LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Reduce power when it is being abused
Re: Crown abandons case in alleged jail ‘stomping’, Nov. 27. The Crown has abandoned the case against John Barbro, a former guard at the OttawaCarleton Detention Centre, but what about some justice for the victim, Jean-Paul Rhéaume?
This is beginning to seem like yet another story about the immunity of law enforcement, corrections, security and border services from any prosecution when they clearly behave in the wrong. If we cannot prosecute them for abusing their power, maybe it is time to start thinking about reducing their power. Canadians must have the trust that power is in the hands of people who will not abuse it. Brett Stevens, Ottawa
We need federal transparency
Re: Cree band sues government over disclosure law, Nov. 27. The Onion Lake Cree Nation has a lawsuit against the federal government’s new transparency law requiring public disclosure of all finances. Chief Wallace Fox asserts that the band has provided audited financial statements for all federal funding but refuses to release statements about the revenue from its oil and gas operations because it is not taxpayer money. The minister of Aboriginal Affairs is threatening to withhold trust money promised in the treaties if the band doesn’t comply with the law.
There’s an amazing irony in the tough new law requiring the First Nations to disclose all finances, since the Harper government refuses to disclose information about taxpayer money to the auditor general. Furthermore, he has made access to information very difficult and has not yet told Canadians the cost of the bombing exercise in Iraq.
How about some transparency from the federal government? Prime Minister Stephen Harper should practise what he preaches. Margaret Tyson, Ottawa
What of Canada’s illegal immigrants?
President Barack Obama’s executive order to give partial amnesty to about 4.5 million illegal immigrants with family members born in the United States, with many conditions and regulations attached, has wakened the question of what to do regarding Canada’s undocumented aliens.
While the U.S. has about 13 million undocumented immigrants, Canada has about 75,000. (The estimates range from 50,000 to over 100,000.)
The political divide and the poisonous debate about immigration in America is alien to Canada’s political culture. Most Canadians are fair-minded when it comes to immigration issues. But when it is related to the undocumented people who disobey rules, overstay illegally or enter Canada without proper papers, they are looked upon with utmost disrespect and suspicion.
People who jump the regular queue are not generally welcomed in Canada. It is, as Professor Peter Showler said, “a very high Canadian value” to oppose this kind of behaviour, regardless of the unfairness of current rules or circumstances.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada recently commissioned a poll about the issue and found that nearly two-thirds of Canadians had unfavourable opinions on the undocumented immigrants in Canada. They prefer them deported over granting them special status.
The next federal elections in 2015 should be an opportunity for Canadians to ask questions, debate these issues and demand answers regarding the about 75,000 undocumented people living underground in fear of government agencies and in fear of the daylight. Elie Mikhael Nasrallah, immigration consultant, ICCRC, Ottawa
Canada ranks last on climate change
Re: Obama alienates another ally, Nov. 25. As a dual citizen of Canada and Australia, I am very thankful for U.S. President Barack Obama’s climate change speech accusing the current Australian govern- ment, under the leadership of Prime Minister Tony Abbott, of being a laggard on climate change. I am also thankful that Obama is making sure the proper approval process is being carried out on the Keystone XL pipeline.
In a report by Germanwatch and Climate Action Network Europe, OECD countries were ranked on climate change performance. The report assigned scores to countries based on factors such as emission levels, efficiency, renewable energy and climate policy. Australia ranked second-last and Canada last. I’m not proud of either country’s lack of effort in dealing with climate change. Nancy Biggs, Orléans
Tough dilemma on Parliament Hill
Re: The misconduct mess on the Hill, Nov. 27. Thank you for Mohammed Adam’s excellent and wellbalanced column. The sexual misconduct allegations presently rocking Parliament Hill do indeed create a situation where a leader can be “damned if you do and damned if you don’t.”
As Adam writes, often people are trying to do the best they can under difficult circumstances. Colleen Rutherford Archer, Deep River