Skip to main content
letters

Liberal MPs' choice

Re Trudeau Says Anti-Abortion Candidates Not Welcome In Party (May 8): Good move by Justin Trudeau in requiring future candidates for the Liberal Party to be pro-choice. This is an important principle and a woman's right that needs to be bulwarked, as there is a constant undercurrent to take it away.

If we can now move forward on assisted suicide/right to die, we can be fully proud of this great country's individual rights.

I'm sure we'll get there sooner or later. I just hope it's within my lifetime.

Peter D. Hambly, Hanover, Ont.

.........

In light of Justin Trudeau's requirement, I think he must do one of two things: Change the name of his party, or check the meaning of the term "liberal" in the dictionary.

One of the definitions states that liberal means "a political or social philosophy advocating the freedom of the individual."

Maureen Faour, St. John's

.........

It is one thing for a party to affirm policy and make membership or candidacy conditional on key issues. But a political party which is democratic will have its members, not its leader, decide such narrowing restrictions.

Leaders lead, dictators dictate.

Ken DeLuca, Arnprior, Ont.

.........

Mouse, behemoth

Re New Chinese Ambassador Decries 'Negative' Investment Rules (May 8): China's new Ambassador to Canada can talk of his country buying a few Bombardier jets, but those will be mere trinkets compared to the natural resources his nation hopes to continue to pull out of ours.

I'm no fan of the Harper government, but I endorse maintaining trade constrictions on China, a nation that has recklessly built ghost cities by lending $23-trillion to businesses and individuals (China's Ticking Time Bomb – May 3). How we could have any chance of thriving in a trade relationship with this voracious behemoth is beyond me.

Bruce Rhodes, Richmond Hill, Ont.

.........

Wounded troops, too

Today, on the National Day of Honour for Canada's role in the Afghan war, I'll be remembering the sacrifices made by our soldiers. I thank each and every one of them who put their lives on hold to do their job in a country on the other side of the world. As the proud mother-in-law of an F-18 fighter pilot, I know first-hand the courage, integrity and sacrifice it takes to serve this country.

The bravery and courage of those who died so far, far away made a difference.

From the bottom of my heart, I thank those Canadians who stood out on the Highway of Heroes to honour the troops who did not make it back. To see their support, waving our Maple Leaf, was truly heartwarming.

We are a great country, and our military deserves our full support on May 9 and every day. As Canadians, our job now is to make sure that our wounded warriors do not have to bear the burden alone. They truly need our support.

Val Stephanson, Calgary

.........

Rewarding teachers

Even though I agree with rewarding good teachers, the problem exists in the defining of a "good teacher" (A Plan To Reward Good Teachers – editorial, May 8).

As you stated, "the benefits of having a good teacher are lifelong and profound." Yet, ask any student what makes a good teacher and most will respond with words such as: kind, empathetic, fair or having the rare ability to make every student feel worthy. How are these qualities measurable?

Dale Brooks, Toronto

.........

The fair thing

In announcing increased funding for First Nations schools, the federal government acknowledged the deplorable chronic underfunding whereby these students get little more than half of the education dollars going to children in a neighbouring provincial school (First Nations Kids – letter, May 8; Ottawa Drops Native-Education Plan – May 6). Yet even that increase was pushed out two years hence.

If it is needed, why delay it, unless it is to coerce First Nations, through a dubiously named First Nations Control of First Nations Education Act, into trading their rights so they can get some fairness and justice?

If the level of funding is wrong, which it clearly is, we don't need legislation to do the right thing now for this generation of First Nations children.

Susan Cook, Toronto

.........

Rob Ford, rehab

Re Rehab 'Worth Every Dime,' Rob Ford Says As Interviews Raise Questions (online, May 8): Toronto Mayor Rob Ford flies to Chicago on a private jet and is spending $100,000 on rehabilitation.

Just a man of the people.

Greg Cooper, Toronto

.........

As Rob Ford's employers, we need to know that he is, in fact, receiving treatment in a rehab facility. He, on the other hand, deserves his privacy.

This is not an either/or situation. Both can be accomplished by asking the Integrity Commissioner, as a disinterested third party, to confirm he is in treatment without reporting specifics.

Heather Macleod, Toronto

.........

Supreme disdain

Re The Dangerous Myth Of A Meddling Court (May 8): It's not the Supreme Court of Canada's credibility that is getting corroded. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see who is using shades of grey to stir the pot, impugn character and create non-existent sentiment.

Stephen Harper's intentional and repeated use of divisive and dirty tactics has brought the quality of governance to new lows.

Andrew Irving, North Vancouver

.........

All the ukes

The current hipster image of the ukulele is destined to be fleeting – at least as far as their popularity in public schools goes (Pluck: The Ukulele's Rise From Underdog To Hipster Fixture – May 8).

Some years ago, I taught music in a school with a class set of ukuleles. I taught myself, diligently practising the basic chords for I'se the B'y to the point where I felt ready to teach the same to a Grade 6 class. The night before the lesson, I stayed several hours after school, painstakingly tuning all the ukes. The next day, within minutes of the ukes being in the students' hands, there wasn't a single uke left in tune.

I also got my fill surprisingly quickly of a classroom full of kids trying to play their uke version of Smoke on the Water.

Since then, I've found musical fulfilment for myself and my students through recorders, instruments that are easily and quickly tuned, yet unfairly maligned in your article as "mind-numbing." When my students play two- and three-part Renaissance dance music on their recorders, it's not only musically edifying and enjoyable, but it sounds nicely in tune.

Nancy Hill, Hamilton

Interact with The Globe