A young new Canadian holds a flag as she takes part in a citizenship ceremony on Parliament Hill in Ottawa in 2019.Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press
Less than zero
Re “Divisions persist, but Canadians are forming a broad consensus on the need for nation-building” (Dec. 22): There is zero chance of Canada breaking up.
It is more likely that the Alberta Premier and a future Quebec Premier would use a referendum to demonstrate that their respective citizens would overwhelmingly reject separation. Polls have made that clear.
Why continue with the shibboleth? Breaking up is more than hard to do – it ain’t going to happen.
Ian Newbould Toronto
Win-lose?
Re “Tentative deals between Canada Post and union amount to lumps of coal for taxpayers” (Report on Business, Dec. 24): I’m flabbergasted. Only Canada Post, with seemingly unlimited public money and no accountability, could agree to such a sweet union package.
The union clearly stood firm for its members, but who is looking out for the rest of us?
Don Hames Sarnia, Ont.
All falls down
Re “Canada’s falling population is exactly what the doctor ordered” (Report on Business, Dec. 19): You should debunk the theory that mass immigration is needed to pursue economic growth.
I believe our immigration system under the Trudeau government was destroyed and immigration quality was abandoned. Our country was laid bare for abuse by bad actors. As a result, quality of life for Canadians, especially young Canadians, has greatly diminished.
Even a slight immigration decline is welcome news, but the businesses and colleges whining about the need for more immigrants truly sickens me. They should revisit their business models, while we should stop pandering to them and instead consider the needs of Canadian citizens.
Mass immigration, then, is not the magic bullet some would like us to believe.
Joanne O’Hara Oakville, Ont.
“A black mark, when it comes to correcting the significant downgrade in immigration quality and selectivity.”
In March, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada removed 250 points for arranged employment under the Express Entry system, closing the pathway to permanent residency for hundreds of senior executives enticed to fill top jobs in some of our largest companies.
Executives and senior leaders drive critical business operations and contribute substantially to Canada’s economy. Establishing a clear PR pathway for this group ensures Canada remains competitive in attracting top-tier global talent and sustaining long-term economic success.
We are at risk of losing these people. At the same time, top global talent, who the Prime Minister is looking to recruit, may be dissuaded from considering Canada as an option.
A ministerial instruction can change this with the stroke of a pen.
Stephen Cryne President and CEO, Canadian Employee Relocation Council; Toronto
The Carney Liberals have scaled back Canada’s immigration, however it only looks low relative to the Trudeau era.
Mark Carney is still bringing in close to 400,000 new immigrants every year. That’s the entire population of Greater Victoria added to Canada every year.
Where are we building, every year, a Victoria’s worth of schools and hospitals, or creating more services and jobs? I believe there should be no immigration for the rest of the decade just to absorb the effects of the Trudeau era.
I am perfectly fine with the population decreasing. It means more jobs and affordable housing for Canadian youth.
Let’s put them first, for a change, over corporate addiction to endless cheap labour.
Damian Kanarek Whitby, Ont.
Been through enough
Re “Proposed changes to thalidomide survivors’ support program cause concern” (Dec. 22): Do not further victimize thalidomide survivors.
Pay their expenses and let them live their lives with as much comfort as possible. One survivor’s housekeeping, snow removal and airline upgrades are not covered any more. Really?
For the private company Epiq to even suggest dividing the medical assistance benefits equally amongst survivors, without considering the extent of individual disabilities, feels insensitive and discriminatory.
If there are shortfalls in the funding for survivor expenses, then it should be adjusted.
Glenna Boudreau Halifax
Stay home
Re “Many seniors want to age in place, but few are prepared for the financial and emotional costs” (Report on Business, Dec. 19): Aging in place does not always mean staying in the same home.
For many, aging in the right place involves a proactive move from a single-family house to a more suitable environment, such as an apartment, close to amenities and services. When these settings are also home to many other older adults like in naturally occurring retirement communities, they offer valuable opportunities for connection and mutual support.
Planning should also include intentional investment in social connections, not just formal paid supports. Loneliness and social isolation are linked to poorer health outcomes that can undermine one’s ability to remain at home. Staying active, engaged and connected is foundational to aging well.
NORC-based initiatives, such as Oasis programs across Canada, show that low-cost, community-focused approaches strengthen independence and well-being. Thoughtful aging-in-place planning that considers not just costs and care, but also place, people, and purpose, will pay dividends in the future.
Vince DePaul and Catherine Donnelly Co-leads, Aging in Community Research Cluster, Queen’s University; Kingston, Ont.
Heat check
Re “I thought Canada was cold. And then I moved to England” (Opinion, Dec. 20): I smiled when I read this, thinking back to my first winter in Hong Kong.
I “leave flatted” from a colleague who had returned to Ireland on vacation. I remember sitting in front of a gas heater, so close that my knees were burning, but my shoulders were still cold. I would go for a drive in his car, just so I could crank up the heat and get warm for a while.
Friends from Australia laughed that a Canadian felt cold in Hong Kong. I told them that no matter how cold it gets in Canada, my living room was always warm!
Kevin Howes Burlington, Ont.
Warm homes are everywhere in Britain.
My English sister lives in an apartment complex with underfloor heating and a thermostat in every room. When my parents built a retirement home in 1971, they had an oil furnace and radiators everywhere. Even 300-year-old cottages have been retrofitted with modern heating.
We have enjoyed winter stays in an Edinburgh apartment, built in 1880, with a small and powerful oil burner in a cupboard in the kitchen – no need for the behemoth lurking in our Canadian basement – efficient radiators everywhere and the added comfort of heated towel rails.
The latter are ubiquitous there, as they should be in Canada.
Gillian Sandeman Peterborough, Ont.
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