Democratic presidential nominee Vice-President Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign event at Washington Crossing Historic Park, on Oct. 16 in Washington Crossing, Pa.Matt Slocum/The Associated Press
As intended
Re “Our democracy is under attack. Do our leaders know it?” (Opinion, Oct. 19): “How often has one senior Liberal or another insisted that they only learned of some shocking event after reading about it in The Globe and Mail?”
My conclusion? Journalism works.
Bill Doskoch Edmonton
Welcome place
Re “For a Venezuelan migrant family, the U.S. election is another crossroads in a perilous journey” (Opinion, Oct. 19): Thank you for this. It’s a reminder to all Canadians that we’ve got it pretty good here in the Great White North. Maybe it’s time Canada reached out to these determined folks coming up from South America in search of a safe place to live, work and bring up their children.
I recently met a number of South American newcomers in my city, and was surprised to learn that almost all of them spoke fluent French. There must be plenty of government or business jobs requiring French language skills which these folks could fill.
Let’s connect the dots and welcome these people who are looking for a safe place in which to live, work and thrive.
Nancy Hill Hamilton
Democratic outlook
Re “Kamala Harris is losing the campaign” (Opinion, Oct. 19): Voters decide who will lose. And almost half of Americans still support Donald Trump. This is a bigger issue that is disturbing, frightening and unbelievable to me.
Perhaps the “largely uncritical coverage” of Kamala Harris is because Mr. Trump’s crimes, misogyny, racism, lies and bullying are constantly and literally on stage. It has been said that “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing” – and women.
This is the “compelling case for why people should vote for her.”
Linda McLean Comox, B.C.
Kamala Harris saying that she would do “not a thing” differently from Joe Biden is promulgating and putting her support behind constructive policy, social possibility and moral authenticity that any thinking person – even many Republicans – should be able to discern.
W. E. Hildreth Prince Edward County, Ont.
It is Kamala Harris’s inability to take her distance from Joe Biden’s unlimited support of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and Lebanon which may explain why she is in danger of losing the election.
Likely no small correctives in the manner Democrats run her electoral campaign will affect the outcome of the election. But an important segment of young Democrats, determined to hold back their vote, would happily change their minds should Mr. Biden forcefully seek and obtain an immediate and unconditional ceasefire from Israel.
Before election day.
Marc Faguy Ottawa
New prescription
Re “A hard diversity quota for medical-school admissions is a terrible, counterproductive idea” (Opinion, Oct. 19): Toronto Metropolitan University is receiving public funds for health education, not social justice advocacy. Medical education should focus on health care, not advancing race-based diversity goals.
Admit the best students taking into account their personal qualities, but not race. Surely all right-thinking Canadians want the best doctor, regardless of race.
Phil Augustine Ottawa
For 23 years, I have had the privilege of treating residents of northwest Toronto.
The young people I meet are mature beyond their years as they engage in volunteer services, work to support their families or put aside extracurricular activities to provide caregiving to siblings. They have neither the funds, time or opportunities to pad college résumés.
Clinical medicine requires the ability to synthesize signs, symptoms and scenarios to formulate a diagnosis and direction, and then articulate a narrative that resonates with the patient and caregiving team. This skill set is well suited for those who have studied the arts and humanities.
Admission requirements for Toronto Metropolitan University’s medical school seek to reframe the meritocracy environment. Whilst these graduates may not pursue bench-top research in addition to clinical care, they are well positioned to draft and implement policies to improve social determinants of health for a broad and diverse community.
Stephen Halman Orthopaedic surgeon, Toronto
The sky isn’t going to fall. As pointed out, diversity is beneficial, and patients want doctors who have similar background to them.
In my 20-plus years of research to support patient care, patients have wanted a doctor who knows how to communicate. Empathy, compassion, feeling heard and being respected are top qualities they want from their doctors.
Patients don’t care whether their doctor knows how many hydrogen atoms there are in a glucose molecule. In this way, medicine is more of an art than a science.
There are currently 17 medical schools in Canada. Having an additional one with a diversity quota is not a travesty. Given the poor state of health care, should we not applaud any attempt at something different?
By the way, McMaster University has no degree requirement for their medical school, so the doctor with an art history major may already be lurking in Canada.
Scott Lear Professor, faculty of health sciences, Simon Fraser University; Vancouver
Just a taste
Re “What my dinner with Fidel Castro taught me about the most controversial world leader of his era” (Opinion, Oct. 19): The Cohiba cigars may be long gone, but would contributor Lloyd Axworthy be willing to share Fidel Castro’s vegetable soup recipe?
Paul Rainville Halifax
-30-
Re “For my father-in-law Bob Fulford, life was columns” (Opinion, Oct. 19): Many of Robert Fulford’s readers felt as though he was speaking directly to them, creating an intimate connection through his words. He shared much of himself with his audience, offering his perspective as a lens through which readers could make sense of life’s chaotic noise.
His journey as a self-educated public intellectual, who became one of Canada’s most reliable narrators of cultural expression, is truly inspiring. His ability to bring depth and context to contemporary events, while staying attuned to the evolution of human expression, set him apart in Canadian journalism.
Like most readers, I never met Mr. Fulford. But through his writing, I felt I shared in his thoughts. Reflecting on his legacy reminds us of the enduring power of storytelling to help us interpret the world and shape our personal and collective identities.
Thanks to Bob for helping me get to know who I am in the world.
Tony D’Andrea Toronto
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