An Altered State Of Affairs? - Jan. 8) is absolutely right: The Supreme Court has already determined that unilateral Senate reform by the federal government is impossible. True to his actions to date, Stephen Harper's next step is clear: Abolish the Supreme Court, or at least cut its budget so it can no longer function effectively.
Peter Weinrich, Victoria
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Our government's Senate reform commitments, including the term limits bill introduced in the last session, are within the constitutional authority of Parliament ( Senate Reform Plan Sparks Standoff With Provinces - front page, Jan. 7). In 1965, senators' term limits were first curbed when Parliament, acting alone, amended the Constitution Act to limit the appointment of senators "for life" to mandatory retirement at 75.
We have introduced the necessary legislation at various times to begin the process of reforming the Senate, but, so far, Liberal senators have refused to pass it. Ironically, opposition politicians and some pundits oppose the democratization of the Senate as much as they oppose Senate appointments. It is the provinces' choice if they do not wish to participate in Senate reform.
Steven Fletcher, Minister of State for Democratic Reform, Ottawa
Learning to pay our way
Yes, there's an upfront cost to green power ( The High Cost Of Green Power - Jan. 8). But it's better to pay the real cost of power now rather than hiding it in subsidies and forcing our children to pay off our debts.
There's another line at the bottom of our electricity bills to pay off the $20-billion "stranded debt" that previous governments tried to hide. Most of the debt was incurred by relying on nuclear power plants that routinely broke down and cost billions to fix. Then there's the question of paying to handle the waste for 100,000 years.
Electricity has always been one of the tools used by government to encourage industrial development. Paying a little more so our neighbours have jobs building and operating decentralized renewable power generation will benefit all of us. Oh, and protecting the climate and air quality is not a bad idea, either.
John Bennett, executive director, Sierra Club Canada, Ottawa
Spiritual armour, indeed
Lorna Dueck says Let's Pray For Our Soldiers In Afghanistan (Jan. 8), since "faith [is]for more than just funerals." The implications of that faith would be enlarged even more were she to encourage us to also pray for our enemies in Afghanistan. The question would arise, of course, as to whether such prayer would make it easier or harder for us to regard the enemy as an enemy.
Kevin Flynn, Ottawa
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Lorna Dueck would be well-advised to look at the data on the power of prayer: All the reputable studies conclude fairly unambiguously that there is absolutely no evidence that prayer has any observable effect. Perhaps it has an effect on the mind of God, but, if so, God doesn't seem inclined to do anything about it. The war in Afghanistan is a serious matter, but, on the evidence available, it is not going to be mitigated in any way by appeals to God.
Colin Howson, professor of philosophy, University of Toronto
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I think it's worth praying for our soldiers, that they do no harm to the civilian population of Afghanistan and that they return home safely so they can defend Canadian values on Canadian soil. But Jesus exhorted us also to love and do good to our enemies, so we may be known as God's children. Perhaps it's time to recognize that it's impossible to convince people of the merits of our point of view after we've killed them - which is why I'll stand by the belief that non-violence is the highest religion.
Ian Poole, Nanaimo, B.C.
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The Taliban have been praying successfully for years. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em?
Kevin Smith, Toronto
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Lorna Dueck's column reminds me of a little First World War verse:
God heard the embattled nations sing and shout
"Gott strafe England" and "God save the King!"
God this, God that, and God the other thing -
"Good God," said God, "I've got my work cut out!"
Richard Platt, Richmond, B.C.
Aid and NGOs
Aid cannot be delivered apolitically. Margaret Wente ( Why Do We Fund NGOs Anyway? - Jan. 7) is free to argue that governments have erred in privatizing the delivery of aid, entrusting the task to NGOs. That, however, doesn't get rid of the essential problem.
If we send money to help in the fight against AIDS in Africa, we'll have to say something about sex. We can say people should use condoms, for greater safety. Or we can say people should abstain rather than using birth control.
Either way, we're taking a public stand on a moral issue - which is politics. It'll happen whether we let NGOs deliver aid and take positions on such issues or we assign a governmental agency to do it.
William Harrison, Vernon, B.C.
Flogging a dead flea
Re History Repeats Itself For 'Vestur Islendingurs' (Jan. 7): If some lcelanders have decided "to flea their country's contracting economy," shouldn't Manitobans call in the SWAT team?
Eddy A. Elia, Vancouver
So there's these two women ...
Re As If Baby Weight Isn't Enough, Women Now Face Mate Weight (Life, Jan. 8): The folks conducting the "married women are fatter than single women" study could have saved themselves a mess of time and money by reflecting on an old joke:
The single woman comes home, looks in the fridge and goes to bed. The married woman comes home, looks at what's in the bed and goes to the fridge.
Hilary Knight, Victoria