Ontario Conservative Leader Doug Ford speaks during his campaign launch next to the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ont., on Jan. 29.Dax Melmer/The Canadian Press
From the other side
Re “Canada, Mexico can avoid tariffs with border action, Trump’s pick for trade czar says” (Jan. 30): I am a Canadian citizen by birth and a U.S. resident since 1997. I am shocked that Canadians do not seem to understand the risk to Canada’s future by governments that would ignore events and show little financial knowledge.
Doug Ford calls an election to fight tariffs? Justin Trudeau prorogues Parliament while his party chooses a new leader?
Most Canadians think Trump is evil, that he is taking advantage of Canadian weakness. I believe all he wants is a secure border, not tariffs. But instead of demanding this as well, Canadian leaders cancel everything to respond to tariffs.
I think Canada is not a serious country any more, and citizens have allowed this with their voting. The evil I sense lies within Canadians accepting the governments they have elected.
John Toomey Point Roberts, Wash.
Wandering eye
Re “Vital supports for Ukrainians suddenly cut off as Trump orders freeze on foreign aid” (Jan. 28): The Trump administration has probably made a mistake that provides an opportunity for China.
Donald Trump has already complained about Chinese companies influencing the operation of the Panama Canal. The decision to slash foreign assistance will likely provide more opportunity for China’s strategic Belt and Road Initiative.
Derek Wilson Port Moody, B.C.
Greater good
Re “Being sanctioned by China just proves that our advocacy for human rights is having an impact” (Jan. 28): We at the Canada Tibet Committee are also similarly gifted by Xi Jinping. For those on this list with family in China and Tibet, however, there is an an additional and worrying dimension: The government subscribes to the practice of punishing three generations, in line with other hardline regimes.
Staying on course has the added the weight of real consequences for our kin. As someone from three generations of Tibetan nationalists, we long ago gave up contact with our family to prevent them paying an added price.
Apropos of frozen assets, when China has taken our most precious asset – our homeland – freezing our assets seems irrelevant. At this time in Canada, when the nation is dealing with immediate and existential issues, know that our small organization will do our bit toward the maintenance and well-being of our peaceable kingdom.
Thanks to Canada.
Samphe Lhalungpa Ottawa
Safe space
Re “Ottawa asks to use provincial jails to house criminal asylum seekers fleeing the United States” (Jan. 25): This would undermine years of progress in protecting migrant rights. The framing of asylum seekers as “criminals” perpetuates harmful stereotypes that disregard their humanity and fuel xenophobic attitudes.
Research shows the vast majority of people detained under Canada’s immigration system pose no security threat; most are detained owing to flight-risk concerns, not violence. U.S. studies even show undocumented migrants have lower incarceration rates than those born in the country.
Canada has committed to ending immigration detention in provincial jails, thanks to advocacy efforts like the #WelcomeToCanada campaign. The federal government’s attempt to sidestep this progress only tarnishes Canada’s reputation as a global leader in welcoming those in need.
Rather than doubling down on harmful practices, Canada should invest in rights-respecting, community-based alternatives.
Samer Muscati Acting deputy director, disability rights, Human Rights Watch; Toronto
Driver’s seat
Re “International med school graduates are an untapped resource, as well as a complex challenge” (Jan. 28): It is not only doctors who drive cabs in Canada.
There are other health care workers, engineers, lawyers, architects, technicians and many types of skilled professionals who require proper certification to work in Canada. We should figure out some ways around this complex problem.
It would benefit the country and fulfill a promise to those who immigrated to this country with hope and ambition.
Nigel Smith Toronto
Money to spare
Re “Ottawa lends $1-billion to Canada Post so it can ‘continue its operations’ ” (Report on Business, Jan. 25): This looks to me like accounting shenanigans. The loan isn’t nearly enough to make Canada Post liquid and viable, yet it keeps those funds out of the government’s fiscal deficit.
Those thousands of unionized workers will continue to be on the payroll. Any private business would incur layoffs resulting in paid unemployment benefits.
This occurs because of an antiquated postal service law, enacted in the previous century. More evidence that show me the government has no one with experience to operate anything successfully.
Craig James London, Ont.
Not so fast
Re “Why the union hate, Amazon? What’s really behind the closing of Quebec operations” (Report on Business, Jan. 28): The way Canadians react to Amazon’s closing of its Quebec warehouses will likely presage how well we withstand Donald Trump’s attempts at our assimilation.
Will we forgo the convenience and cost-savings offered? Or will we condemn more Canadians to the serfdom of gig labour, to the detriment of unions and our fellow workers?
Our government has already signalled a review of procurement policies regarding Amazon. It should lead by example if it hopes to have citizens stand behind other endeavours to quash Mr. Trump’s manifest destiny to make us the 51st U.S. state.
Len Ashby Toronto
Unions in Canada originated with the Trade Union Act in 1872. Inspiration came from factories and warehouses with unfair and unsafe working conditions. Although modern workplaces by comparison have come a long way, ever increasing profit and returns to shareholders are most often the priority.
Amazon is one of the richest companies in the world with a market cap of trillions of dollars. Its CEO is worth more than $250-billion. It can well afford to keep unions out by making them unnecessary, it just chooses not to.
There’s an old saying in business that companies get the unions they deserve.
Art Dewan Kings County, N.S.
Cold front
Re “Ontario election campaigns launch as Ford vows to fight tariffs and opposition parties aim at health care” (Jan. 30): A winter Ontario election is likely to further dampen voter turnout.
The weather can make voting more difficult for even the most dedicated. And then there may be the absence of many seniors who are snowbirds and who are most likely to vote.
Since the voter turnout for the last election was the lowest in Ontario history at about 44 per cent, Doug Ford may see an even lower turnout as an advantage. I see this as yet another of the many ways in which the Premier devalues our democracy.
Is he really worthy of our support?
Marcia Zalev Former federal returning officer, Elections Canada, Don Valley West; Toronto
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