A sign displays the price of a litre of regular grade gasoline at an Esso gas station in Vancouver, on March 8.DARRYL DYCK/The Canadian Press
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Next step
Re Indigenous Delegation Arrives In Rome (March 28): My expectation is that the Pope will not apologize on behalf of the Catholic Church but will instead apologize for the wrongdoings of church officials – which, to me, is not a real apology.
For the meetings to be a success, the Pope should turn over all records relating to the burial places of Indigenous children who died at residential schools.
Kaz Shikaze Mississauga
World stage
Re As He Takes On Russia At The UN, We Are Witnessing Bob Rae’s Finest Hour (March 26): I don’t necessarily disagree that Bob Rae is enjoying his finest hour as Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations. But is it really a compliment?
In fairness to the ambassador, he appears to be following the government’s line. It is a government that seems to value posturing over performance.
If one’s finest hour can be achieved with anodyne speeches, platitudinous articles and cranky social media messages, then it’s worth a hard look at what one has accomplished. If Mr. Rae’s experience is necessary to produce obvious observations – “Mr. Rae said the way the world responds to countries that have a nuclear bomb is different than it is for those who don’t” – perhaps it’s time to refresh our diplomatic corps.
Mr. Rae leaves me with the impression that we should tell Vladimir Putin to be ashamed of himself, and do it in a very harsh tone of voice.
David McGrath Kingston
I lived through the Second World War in Scotland. I remember the bombings and the aftermath for the next decade. I find huge disparities in the experience of politicians today.
Bob Rae’s vital comments clearly describe dangers existing with Russia. I am afraid our Prime Minister is a lightweight product of our times and not suited to its tough realities.
Patricia Hill Ottawa
Work it out
Re The 2022 Federal Budget Is Coming. It’s Time To Distinguish Between Spend And Invest (March 28): Although I am far from wealthy, I am among the fortunate ones who has always had access to dental care and medication. I now live on a reasonably comfortable pension. I will be quite happy to pay more taxes so that no child will suffer the misery of treatable toothaches, and no diabetic senior will need to choose between insulin or eating.
I have no doubt that wealthy Canadians can tolerate modest tax increases for dental care and pharmacare, and barely notice the difference. Unfortunately, a dominant narrative is that tax increases are by definition bad, and so a government that raises taxes, for whatever reason, invites defeat at the next election.
My fellow citizens should ante up and care more about the less fortunate. What we can’t afford is moral bankruptcy.
Olga Eizner Favreau Montreal
Re Democracy Now (Letters, March 26): A letter-writer says that “the majority of Canadians voted for other parties.” But in the last election, the combined Liberal and NDP vote was a majority of a little more than 50 per cent.
How is this agreement an erosion of Canadian democracy?
Sheila Petzold Ottawa
High price
Re Why Cutting Gas Taxes Is The Wrong Idea (Editorial, March 22): When factoring for inflation over the years, the price of gasoline isn’t quite as bad as it seems.
In 2008, gas was about $1.10 a litre in parts of Ontario, about $1.44 in today’s coin. I can remember 10-cent to 20-cent price jumps, often overnight, just before long weekends.
When we shop for groceries, price increases are less obvious. That trip to the gas station is a very visible reminder. I recently filled my Honda Civic and it came to $70.50. I expect these prices, and more increases to come, will cause all those lead foots out there to become lighter.
It may also accelerate the move to more fuel-efficient vehicles and, eventually, electric vehicles affordable to all. But with more EVs on the road, and less gas-tax revenues, how are we going to pay for road maintenance and repairs?
Chris Gates Quinte West, Ont.
Re Horgan Announces One-time Rebate To Help With Gas Prices (March 26): Most drivers understand the cost of gas when going by one gas station after another. Immediate relief is found in a visible drop in price, not some rebate that a government accountant works out on the back of an envelope.
I despise Jason Kenney. But by cutting Alberta’s gas tax, I think he gets how everyday people feel about gas prices. John Horgan’s $110 B.C. rebate might make sense, but instead it feels like a piddling waste of time.
Trevor Amon Victoria
For many Canadians, gas is not a discretionary item but a necessity, the same as food and housing.
My son and his wife work shifts at factory jobs to provide for their family of four. They can no longer live close to work, as rent became unaffordable when their landlord sold the property for more than $1-million. Their dreams of ever owning a home are long gone.
Now they must commute many miles to put food on the table, although there are fewer fresh fruits and vegetables for my grandkids these days. Soccer may also be off the table for them this summer.
Under carbon pricing, my son will get the same rebate as my mother who lives in a care home and has no need for gas. I feel that Canada has become a country of haves and have-nots, and Justin Trudeau seems to only care about the haves.
Christina Schwarzkopf Burlington, Ont.
Another way
Re Investment In Seniors Housing Soaring (Report on Business, March 22): The problem with for-profit senior care is amply illustrated to me when it is described as “one of the best investments in all real estate.” The marketing wizards are on full display with buzzwords such as “pro-age” communities and “luxury lifestyle.”
We should look at other countries with successful approaches to elder care. Denmark has invested more money in home care and even adult daycare centres to keep seniors in their homes. Sweden also gives priority to “aging in place” and preventive health care. Both countries provide these programs cost effectively, rather than a focus on building more nursing homes.
A majority of Canadian seniors say they want to live at home as long as possible, despite the posh visions of institutionalized care described here. If we look at what happened to seniors in nursing homes during the pandemic, we should be hesitant about accepting the premise of for-profit care.
Sally Plumb Toronto
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