Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Marc Miller arrives for the federal cabinet retreat in Montreal, on Jan. 22.Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press
Downstream effects
Re “Ottawa’s international student cap will create financial risks, university and college leaders say” (Jan. 23): The graphs say it all: Ontario spends the lowest per capita on university and college students. On top of that, the provincial Progressive Conservatives have frozen tuition fees for years.
Meanwhile, these institutions have made up for the funding shortfall by admitting more and more foreign students. The graphs show Ontario with the highest numbers.
The model, then, never was sustainable. Doug Ford should step up and eliminate all the small private colleges that have proliferated, then pony up for our public institutions before postsecondary education becomes a joke.
He should have done it yesterday.
Carol Town Hamilton
Re “Ottawa finally acts on international student visas, setting a challenge for Doug Ford” (Jan. 23): “Now it will force some provinces to fix the mess they have made with lax regulation of postsecondary education.” But the root problem, I believe, has been the drastic cuts in provincial funding of education in recent years.
In Ontario, for instance, postsecondary funding was slashed from about $12-billion in 2018-19 to under $7-billion just two years later. This more or less compelled institutions to look elsewhere for financial support, with one obvious source being international students.
More regulations – or stricter enforcement thereof – will likely not resolve this root problem.
David Bright St. Catharines, Ont.
Look ahead
Re “Health system urged to brace for major shift in dementia demographics” (Jan. 22): How come Canada knew for 70 years that the baby boomers were coming and did so little?
Studies told our governments that there would be a big need for senior services such as specialized housing, health care, perhaps increased financial assistance, but they did so little. Now this cohort is being blamed for increased health expenses, staff shortages and lack of housing.
Will this projection of increased services needed for persons with dementia have the same outcome? Let’s hope not.
Faye Hallett Red Deer, Alta.
Open up
Re “The doors to Canada’s boardrooms are (slowly) starting to open” (Editorial, Jan. 22): Are we not missing the point? Change does not happen unless mandated.
In the early 1980s, I moved from the private sector to the federal government. At that time, employment equity was being implemented and government departments and agencies had to promote a certain number of women to management.
Coming from the private sector, I was not in support of this. But I realize now it was the only way to go. The federal government now has many women in senior positions, to the point that no one thinks twice.
Europe and developed countries elsewhere have mandated that a certain number of women must be appointed to boards. If we cannot at least achieve gender representation after 40-plus years, why do we think that others will be promoted or appointed?
Let’s stop fooling ourselves and get on with it.
Karin Zabel Ottawa
Take a break
Re “To save Canadian local media, end tax deductions for advertising on foreign digital media” (Report on Business, Jan. 23): Why should advertisers get a tax deduction for spending on foreign-owned digital media?
Taking away that tax break would be a significant benefit to Canadian newspapers, magazines and television, which, as we know only too well, have been having a hard time lately.
Richard Harris Hamilton
Hang up
Re “ ‘We can’t ignore this problem any longer.’ Why Canada’s largest school board is finally taking steps to address cellphones in class” (Opinion, Jan. 20): When I read that 90 per cent of Canadian teens who own cellphones are bringing them to school to text, play video games and engage in social media – much of this during class time – I have to ask: Who’s in charge?
When I hear that many parents insist on being able to reach their children throughout the day, this seems to me a potentially negative form of helicopter parenting. What happened to the school office notifying students if there is an urgent message from home?
I read elsewhere that schools in Orlando barred cellphones, even during recess and lunch, resulting in enhanced learning outcomes and enlivened social atmospheres. Students are now looking teachers and fellow students in the eye.
I recognize that it is adults before children who are evidencing cellphone addictions. Let us all be better examples and maintain better boundaries, at home and school alike.
Carol Lewis London, Ont.
“Cellphones are more powerful than the authority figures who are supposed to be regulating them.” I read this line more than once, not just because it is a jaw-dropping assertion but because it is so patently and painfully true.
But here’s the rub: It’s the adults who have ceded their authority. Children become addicted to cellphones because the individuals they look up to – parents, caregivers, teachers and leaders from all walks of society – model this addictive behaviour.
Adults regulated cigarettes and there was dramatically less smoking. So adults should put away their cellphones and also regulate cellphone use in schools.
Children’s mental and physical health, as well as their focused attention, would improve.
Mary Ladky Toronto
Re “Cellphone use in schools should be restricted, not banned, educators say” (Jan. 20): UNESCO may provide ample evidence of the detrimental effects of cellphones on learning, but debates on cellphones in schools should have clarity on physical activity time, variously designated as recess, lunch break or physical education.
A 2021 study of six schools in Denmark found that “intensity and frequency of recess [physical activity] increased when implementing a ban on smartphone usage,” for both boys and girls and both indoor and outdoor recess time.
Considering the documented physical activity deficit of Canadian children, accepting such realities could help us improve overall public health.
Karl Raab Vancouver
Short and sweet
Re “At my piano recital, I cast aside my practised piece and banged out Beethoven” (First Person, Jan. 18): My youthful piano recital was equally unpredictable, but it went in a different direction.
Terrified with stage fright, I played the first few bars. Then my memory went blank.
I somehow banged out a few chords and landed on the last line of the piece. I bowed and walked out.
My teacher asked if I wanted to try again. I said, “No.”
My father, who was in the audience, said, “Your piece was very short.”
Sheila Arkin Toronto
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