Then-prime minister Justin Trudeau addresses members of the Liberal Party as current leader Mark Carney looks on, in March this year.Carlos Osorio/Reuters
How much?
Re “Carney earmarks $89.7-billion in new spending to counter U.S. protectionism” (Nov. 5): Mark Carney’s budget seems to have strong support from business, and indeed its investment-friendly budget measures seem to be what Canada needs now.
Unfortunately its impact will take time and this might be its Achilles’ heel, since so many Canadians are hurting and looking for relief now, not three to five years out. Lower food prices and rents and higher take-home pay are key pain points that should be addressed now.
Ways should be found to deliver results on these affordability concerns that are impacting young and senior Canadians, as well as those raising families and trying to turn one toonie into two.
Desmond Pouyat Toronto
Re “After all the hype, Carney’s first budget fails to meet the moment” (Nov. 5): This is not the budget I was looking for.
Far better to seriously cut taxes so that I can jolt the economy with my own money. Deficits soar and still the government thinks it knows how to spend my money better than me.
With this mindset, we become vulnerable to governmental pet ideologies which may not be all that sound. In a true democracy, I believe the people are better able to determine outcomes.
Leslie Martel Mississauga
After reading details of the budget, notably more than $300-billion in debt over the next five years, I have just one question: When did Justin Trudeau start advising Mark Carney?
Robert McCullough Edmonton
Immigration incentive
Re “Federal budget 2025: Ottawa’s immigration plan halves international student intake” (Nov. 5): Canada needs immigration, and far more immigrants in the permanent resident category.
Much of the recent discussion, then, is not about “new Canadians” but “temporary” newcomers in two categories: Foreign workers and foreign students. So we do not have an “immigration” problem, but a problem with poorly thought-out programs that provide strong incentives for bad behaviour and hurt our economy.
So how do we fix this mess? First, eliminate the low-skilled foreign worker program. Those already working here should have open work permits. Then let the labour market work as it should and use capital or increase wages.
With foreign students who wish to stay, let them compete and apply their skills and abilities in building this economy. Going forward, set foreign student numbers such that they can be absorbed into our labour market smoothly. Fund education as an investment in building the economy of the 21st century.
George Broderick Port Moody, B.C.
Punch out
Re “Good cop, bad cop” (Letters, Nov. 5): I get a kick out of some readers being incensed that our Prime Minister apologized to the U.S. President over the television ad produced by the Ontario government on Ronald Reagan’s dislike of tariffs.
If I made Mike Tyson upset, I couldn’t apologize fast enough, even if it was totally insincere. Better than getting beaten to a pulp.
John Arbuckle Ottawa
Who’s the boss?
Re “How the Eglinton Crosstown LRT went so wrong, for so long” (Oct. 30): I am not an engineer. But when I read about fiascos like this, I notice there is hardly ever mention of a senior engineer in charge.
We live in a management-dominated culture, with a big dose of political meddling as well in major public projects. Engineering is parcelled out and always seems subordinate to political and management whims.
If public projects are ever to be well run, I believe authority for actually building them needs to be handed over to a senior engineer. Crucially, they would have the power to block project creep, where politicians and managers continually expand project requirements.
Until public projects are subject to more engineering discipline, we can expect more fiascos.
Jim Paulin Ottawa
Mindful choice
Re “Halloween provides a timely reminder to confront our masks in daily life” (Oct. 31): The labyrinth of confusing choices is indeed scary when one is trying to choose the right therapist for themselves.
I have been a psychotherapist for 45 years and have seen fads come and go. What I find most distressing is that each modality purports to be able to cure what ails absolutely everyone to the point of religious fervour.
It is also pointed out that one of the most important factors when choosing a psychotherapist is “the quality of the therapeutic relationship – marked by trust, a sense of safety and agreement on treatment goals” between therapist and client. Amen.
Bonnie Levine Toronto
The contributor states that most therapists “offer what is usually described as psychodynamic therapy.” Yet a 2010 study by Joan Cook and colleagues surveyed more than 2,200 psychotherapists and found that only 36 per cent included psychodynamic psychotherapy in their practice. By contrast, 79 per cent used cognitive behaviour therapy.
If this has changed since 2010, it’s likely the numbers for psychodynamic therapy are even lower. In 2013 and 2021, John Norcross and colleagues polled a panel of psychotherapy experts to forecast trends for the following decade: Each time they predicted a decline in psychodynamic therapies.
He also states that the most significant difference in patient outcomes “almost always lies in the skills of the therapist.” A 2018 meta-analysis by Robert Johns and colleagues found that only about 5 per cent of the variance in patient outcomes could be attributed to differences between therapists.
Greg Dorter Registered psychotherapist; Guelph, Ont.
Run it back
Re “Canada is still processing being on the losing side of the greatest game ever” (Nov. 3): I played baseball as a kid and watched the Cardinals’ renowned Bob Gibson pitching and batting to win the World Series.
We then had the Expos and I watched again. The Expos disappeared, but the Blue Jays had also arrived and won the World Series in 1992 and 1993.
This season, the Jays rekindled that old-time feeling of watching downright real, fun-loving ballplayers. Against the Yankees, Mariners and Dodgers, who feel more like a high-paid corporate entity, this Jays team played with the enthusiasm of kids. They brought back my youth.
Sadly, the Jays came up short. But for me, I would take this mix of Jays any day of the week.
They should hold their heads up high because, to me, they are the real champions. Stick with it and come back next year.
Peter Belliveau Moncton
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