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Letters To The Editor News

Reader Love and Hate: Only thing that counts in Brent Hawkes case

Only thing that counts in Brent Hawkes case

I have read a number of articles concerning Reverend Brent Hawkes’s troubles (NOW, April 21-27). 

All of them say the same things: wonderful guy, fighter for truth, justice and the American way. Oh, wait, that was someone else. 

The articles also talk about out-of-date laws and their similarity to Nazi laws that mistreated Jews and homosexuals, et al. But that old elephant in the room is not going away. Is he guilty of an assault? A sexual assault? It is the only thing that counts or should count.

Hawkes has been accused he has declared his innocence the Crown must prove its case. It doesn’t matter what age his accuser was at the time of the alleged offence. 

Oh, and aren’t we all supposed to “believe the victim,” or does that just apply to women claiming to have been assaulted by men? Just saying.

Peter Gwin, Toronto

Legalize it and people would be less angry

With regard to your Marijuana Issue (NOW, April 14-20).

Marijuana should be legal. Scientists who use this drug as a tool might one day find the cure for cancer. Marijuana would also make Toronto a lot safer because people would be less angry. 

I was attending an Argos football game at the Rogers Centre a while back. Five police officers were carrying a drunk guy out of the stadium, and as they passed me one officer said to the other, “You don’t see a guy who’s high on marijuana beating up his wife.”

A friend of mine from India who works as a computer programmer never refers to marijuana as dope or weed. He calls it “enchantment.”

Abe Von Eagen, Toronto

Uber’s here, cabbies – get used to it

I’m finding the cab drivers’ arguments in the cabs-versus-Uber debate most offensive (NOW, April 21).

I work at the airport and witness passengers being harassed on a regular basis by illegal cab drivers. I have yet to see other cabbies picketing outside against these drivers. The security detail that is supposed to stop such trespassing not only allows it but has befriended the offenders and says nothing. 

Cabbies, put your big-boy pants on and deal with the change.

Vera Marie, Mississauga

Posties caught up in race snafu

Re Wacky To Racist, by Bernie Farber (NOW, April 14-20). Canada Post head Deepak Chopra is probably the one giving orders to deliver Your Ward News. 

You’re barking up the wrong tree. If you think postal workers like delivering this rag, you’re wrong. They’ve refused and protested it in the past, and management has done nothing.

John Sythe, From nowtoronto.com

Heritage Front put-on

Since Bernie Farber mentions the Heritage Front in his article on Your Ward News, it’s worth remembering that the Heritage Front was left alone by authorities because it was infiltrated and led by the RCMP. 

They built up a hate movement from inside to use as propaganda to pass hate literature legislation, and then took the group down with great fanfare, and the media helped them get away with it. Grant Bristow and Carney Nerland are still living free at taxpayers’ expense while the young people they indoctrinated and pressured into criminal activities took the blame for crimes the RCMP itself orchestrated, a tactic they later used on environmentalists.

Daniel Johnson, From nowtoronto.com

Movie listings letdown

I love picking up NOW on Thursday mornings and reading the new movie reviews and then choosing a movie or two from the schedule to see in the next week. 

I was very disappointed to see the schedule absent this week. I know I can get it on your site (and I have used it), but I would urge you to re-establish it as a regular feature in the magazine.

Mark Winter, Toronto

Native bees need love, too

Re This Earth Day Bee Positive, by Karen McKenna (NOW, April 14- 20)

I was fascinated to learn recently that honeybees are not native, but European. Native bees don’t get nearly the profile that honeybees do. Bumblebees, for example, are wild (native) and are key pollinators for many native plants. They are also more effective pollinators than honeybees for certain crops. They have specific habitat requirements and are under many threats. 

There are simple things urban gardeners can do to ensure our native bees have much-needed habitat. Find info at yourleaf.org.

Janet McKay, LEAF, Toronto

Trudeau true to form on pipelines?

Re Still Livin’ A Pipe Dream, by Adria Vasil (NOW, April 14-20). Justin Trudeau poses as someone prepared to take action on climate change. But what I’m hearing is (thanks, St. Augustine!): “Oh Lord, make us fossil-fuel-free, but not yet.”

Elizabeth Block, Toronto

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