Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, National Defence Minister Bill Blair and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland release Canada's new defence policy during a press conference at CFB Trenton, in Trenton, Ont., on April 8.Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press
Need to know
Re “CSIS Director recalled after PMO staff say they weren’t told about China interference in 2019 and 2021 elections” (April 10): There have been a plethora of words and testimony regarding supposed Chinese interference in Canada’s election process.
I use the word “supposed” because I have found testimony, analysis and reporting to be confusing, contradictory and obfuscating. What is one to believe when the Prime Minister dismisses security briefings or does not regard them as credible?
After trying to follow the bouncing ball for the past few months, it looks to me like the whole thing is a tempest in a teapot. Until some more credible evidence is produced for public consumption, I as an ordinary Canadian voter will continue to see this as a non-issue.
Robert Milan Victoria
How long?
Re “Canada’s new defence policy commits to exploring, instead of committing” (April 10): The expiring Liberal government is now excited about how they will renew the military over the next 20 years.
Gee, that will be just in time to defend Canada from the next eclipse. Not good enough.
More Canadians are awakening to the fact that the world is filled with threats to our way of life. And they want something done about it.
I believe we need to declare the state of our military to be an emergency. Cut the red tape. Toss out our pitiful procurement process. Buy off the shelf. No more expensive bespoke projects.
As me and my nutty Roman friends are always saying, si vis pacem, para bellum: If you want peace, prepare for war.
Marty Burke Guelph, Ont.
Share the wealth
Re “Real estate wealth has devalued the status of being a millionaire in Canada” (Report on Business, April 9): As one of those millionaires, I am sure that many younger Canadians struggling with student debt and high rents have little sympathy for us.
It has been reported elsewhere that in the United States there will be nearly US$85-trillion worth of wealth transferred to the next generation. This suggests that in Canada there will also be hundreds of billions of dollars in transferred wealth.
Only some of the next generation will receive a share. An inheritance tax could contribute to a more fair distribution of income and wealth. A tax at, say, 10 per cent would bring in hundreds of billions of dollars, enough perhaps to fund defence expenditures at 2 per cent of GDP for decades.
Peter Dunnett Kingston
Out of control
Re “Canada’s housing crisis poised to worsen without major reforms, RBC report says” (Report on Business, April 8): Housing has multiple components: land, materials, labour, taxes, infrastructure, “soft costs” (planning, architecture, legal, engineering, permits, advertising, overheads, etc.) and profit.
Practically speaking, none of these costs are within the control of builders, not even profit. If profit falls below the return from safe assets such as bonds (today around 5 per cent), there is no incentive to build.
All other costs are set by markets or governments. So how can housing be made more affordable?
Short of a depression that lowers labour and materials costs, I don’t believe it can.
Ron Freedman Toronto
One change
Re “How to tactically retreat on the carbon tax” (Report on Business, April 9): The characterization of Pierre Poilievre as a “cynical” opportunist who understands the efficiency of the policy he seeks to dismantle is deeply disturbing to me. Sometimes politicians tell us what we want to hear rather than what we should hear.
One wonders if “axe the tax” could be more appropriately termed “axe the facts.”
James White Richmond, B.C.
Go for it
Re “Ford’s delay of Oakville production shows all that EV glitter isn’t gold” (Report on Business, April 6): Delaying electric-vehicle production extends the highly lucrative parts-and-service business that automakers have enjoyed, and which would largely disappear with more EVs. It also inadvertently props up oil-producing regimes like Russia.
As for concerns about the environmental impact of precious mineral mining, where is the outcry over the world’s 8.5-billion-plus mobile phones and untold number of tools and appliances already powered by lithium ion? What about the impact of oil production?
Yes, EVs may be expensive upfront, but there are many gas guzzlers that cost more to buy, and most cost more to keep. Five years and 100,000 kilometres into EV ownership as a daily driver (not of a Tesla), I will never go back.
With 400 to 500 kilometres per charge at about 15 per cent of the cost, I definitely don’t miss fretting about gas prices, or shivering at a pump in the dead of winter.
Mike Katrycz Toronto
Local level
Re “Rampant pollution in Asia has left more than half the world’s population breathing unsafe air” (April 8): One doesn’t expect positive lessons from such a headline. However, reported improvements in urban centres in China, and implementation of similar measures in Vietnam, suggest that although we view climate change as a global issue, related challenges of air pollution have significant regional variations and remedies.
Reduction of emissions from traffic, industry or agricultural and domestic practices is not entirely a selfless gesture to the planet; it also improves local living conditions. Further, we can now inform those making dubious but popular arguments against environmental programs (an argument lately enlisted to counter the carbon tax) that they can no longer use the excuse that China is doing nothing.
Must they now argue that there is no point until Bangladesh takes action?
Chester Fedoruk Toronto
Where to go?
Re “Can public investment revive Canada’s ailing main streets?” (Online, April 9): I have just returned from a six-week visit to New Zealand, where I saw only thriving main streets.
The universal ingredient, in towns big and small, was ready access to clean and well-maintained public toilets. Some, like a 1910 example in Auckland, were public monuments that virtually invited a visit.
There were homeless people in New Zealand, too, but access to public sanitation made them appear far less threatening. When I shop on a main street in Canada, begging to use the dirty toilet of a café or bar is demeaning and an incentive for me to shop online or at the mall.
Groups such as GottaGo! in Ottawa have long been advocating for more consideration of our humanity in city planning. Meanwhile, concerned city councils could at least erect more signposts to direct us to the few public toilets we have.
Larry Ladell Ottawa
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