Baird, Barrick and false impressions
I would like to address Sakura Saunders’s John Baird Strikes Gold With Barrick (NOW, March 31).
The article leaves a false impression that the Munk School is a “project” over which any donor has even the slightest measure of control. University of Toronto policies ensure that no donor has any control over the academic work of any unit they support through their philanthropy. The Munk School’s consistently strong reputation among academic peers around the world and its critical teaching are daily evidence of that independence.
The Digital Public Square Project mentioned in the article is an example of the world-leading innovation that is only possible when a centre for advanced research sets its own priorities and then collaborates with civil society, industry and government on its own terms.
The project involves many partners around the globe. It attracted the financial support of the government of Canada, but as with any funder, only on the basis of the university’s unwavering commitment to academic freedom. In the project’s pilot phase, more than 4 million Iranians found a platform to voice their political hopes and aspirations freely.
Thanks to the generosity of our donors, the Munk School is becoming a key enabler of critical thought and action for Canadians who seek to enhance our country’s voice in global affairs and to connect with other global citizens across our planet.
Stephen J. Toope
Director, Munk School of Global Affairs
Toronto
Syria contradictions abound
Re Our Complicity In The ISIS Killing Spree (NOW, April 2-8) and Flying Blind On ISIS (NOW, March 26-April 1). There may be arguments for and against military intervention in Syria, but the idea that we should not bomb ISIS in Syria because it will help Bashar-al Assad is absurd.
Sure, civilians will die, but will it be better for them if Assad does the bombing instead? It might help your argument if Ellie Kirzner didn’t then go on to quote Peggy Mason with approval that “it’s become more and more obvious that it’s better to have Assad as part of the solution, provided there’s international supervision under strict control.”
True, nothing will be solved if we just beat up the bad guys du jour and walk away from the region, but until adults take control of the playground and separate the brawling kids, it does absolutely no good to lecture that everybody should just apologize to each other and play nice.
As for the endgame, foreign (including Canadian) youths stopped going over to fight fascists in Spain when the fascists won.
Radicals will stop rallying to the caliphate when there is no longer a caliphate to rally around. Lost, troubled souls will then go on to shoot people for other reasons.
Raymond Li
Toronto
Do Canadians support risking beheadings?
It’s not enough for Prime Minister Stephen Harper to callously disregard the suffering of veterans returning from Afghanistan, and to deny them easy access to medical and financial assistance for the physical and mental disabilities they acquired as a result of serving their country.
Now he wants to expose our military to what war journalists call “the black hole of Syria.”
Do Canadians really support risking the beheading of their military sons and daughters in a foreign land so that Harper can increase his poll numbers?
Barry Healey
Toronto
Gender expression vs. sexual preference
Re Is CAMH Trying To Turn Trans Kids Straight? (NOW, April 2-8). I appreciate the article regarding the abolishment of conversion therapy at CAMH in order to protect LGBTQ+ children from heteronormative and transphobic medical professionals. But the title of the article is misleading.
By posing the question on whether CAMH is “trying to turn trans kids straight,” you’re creating the assumption that gender expression and sexual preference are one and the same, when in fact they are completely separate aspects of a person’s identity.
Stating a person’s gender identity as trans is irrelevant to whether they are straight, gay, bisexual, pansexual or asexual. After reading the article and understanding what it is the directors of CAMH are attempting to do, you’d be correct in asking a question like “Is CAMH trying to suppress the identity of trans kids?”
That way you convey your message correctly without adding to the confusion and marginalization of sexual and gender minorities.
Nick Alves
Toronto
CAMH therapists may need therapists
“Therapists are caught in the middle, between parents who may want their girl to be a girl, and boy to be a boy.” So says CAMH medical director Kwame McKenzie in describing the current controversy over its gender identity clinic.
Really? Whose therapist? The one that’s supposed to be looking out for the child’s interests?
If parents have an issue with their kid’s sexual identity, let them find their own therapist and let the one helping the kid deal with what will be one of the most difficult and important crises of their young life.
If therapists think it’s reasonable to try to convince children that they may be wrong because of parents’ lack of understanding, fear or bigotry, then they should go find another job that doesn’t involve being a mental health practitioner.
Harvey Bushell
From nowtoronto.com
Celebrate Earth Hour with blue fin tuna
Re Earth Hour Surprise (NOW, April 2-8). Such a warm fuzzy feeling saving the world by turning lights off for an hour.
All the people in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta would like to thank you, since suddenly [because of] your action the saltwater that has been invading the delta magically receded, and as well, the small island nations are now saved from rising oceans. It’s a miracle!
Now leave your huge heated homes with tiny backyards, leave the lights on like you usually do the other 364 days and 23 hours, and get in your fuel-efficient SUVs and go out and celebrate, maybe with some blue fin tuna sushi.
Scotty Robinson
Toronto
John Tory didn’t buy election. Rob blew it.
Re Did John Tory Buy The Election? (NOW, April 2-8). No, Rob Ford blew the election due to his lack of integrity, egotistical attitude and personal problems even before he was diagnosed with cancer and had to drop out of the race.
Robert Croghan
Toronto
Paid duty police waste of a scarce resource
Gord MacKay’s letter in defence of paid duty for cops (NOW, April 2-8) got me thinking.
I am of the view that all our police should be earning $100,000 a year or more. And having spent 90 per cent of my working life as a union member, I fully support a fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay.
But how do I reconcile the fact that the cost of paid duty policing eventually filters down to the public at large?
Out of 10 road construction sites I surveyed over the last few years where paid duty police were present, only on one occasion did I see police directing any traffic.
Also, police officers are highly trained and educated with specific skills, but to use these skills to stand at construction sites waiting for accidents to happen is not a cost-effective use of our scarce resources.
Maybe MacKay can help me with this.
James Chen
Scarborough
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