Quebec Premier François Legault walks in as his government is about to table legislation on laicity of the state, on Thursday, March 28, 2019 at the legislature in Quebec City. The crucifix will likely disappear if the legislation is passed.Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press
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Fairness in Quebec
Re The Quebec Government’s Secularism Bill Stinks To High Heaven (April 1): If one attends a church, one expects the priest to wear priestly garb and a crucifix. But if someone attends a motor vehicle registration office, there is an expectation that attendant officials will refrain from presenting themselves as Christians or Muslims or as proponents of any other faith.
To make all individuals comfortable in the context of public services, it is fair and secular to require the public servants performing those services to refrain from manifesting a religious bias by reason of their appearance.
Robert H. Barrigar, Victoria
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Quebec’s secularism bill is an obvious case of a solution without a problem. Where is the evidence that the wearing of religious symbols in any way impedes a public sector worker from effectively carrying out the duties and responsibilities of the job?
Legislation enacted solely for political benefit, catering to a paranoid majority by limiting the rights of a powerless minority, has no place in a free society. Political leaders threatening to use the notwithstanding clause to protect such legislation only amplifies the warning bells.
Mark Roberts, Gananoque, Ont.
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Having failed to make Quebec a country, or Montreal as French as Paris, the nationalists are having an identity meltdown. Enter Bill 21. But whereas the French language project aimed at just about everyone, the current attempt to create a collective identity is only succeeding in drawing and quartering Quebec along ethnic, religious and cultural lines.
Bill 21 does have one thing, though, in common with Bill 101. It is the product of what was called in René Lévesque’s time “majority rule with a vengeance.”
Howard Greenfield, Montreal
Carbon-tax windmills
Re Carbon Tax Expected To Raise Pump Prices In Four Provinces That Spurned Federal Plan (April 1): At the end of January, I was heading out of town and someone told me that gasoline was 99.9 cents/litre, so I scurried to fill up before leaving. On Sunday (the day before the implementation of the dreaded carbon tax!), the price of gas was 119.9 cents/litre at the same local Esso station.
That’s 20 cents a litre more – a 20 per cent increase! The carbon tax, at 5 cents/litre, is a minor blip in the roller-coaster ride that fuel prices take. It’s hardly noticeable.
The carbon tax is causing unaffordable fuel price increases?
Someone is tilting at windmills.
James Finlay, Toronto
Speaking of bullies …
Re China Could Weaponize Canada’s Election (April 1): J. Michael Cole portrays China as a bully on the world stage: “Refuse to give in, and your economy will suffer.”
Isn’t that exactly the approach of the United States, both in its history of unilateral sanctions against Iran, and in the case of tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum?
As for our claim that we’re a nation subject to the rule of law, and we don’t politicize legal matters, recent revelations in the SNC-Lavalin affair would seem to suggest otherwise.
Dieter Neumann, Kemble, Ont.
Why take SNC to court?
Re Canada Shouldn’t Take SNC-Lavalin To Court (March 30): In all the Sturm und Drang of the SNC-Lavalin/Wilson-Raybould affair, and amid all of the unanswered questions, one looms large. If nearly 80 per cent of cases like this have been settled by deferred prosecution agreements in the past 20 years worldwide, why was this one destined for trial?
Konrad Yakabuski nails it: “It remains a mystery, then, as to why director of public prosecutions Kathleen Roussel refused to enter negotiations with SNC-Lavalin to conclude a deferred prosecution agreement.”
Could it be that a bad decision by a prosecutor was backed up by the poor judgment of a novice justice minister, and that all the so-called “pressure” was really legitimate and reasonable questioning by perplexed colleagues?
Paul Benedetti, Hamilton
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Re SNC’s Probable Exodus From Canada Is A National Shame (March 30): Eric Reguly’s column highlighted my ambivalence with the SNC/JW-R/Trudeau story. While I accept that the judiciary/ legislative/executive branches of government need to be independent, surely there are exceptions when mistakes are made and someone in authority needs to intervene.
Jobs, a company’s reputation and head-office presence are not just political issues – they affect us all and someone in authority needed to intervene.
I don’t think the intervention was executed well, but that’s another letter.
Catherine Montgomery, Toronto
Hit ‘record’
Re Wilson-Raybould’s Decision To Record Call With Wernick Raises Ethical Questions (March 30): While taping one’s phone conversations may be just this side of unethical to most Canadians, it is not illegal. In Jody Wilson-Raybould’s case, the tape lends credence to the former A-G’s assertions of inappropriate meddling and political pressure regarding the prosecution’s decision not to offer a DPA to SNC-Lavalin.
Lies, perfidy, turpitude and cover-up are now so commonplace and weaponized, we hardly recognize their virtuous opposite. How refreshing to see facts, truth, the rule of law – and one brave woman stand up to business-as-usual bludgeoning in Ottawa.
Stewart Ford, Calgary
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“You’ve reached the office of the perhaps slightly less-than-Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould. Please note that calls may be recorded for polity-control purposes. For further information, please select from the following menu:
For my truth, select 1.
For my further truth, select 2.
To leave a message, select 3.
Please do not leave multiple messages, as that constitutes pressure and inappropriate interference.”
Rudy Buller, Toronto
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Re Wilson-Raybould Tape Highlights Only That There Are No Heroes Here (March 30): Lori Turnbull writes that Jody Wilson-Raybould is “doing her level best to hand the election to the opposition.” Not so. The former attorney-general was doing her job and trying to warn Justin Trudeau he was treading on dangerous ground. This scandal wouldn’t have occurred if he hadn’t tried to exert pressure with regard to the prosecution of SNC-Lavalin. If anyone is handing the election to the opposition, it is Mr. Trudeau.
G.R. Annett, Thornhill, Ont.
Something to consider
Re Comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy Takes The Lead In First Round Of Ukraine Presidential Elections (April 1): Before Ukrainians vote again, potentially electing a joker as president, they should consider how well that worked out for America.
Lubomyr Luciuk, Kingston