Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures as he speaks at the parliament, which reconvenes after the U.K. Supreme Court ruled that his suspension of the parliament was unlawful, in London, Britain, Sept. 25, 2019, in this screen grab taken from video.REUTERS TV/Reuters
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
Prorogue gallery
Re Two-faced PM Doesn’t Enjoy Day In Court (Editorial, Sept. 25): “What happens if the PM advises the Queen to prorogue when he doesn’t have the confidence of the House of Commons? What if his advice to suspend the sitting of the people’s representatives isn’t supported by the people’s representatives? What if he’s telling the Queen to send lawmakers home so that he can continue to rule without Parliament? Could there be anything less democratic, or less respectful, of traditional Westminster self-government?”
I am describing Stephen Harper, former prime minister of Canada, in 2008. As we express all the proper outrage at a prime minister evading Parliament, it’s worth remembering that it was Mr. Harper who first tested those waters for Boris Johnson.
David Mutimer Professor and chair of political science, York University; Toronto
Reap what you sow?
Re MP Says Liberals Forced Her Out For Not Lauding Trudeau (Sept. 25): Politics, like any relationship, is a two-way street. An MP’s support for their party, or lack thereof, may have reciprocal consequences. How they vote in Parliament or what they say in public may bear fruit, be it sweet or bitter.
From Eva Nassif’s comments about Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party, I’d say her fruit looks a lot like sour grapes.
Ken DeLuca Arnprior, Ont.
What debate?
Re Munk Debate Cancelled After Trudeau Refuses To Participate (Sept. 24): I believe the Munk Debates made a mistake when it did not insist on carrying on with the foreign-policy debate without Justin Trudeau. By cancelling the debate, the organizers are giving Mr. Trudeau a free pass and doing a disservice to Canadians who want to be informed.
A week from now, Canadians will not be talking about a debate that never took place – but they would be talking about a Liberal Leader who was represented by an empty podium at two different public debates. Mr. Trudeau should have the courage of his convictions to take every opportunity to show Canadians why he is a better choice for prime minister than the other candidates.
As is often said, a big part of success is just showing up. If a candidate does not show up to a debate, that feels like a failure of democracy – and perhaps that person shouldn’t succeed.
Jeff George Tofino, B.C.
It is a shame that Justin Trudeau’s refusal to participate in the foreign-policy Munk Debate brought about its cancellation. With tenuous relations between Canada and China, Russia, India and even the United States, such a debate would have been essential viewing for Canadians to better understand where each leader stood on international relations.
Mark Palmer Meaford, Ont.
Heat check
Re Masters of Disaster? (Letters, Sept. 25): A letter writer believes that Greta Thunberg fails to see that “the world has been getting better, not worse.” This thought highlights the difference between those who demand serious action on climate change and those who seem to be happy with a lot less.
To observe that the world is getting better speaks to current human living conditions. What Ms. Thunberg wants us to see is the coming threats to those very conditions: the warming of the oceans, the dramatic decline in non-human animal populations, the melting of glaciers crucial to much of humanity’s water supply – the list goes on. Just maybe the world isn’t doing as well as some would like to think.
David Checkland Toronto
A letter writer responds to Greta Thunberg by citing all the wonderful things the older generations have done to make the world a better place – none of which, though, have been enough to mitigate the climate crisis. But what struck me more was the ageist tone.
At 71, I’m old enough to remember the 1960s, during which time a peculiar demographic phenomenon prevailed: It seemed almost everybody older than 40 was comparatively conservative in their politics, and almost everybody younger than 30, like me, was liberal-to-socialist. Our conservative elders would say that we were leftists because we were young and naive. When we got older, they’d continue, we would get mugged by reality, then wise up and become smart, old conservatives like them.
When I did get older, I was pleased to see that although many of my generation did indeed turn right, most of my friends and I continued in our leftist views. The strange correlation of age to political opinion seems to have dissolved; it’s even ironically refreshing to meet young conservatives these days.
So now, when the fight for planetary survival is being led by young people very rightly afraid for their future, it is distressing to see that old, tired prejudice is once again raising its smug, condescending, unhelpful head.
John Lazarus Kingston
The flip side
Re Picture Of Health (Letters, Sept. 25): It is always nice to see photographs of Meng Wanzhou out in public, always nicely dressed and smiling. Her detention in Canada must be a real burden on her.
I wonder if she ever thinks of the Canadians being held in China, ostensibly tied to her own detention. How are they being treated? There are not too many photos of them out in public, nicely dressed and smiling.
Canadians should not let the election distract from the important work of bringing home their fellow citizens home.
David MacLellan Woodview, Ont.
All in the family
Re Culture Clash (First Person, Sept. 17): As a woman and Asian Canadian, this personal essay felt hurtful to me.
As a child, my family was not very affectionate. Instead, my mother showed her love by cooking my favourite foods, by cleaning my room when I was at school and by doing laundry for me when I was busy. There’s nothing I find more comforting than when my mom comes to my side when I need her most.
The essay writer’s perspective was everything I fear my boyfriend thinks about my family: a distraught reaction to the unfamiliarity and un-whiteness of our dynamic.
Tehjae Tsukada Ottawa
A better phone plan
Re Canada’s Politicians Unlikely To Solve Wireless Pricing Problem (Report on Business, Sept. 24): The Liberals’ recent election promise to “work with carriers” to lower the excessive prices Canadians pay for wireless plans exhibits a profound misunderstanding of how free markets actually work.
Without direct regulation, the only viable policy to lower prices is to encourage more competition. Additional entrants in the market will not only lower prices, but will also make suppliers more responsive to consumers with more choices and more innovation. Talking it out won’t achieve any of that.
David Enns Cornwall, Ont.
Sound of silence
Re Hello From The Other Side (Letters, Sept. 24): A letter writer argues against installing cellular reception in subway tunnels, advocating instead for real conversations with family and friends. Better still would be total silence. We should go ahead with extended cellular coverage on the subway and make cellphone use mandatory for anyone not napping, reading a book or under 2.
Rudy Buller Toronto
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