Prime Minister Mark Carney rises during Question Period in the House of Commons in Ottawa on Wednesday.Justin Tang/The Canadian Press
Either, or
Re “Carney was finally in the House, but his opponents had already lost interest in the war” (March 11): With his previous statement that “one can never categorically rule out participation,” Mark Carney appears to be channelling his inner Mackenzie King, who famously said, “Not necessarily conscription, but conscription if necessary.”
John Reilly Victoria
Oil well?
Re “What energy transition? The Middle East war shows the world still runs on oil” (Report on Business, March 6): Between tax breaks, incentives and favourable financing, the global fossil fuel industry has received tens of trillions of dollars worth of subsidies over the last 50 years. Considering the oligarchs, dictators and some of the richest corporations on Earth, the power behind these interests is extraordinary.
So while it’s true that our reliance on fossil fuels remains high, let’s not allow ourselves to be duped by the detractors of alternative energy solutions. Rather, the real story is the colossal effort we have taken to fortify the status quo as hard as we can.
Pete Reinecke Ottawa
A much larger energy transition is under way.
Let’s follow the money: Globally, clean energy investment now outpaces fossil fuels 2 to 1. The cost of renewable generation and battery technologies has fallen by as much as 90 per cent in the last decade, making it cheaper in most cases than fossil fuel generation.
And how about demand: Electric vehicles now account for more than one-quarter of new car sales worldwide, and internal combustion vehicle sales peaked in 2017.
Add the energy security benefits of domestic electricity supply versus fossil fuel imports and price volatility, and the momentum behind clean energy should only accelerate.
Merran Smith President, New Economy Canada; Victoria
I’m constantly reading about all the angst and anxiety among drivers since the war in Iran has raised the price of oil and gasoline to insupportable levels.
I hate to sound smug, but if they had switched to an electric car like I did some years ago, they would probably be feeling smug, too.
Luke Mastin Toronto
Safety first
Re “Does Canada want to be strong or rich? A tricky balance” (Report on Business, March 11): Efficiency seems to be the mantra in pursuit of greater productivity, a persistent theme for Canada these days. Yet greater resilience in the form of redundancies seems like a reasonable approach to longer term risk management.
The financial crisis of 2008 reminded us of the importance of regulations. Arguably, Canada weathered it better than most countries due to tighter banking guiderails.
Something to keep in mind when addressing calls to stimulate the economy through aggressive deregulation. We’ve been there before, and more than once.
Steve Pedretti Toronto
Frequent flyers
Re “Cancelled Canadian trips to Cuba might just be a good thing” (March 6): The contributor does not want to “cheer or encourage more of the U.S.’s destructive history of intervention in Latin America.” But by lobbying for Canadian tourists to stop visiting Cuba, I believe he does exactly that.
U.S. blockade policies have promoted misery for ordinary Cubans for more than six decades. Purposefully making life difficult for them is an embedded feature of U.S. policy. The harms done to the Cuban economy over the years is immense.
The misery that the United States is causing through its policies is nothing new. To our credit, many honourable Canadian tourists will continue to visit Cuba regularly, precisely to oppose the bullying of a tiny island nation.
Robbie Clarke Victoria
Equal access
Re “Menopausal hormone therapy is free in B.C. and Manitoba. Why not in the rest of Canada?” (March 6): We strongly agree that menopausal hormone therapy should be publicly covered across Canada. Access to effective treatment should not depend on where someone lives or how much money they earn.
No such support exists in provinces such as Ontario. Many women who receive government assistance through disability or income-support programs do not have access to certain forms of estrogen therapy, especially transdermal estrogen such as patches or gels which are often safer for higher risk health situations. When safer treatment options are not available to women with fewer financial resources, health inequalities are amplified.
British Columbia and Manitoba are showing leadership by recognizing menopause care as essential. Although menopause is a natural life stage for all individuals with ovaries, it can bring challenging symptoms that affect work performance, family life and social connectivity.
Ensuring equitable access to appropriate therapies is an important step toward respecting women’s health across the lifespan.
Wendy Wolfman (director) and Marie Christakis (clinical lead) Weston and O’Born Centre for Mature Women’s Health, Mount Sinai Hospital; Toronto
Over obsolescence
Re “Almost two-thirds of electronic devices that Canadians scrap still work” (Report on Business, March 10): In a world of increasing cybersecurity issues, it is important that devices have the most recent security updates. Unfortunately, many devices are only supported for a limited time. After the support period ends, the functional phone, tablet or computer will no longer be safe to use, especially for sensitive issues such as financial transactions.
In October, I will be replacing a perfectly functional phone after support is lost. Instead of only looking at right-to-repair registration, there should be some consideration to requiring adequate software support that can be expected to last for the life of the hardware.
Michael Gertler Ajax, Ont.
I read part of this article aloud to my wife, who at the time was replacing a burner or element or something in the oven we bought a few years ago. The young woman at the parts counter said they sell a lot of these parts.
Last week, my wife fixed the door latch on the dryer, which is also only a few years old. So the solution seems simple: Insist manufacturers make more reliable appliances, or everyone should just call my wife.
Jim Duholke North Vancouver
Bear necessities
Re “I loved having a bird feeder. So did our local squirrels” (First Person, March 5): This reminds me of my sister’s neighbours who invested in a very fancy, expensive and guaranteed squirrel-proof bird feeder.
A large bear come out of the woods, bent the pole and proceeded to pour the seeds into their mouth. Apparently it wasn’t bear-proof.
Lynn Goruk Hamilton
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