A Palestinian child plays on the ruins of a building destroyed by earlier Israeli bombardment in Gaza City on April 8 amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas militant group.-/Getty Images
But how?
Re ”Canada can help establish an international protective force in Gaza” (April 4): For many months now, your paper has published numerous articles about our incredible failures to adequately fund our country’s military.
We have become the laughingstock of the NATO alliance and our partners no longer take us seriously; ditto for our NORAD partnership with the United States. Our planes and helicopters have fallen from the sky; our ships and submarines are ancient and many don’t work; morale in our once-proud forces feels at rock bottom.
What would our proposed Gaza peacekeepers do, throw snowballs? Let’s not delude ourselves into thinking that we can take this on when we can’t even protect our own borders or be a better partner for our allies.
I believe the Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister have zero credibility on the world stage. Let’s fulfill our existing obligations before making any more promises.
Graham Farrell Toronto
Make way
Re “Preparations begin for coming wildfire season after last year’s strain on military resources” (April 6): I am a retired captain with the Royal Canadian Air Force who started as an aircraftman second class. I enjoyed every minute and always encourage young people to join.
As I read about the recruiting problems of the Canadian Armed Forces, I and many old-timers see one simple way to help recruit young people: The forces are beyond top heavy, so I suggest retiring at least 50 per cent of the generals who have served more than 32 years (they will receive full pensions).
They are honourable members who gave their youth and intelligence to Canada. But it seems that bureaucracy has created circuitous paper-pushers who are redundant, and their retirements would release funds for soldiers. One general often takes up the salary of multiple corporals.
Without prejudice to generals, they all deserve to have achieved that rank – some may just be unneeded.
Wilf Johnston Kingston
Long time
Re ”Canada lost 8.6 million hectares of forest in 2023, more than 90% due to wildfires” (April 4): Just because images of forestland change from green to black or brown overnight does not mean forest was “lost.”
Natural forest regrowth has occurred repeatedly following wildfires for more than 800,000 years. But whether they are seeded naturally or replanted, areas burned in 2023 will require 10 years or more for detectable forest cover to re-establish. Nobody can say yet if any of these areas were permanently “deforested.”
Canada-wide, human-caused deforestation averages less than 40,000 hectares per year, mainly for resource development, agriculture and urbanization. But climate change is making much of Canada’s forestland warmer and drier, which drives both increased tree mortality and fire activity. Hence in drier regions, much larger areas of forest will likely disappear in coming decades.
With the lowest average precipitation of all provinces, Alberta faces another extreme drought year. Increasing drought and wildfire will make future efforts to restore natural forest an uphill battle.
David Price Researcher (retired), Canadian Forest Service; Sorrento, B.C.
Three things
Re ”A carbon tax will hurt the economy, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t the right policy” (Report on Business, April 4): I think most Canadians couldn’t care less about what powers the vehicles they drive, as long those vehicles have three things: decent range (minimum 500 kilometres), quick refuelling or recharging (15 minutes or less) and the infrastructure to support its use. No electric vehicle manufacturer to date makes a car with the first two criteria and Canada does not have the third.
Instead of imposing a punitive transportation tax on a financially stressed middle class, maybe our government should try incentivizing automakers to produce more regenerative hybrid vehicles. While these vehicles are not zero-emission, they produce less carbon than traditional automobiles, have all the qualities mentioned above and don’t fully depend on public utilities that generate electricity via fossil fuel or nuclear power.
In that way, Canadians can still do their small part to fight climate change while being able to afford getting back and forth to work each day.
Rod Marler Oakville Ont.
Number’s up
Re “Alberta addiction recovery conference focuses on recovery-focused drug policy” (April 6): I know it’s not satire, but I see a satirical perspective to be taken.
More than four years into a plan to promote recovery services, Alberta has no evidence of impact due to a lack of data, which it apparently failed to plan to collect. But the province is happy to tell us that deaths from prescription opioids are down, although those constitute just 10 per cent of use, while non-prescription opioid deaths, representing 90 per cent of use, are up 150 per cent.
Wow, what smashing success. I roll my eyes as the clown show continues.
C. D. Chaudron Toronto
Talk about it
Re “LSD, ecstasy, magic mushrooms coming to a clinic near you? Legalization nears for psychedelics” (Report on Business, April 8): Your business article highlights a potent shift in the landscape of mental health treatment that has been decades in the making. But while the MindMed and Cybin trials only featured dosages of psychedelic medications themselves, almost all other trials are not of the drugs but of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.
This is what the decades-long pioneers in the field, including Phil Wolfson and Michael Mithoefer, emphasize time and time again in their talks and research. For while psychedelics can open the mind to the profundities of interconnectedness, they can also bring people face to face with their strongest demons.
There can be a crucial difference between taking drugs to feel better, and having the proper guidance for self-discovery with these old and new and potent herbal and pharmaceutical tools.
Conrad Sichler MD; president, Medical Psychotherapy Association of Canada; Hamilton
Auto-reply
Re “Generative artificial intelligence is simply a waste of our time and money” (Report on Business, April 4): As an object lesson, I would like to see a ChatGPT response to the subject using the command: “Respond to and refute all opinions and arguments in the following article.”
Nestor Golets Toronto
Peace out
Re “What to expect when you’re expecting a total eclipse” (April 8): I’m impressed by how much a total eclipse can promote a sense of community and togetherness.
Astronomers need to tell us when the next total eclipse will cross both Kyiv and Moscow.
Bruce Couchman Ottawa
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