Air force should have several water-bomber squadrons
In the early 1990s, Canadair in Montreal built the CL 415, an amphibious plane that can skim over a lake and scoop up more than 6,000 litres of water in seconds, which it can dump, also in a couple of seconds, on a forest fire. The machine was not a commercial success because it could only be used for one purpose and usually lay idle when the forest fire season was over.
One of the things the Royal Canadian Air Force is charged with is the defence of the country. Surely defence against forest fires falls within their bailiwick.
The RCAF is currently looking for a new search-and-rescue aircraft. The CL 415 could fill both roles, then it would have year-round employment. The RCAF could have a couple of squadrons of them dispersed across the country, ready to fill the search-and-rescue mission but capable of quickly being converted to forest fire fighting when needed.
Suitable fiscal arrangements could be made between the RCAF and the provinces to cover the cost of provincial operations, so they didn’t come out of the defence budget. We might even be able to rent them out south of the border.
Is this idea stupid? A couple of squadrons of CL-415s makes more sense and costs a lot less than the F-35.
Eric Mold, retired RCAF pilot, Vancouver
Rudeness at movies is rising
A couple of weeks ago, my daughter was at a movie and had to leave because a few males in their 20s were constantly talking, kicking her seat and then they started to give her verbal abuse.
I took her to a movie July 1 and after we were settled in, a couple of older people sat behind us and proceeded to give a play-byplay of the movie such as, “What do you think will happen next?”
They could not stop talking, so we turned around and looked at them and they just did not get that they were not on the couch at home so we moved. This sort of bad behaviour seems to be getting worse. I assume some people feel that they are entitled to do as they please and to hell with the rest of society. I’m getting tired of it.
Brent Arnett, Abbotsford
Bouchard should lose ego
Last year, it looked like Canadian tennis star Eugenie Bouchard was set to become Canada’s new sports hero, playing great, doing TV ads and modelling. She had it all.
Maybe the pressure was too much, maybe she’s just a flash in the pan, but her game has disappeared. Hopefully it will come back, but in the meantime I think that her stable of coaches, advisers and agents should be spending some time teaching her how to lose a bit more graciously; lay off the scowling, the pouting and the rude behaviour.
She needs to understand that the poor sportsmanship displayed by the growing number of millionaire athletes barely out of their teens has become one of the most unpleasant aspects of pro sports.
She will keep a lot more of her fans if she learns how to lose with a smile.
Dave McInnis, North Delta
Some culture worth banning
Re: The argument against banning the Confederate flag because it’s part of the heritage of the U.S. South.
Yes, the worst part of that heritage. The swastika-bearing Nazi flag is a part of Germany’s heritage and history, but they don’t proudly display it anywhere in that nation.
Liz Stonard, Port Alberni
What lawyer would agree?
Re: Ontario court decision upholding Ontario law society’s decision not to accredit Trinity Western University law graduates.
TWU is asking future lawyers to sign a covenant to abstain from gossip, obscene language, prejudice, harassment, lying, cheating, stealing, pornography, drunkenness and sexual intimacy outside marriage.
Boy, what lawyer in his or her right mind could possibly agree to such a covenant?
Thank goodness that we have judges to protect these students and the public.
My view is that if a student is willing to sign such a covenant and wants to spend several years training so that they can enter the legal profession on this basis, no one should have the power to stop them.
Albert Hurtubise, Mission