Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press
Hands off
Re “Mind the gap” (Letters, Dec. 7): I have to disagree with a letter-writer who ascribes the origin of boomer wealth to the sacrifices of our parents.
The wealth of seniors in this country is due to their hard work facilitated by federal policies that promoted fiscal prudence, support for resource development, respect for regional economies and jurisdiction and an emphasis on a common Canadian identity. The core of our prosperity was founded in capitalism and confidence in our entrepreneurial class.
All of that feels lost after a decade of Liberal ideology, mismanagement and corruption. We are now left with “sacrifice,” which to me is Liberal code for a government at the financial precipice and coming for seniors’ savings.
They want to reduce pension benefits and enact capital gains taxes on primary residential home sales, among other draconian measures I see disguised as initiatives to support intergenerational fairness.
D.M. Tadman Edmonton
Doesn’t add up
Re “Ontario students faring poorly in math, standardized tests reveal” (Dec. 4): How many stories do we need to hear about struggles in school before we admit that the cost-cutting Progressive Conservative approach to education doesn’t work?
In a study released in May, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives reported that school boards are receiving effectively $260 less in funding per student compared to 2018, when adjusted for inflation and enrolment numbers.
I can’t help but think that the government’s takeover of Near North District School Board is just another misstep in a long line of misguided PC education decisions. Can our children thrive under this regime?
I would argue the math is simple: underfunded school boards + vilified teachers = poor results.
Steve McKay Hamilton
I expected the familiar refrain when I read the recent Education Quality and Accountability Office results for 574,000 youngsters in Ontario: Naturally the Minister of Education was disappointed, and inevitably loud voices called for immediate action.
Yet almost 30 years have passed since I observed the work of EQAO up close in my classroom. Today youngsters in grades 3, 6, 9 and 10 still silently sit at desks and perform the EQAO ritual for which they receive little rationale and no individual feedback.
History is filled with quirky methods when we subject our children and their learning to measurements on which we confer stamps of infallibility.
Mary Curran Whitby, Ont.
Ontario’s latest EQAO results are concerning, but appointing a new advisory body does not address the underlying problem.
The real issue I see is the steady provincial centralization of control, while local school boards continue trying to deliver a provincially funded education program under chronic underfunding. Despite the constraints, boards are still held responsible for student outcomes while much of their governance authority has been removed.
If the province no longer intends boards to govern public education, it should state this clearly. Instead, parents and students have been left without any meaningful channel for accountability.
EQAO scores are unlikely to improve through structural reshuffling. Without restoring local authority and modernizing funding, advisory bodies cannot resolve the systemic issues creating these results.
Instead there should be a transparent collaboration to redesign education programming. Build a funding model that empowers academic success as much as future opportunities and dreams.
Lori Ann Comeau Toronto
Rough start
Re “The City of Ottawa’s Hail Mary plan for redevelopment” (Editorial, Dec. 5): How many other cities in Canada plan to build two hockey arenas at the same time? Only Ottawa.
The city is planning the arena for Lansdowne 2.0 to house two teams, the Professional Women’s Hockey League’s Charge and Ontario Hockey League’s 67’s, while a few kilometres away at Lebreton Flats, plans are afoot to build a new arena for the National Hockey League’s Senators.
At a time when people are going homeless and hungry, is this truly a time to put hockey at the pinnacle of importance, when a little co-operation could arrange for all three teams to play at Lebreton?
Bruce Hutchison Ottawa
Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group’s business plan has failed to generate positive cash flows despite optimistic projections. There are countless examples of financial claims and promises that called out for oversight, yet they have been promoted by Ottawa city staff and approved by council.
One example comes from OSEG’s 2015 forecast that featured an inexplicable 185-per-cent increase in projected net operating income for the Canadian Football League’s Redblacks, yet subsequently has been shown to be wildly off the mark.
OSEG’s revised 2022 projections were run through an independent financial due diligence process. Not only were the “aggressive” Redblacks forecasts noted, but also numerous other deficiencies including the absence of industry projection standards such as “tenant turnover” in retail rental.
OSEG’s 2022 projections formed the basis for council’s approval of Lansdowne 2.0. Ottawa’s project funding processes have already been subject to one provincial inquiry – it seems time to commission another.
Alexandra Gruca-Macaulay Ottawa
Better way?
Re “The slow death of public transit service” (Editorial, Dec. 10): I can only conclude that Toronto’s so-called transit leaders do not use transit.
The Toronto streetcar system mostly creeps along its routes yielding priority to car and truck traffic, right and left turns at intersections and curbside parking. So now we add the new Line 6 to the sad, slow show.
Next up: Line 5, doomed at birth. The city needs true transit leaders who are champions of rapid transit.
When? Now.
Richard Bingham Toronto
Transit needs to be appealing, affordable and prompt to attract riders. There are two more qualities that I think are deterring riders in Toronto: Transit needs to be safe and clean.
Threatening behaviour by troubled, high or intoxicated folks now feel routine on Toronto transit, as is food and other waste on the seats and floor of carriages. Fix these two issues and publicize those fixes, then ridership will likely rise.
Driving is more costly and slower by the day; it can’t beat a clean, safe transit option.
Mike Firth Toronto
Get over it
Re “Globe readers share frustrations and worries about cellular ‘dead zones’ in their areas” (Online, Dec. 5): Stop complaining about cellular “dead zones” and get a phone that uses satellite. People in remote areas, campers, fishermen, hunters and boaters frequently use these devices.
Remember when, not long ago, cellphones did not reach as far as they do now? How did people manage!? Well we did, with other devices.
Everyone complains about cell service, but hardly anyone wants to pay for better service and no one wants to live near a cell tower. Regardless of how much coverage, there will always be remote or other areas. This is Canada.
Be grateful to have what we have. For years, there were only walkie-talkies and CB radio. The pioneers fur traders and explorers managed with nothing. Our country and rural people managed to survive.
We live in a large country and the government doesn’t seem to reward development but instead restricts it. Just get another device.
Sheldon Shepherd Kawartha Lakes, Ont.
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