Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre rises during Question Period in Ottawa, on Sept. 26.Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
Time to vote
Re “To go from attack dog to pack leader, Pierre Poilievre must learn from CEOs” (Report on Business, Oct. 1): Canadians would be wise to finally stop voting against someone and start voting for someone. This requires study and knowledge of the alternate choices, in case they turn out to be worse than the person voters aim to depose.
So far, Pierre Poilievre has not shown the maturity, depth or intelligence to come up with any substantial ideas that would show me he can do anything more than be a know-it-all bully who really knows nothing. Before people vote against Justin Trudeau, let’s be sure the alternative won’t be worse.
Bruce Hutchison Ottawa
Re “To safeguard democracy, voting should be mandatory” (Sept. 26): Contributor Scott Stirrett’s cure for Canada’s collapsing turnout is to make voting mandatory. That would mean a focus on managing symptoms rather than finding a cure.
The House of Commons Special Committee on Electoral Reform recommended against such a move. As it wrote in its report, “introducing mandatory voting would not in itself resolve the root causes of low voter turnout or engagement, and might mask them.”
There are different reasons why people don’t vote. For some, it’s because they find voting difficult or inaccessible. For others, it’s because they refuse to participate in an unfair system that lets their vote go to waste. Rather than punish people, government should fix the problems that make them stay home.
The committee report is full of excellent ideas for making voting accessible. Government should implement them, and introduce proportional representation.
Then we’d have a cure for low turnout, and other ills besides.
Vivian Unger Fredericton
Going up
Re “The Bloc’s plan to pick the pockets of young families” (Editorial, Oct. 1): I would remind readers that Canada is a populist laggard in terms of adjusting eligibility for seniors’ benefits to modern longevity.
The Bloc Québécois could have asked the Liberal government to revisit its position on Old Age Security at age 67. But Yves-François Blanchet’s party mission is an independent Quebec, not a sustainable Canada.
When the economic, social, demographic and government-spending implications of longer life expectancy are considered, it made a lot of sense for the previous Conservative government to increase the age of eligibility from 65 to 67. But instead of following a global movement of responsible intergenerational governance, Justin Trudeau cancelled the age adjustment soon after his 2015 election.
Boosting OAS by 10 per cent each electoral cycle, while never increasing the age of eligibility, shows me how disconnected we are with our new demographic reality, and how inconsiderate we are to future generations.
Eric Noël Quebec
Do not cross?
Re “Canada’s federal and provincial governments should stay in their own lanes” (Oct. 1): Preston Manning entreats our federal and provincial governments to “stay in their own lanes,” a principle with which I largely agree.
However, missing from his plea is any nod to the principle of co-operative federalism, the principle by which federal and provincial governments seek to work together for the benefit of all. The serious issues facing our nation could benefit from collaboration, not altercation.
Nicole Chrolavicius, Lawyer and lecturer, constitutional law, Osgoode Hall Law School Toronto
While having no issue with the concept of “subsidiarity” as described by Preston Manning and the outcome it implies for federal-provincial relations, the thing that really gets in the way is money.
As soon as provinces need money for health care, education or economic development of almost any kind, the first place they go looking is the federal government. That’s where the “golden rule” kicks in: He who has the gold makes the rules.
Do that for 150 years and it’s not hard to see why the lines between federal and provincial responsibilities have become so blurred.
Neville Taylor Toronto
What Preston Manning suggests is laudable, but would never happen.
The problem lies in provincial governments having most of the expenses and the federal government having most of the taxing authority. The federal government also wants recognition for doling out money, and hence get votes, so you can see why Ottawa would never do the sensible thing.
I suspect provincial governments are not displeased with the current arrangement either. What would it take to force the federal government to reduce its tax take, so that provinces can be held responsible for increasing taxes and how the money is spent?
Michael Di Paolo Toronto
Preston Manning’s argument seems based on the assumption that, in 1867, our founding fathers got the division of powers right and that it would remain right forever.
Much has been made of the United States enshrining rights and institutions nearly 250 years ago that have led to problems today, gun rights and the electoral college to name two. There has been little similar debate in Canada.
Perhaps so-called federal intrusions into provincial affairs should be properly viewed as attempts to fix past mistakes.
William Love Burlington, Ont.
Underneath it all
Re “Doug Ford’s proposed tunnel under Highway 401 is transparently political” (Sept. 28): Instead of a tunnel under Highway 401, let’s tear up a few lanes and replace them with tracks dedicated to passenger rail.
Katherine Peel Toronto
Re “Driving ambition” (Letters, Sept. 30): A letter-writer states that road tolls are the simple solution for traffic congestion. I would agree, except that with a dearth of public transit alternatives, tolls would penalize those who have no option but to drive.
We can’t put the cart before the horse.
Kathryn Vogel Toronto
Doug Ford’s proposal reflects the same thinking that has driven Highway 401′s aboveground expansion – to 10 and 12 lanes wide in some places – and should effectively be seen as an admission of failure.
It also flies in the face of similar, bitter experiences elsewhere. The Katy Freeway near Houston, built in the 1960s to connect the city to its western suburbs and beyond, underwent several expansions to accommodate increasing traffic until finally reaching 26 lanes, but to no avail. Congestion continued to worsen and commuter travel times continued to rise.
The source of our traffic troubles, whether in Toronto or elsewhere, “is not in the stars, but in ourselves.” Only by changing our lifestyle and travel habits can we ever hope to find relief.
Patrick Bendin Ottawa
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