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Logic on 'loopholes'
The screen established by federal Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson called for Bill Morneau's chief of staff to tell him "when he had to recuse himself from discussions that involved his former company."
In fact, because of a huge loophole in the federal ethics law, the screen allows Mr. Morneau to take part in all discussions and government decisions that affect his family's company, as long as the decision also affects other companies. This loophole actually allows cabinet ministers to make general decisions that they can profit from – such as changing a law so that companies they are invested in can make more money.
Placing investments and other assets in a blind trust is described, including by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as the "gold standard" way to resolve conflicts of interest.
In fact, the 1987 Parker commission report stated that blind trusts "should be abolished" and, instead, all assets should be sold. Since 1978, U.S. government officials who set up blind trusts must still recuse themselves from decisions that affect their assets because, simply, they still know that they own them. In other words, for more than 30 years, blind trusts haven't been the gold standard for resolving conflicts. The screens and blind trusts used by Mr. Trudeau, his ministers and government officials don't prevent conflicts of interest, they cover them up.
Duff Conacher, co-founder, Democracy Watch
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Virtually every recent article about federal cabinet ministers suspected of failing to put their investments into a blind trust refers to them taking advantage of "loopholes."
Federal ministers have been following the rules, not seeking out "loopholes." Don't like the current arrangement? Change the rules.
Mark DeWolf, Halifax
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China replies
Re China Targeting Overseas Uyghur Students (Oct. 30): You report that China is conducting a "broad campaign to increase pressure on Uyghurs overseas that has touched numerous countries" and that "Chinese authorities have demanded that many Uyghurs return to China and have used coercive measures on family members in Xinjiang to achieve that goal."
The reason behind this, a Uyghur advocate in Canada suggests, is that the Chinese government is "afraid of a Western mind" and that it thinks that overseas Chinese may be "infected with democracy."
That is ridiculous. Every year, nearly 130 million Chinese people travel abroad. If the Chinese government is afraid of a "Western mind," it would be logical that the Chinese government should prohibit its people from going overseas.
In every country, the government has the responsibility to adopt proper measures to ensure public security. Western countries monitor communications to acquire information about terrorists and their activities. The Chinese government has taken justifiable measures to strengthen social security and guarantee the peace and stability of Chinese society and the well-being of its people.
The Chinese government always distinguishes terrorists from the ordinary people and never uses ethnic identity as a criterion for identifying terrorists. The Chinese government will crack down on terrorists according to law, no matter what ethnic group the terrorists belong to.
Counselor Yang Yundong, spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Canada
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Jailed, in China
Re Chinese Official Defends Jailing Of Uyghur Canadian (Nov. 1): Huseyin Celil is a Canadian citizen who fled China after being jailed for supporting the religious and political rights of the Uyghur people. He arrived in Canada in October, 2001, and became a Canadian citizen in 2005.
In March, 2006, he and his wife travelled to Uzbekistan to visit her family. Mr. Celil carried a Canadian passport. Chinese authorities learned he was in Uzbekistan and asked that government to arrest him. It did and extradited him to China, where authorities accused him of offences related to his activities in support of Uyghur rights.
He was not given access to a lawyer or his family, and his status as a Canadian citizen was not recognized. He was imprisoned in China, where he remains today, serving a sentence of some 20 years. His wife and children live in Canada. To this day, Canadian consular officials have not been permitted access to him.
Worse yet, his situation seems to have been put on the back burner at Foreign Affairs while Canada actively pursues a trade deal with China.
Dan Cameron, Regina
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Keep it a safe place
Re Alberta NDP, UCP Leader Square Off Over Gay-Straight Alliances (Nov. 3): I think I am missing something here. If a Gay-Straight Alliance is established at a school, it seems to me that some straight students, who are empathetic to their LBGTQ friends or family, might choose to join. So, under UCP Leader Jason Kenney's proposal, how would the school know which students to "out" to their parents?
His misguided and discriminatory proposal would only serve to render what is supposed to be a safe, comfortable space into the opposite.
Judy Malkin, Toronto
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Emphasize 'save'
Re Building Code Plan Could Raise Costs For Homebuyers (Report on Business, Nov. 2): Your headline should say "Building Code To Save Money For Homebuyers," not that it would "raise costs." Over time, energy-efficiency improvements almost always save money. They also contribute to a higher resale value.
Bruce Lourie, Ivey Foundation
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Seniors rely on maximum revenue from their home to subsidize their final accommodation. These measures would affect this crucial asset and create undeserved anxiety; that would be most unfair after a lifetime of hard work and paying taxes.
Gaëtan Fleuriau Chateau, Ottawa
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Perception, politics
Re Conservative MP Accuses Liberal Of Intimidation (Nov. 3): Members of the professional victims club must be applauding Conservative MP Alice Wong's virtuoso performance in complaining about the intimidation she felt being berated by Liberal MP Adam Vaughan on a Parliament Hill bus after an exchange during Question Period. According to Ms. Wong: "You're looking at three things right now. One is racism: I'm Asian. One is ageism: I'm a senior. And the other way is sexism: I'm a woman."
See how that was done? Even though no part of the exchange had anything to do with Ms. Wong as a woman, a senior, or an Asian, merely the fact that she is means that Adam Vaughan is allegedly guilty of racism, sexism, ageism. The kids on the Dalhousie University Student Union should take note: You ain't got nothing on the politicians in Ottawa (Student Union Issues Demands Over High-Profile Disputes, Nov. 3).
Michael Rende, Thornhill, Ont.
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My criminology professor assigned viewing Akira Kurosawa's film Rashomon to teach us that eyewitnesses can be unreliable due to bias. There is no greater bias than partisan bias.
You report that, "Conservative MP Shannon Stubbs, who was sitting behind her [Conservative MP Alice Wong] … told The Globe and Mail that Mr. Vaughan was … berating her. His voice was loud." You also report that, recalling the same incident, "Liberal MP Mary Ng, who was seated beside Ms. Wong, said she couldn't hear exactly what was said. 'Adam spoke a few words to Alice.' "
The truth may lie somewhere in between.
H.B. Hutter, Toronto