Prime Minister Justin Trudeau prepares to speak to guests after a tour of the Chinese Canadian Museum, in Vancouver, on Sept. 12.ETHAN CAIRNS/The Canadian Press
Targeting Trudeau
Re “Justin Trudeau and the angry steelworker is a perfect miniature of the moment” (Sept. 7): The steelworker who wouldn’t shake Justin Trudeau’s hand complains about his “lazy” neighbour who “doesn’t go to work, she lives the same life I do.” I find this so indicative of a certain political mindset: resentment and scapegoating of others.
I would be interested in someone interviewing this supposed “lazy” neighbour and determining whether and why she lives just as he does. Some perspective on this worker’s accusations might shed some light on the matter.
Sascha Maicher Ottawa
Reporter Shannon Proudfoot nails it: Justin Trudeau is the victim of character assassination.
As every junior-high girl or boy can tell you, that is hard to confront.
Nicholas Tracy Fredericton
Political chaos
Re “Nothing achieved? Mission accomplished!” (Opinion, Sept. 7): As grateful as I am to live in a country with parliamentary governance and not a two-party system like that in the United States, there are times, like now, that my satisfaction is undermined by our leaders and the chaos they have engendered across the political landscape.
As Canadians we want stability in our lives – in our personal lives, work environments, health care, housing systems, the economy – and the governments implementing policies that affect all those aspects of society. But internecine conflict, ambiguous ideological and party affiliations, incoherent messaging and a host of other factors leave many Canadians with little hope of ever seeing the government stability we need in these chaotic times.
There are too many different-coloured jerseys on the playing field, all looking for a competent coach, team identity and a playbook they can all work from. Hard to find when the goalposts are constantly moving.
Ray Arnold Richmond, B.C.
Wake-up call
Re “What we lose when words lose meaning” (Opinion, Sept. 7): This awoke in me a sleeping giant.
This giant has been quietly growing in my subconscious for some time, afraid to come out and face the light. As I kept reading, I finally saw the giant in all its misery.
My giant is fear: fear that ubiquitous populism is like the “Nazi-speak” mentioned in the article, as it now seems to saturate public discourse. We should have more “woke” media to illustrate and condemn modern populism.
Awareness is not always pleasant, but I believe it’s much better to face our worries than to keep them suppressed in darkness. Isn’t it interesting how we can keep all these thoughts just below the surface? But when someone points them out with such clarity, our perspective falls into place like completing a puzzle.
We should help the next generation better distinguish between feelings and ideas, manipulation and truth – before it is too late.
G.A. Teske Sherwood Park, Alta.
Danger, danger
Re “AI poses an existential danger to humanity” (Opinion, Sept. 7): Contributor Yuval Noah Harari compares the Industrial Revolution to artificial intelligence. Perhaps another frightening link of equal danger is the confusion between the mind and the brain.
Presently, AI is mindless. That is, it cannot provide the intellect, emotion and creativity that humans can. Consequently, it would be unable to tell the difference between friend and foe during a missile strike.
Another example of its capacity: When AI is asked to paint a landscape, it merely looks at the output of numerous successful artists to see that many paintings include woods, rivers and clouds. So the AI landscape contains a stream flowing through trees toward a cloud-filled sky. Few people would call this creativity.
We should learn to keep AI in its place of doing mindless things such as following orders, instead of doing things the mind can do, such as creating a new, climate-friendly and healthier world.
Barry Hammond Winnipeg
I take issue with contributor Yuval Noah Harari when he advances that artificial intelligence “can make decisions … it is an agent.” He does, however, identify the central issue of AI’s threat: the decision-making power.
Agency is power. Power resides in the human will’s capacity to decide.
AI is not equipped with a will. It is programmed.
We should ensure that the programmer whose power AI enhances is held to account.
Jean Jacques Blais PC, KC; Ottawa
Move it
Re “Scooters, e-bikes and mopeds ride into regulatory grey zones as Canada’s cities and provinces race to keep up” (Sept. 7): As always, I find it is the inconsiderate and dangerous behaviours of a few riders of micromobility devices prompting calls for extra layers of red tape and overregulation of these devices.
It should be the behaviours of riders, not the devices themselves, that are targeted for regulation and police enforcement. Some of us could ride just about anything safely and courteously, while others could create a hazard no matter what they are riding.
V.J. Dartnell Vancouver
My biggest problem with scooter and e-bike riders is their failure to follow the basic rules of the road. This concerns me more than anything.
I am happy to share the road with them so long as I know they are obeying the same rules that I, as a driver, am required to follow. To me, being predictable on the road is of primary importance.
Instead, not stopping at stop signs or red lights, not signalling turns and zipping between traffic are the most common examples of what I see all the time. Other gripes: Why don’t they remove their earbuds? And they should stop being on the phone or tracking their GPS more than paying attention to the road and traffic around them.
It would also be helpful if they were required to have a bell or some kind of noisemaking device – and have the common courtesy to use it.
Peter Hutcheon Toronto
For the birds
Re “For the birds” (Opinion, Sept. 7): We retired our bird feeders years ago because of unwanted guests: rodents, cats, hawks.
Instead, we planted a native plant garden that provides a year-round restaurant for birds, bees and butterflies, including nectar for hummingbirds and seed heads in the winter for goldfinches and other songbirds.
Our garden is a fascinating hub of activity that is much less work, as well as cheaper and educational.
Gerry McKenna Clarington, Ont.
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