Photos By Sean Tamblyn
The Eastern Gap, which was created by a storm in the 1850s, was hit hard again during the flood of 2017.
Seeing green on climate change
Many thanks to Richard Longley for his informative article on the Toronto Islands a year after the flood (NOW, November 8-14).
I was reassured to learn that there is a plan to protect the Toronto Islands from further erosion.
While climate change makes planning much more challenging, it is clear that managing our tree canopy and increasing our green spaces will pay off in the near and distant future.
Here’s hoping that our municipal government will see “green infrastructure” not as an expense but as an investment and fund it accordingly.
Hamish Greenland, Toronto
Economics of Toronto Islands a question
I always enjoy Richard Longley’s articles and his love of Toronto’s architectural heritage. But I had to chuckle about his recent cover story on the Toronto Islands. The Toronto Islands were always a geological anomaly. They are also a financial liability. If taxpayers are going to spend money adjusting the Islands to climate change, let’s do it where there are economic benefits. The only real benefit for Torontonians is expanding the Island Airport. A lot of NOW readers will think I’m nuts, but they all love flying Porter to Montreal, New York, Chicago and elsewhere.
Andrew van Velzen, Toronto
Anthropocene unearths global calamity
I saw Anthropocene recently (NOW, September 6-12). I urge everyone go see this spectacular and horrific movie on the effects of industrialization, agriculture, mining and urbanization – and why geologists are concerned about the future of the planet. This movie should be compulsory viewing for all, especially for our politicians and corporate CEOs. We need this perspective and understanding of human impact on the Earth.
Barbara Sternberg, Toronto
U of T’s free speech front
I appreciated NOW’s coverage of the Steve Bannon/David Frum debate (NOW, November 1-7). It is shameful that the University of Toronto silently lends its imprimatur to the Munk Debates, which have in the past featured powerful people like Henry Kissinger and Nigel Farage who espouse war, racism and authoritarianism. The rationale is “freedom of speech,” but deafening is the lack of criticism from the academic community. It is timely to revisit the corporatization of the university.
Judith Deutsch, Toronto
Bannon versus Frum outrage out of balance
I was surprised to learn that the authors of your recent article on Steve Bannon and his participation in the Munk Debates were PhD students at U of T. Four words into the article, the authors have already told us that “many Canadians” feel a certain way about the event. In those same first four words, the authors are telling me how I should feel by saying many Canadians were “rightly outraged” by Bannon’s participation.
The final sentence in the article was the nail in the coffin for me. Who are the authors to suggest that a debate between two conservatives is a debate not worth having? The future of conservatism is in the balance. A conservative is the perfect person to debate a right-wing extremist.
Josh Cox, Toronto
On poverty, loose change isn’t cutting it
Reading Peter Biesterfeld’s article on minimum wage (NOW, November 1-7) made me think about the increasing sight of poverty on our streets. Outside practically every establishment on Bloor West sits a person on a cardboard box with Tim Hortons cup in hand and sad eyes asking for help. Maybe the mayor and his newly elected council can sped some time working out a respectable solution. Loose change isn’t helping.
Rudolf Manook, Toronto
TIFF’s membership change a fail
I was very disappointed to be unable to renew my student membership at TIFF today. They have recently changed their offer to persons under the age of 25. This is a big fail for TIFF, as many university students these days are over the age of 25.
Not only is this an ageist policy, it will significantly decrease their membership. Too bad.
Shannon Griffiths, Toronto