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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

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Climate pain, gain

John Williamson, president of Canadians for Affordable Energy, points out that a clean energy future has a price and adds that new policies coming into force are "the result of politicians accepting climate models pointing to a potentially catastrophic global crisis" (A Clean Energy Future Comes With Costs, Report on Business, July 8).

With the 2013 Alberta floods, the 2016 Fort Mac fires, the current heat wave alerts, and the massive B.C. fires now raging (B.C. Wildfires Force Thousands To Evacuate, July 10), has he considered that the rest of us regular folks, even here in Alberta, might also accept these climate models?

Mr. Williams continues "a common sense approach says energy sources that have served us reliably in the past shouldn't just be written off for the future." A common sense approach says let's not keep doing the same thing and expect different outcomes.

It's clear that the astronomical costs of climate change far outweigh short-term gains from continuing to exploit our fossil fuels, including our "ocean of oil reserves waiting to be tapped."

Leslie Lavers, Lethbridge, Alta.

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Anchors. Away

Re Who Will Anchor CBC's The National? (Life & Arts. July 10): The days of one news anchor are over (for CBC anyway). People, for years, depended on one person to give them the news. Now it's no longer a face, it's Facebook or Twitter etc.

There's no longer one source.

There's no longer one person.

CBC will have to reinvent itself to join the 21st century. Anchors are for ships to stay in harbours and there are no harbours any more in the news business. It's a wide (and often stormy) ocean out there.

Douglas Cornish, Ottawa

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How heartening it is that so many are interested in our National newscast. That many of us are tuned in is good to know. There may be several reasons for the continued loyalty. I can think of a few that have served us well:

1) The clear enunciation;

2) A well-modulated voice;

3) A straightforward presentation.

We have a history of presenters who have been able to show compassion, humour, etc. without head-bobbing, hand-waving, cute asides, and best of all (sorry, Peter Mansbridge) freedom from spastic head-jerking to clear one's hair from the eyes.

And all of that with one anchor!

MaryAnn Macdonald, Edmonton

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Frustrations? 150

We flew thousands of miles to attend the Canada Day 150 celebration in Ottawa (Last Saturday's Debacle Rankles, letters, July 8).

Imagine our disappointment, shared with thousands of other attendees, to experience a poorly planned, poorly executed event. It was woeful. The lineup to enter the security tents to get on Parliament Hill stretched for four or five hours. In this "waiting area," there were no toilets, no water, no food stations, no big-screen TVs to watch the festivities we were missing, no security, no shelter.

There were no event staff or volunteers controlling the lineups. Ad hoc lines formed by latecomers merged with the lines of people who had been standing there for hours. These lines converged on two meagre security tents, operating without proper technology. This resulted in crowd swarms and last-minute police reinforcements being forced to set up barricades.

These barricades terminated lines where people who had already been waiting for hours were then forced to join the back of other three-hour-long lines.

Chaos. It was unbelievably bad and organizers should be ashamed. The only thing that saved the day was the spirit of the people who in the proper Canadian way remained calm, friendly, and upbeat. They deserve better.

Stuart Sybersma, expat Canadian, Grand Cayman

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It has been frustrating to read all the complaints about security screening on Parliament Hill for the Canada 150 celebration. We heeded the warnings about large crowds, security screening and possible waits, and planned accordingly. We dressed for the rain and set out early.

When we arrived near the Hill around 9 a.m., there was a steadily moving lineup, and we quickly got through security. The wait for the formal ceremonies to begin was lightened by the entertainment provided and the general good humour of the crowd.

When the rain stopped around noon, it seemed that the throngs descended, greatly increasing the lineups. It is unfair to blame the screening process for long waits, when the real problem was many visitors' lack of planning and their unwillingness to brave the heavy rain in the morning.

Loretta Biasutti, Calgary

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Re A Symbol Of Canada (letters, July 7): As a fair exchange for Justin Trudeau's gift to the Queen of the flag that flew from the Peace Tower on Canada's 150th, which I agree will no doubt be put in some drawer, the Queen should ship us the official flag that flew on her birthday. Archives Canada can supply a storage box.

Guy Leclerc, Kelowna, B.C.

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Universities today …

Re Ontario University Mulls New Course-Rating System (July 10): There is a problem with the educational process at universities, and the course evaluation process may be part of the problem.

First, the problem: According to the scholars behind a multi-institutional study called Academically Adrift, most students show no improvement in critical thinking skills or their ability to express themselves in writing. But what is the cause of this problem?

According to the same study, students now spend 50 per cent less time outside the classroom on course work than they did in the 1960s. Moreover, other studies show that grades earned in the classroom have become seriously inflated, so much so that some 45 per cent are now A's and 35 per cent B's. In the 1960s, A's tended to be around 20 per cent of the grades, when students studied twice as hard. Today, much of the classroom instruction in Canada is offered by contract instructors, whose income often leaves them living close to poverty and making use of food banks.

There are clearly problems, but it is far from clear that a new course evaluation form will fix them.

Mark A. Wolfgram, Ottawa

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Seat of displeasure

Re Air Canada Shares Surge To 10-Year High (Report on Business, July 9): Reluctantly, I can take a small part of the credit for that surge in Air Canada's performance. Along with my son, I purchased a ticket to St. John's, but four days later unexpectedly found myself in hospital for emergency surgery.

Upon discharge, I advised Air Canada to cancel my booking as I was fearful of post-op complications. This was 13 days before my scheduled flight. To date, Air Canada has not refunded my fare, or responded to written pleas.

Meanwhile, my son continued with the trip and reported that my apparent seat was filled by someone else, in both directions. In other words, Air Canada sold my seat twice. No wonder shareholders are gleeful.

Anthony Cook, Halifax

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