Patrick Brown’s quantum flip-flop
In Patrick Brown’s Sex Education (NOW, September 1-7), columnist Michael Coren would have us believe that the letter denouncing the new school sex education curriculum sent out to voters ahead of last week’s Scarborough by-election was the result of campaign sabotage.
Coren writes that “he struck me as more liberal than conservative on social policy.” Didn’t Brown vote against same-sex marriage and attempt to reopen the abortion debate despite Harper’s promise to the contrary? In 2008, he objected to awarding the Order of Canada to abortion crusader Henry Morgentaler. Of course, all this became water under the bridge when he launched his bid for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario. He even marched in the Gay Pride parade.
At the Conservative Leadership Federation, a boot camp to prepare young Conservatives for future campaigns, there were 40 complaints of inappropriate treatment: denying adequate food and water, throwing a shoe at a female participant, sexist language, etc, made by parents and participants. Brown offered an apology. Brown belongs to the sit-down school of politics in that he stands up for nothing.
Like Donald Trump, his favourite political manoeuvre is the U-turn.
Moses Shuldiner, Toronto
Coren garden-variety on LGBTQ issues
I don’t get it. So Michael Coren is no longer the homophobe he once was? Why does that mean I have to read his mundane and banal observations in Toronto’s only remaining alternative paper? Enough already. Find someone with history and credibility to write about LGBTQ issues. Or maybe you’d like to hire me to do a gardening column? Because I used to hate gardening, and now I don’t.
Deb Matheson, Toronto
Poignant memories of war a century later
Craig Gibson’s Why I Remember The Summer Of 1916 A Century Later (NOW, September 1-7) is a fascinating account of family history intertwined with the events of the Great War. It reads like a novel, but the fact that it is a true story poignantly highlights the struggles that many of our relatives faced during that period.
Britta Hild, From nowtoronto.com
Hate the Air Show? Get outta town.
Re 10 People Who Hate The Goddamn Toronto Air Show, by Michelle Da Silva (NOW, September 2).
I get it. The first time I heard the Air Show it scared the crap out of me, and I was from small-town Ontario. I can imagine it’s not easy for new immigrants to hear the noise. Acknowledging the stress they must be feeling is entirely appropriate.
But they are not in a war zone. The Canadian military has a long history of supporting freedom and democracy. Over 1 million people see the show each year.
If you dislike it so much, get out of town. Just like people who don’t like race cars do during the Indy, or those who don’t like crowds do during Caribana and those who hate Santa Claus during the Christmas parade.
DC, Toronto
Read fine print in animal cruelty petition
Re Canada’s Animal Cruelty Shame, by Cara Melbye (NOW, September 1-7). Please be sure to sign and share e-petition 509 posted on the Government of Canada’s e-petition webpage. It’s the only petition supporting Bill C-246 that is admissible in the House of Commons.
Peggy Saudino, From nowtoronto.com
Sixties Scoop was state-sanctioned abduction
Re Canada’s Child Soldiers, by Drew Hayden Taylor (NOW, August 25-31). It should be noted that the Sixties Scoop, in which an estimated 16,000 Aboriginal children from Ontario were placed in adoptive or foster care, in most cases involved children being forcibly taken from their parents. It was nothing short of state-sanctioned kidnapping.
David Maharaj, Etobicoke
Shaw audiences smart about race
Re Shaw Festival’s Sweeney Todd: How Not To Cast Diversity, by David Fancy (NOW, August 29).
Um, as a professional musical theatre actor for more than 25 years, I would ask that Fancy read the play or pay more attention to what is going on. Turpin rapes Lucy.
More strongly, the fact you are bringing up that the actor is a man of colour is completely uncalled for. We the audience accept this with great intelligence.
Those who bring it up are the ones who have a problem with it. And that would be you, Mr. Fancy Pants!!
Timothy E. Brummund, From nowtoronto.com
Acting in Morgan goes skin deep
Thanks for the not so rave review of Morgan (NOW, September 1-7). “Neither their characters nor their interactions have any depth.”
Yes! I’ve been pretty bummed out lately by the “substantial” performances of the recent glut of young Hollywood wannabes (Ryan Gosling, etc) Skin deep, with grape marmalade splashed upon her lips, Anya Taylor-Joy is exactly that kind of gooey joy with nothing underneath. Sounds like a recommendation to me.
Ian Scott, Toronto
