Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex leave after visiting Canada House in London, after their recent stay in Canada on Jan. 7, 2020.The Associated Press
Letters to the Editor should be exclusive to The Globe and Mail. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. Try to keep letters to fewer than 150 words. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. To submit a letter by e-mail, click here: letters@globeandmail.com
Real talk
Re McCain Blasts U.S. Over Downed Jet In ‘Unprecedented’ Twitter Outburst (Jan. 14): I want to thank Michael McCain. He had the courage to identify what many believe to be the real reason for the loss of innocent lives. If Qassem Soleimani had not been killed, the passengers of Flight 752 would likely still be alive.
Daria Olynyk Toronto
Behind every faceless brand should be a person with a conscience. I believe Michael McCain was right to be angry about the senseless deaths of his colleague’s wife and son on Flight 752. There are many questions still to be answered, but not calling out the irresponsible role of impulsive U.S. foreign policy in this tragedy would be wrong.
Grace Deutsch Toronto
Would any MP have the courage to read Michael McCain’s tweets into the parliamentary record? I doubt it. It would be nice if we could be proud of our government. Vague political statements of outrage feel insufficient in circumstances like these.
Mike Carter Ottawa
Grounded
Re Investigation Must Look At Why Airspace Wasn’t Closed, Head Of MH17 Probe Says (Jan. 13): On Sept. 11, 2001, all North American air traffic was grounded – a sound move carried out by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration with Transport Canada and Nav Canada. Had the International Civil Aviation Organization done the same after the U.S. drone assassination and Iran’s predictable counterattack, we would not be mourning 57 Canadians.
The ICAO should be an active agency, not just advising but ruling global civil aviation. The infrastructure already exists – all that would be required is the will to act.
Jock Williams Toronto
Welcome, Harry and Meghan?
Re Why A Royal Can’t Live In Canada (Editorial, Jan. 14) and Harry And Meghan Are Going To Need A Good Immigration Lawyer (Jan. 14): Given the tragic history of the Mountbatten-Windsor family, and the hopes for a modernized monarchy when Prince Harry and Prince William married outside of royal circles, a little compassion should be in order for a couple wishing to raise a family away from the limelight of the British press.
For Harry and Meghan to spend time in Canada, immigration officials can doubtless figure out a legal and humane path for them to join us. And no one has actually suggested any political role for them here. I see no constitutional barrier to welcoming this couple who seem as much in need of refuge as many without their privileges.
Leslie Savage Toronto
Thanks to The Globe for articulating my feelings of unease over Harry and Meghan settling in Canada. Despite declarations of welcome by the likes of Toronto Mayor John Tory, the average citizen doesn’t seem so excited about playing host, and what it may entail. This is 2020, not 1920.
Frankly, it would be more sensible for them to move to California, where they would find no shortage of patrons and acolytes, and where celebrity culture is the norm.
James Phillips Toronto
We should say “No,” not just to Prince Harry living here, but to the Royal Family reigning in Canada.
However well the monarchy may have served us in the past, it no longer seems to serve a useful purpose in modern Canadian life. It no longer feels like a unifying institution – many people in Quebec resent it, and many young Canadians don’t even know the Queen also rules here. Canadian culture has evolved in a different way than that of Britain since the days of Confederation.
We should take steps toward repatriating our head of state, and ensure the highest office in Canada is occupied by a Canadian.
James Coughlan Ottawa
Do pass GO
Re Metrolinx Plans To Roll Out Significant Increase In Number Of Paid Parking Spots (Jan. 14): Charging for parking at GO stations will likely undo what has been accomplished in the past decade to improve and expand train service in the Greater Toronto Area. I believe taking the GO train is already pricey, and too pricey for some people squeezing by in the suburbs.
Public transit, including parking at stations, should be free (or affordable) in much the same way the majority of roads are free to use. We should see the long-term benefit to society and the environment instead of looking at the almighty bottom line.
David Bell Toronto
It’s about time. Free parking at GO stations contributes to more cars on the road at a time when our major challenges are gridlock and climate change. But for this to work politically, there should be incentives as well.
First, anyone using transit to get to a station should get it for free. Second, all GO parking garages should have ample space for secure bicycle parking. Third, Ontario should enhance municipal programs to provide safe walking and cycling infrastructure to and from GO stations and other transit hubs. And Ottawa should pitch in too. What are we waiting for?
Steve Parish, Share the Road Board member, and former mayor of Ajax, Ont.
It’s a hell of a town
Re: False Nuclear Alarm Likely A Test Mishap: Province (Jan. 14): Sunday’s nuclear scare seems to have accomplished one thing: six million Ontario residents now know how far they live from the Pickering nuclear plant. Our lack of emergency preparedness has been exposed. Now to the real issue: The plant should be closed.
I live in midtown Toronto. The distance from here to Pickering is within the radius that was evacuated and remains uninhabitable at Chernobyl, which was much younger than the Pickering plant when it melted down. They also had unresolved emergency preparedness issues but it no longer matters.
Michael Neuman Toronto
Apparently Homer Simpson has been transferred from Springfield to Pickering.
Doug Hacking Sarnia, Ont.
To Sudhir
Re Scientist. Punster. Letter Writer. Music Fan (Lives Lived, Jan. 9): As an occasionally published letter-writer myself, I was saddened to read of the passing of fellow contributor Sudhir Jain.
When The Globe first arrives at my door, I read the headlines and front-page stories, then skip to the Letters to the Editor. I scan for “the regulars,” and if I saw Sudhir’s name, I would always read what he had to say. I would find myself nodding in agreement or chuckling at his remarks.
I never met him, of course, but felt a kindred spirit. I wondered why I hadn’t seen his name lately and I will miss his words. The Letters page feels a more lonely place for me this morning.
Ken Davis Markham, Ont.
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