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Letters To The Editor News

Letters To The Editor | November 1-7, 2018: The problem with the politics of diversity


Privilege not so black and white

Thanks for the article by Kalsang Dolma and her contribution to change in our city by running in the municipal election (NOW, October 25-31). I am a white man, with race and gender pr-ivilege, but I don’t think that diversity will be the only change required to inspire and change power relations in our city and world. 

Simply defeating incumbent white men in elections and replacing them with candidates of diversity will not bring about significant change.

Bernie Sanders’s campaign for U.S. president was supported by thousands of racialized Americans, not because they begrudgingly felt that only a white man could win the election, but because they supported his policies of change and strategies to combat racism and gender inequality.

Toronto needs politicians at all levels of government who are representative of all of our communities and I share that goal with Dolma, but diversity alone cannot bring the change that is required to challenge corporate and colonial power and gender and race privilege.

David Kidd, Toronto

The problem with diversity politics

Kalsang Dolma writes that “shortly after I registered to run, a resident from Parkdale-High Park who founded a feminist-themed podcast told a campaign worker she was disappointed that I was running. [Gord] Perks is one of the strongest progressive champions we have, she said.” By her own account, it seems Dolma doesn’t have issues with Perks’s politics. Her only problem is that he’s a white man. 

Doug Reid, Toronto

Conrad Black is right about one thing (not)

I am a Michael Coren fan, but he’s off base in his criticism of Conrad Black’s column on Faith Goldy (NOW, October 25-31). Black made it very clear that he, too, thinks Goldy is the architect of her own misfortune and shredded reputation. 

What he actually wrote in his piece is that Goldy brought real issues to the table that she was prevented from putting forward because of a mainstream media boycott. He’s 100 per cent right. 

Steve Payne, Toronto

Don’t count Tory out as agent of change

Regarding your recap of election winners and losers (NOW, October 25-31). John Tory has the potential to do some good things if he’s pushed appropriately. It’ll take some solid, mature, citizen pressure to get him there, but he’s got the demeanour and ability to outmanoeuvre the blowhard bullshitter in the premier’s office.

Ramona Slodov, From nowtoronto.com

MDs prioritizing Big Pharma over weed

Jeff Blackmer of the Canadian Medical Association is buried in the back pocket of Big Pharma when it comes to medical marijuana (NOW, October 11-17). 

At this spring’s Conference for Cannabinoid Research, where Blackmer was a guest speaker, dozens of MDs waited afterward for a turn at the mic to discredit, admonish and vent at his rhetoric. The dissenting consensus led to Blackmer throwing down his credentials badge and storming out. 

Let’s not blame this on the doctors, many of whom have recognized and incorporated medical cannabis into their arsenal of treatment tools, but on a greedy CMA, which has personal profits prioritized.

Richard Gillman, From nowtoronto.com

Legalization: we’ll drink to that

The legalization of cannabis reminds me of something Archy the Cockroach, friend of Mehitabel the Cat, said when asked if ending Prohibition had improved the country. “It may not have improved the country,” he said, “but it sure has improved the liquor.”

Elizabeth Block, Toronto

Losing our illusions about poverty

I’m writing in response to Claude Wittmann’s article Perversion Of Poverty (NOW, September 20-26). I wasn’t aware that ODSP believes poverty is the fault of recipients. I was certain I had no more illusions about that, but obviously I do. We do live in a blame-the-victim society. 

Like ODSP, my seniors’ allowance translates into spare change when one considers the outrageously priced apartment rentals along with the high cost of food. My living conditions have become increasingly deplorable since I turned to the revolving door of shelters and drop-ins. 

The Ford government ought to have at least followed through on the Basic Income Pilot Project until a better solution to homelessness and poverty was established.

Phyllis Kahn, Toronto

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