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Letters To The Editor News

Letters To The Editor | February 15-21, 2018

T.O. needs to wake up to nuke plant dangers

Can Fukushima Happen Here (NOW, February 8-14) reminds busy Torontonians that we cannot trust our government to look after us when it comes to nuclear emergency planning.

The province let the appalling Grassy Narrows mercury poisoning go on for decades. Why would we expect adequate protection from nuclear threats?

There are so many reasons to shut down the Pickering nuke plant, which I am able to see on a clear day from the R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant on Queen East. (No, I’m not making that up.)

It’s too close. It costs too much. We don’t even need the energy. We are not protected if an emergency should occur. And what about all that waste with nowhere to go?

Wake up Torontonians. That plant is right in our backyard! 

Janet McNeill, Toronto

Risking a nuclear catastrophe

Great piece on Pickering’s aging plant – one of the oldest and largest nuke stations in the world surrounded by millions of people.

Ontario Power Generation’s response to a potential accident is as dangerous as it is tiresome: couldn’t happen here. 

But of course it could. That’s why the insurance industry won’t insure anyone’s property in the case of a nuclear “incident.”

Why would we risk a nuclear catastrophe in the middle of the GTA when we have lower-cost, safer and renewable alternatives, most notably water power from Quebec?

Doing a deal with Quebec would mean lower bills, greater safety and lots of jobs through immediate decommissioning of the station. 

Please sign our petitions to close Pickering (close-pickering.ca) and buy Quebec power (buyquebecpower.ca).

Angela Bischoff, Director, Ontario Clean Air Alliance

Dominant narrative on homelessness

In response to Fallon Hewitt’s and Karolina Walczak’s article on shelters and housing in Toronto (NOW,February 8-14). I thank NOW for urging us to be more inclusive in our narratives about the violence of housing depravation. 

However, you do not name the woman in the photo accompanying the article in your print edition. This is unfortunately an example of the dominant narrative about class, race and gender in homelessness. 

As a trans person, I wonder if the article would be as powerful a statement if it had been advocating for all non-cis genders. I am just asking. Thank you for your work.

Claude Wittmann, Toronto

How free speech works for right wing

Re Peterson’s Leapfrog (NOW, February 1-7) You folks just don’t learn, do you? The only reason why Jordan Peterson has gained international attention and fame is because the “progressive” left decided to shout him down and “no platform” him over his objection to compelled speech codes. 

Note that he never said he would refuse to adhere to pronoun requests from individual students. And yet Florence Ashley still asks “Should he be allowed to speak at all?”

Who but a wannabe tyrant would ask such an absurd question?

Peterson can speak his mind and anyone is free to refute him (or better yet, debate him) if they so choose. That’s how free speech works.

Jan Burton, Toronto

On Jordan Peterson, watch your language

Never in three decades have I ever seen a spelling or gram-mar error in your publication, a laudable achievement – until Florence Ashley, a legal scholar who accuses Jordan Peterson of “flouting” his credentials. I’m sure she meant “flaunting.” Understanding the difference between “who” and “whom” would also help. I hope they’re not pronouns or someone’s in trouble.

Paul Rezler, Toronto

Taking a pass on Uber

After your cover story on ride-hailing apps (NOW, January 18-24), I have made a greater effort to abstain from using Uber. It’s important to me that we keep cabs on the road. 

And while a little healthy competition is to be expected, ride-hailing services may just be contributing to a bigger problem getting around the city for everyone.

Kristen May, Toronto

Trump undermining world peace

The whole world is watching Pyeongchang. The Olympic Games are a powerful symbol of international cooperation and goodwill, while the spirit of the games represents the possibility of peace and progress in our time. 

Hope like that, especially on the Korean peninsula, is something sorely needed in these dark times. 

Despite the clear possibility for shared progress toward peace, Donald Trump and his administration is seeking to make nuclear war easier to wage. 

As disheartening as the president’s outbursts are, it is within our power to reverse the damage he’s done. Congress has a wealth of options to do just that. 

Perhaps if we learned from the Olympic spirit rather than spat on it, we’d find ourselves in a much less scary world.

Sara Valade, Toronto

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