As the cleanup in the Constance Bay area of Ottawa continues, Canada must also focus on preventing and mitigating flooding in the first place.CHRIS WATTIE/Reuters
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More mitigation
John Ibbitson uses the recent and frequent flooding to call for carbon taxes (Floods Force Conservatives To Find Consensus On Climate, April 29).
But the more urgent need is to develop a mitigation strategy. Canada needs to map flood-prone areas, discourage or prohibit developments in such areas, and offer buyouts and relocation assistance (rather than assistance in rebuilding in the same spots).
Regarding forest fires, how about possible logging or limited burns to provide fire breaks, including in the “untouchable” first growth areas? Carbon taxes are good for the globe, but planning should begin at home.
Andrew Chong, Toronto
World of flooding
For the past several days, many of our fellow citizens have been going through situations of angst with the floods that have hit the eastern part of the country. This horrible situation should open us to the fate of countries of the southern hemisphere: India, a country dealing with a violent cyclone, and Mozambique, where floods appear to be unstoppable (Death Toll Rises To At Least 38 In Mozambique After Cyclone Kenneth, April 29).
Yet, in countries of the south, in addition, malaria settles in after the floods. In Mozambique, UNICEF reports 15,000 new cases of malaria since the beginning of the floods.
One cannot always prevent floods, but mortality because of malaria can be avoided with bed nets and cheap medicine. This requires well-off countries to provide their fair share of financing for the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which is currently depleted.
Canadians have shown their solidarity toward their own neighbours by carrying countless bags of sand. Now let’s hope our government will extend this solidarity beyond our borders and increase the share of our contribution to the Global Fund.
Jean-François Tardif, Gatineau, Que.
Roiling over rims
I, for one, would be pleased to see the end of Tim Hortons’ annual contest (Tim Hortons To Rethink Roll Up The Rim After Weak Results, April 30).
As someone who takes my refillable cup along for my jolt of java, I spend the duration of the “roll up the rim” season declining an empty cup which servers try to foist upon me. Try as I might, they don’t seem to understand that adding more cups to landfill for the chance to win a “free” coffee is an expensive proposition.
Marg Heidebrecht, Dundas, Ont.
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For several years, I and some acquaintances have been avoiding Tim Hortons, so there may be much more to a decline in sales than cool weather.
I avoid Tim’s because there have been incidents of lower-paid employees not being treated equitably, attempts to impose lower prices on suppliers who wanted to provide quality food, and arbitrary treatment of some franchisees. Based on my observations, the lines at its drive-through windows are an environmental disaster zone. All advertising is manipulative but Tim’s is particularly manipulative and seeks to exploit our attachment to Canada.
At the risk of being provocative and with some trepidation, I would suggest that McDonald’s is more Canadian than Tim’s, which is now owned by a bunch of Brazilians and Pittsburghers. Any attachment to Canada is illusory. I will continue to take a pass on their establishments.
Ian Guthrie, Ottawa
Beware electoral reform
Once again, a new extremist right-wing party has come out of nowhere in a major European democracy (in this case, Spain) to win a significant number of seats in a national parliament. (Socialists Win Minority In Spain Election, April 29).
Spain is following in the footsteps of other major European countries, including Germany (in its 2017 election) and Sweden (last year). In the case of Italy, the new party in question forms part of the governing coalition.
What do all of these countries have in common? They all use proportional representation (PR) as their electoral system, a system that encourages and rewards the creation of new parties.
Over the past six months, voters in British Columbia and Prince Edward Island have rejected proposals to introduce PR in their legislatures. The government of Quebec has said it will bring in legislation to have PR adopted as the system used for its legislature, without ever consulting the electorate through a referendum. In light of what is going on in Europe, Quebec should think twice.
Peter Love, Toronto
Women shut out
Elizabeth Renzetti mentions only briefly the most important reason that we have not had more female prime ministers and premiers (Out Of The Picture? April 27).
People reach these positions only if they are chosen as the leaders of political parties. Perhaps it is time to abandon parties as the way that we select our governors, for this and many other reasons.
Political parties have become self-serving, and clearly benefit themselves, rather than being of, by and for the people. They perpetuate many anachronisms, including the preponderance of men as leaders.
Political parties perhaps served a purpose in the 18th and 19th centuries, but their evolution has demonstrated that they have outlived their usefulness. If we choose our leaders as was done in Athens when democracy began – by lottery, much like jury selection – among many other benefits, half of our leaders will be women by chance alone.
Ian Gemmill, Kingston
D’oh! Canada
Re The Simpsons Under Fire For Derogatory Portrayal Of Newfoundlanders In Canadian-Themed Episode (April 29).
In 1949, when Newfoundland joined Canada, an elderly woman who lived in one of the outports of Newfoundland was asked by a reporter how she felt now that she was becoming part of Canada. She replied, something like: “Thank goodness. Now I don’t have to put up with another Newfoundland winter!” Her remark is typical of Newfoundland humour.
To be funny you have to be intelligent. To stereotype, as The Simpsons did, is to misconstrue and miss out on the true meaning and nature of the individual, and of the land.
Douglas Cornish, Ottawa
More taxes, please
The federal government has stated that rebates will ensure the majority of Canadians paying the carbon tax will come out ahead (Most Consumers Won’t Be Out Of Pocket From Carbon Tax, April 26).
If that is the case, then why not double or triple the tax?
Lawrence Gelberg, King City, Ont.