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Letters To The Editor News

Reader Love and Hate: Tale of two Tamil communities

Tale of two Tamil communities 

As a Tamil Canadian, it’s nice to see members of our community featured and reflecting on their refugee experiences (NOW, May 5-11). However, there are innumerably more success stories from the community that deserve attention. Perhaps the author can do another piece featuring these individuals. 

Please don’t misunderstand. What I am trying to say is that there are many others who have taken advantage of Canada’s liberal democracy with relatively open access to business and education and have attained success at a level that would not have been possible in Sri Lanka. Their stories also deserve a hearing.

Ken Kandeepan, From nowtoronto.com

Spotlight on Tamils

NOW Magazine should incorporate Tamils more regularly into articles about politics and culture. Your scrapbook mishmash told touching but voyeuristic refugee narratives implicating Sri Lankan institutions but rarely Canadian ones. The title dangerously and inaccurately suggests a monolithic “Tamil” identity. Caste, class, sexual orientation and gender identity and religious divides need to be named. 

We are filmmakers, social workers, queer activists, academics, factory workers, photographers, personal support workers and more, right here in Toronto, so why spotlight the talented Jesuthasan (Paris) and the racist M.I.A. (London) for this piece?

Gitanjali Lena, Toronto

Food Terminal strike leaves bad taste 

I am a committed socialist. However, I am not pleased with the way Teamsters Local 419 handled the Fresh Taste strike (NOW, May 5-11). 

This strike was against Fresh Taste and its scab workers. It was most definitely not against the many family-owned businesses that use the Food Terminal each day so they can earn a livelihood.

Picketing the Food Terminal was not only unfair but counterproductive. Thousands more people now “hate” unions or are reinforced in their hatred, and direct their sentiments and votes accordingly. 

Unions need to learn to exert pressure against those who are responsible for oppression and not against others who are less fortunate. 

Michael Greason, Toronto

Michael Coren, give me a break

Seriously, Michael Coren wants to be applauded for claiming to no longer be an anti-gay bigot (NOW, May 5-11)? 

Will NOW be hosting conciliatory salons with domestic abusers and their victims? Slave owners and persons of colour? Give me a break.

Dan Cowan, Toronto

Pallor principle on Attawapiskat

Re Attawapiskat Or Bust, by Drew Hayden Taylor (NOW, April 28-May 4). Where are these worse places than Attawapiskat that Taylor writes about? Camps of Syrians in Jordan?

When he writes that “there are probably suicides… where you currently fry your eggs and practise your yoga,” he belittles the proportion of suicides and drug issues faced by First Nations living on reserves. The circumstances in Attawapiskat are not just like everyone else’s.

Taylor writes that “the Cree… historically used to be nomadic” and that people of pallor changed that. Is this reversible? 

What exactly needs to change? Respectfully, from a person of pallor.

Betty Walton, Toronto

Duffy verdict – stick a fork in the Senate 

Well, I guess taxpayers can rest easy knowing that Mike Duffy did nothing wrong (NOW, April 28-May 4). How was he to know that he should be working on legislation, not barnstorming around the country promoting the Conservatives at pricy functions? Or using our money to pay for his personal trainer? Of course, he couldn’t resign and say this is all unethical, because he’d lose his perks. I used to think the Senate should be abolished – now I know for sure.

John Kneeland, Hamilton

New lobbying rules bad for democracy

Re Mayor Tory Believes That Community Groups Should Have To Register As Lobbyists (NOW, May 2). 

Our elected officials should be taking steps to promote greater community and resident engagement in the democratic processes of our city, not figuring out how to wrap non-profits in rules that will effectively limit such participation. 

It is not the public’s interests that will be advanced by the mayor’s efforts to require non-profits and community groups to register as lobbyists. It will just ensure that councillors hear less from their constituents. This would not be a step forward in terms of our city’s democratic health.

Rob Howarth, Toronto

Flicks page great for movie-going friends 

Thank you for restoring the movie listings in this week’s print edition of NOW Magazine. 

You are the only publication where the week’s showtimes are laid out at a glance. Since rep houses and even Cineplex change their start times daily, it is the only publication that allows for planning with friends and movie companions based on specific availabilities on a weekly basis. 

Also, it was too confusing trying to figure out what was ending on Thursdays in various venues without the listings, so thanks.

Paul Gratton, Toronto

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