Email letters@nowtoronto.com
Casino rethink for the casual gambler
Thank you for the amazingly informative and comprehensive articles on the issue of a mega-casino in Toronto (NOW, February 28-March 6). It should be required reading not only for every single person at City Hall but for all Torontonians.
It’s clear the only guarantee a mega-casino would bring is pain, torment and more corruption.
No amount of bright lights and the lure of a good time will ever convince me to visit Sin City North if it’s ever built.
The mere thought of all the Vegas scourge making sleazy and wicked backroom deals is enough to make even a casual casino visitor rethink.
Dale Thompson
Toronto
On gambling, arbitrary ethical line being drawn
When I consider that your publication is paid for by conspicuous consumerism, that its latter pages are filled with ads for escorts and that you dedicate entire issues to alcohol consumption, I have to wonder why gambling outrages you so much. Could it be that you have drawn an arbitrary ethical line in the sand?
Chris Michael Burns
Toronto
Trouble In The Peace realities
I respectfully disagree with Norman Wilner’s fault-finding review of Trouble In The Peace (NOW, March 1). It certainly connected to me through its narrative.
The documentary is a poignant personal portrait of a community under assault. These are caring families concerned about their children, their air and water. Apparently, it’s a reality far removed from, but directly attached to, the gas stove in Wilner’s kitchen.
Tom Adair
New Westminster, BC
Whiny Jack Layton speculation
Re The naming of Jack Layton Way (NOW, February 28-March 6). This has to be one of the worst examples of NOW’s simply looking for something to complain about.
So you’re happy Jack Layton had a street named in his honour but the location is not to your liking and somehow you instinctively know that, despite appearances to the contrary, Olivia Chow was just being gracious in her acceptance of it.
Really, I expect to see news on a page labelled Newsfront, not whiny speculation.
Fiona Bramzell
Toronto
Haters, get your Ford facts straight
To letter writer Drew Lynch, who is gloating about Mayor Rob Ford’s recent legal victory and believes that NOW must be desperately unhappy about it (NOW, February 28-March 6).
NOW said from the beginning that Ford should not be removed from office by the courts, since it would be much more meaningful for him to be repudiated by the voters.
Ford did violate conflict of interest guidelines and campaign spending rules but has escaped any legal penalty. That does not exonerate him it just means he got away with it.
David Palter
Toronto
Knowles sisters something fierce
Nick Winters’s letter asserting that the Knowles sisters are bad role models for young females was unreasonable (NOW, February 28-March 6).
Critiquing Solange based on her sister’s political choices takes away from Solange’s individuality as an artist.
As both a woman and a person of colour, Beyoncé shouldn’t be blamed for taking advantage of career opportunities. I admit that some of her political choices have been problematic. However, I don’t entirely expect political consciousness from a commercial pop artist.
NOW’s choice to run a “provocative” image of Solange – a woman of colour and unconventional beauty – is directly valuable in many ways to young coloured females in particular. It’s also fierce, honey.
Huda Hassan
Toronto
Big problem on the farm
Why are consumers not aware of farm work hazards, migrant and domestic farm worker issues or where food comes from and how it is produced (NOW, February 21-27)?
Because most people don’t give a crap about farmers and historically never have.
In my experience as a market gardener for the past 12 years, people are mostly concerned about their money where food acquisition is concerned.
Locavores, besides being smug, are too lazy to pay a visit to a local farm and too certain that a food label tells enough of the story about the food they eat.
Stephen Jackiw
Stephen’s Organic Market Garden
Orillia
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