Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, left, and Ontario Premier Doug Ford pose with a map of the pipeline proposal in Calgary on Monday.Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press
Pipeline politics
Re “Alberta, Ontario propose new pipeline in bid to boost Canada’s energy independence” (July 7): What a wonderful message would have been sent if members of our First Nations had been photographed alongside premiers Danielle Smith and Doug Ford at the announcement of this new pipeline proposal.
The word “reconciliation” gets tossed about when it appears to advantage what is being promoted. When First Nations are consulted before infrastructure decisions are made, in my opinion, it establishes a respectful framework of benefit between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.
This would be reconciliation at work.
Ingrid Moisuk Regina
Re “It’s good that we’re building pipelines, but not so good that we’re paying for them” (Opinion, July 8): I am grateful to TransCanada PipeLines Ltd. (TCPL) for giving me summer employment following my first year at university. The job came my way by accident – a friend referred me after he had declined TCPL’s offer. I was told to visit the company’s offices on the top floor of Commerce Court in downtown Toronto. There before me was a giant map of Canada with the pipeline route marked with red flashing lights. Two men sat in chairs at a console. One had his feet up on the desk. I asked what they were doing, and was told that they were regulating the flow of natural gas across the country. My education about the national energy market had begun.
My appointment as a junior rod man entailed walking through swamps; recording serial numbers on each joint of 36-inch-diameter pipe as it was welded in place; and, occasionally, washing the line foreman’s truck. The crew I worked with followed the route of the original 24-inch gas pipeline as it wound its way through south-central Ontario. That summer was memorable for many reasons. The job paid a staggering amount of money, which helped me fund many more years of university. Am I biased about the benefits that pipelines deliver? Absolutely.
Anthony Pepper Toronto
Radio Canada
Re “Canada needs cultural policy beyond the Group of Seven” (Arts, July 8): Kate Taylor asks what cultural productions make us feel, and help us to be, Canadian. Art, movies, and novels play their part. But, as an immigrant who came to this country in 1976, I have found that nothing has equaled CBC Radio. It introduced me to news from across the country and, through interviews, to Canadians of all stripes – political, social, cultural, sports, you name it. Thankfully, it still does this every day. I would be less of a Canadian without it.
Richard Harris Hamilton
Love for Félix
Re “Auger-Aliassime gets pushed to his limit in five-set Wimbledon quarter-final loss to Djokovic” (Sports, July 8): As a transplanted Canadian, I watched with great pride and admiration when the youthful Félix Auger-Aliassime played against world-known Novak Djokovic in the tennis quarter-final at Wimbledon.
Félix plays with quiet confidence, never arrogant, never pumping his fists, flinging his arms at the crowds, or making faces. He just plays the game; he is a gentleman player who does Canada proud.
Diane McLeay Perth, Scotland
Footing the bill
Re “And now, the FIFA hosting hangover” (Editorial, July 7): There is no question that the recent Canadian portion of the FIFA tournament was a resounding success both from an entertainment perspective as well as bringing together Canadians from multiple backgrounds in a unifying and celebratory extravaganza. But now, sadly, reality will soon kick in. The supposed economic benefits of hosting 13 World Cup games will probably be a mere illusion and may become an albatross around the necks of taxpayers.
FIFA structured the contracts to ensure that most of the windfall profits will go directly into its own coffers while the considerable cost of organizing and operating the tournament games, estimated to be over a billion dollars, is largely the responsibility of all levels of government and taxpayers. It is certainly a sweet deal for FIFA but the negotiators on the Canadian side should get a red card.
Michael Gilman Toronto
Sinking feeling
Re “Canada picks Germany’s TKMS over South Korea’s Hanwha to build submarine fleet” (July 6): While the federal government’s decision to move ahead with the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project is welcome, the choice of Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) as the preferred supplier represents a missed strategic opportunity.
As Europe is increasingly focused on strengthening its own defence industrial base amid uncertainty in the transatlantic alliance, Canada should be broadening its network of trusted defence-industrial partners. South Korea has emerged as one of the world’s leading defence exporters.
Passing over this opportunity sends an unfortunate signal that Ottawa still views Canada’s strategic future primarily through an Atlantic lens. With this submarine decision, Canada is signalling that its future defence-industrial partnerships will continue to be concentrated in Europe. If Canada genuinely intends to become an Indo-Pacific nation, our largest defence investments should begin reflecting that ambition. Canada cannot credibly describe itself as an Indo-Pacific nation while consistently treating defence procurement as an exclusively Atlantic exercise.
Henry Ross Vancouver
Mad money
Re “Sometimes, cash is best” (Report on Business, July 7): David Berman’s piece on the merits of cash made me think of Leo, my cash-supporting late stepfather. He was a successful small businessman who sometimes kept thousands in cash in his iron safe. I remember one time when I was leaving for a trip he ran to the safe in order to hand me five $100 bills.
I was nervous about carrying so much cash while driving alone on the American interstate system, but he reassured me that one can never know when the power will go out or hotel or restaurant credit card systems will go down. Or, he said, “If the Waterworld universe comes true one day, you’ll be glad you have real money on hand to buy a dry loaf of bread.”
I don’t keep as much cash on hand as Leo did, but I do keep some, while hoping Waterworld remains just a movie.
Mary Stanik Tucson, Ariz.
High-stakes drinking game
Re “Proposed Republican bill plans a response to provincial American alcohol bans” (July 7): Here’s an idea: The provinces where U.S. booze is still banned can announce that the ban will be lifted, let’s say, on Nov. 1. However, each mention of Canada becoming a U.S. state would automatically extend the ban by three months. A similar extension would apply if U.S. President Donald Trump refers to Mark Carney as anything other than “Prime Minister” or “Mister.” This way, it’s up to the Americans as to when bourbon reappears on our liquor store shelves.
Harry Weide Toronto
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