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Letters To The Editor News

Letters to the Editor

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Cheque book planning

as one of the citizens who is opposed to Anne Johnston, I was astonished by the inaccuracies in Jonesin’ For Johnston (NOW, October 9-15). The statement about residents that “they have opposed everything associated with development in the north end, everything” is simply untrue.

There has been an enormous amount of new development in the Yonge-Eglinton area, including the entire south side of Merton between Yonge and Mount Pleasant. None of this has been opposed.

Far from standing up for the city’s Official Plan, Anne Johnston’s actions have severely damaged it. Both the Official Plan and the City’s planners called for significantly smaller buildings on the Minto site, in scale with the area.

The supposed benefits Johnston obtained are questionable. The worst part of Johnston’s attitude is her belief that any and all development should be allowed as long as there are some sort of “benefits.” This type of cheque book planning will ultimately destroy Toronto.

Michael Visser, Toronto

Name game

In her interview with don wana gas, Anne Johnston states, “I think someone put him up to it,” referring to my candidacy against her for the Ward 16 city council seat. I just want to say that I am a real candidate and no one “has put me up” to anything. There are 19 columns of Johnsons/Johnstons in the Toronto phone directory. Sooner or later two of us are bound to go head-to-head in a political race.

Michael Johnson, Toronto

Honour justice, not judges

I read with interest professor Alan Young’s article about Justice Richard Schneider’s libel suit against Q107 radio host John Derringer (NOW, October 9-15). As a former court reporter, I would like to venture a few gentle corrections. Professor Young states that “we give them (judges) honorary titles and stand when they enter the room.”

In reality, while the title “Your Honour” is the form of address we use to a judge, it is justice itself to which we are according the honour.

We stand when a judge enters the courtroom to recognize the majesty of justice. Judges are the interpreters of the law, and they are the servants of justice. But, like the rest of us, they are human beings first and foremost. No wonder Mr. Derringer apologized.

Eya Donald Greenland, Toronto

Get your pot online

as a patient fighting to get a re liable supply of marijuana, I do not even see the point of the struggle any more (NOW, October 9-15). Health Canada has once again screwed things up and isn’t looking for the best interest of the patients. What in god’s name was going through the heads of Health Canada when they contracted complete dimwits to grow the medicine?

I have a blood disorder called Kasabach-Merritt syndrome that causes me serious discomfort and pain. The marijuana is a perfect medicine for me since it helps me with the blood clots I get in my knees and back.

If Health Canada is having problems growing the stuff, maybe it should contact an online dealer in Canada who provides proper medicine and does not screw around like government.

The only problem is that it’s a little pricey. But at least it’s not poison like the stuff our government is giving out. I can’t friggin’ believe this.

Damien Marengère, Ottawa

How Grits can end division

I don’t expect a career politician like Liberal leader Dalton McGuinty to act in a truly democratic fashion and grant the NDP official party status when it clearly doesn’t serve his interests (NOW, October 9-15). So I’ve come up with an idea. Since the Liberals and NDP are so ideologically similar, and Liberals hold a massive majority with more than enough seats to push through their platform, wouldn’t it be wise of one courageous Liberal who faithfully serves democracy and the people ahead of his or her party to join the NDP?

I’d like to think that whatever self-serving ire the Ontario Liberal party might rain on this MPP would be more than offset by the incredible political capital gained from the electorate for whoever makes the brave move.

It would go a long way toward ending the “politics of division” Mr. McGuinty and his Liberals have complained so passionately about.

Tom Pashkov, Richmond Hill

The SUV Dalton’s hiding

the ndp deserves a voice in the legislature and Mr. McGuinty should make the change that allows this, unless of course he has something to fear from having another voice questioning his decisions. Perhaps they might dare to ask about his new SUV and who paid for it?

Nicholas Brooks, Toronto

Students couldn’t vote

I’m a new student at york university. As a freshman, I’ve only been a resident of this area for a little over a month. This was the returning officer’s reasoning for not allowing me to vote in the provincial election. I was denied the right to vote, even though I presented all the required documentation and ID. I argued with the returning officers for half an hour, then had to leave to go to class. No wonder there is only a 55 per cent voter turnout rate.

Jacklin Falconer, Toronto

All for cops arresting jerks

re dancing in the dark (now, oc tober 2-8). Protesting is a wonderful privilege we have available to us in this country. But when you damage public or private property and obstruct and harass citizens from going about their business, I’m all for the police arresting you jerks.

All you prove to the public is that you’re a bunch of thugs. And the only thing you accomplish is making yourselves look like assess and discrediting what you stand for.

I’m all for democracy and standing up for what you believe in. But you guys have to do it right or you won’t be taken seriously.

Tom Clark, Guelph

How shitty life can be

re talent time (now, september 11- 17). Wouldn’t you agree that Jane Says is one of the most touching and poignant portraits of an addicted working girl ever written? My high school years would have been incomplete without episodes of wailing “I ain’t never been in love, don’t know what it is, I only know if someone wants me…” behind my locked bedroom door. The themes of loneliness, lovelessness and addiction can be universal, you know. Perhaps dismissing Billy Talent’s song because they “haven’t been hookers” is unfair.

Have you ever lived in East Van? Or anywhere just a little bit icky?

I think anyone who has can relate to just how horrendously shitty life can be, no matter what you do for a living, or what your addictions are.

Regan McDonell, Toronto

Lover/Fighter hater

re the review of lover/fighter (NOW, September 4-10). Two Ns? Matt Galloway has lost his way. He is trying to do too many things: CBC Radio in the morning, surfing obscure Web sites, answering four e-mail accounts and pretending he knows what’s worth doing or going to see in the city of Toronto.

This review tells us nothing except that Galloway has studied enough about Hawksley to know that he recorded the album in a schoolhouse and is from Huntsville. Galloway just doesn’t have time to listen to his free records and write decent reviews any more.

Thomas Toner, Toronto

Elephant praise bang on

your praise of elephant (now, sep- tember 4-10) is bang on. This tale of two affectless teen killers is as much a mystery without a motive as the Columbine shootings. Particularly disturbing were the reactions of some audience members who sniggered at the sight of desperate, escaping teens scattering and running in the halls and up stairs. If adults don’t know how to express empathy, perhaps it’s not surprising that a few teens haven’t got it down either.

Geoff Rytell, Toronto

U.S. deserves shill Ahnold

we here in california deserve Arnold. We deserve the woman-groping, Enron-connected, land-developer-funded, violence-pushing actor for governor. It’s laughable. Americans likewise deserve the corporate shills that stole the White House in 2000 while we just sat there staring at the tube as if someone else’s democratic process was being hijacked. We deserve the multi-trillion- dollar debt these oil-drenched, unelected usurpers have gleefully loaded on our backs. We deserve the worldwide disdain for their oil war.

David Singelyn, Warner Springs, CA

Correction

The founder of CFTO television is John Bassett, not Doug Bassett as reported last week.

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