April 1: Letters to the editor

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Wise investment

Re We Need More Smarts For Universities To Work (March 31): Margaret Wente offers a particularly cynical and misguided view of the value of university education. Her argument that we should have fewer, not more young people getting a university education flies in the face of current labour market research.

Even during the recession, 300,000 new jobs were created for university graduates. This compares to 125,000 jobs lost in the trades from 2008-2010.

The income advantage for a bachelor's graduate over a registered tradesperson working full time is 40 per cent ($1-million), while the advantage over those with other types of trades certificates and diplomas grows to 75 per cent ($1.4-million).

In the next two decades, the number of Canadians over the age of 65 will double while the number entering the work force will grow by only 8 per cent. And the more than six million baby boomers retiring will create greater demand for legal, health and social services.

Investing in universities is one of the wisest investments a government can make.

Paul Davidson, president and CEO, Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, Ottawa

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Fixed elections

Re We Don't Have Fixed Election Dates, And Can't (March 29): John Pepall was wrong to claim Democracy Watch used up "a good deal of its money" for its case in which the Federal Court of Appeal ruled the Conservatives' fixed election law was not specific enough to restrict Stephen Harper from calling a snap election in 2008. Our lawyer acted for free.

More specific measures could legally restrict the prime minister and premiers from calling snap elections, although opposition parties could still force an election between the fixed dates.

However, that would be done by a majority of parties, with notice, when the legislature is open, and for a significant reason, and therefore is clearly more fair than one party leader calling a snap election for any reason whenever he or she wants.

The law should also allow for elections soon after a prime minister or premier resigns (as in British Columbia). Make these changes, and we will have fixed election dates most of the time, and more fair elections always.

Duff Conacher, co-ordinator, Democracy Watch, Ottawa

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Sentencing

Re Stephen Harper Judged It Right: Fixes Are Needed (March 30): D'Arcy Jenish claims that, despite what the experts say, the practice of giving two-for-one credit for time spent in pretrial custody offends common sense and creates incentives to delay criminal proceedings.

To illustrate his point, he compares two hypothetical accused who both deserve a 60-month sentence and argues that one who spends 18 months in pretrial custody actually spends significantly less total time in custody in the end (14 months less) than one who only spends six months in pretrial custody - all because the first person racks up so much extra two-for-one credit.

Mr. Jenish seems to misunderstand how sentences are calculated and parole is determined. In truth, in his example the person who serves 18 months in pretrial custody will actually serve four, not 14, months less than the person who serves six months in pretrial custody - a difference that the courts explain by the substantially more gruelling conditions of pretrial incarceration.

In other words, the courts hold that 12 extra months of hard time justifies four months less total time. Whether the courts are correct in that regard is a legitimate issue for debate. But incorrect facts do not assist that debate.

Christopher Sherrin, assistant professor, faculty of law, University of Western Ontario, London

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Rights, not resources

I was sincerely touched by Alice Musabende's article (Why Libya, Not Rwanda? - March 31). She is absolutely right.

Global human rights have become more about carefully crafted marketing messages than about human life recently, and I am saddened by this.

But her article highlights one crucial point. Considering she herself has been through a disaster, but has come out of it so graciously and emotionally intact, human lives are most certainly worth saving.

When we recognize the value of human life as a whole, and stop looking at natural resource strategies, our own consciences will be saved in the long term. Now isn't that something worth fighting for?

Aisha Sherazi, Ottawa

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Ducking issues

Re Don't Let Leaders Duck Health Issues This Election (March 31): André Picard is right, the federal government has a moral responsibility to be directly involved with health-care delivery and this should be a campaign topic.

Inadequate access to emergency services is a national problem. Left to the individual provinces, the unacceptable status quo is doomed to be maintained. Canadians are rapidly losing confidence in their much valued health-care safety net, particularly at the sharp end of the stick.

The federal government needs to reassert its rightful position in health-care delivery and insist on national standards for emergency care.

Alan Drummond, MD, Canadian Association Of Emergency Physicians, Ottawa

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Subways

Some forward thinking on mass transit in Toronto at last - the proposed Eglinton line is going to be buried and the rest of the spider web of planned new streetcar lines abandoned ($12.4-billion - March 31). Cluttering the major surface transportation routes with dedicated streetcar lines never made sense, nor does the argument that some areas are now lightly developed and not in need of mass transit.

Consider what Toronto would be like today if Transit-City thinking had prevailed before the existing subways were built - streetcar lines running up and down Yonge Street and along Bloor/Danforth. Would Toronto have its vibrant downtown? Would it be the heart of Canada's financial engine? Probably not. Yet much of Yonge, Bloor and the Danforth were sparsely developed in those days and look at them now. Subways have served Toronto well and will again.

David Kister, Toronto

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Wisdom and choice

Re Be A Smart Voter - Canada Needs You (March 30): Politics should reflect and, at its best, conciliate the nation's differences. Increasingly, in Canada, it does the opposite. It distorts, amplifies and inflames conflict in a political system with few checks and balances, where politics denigrates politicians and politicians denigrate politics.

As a result, Canada's moderate majority seems to have become politically homeless and electorally irrelevant.

We'd perhaps do well to reflect on a timely observation by Woody Allen: "We stand today at an [electoral]crossroads: One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness. The other leads to total extinction. Let us hope we have the wisdom to make the right choice."

E.W. Bopp, Tsawwassen, B.C.