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Letters To The Editor News

Letters to the editor

Email: letters@nowtoronto.com

Natives serious about self-rule must back Bill C-27

Reading Why Idle No More Matters To Us All (NOW, January 10-16) made my blood boil. When is it time to say, “Enough already”?

In the main article, writer Pam Palmater puts forth the idea that the federal government [s hould] stay out of aboriginal affairs. And that bands can manage themselves. Then why is it that all we hear about is poverty?

If the band councils want to govern themselves, then they should agree to Bill C-27, which calls for being accountable to all people of Canada.

Christopher George


Toronto


Attawapiskat could be a diamond in the rough

It’s not that Attawapiskat is neglected by Ottawa. It’s that it’s mismanaged by Chief Theresa Spence.

The native Canadians there say there is no opportunity. They are absolutely right.

There are no places to be employed other than the De Beers diamond mine. I think it’d be better if residents packed up and moved to a community where there’s more opportunity.

I can respect that perhaps they want to stay and they see Attawapiskat as their home. If so, part of that generous $17 million the reserve receives from Ottawa per year should go toward getting them training and an education to allow them to work at De Beers.

Bob Smith


From nowtoronto.com


Could PM care less if Chief Theresa Spence dies?

The Idle No More opinion piece by former Ardoch Algonquin chief Robert Lovelace (NOW, January 3-9) might have had more credibility had he not written that “Harper could probably care less whether Theresa Spence lives or dies.”

What that literally means is that the PM probably cares somewhat but it is more likely that he does not care if Spence dies. This all-too-common example of saying the opposite of what you mean indicates an inexcusable failure to think.

David Townson


Toronto


Faux or not, fur glamorizes cruelty to animals

Your cover photo of Nicole Underhay wearing a fur collar isn’t sexy it’s sickening (NOW, January 10-16). Even though she may be wearing faux fur, you’re glamorizing torture and cruelty to animals.

You almost seem to be daring animal rights activists to vandalize your newspaper boxes, although the vast majority of us are non-violent and will simply write letters (that you won’t print).

This and your disgusting “meat” issue last year are so vulgar, morally callous and bigoted toward our fellow earthlings that you make the right-wing Toronto Sun look absolutely progressive.

Paul York

Toronto


Not eggs-actly the best advice for 2013 resolutions

Aileen Burford-Mason’s suggested 2013 resolution is for us to include eggs in our breakfast (NOW, January 3-9)? Seriously?

I am morally obligated to note that hens are treated terribly by the factory farm industry (and don’t be fooled by “free range”).

Furthermore, if people are concerned about choline and lutein, they can eat tofu and kale respectively. This way, nobody suffers.

Here’s a resolution: in 2013 eat cruelty-free! Peace to all.

Chris Michael Burns


Toronto


Late funnyman Dennis Frey remembered

I just read about the untimely passing of stage performer Dennis Frey (NOW, January 2). Jon Kaplan pretty much summed up Frey in his memorial to the late funnyman.

Frey was fondly recalled at his standing-room-only Royal Canadian Legion celebration.

Even now, I don’t understand why it had to happen. I’d just seen him a week before. He was so intelligent and loyal to his friends.

Jim LeRoy


Mississauga


Odd part of NOW’s Best Albums list

Some great choices in NOW’s Best Toronto Albums Ever (NOW, January 3-9). And some truly odd ones.

Is there really no writer on staff who thought it ironic that your number-one-ranked Toronto artist couldn’t get out of town fast enough? And what is Drake doing on your list? What’s “Toronto” about his record? I guess it’s not a serious list, as the top 10 skew so current-era.

It was also hard to see how choices like the Rheostatics fit when you ignored bands like Max Webster.

Nick Winters

Toronto


Andrew Cash one of T.O.’s most important artists

No question that any top-50 list will make anyone smile and hiss. I just couldn’t believe that this list didn’t contain one record by, in my view, one of Toronto’s most important artists: Andrew Cash.

During the heyday of Toronto’s late 70s and early 80s underground scene, he was the co-leader of our quintessential politico-punk band L’Etranger (along with now fellow NDP MP Charlie Angus). Their self-titled album was an epic statement of protest and social justice.

The Cash-man gets my vote, not only to represent us in Parliament, but easily as the creator of at least one of our 50 most fabulous records.

Rod Cohen


Former member of the Plasterscene Replicas


Zero Dark Thirty torture questions

In his review of Zero Dark Thirty (NOW, January 10-17), Norman Wilner characterizes as “bullshit” the controversy surrounding the film’s portrayal of torture, stating that “depiction doesn’t constitute endorsement.” Fair enough.

Except the controversy stems from Zero Dark Thirty’s portrayal of CIA torture as successfully yielding information key to finding Osama bin Laden. That never happened in real life.

Obviously, director Kathryn Bigelow and writer Mark Boal made a conscious decision to portray torture this way. I think asking why is in no way a “bullshit” question.

Paul Johnston


Toronto


NOW welcomes reader mail. Address letters to: NOW, Letters to the Editor, 189 Church, Toronto, ON M5B 1Y7. Send e-mail to letters@nowtoronto.com and faxes to 416-364-1166. All correspondence must include your name, address and daytime phone number. Letters may be edited for length.

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