Letters to the editor, March 18: ‘Is the Prime Minister a swashbuckling world traveller or the leader of little, old, boring Canada?’

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So far gone

Re “European leaders rebuff Trump’s calls for military help in Strait of Hormuz” (March 17): I am watching Donald Trump’s “little excursion” into Iran with terrified amusement.

Terrified, because Iran is a dangerous entity and can inflict a lot of damage to the West and our way of life. Amusement because here we see classic Trump: He doesn’t like doing his homework and does not listen to others who might have better plans.

It would have been a good idea for Mr. Trump to not insult international law and NATO, then ask for help when Iran proves to be a more difficult target than Venezuela. I don’t know what he was thinking, if he thought about it at all.

So in many ways, this is as amusing as it is frightening. Let’s hope it is survivable.

Eleanor Abra Ottawa

If I set fire to my neighbour’s house, then logically I also give up the right to protest when my driveway becomes blocked with flaming wreckage.

Mick Welch Toronto

Real talk

Re “Canada, Nordic countries vow closer collaboration as middle-power bloc” (March 16): Will the real Mark Carney please stand up?

Is the Prime Minister a swashbuckling world traveller or the leader of little, old, boring Canada? So far, it appears he much prefers the former.

Have his many foreign trips resulted in concrete deals that will help Canada? Current economic numbers and rising unemployment say they haven’t.

No amount of trade with other middle powers can come close to replacing what we had with the United States. Mr. Carney should stick to the economic knitting and repair trade fences with our most important financial partner.

Otherwise, as columnist Andrew Coyne wrote recently (“Carney’s cabinet: a familiar mix of quotas, duplication and pork-barrel politics” – Opinion, May 17), “Ladies and gentlemen, we have been had.”

Nancy Marley-Clarke Cochrane, Alta.

Hold out hope

Re “Floor-crossings are part of a Canadian tradition – and fair play in our politics” (March 16): Floor crossings might be fair play, but they certainly don’t feel fair to me.

I voted for, and contributed to, Doly Begum as an NDP MPP in Scarborough Southwest. Now she’s running for the federal Liberals, betraying the people who supported her.

It seems politics is focused on cynical sport, not the quality of life for ordinary Canadians. I feel battered and bullied enough by the world, but I hope there are still people who live and act with integrity and principle, who see politics as a means to make Canada and the world a better place for all its people.

Climate change, the housing crisis and income inequality are not accidents; they are the result of policy decisions made by our governments.

Wendy Sharpe Toronto

Live look

Re “Ontario Premier says he wants to livestream bail hearings” (March 17): Doug Ford wants to ensure proper procedures and laws are adhered to. Then I would also like livestreaming of all committees, tribunals and reviews that allow 95-year leases to spas, the closing of the Ontario Science Centre, the proposed takeover of the Toronto island airport and the construction of Highway 413.

If Mr. Ford wants transparency and due process in bail hearings, I want the same for his machinations.

Marty Cutler Toronto

Re “Secret Canada: Doug’s transparent cloak of self-serving secrecy” (Editorial, March 17): Does Doug Ford seriously believe the Chinese Communist Party is carefully and diligently filling out freedom-of-information requests?

I guess he can’t admit that what he’s doing is exactly how repressive and regressive governments operate.

Patricia Phillips Toronto

Do not deliver

Re “LeBlanc open to Conservative bill to let Canada Post deliver alcohol to consumers across country” (March 11): This proposal may appear economically pragmatic. From a public health perspective, however, increasing the accessibility of alcohol raises serious concerns.

U.S. research indicates that people who use alcohol delivery services tend to drink more frequently and in greater quantities. Australian studies similarly show that delivery is often used to extend drinking sessions already underway.

There are also concerns related to age verification. Studies from Australia and New Zealand suggest that younger individuals are less likely to have their identification checked during alcohol deliveries compared with in-store purchases. In some cases, deliveries may be left without any direct contact.

Alcohol is not an ordinary commodity. The World Health Organization has long emphasized that regulatory systems exist to balance access with public health protection.

Expanding alcohol delivery through a national postal service therefore deserves careful scrutiny. When it comes to alcohol, policies that prioritize convenience often come with public health costs.

Youssef Allami Assistant professor, school of psychology, Laval University; Quebec City

With a little help

Re “With Canada’s help, this Ugandan initiative is transforming health outcomes for women and children” (March 11): Thank you for acknowledging the Rotary club of Edmonton Mayfield’s role in several visits to Ugandan hospitals by the late John Godel.

My own visit in 1997 came 25 years after the expulsion of my family from that part of the country. Following a request from a hospital administrator I met there, I requested that my fellow Rotarians provide financial support to send specialists from Alberta to support local faculty in their educational efforts.

Dr. Godel took with him whenever possible residents in pediatrics. One of those young residents was doctor Jenn Brenner, who went on to establish the Healthy Child Uganda program.

When young health care professionals are given opportunities to work in places such as Uganda, they come back appreciative of the difficulties faced in resource-challenged environments.

My gratitude to my fellow Rotary members, and indeed all service club members, who quietly support amazing work around the world.

Zaheer Lakhani CM, FRCP; director, international, Rotary Club of Edmonton Mayfield

Strong and free

Re “Canada’s Oscars triumph means nothing if we don’t keep supporting our filmmakers” (March 17): The United States is pressuring Canada to drop requirements that some percentage of foreign streaming revenue, for example on Netflix, is used to fund Canadian content. The federal government should give a firm “no” and tell the U.S., “Don’t ever ask us again, it’s off the table.”

This is not only necessary for our sovereignty, but also to foster homegrown shows (such as the highly acclaimed and award-winning Schitt’s Creek), documentaries and movies. We have talented Canadians in these areas, whose opportunities for artistic expression should be supported.

Congratulations to the Canadian Oscar winners.

Alison Dennis Calgary

Letters to the Editor should be exclusive to The Globe and Mail. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. Keep letters to 150 words or fewer. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. To submit a letter by e-mail, click here: letters@globeandmail.com