Ontario Premier Doug Ford wears a 'Canada Is Not For Sale' hat as he arrives for a first ministers meeting in Ottawa on Jan. 15.Justin Tang/The Canadian Press
Come together
Re “We need a single Captain Canada, not a bunch of cadets fighting for Trump’s ear” (Jan. 15): It’s time for our political leaders to think country first, provinces and party second. Where is the united front needed to confront the bully down south?
I am not a fan of Doug Ford, but for the first time, I am impressed by his willingness to cut electricity exports if necessary to counter Trump tariffs, as well as his efforts to spread the word on American media against this unfair political manoeuvre.
By contrast, Danielle Smith seems only concerned about bolstering Alberta’s oil and gas exports, even suggesting we should buy more U.S. goods to reduce the trade gap. I find that a laughable idea when energy is the lion’s share of our U.S. exports. We can’t possibly fix that imbalance.
We badly need a strong leader to stand up for Canada and silence dissent in favour of partisan interests.
Irene Fung Mississauga
Re “Alberta refuses to sign joint statement on Trump tariffs from first ministers’ meeting” (Jan. 16): Let’s put this in a truly Canadian context.
In a hockey game, players need to work together as a team. If the right winger is hanging out at the other team’s blue line, waiting for the lead pass so they can go down and pad their own statistics, the team will most likely lose, including the right winger. Every player needs to come back into their own zone, play defence when the other team crosses the blue line and help get the puck out of there.
It appears that this right-winger is either unaware of what it takes to play as a team, or just doesn’t care if the team loses.
Randy Tait Toronto
Re “From cutting off energy shipments to imposing export tariffs, a reality check on the potential options for responding to Trump” (Jan. 16): A friend loaned me a book on Sir John A. Macdonald dealing with the country’s struggles in 1885, of which there were many.
There is a section on his dealing with the United States and Grover Cleveland, the only other president before Donald Trump who lost after one term only to regain the presidency. It contains a quote from a speech by Macdonald to the House in January, 1885, on the topic of Manifest Destiny and American ambitions toward Canada.
He said: “They desire to enlarge the boundaries of the country; they would like to add Canada to the United States; they said, let us hold off a little; let us refuse them reciprocity, and Canada will fall like a ripe plum into our mouths.”
Well, here we are 140 years later and they are trying again. Our leaders should find a way to be like Macdonald at the helm.
Dan Dowdall Toronto
Medical reality
Re “Ottawa says non-physician health professionals can bill public system” (Jan. 11): It is important for all medically necessary services to be funded out of the public purse.
Virtual care offers an additional vehicle for care. It is accepted by Canadians and has the potential to enhance capacity.
Episodic, transactional, low-value care, whether it is in person or virtual, threatens relational continuity. Particular attention should be paid to the context under which virtual care is delivered, namely that of an ongoing relationship between a patient with a most responsible clinician or team who knows that patient, and is committed to follow through.
Francine Lemire CM, MD, CCFP Corner Brook, Nfld.
New spin
Re “Alison Pill deserves the key to the city in colourful Toronto romcom Young Werther” (Jan. 11): So Goethe’s tragedy The Sorrows of Young Werther, which ends with the lovelorn Werther ending his own life with a pistol, has been made into a romcom.
What next? A romcom Hamlet, with Hamlet and Ophelia joyfully skipping through flower-strewn fields at the end?
Or a romcom Romeo and Juliet that concludes with a wedding of the two no longer “star-crossed” lovers, while the Montagues and Capulets reconcile and resolve their feud?
The possibilities are endless.
Bruce Baugh Kamloops, B.C.
Rough ride
Re “Rocky Mountain Bicycles’ creditor-protection filing highlights industry’s postpandemic woes” (Report on Business, Jan. 15): I was saddened to read about Rocky Mountain Bicycle’s financial troubles. That being said, I reminded myself that every time I went to purchase a new mountain bike from 1986 onward, I was always priced out. The cost for a Rocky Mountain bike was always too high relative to my income. The price for mountain bikes is extremely prohibitive across the industry.
In the fall of 2015, I walked into the local Mountain Equipment Company to survey new bikes. As I was greeted by the $6,000-to-$8,000 price tags, I officially “retired” from this recreation. I note that nothing has improved over the last 10 years, as my 17-year-old son is now working a $32-an-hour job to afford bikes on the secondary market.
Good luck to Rocky Mountain, but the industry can only blame itself.
Ted Emes Burnaby, B.C.
Perfect strangers
Re “The world would be a better place if we talked to strangers” (Opinion, Jan. 11): For the last 35 years, I have been on Via Rail nearly every week for work.
Until recent years, I had many memorable conversations with seatmates, and may have fallen in love a couple times. I had to read the situation and wait for them to put their book down and look out the window, finish the paper or wait for the meal to arrive.
I would often start with, “Is this a regular trip for you?” or, most commonly, “We’re really running late today.” If little or no response, so be it.
But no more. I put it down to smartphones and earbuds.
Craig Sims Kingston
In 1961, at the age of 22, I was travelling on a train from my home in Southport. I was going to apply for a job as a makeup artist on Coronation Street in Manchester.
A little way into the journey, I felt myself being stared at by a young fellow on the other side of the carriage. This didn’t make me uncomfortable, as a surreptitious look informed me that he had a lean, intelligent face with glasses that reminded me of Rip Kirby, one of my favourite comic-strip detectives at the time.
One stop before Manchester, before exiting the train, he leaned down to me and said, “You’re the most attractive girl I’ve ever seen!”
I didn’t get the job, but I never think of that day without a smile. What a generous thing to do, to make someone feel good with no thought of anything in return.
Anne Carr Sechelt, B.C.
I am reminded of a recent shopping trip where I was contemplating buying a single pomegranate. I noticed a stranger comparing them and buying a whole flat.
I asked how to check for ripeness, and he showed me that firmer, heavier pomegranates are juiciest. We then chatted about his love for Iranian stews and sauces that include pomegranates. Soon, another couple joined the conversation and added their favourite uses for pomegranates in Middle Eastern dishes.
That night I offered a prayer of gratitude to my late father, who taught me that striking up conversations with strangers can, like pomegranate seeds, add sweet morsels of delight to our days.
Mary Ellen Chown Oakville, Ont.
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