Remembering Ike’s era differently

I enjoy reading the articles in the New York Times supplement. I was entertained by Ross Douthat’s attempt to turn an unarguably great general into a great president, in contrast to my recollections of Dwight D. Eisenhower’s presidency. According to Douthat, Ike ended the Korean war, avoided nuclear brinkmanship, resisted intervention in the Mideast and southeast Asia and maintained scandal-free peace and prosperity domestically. Am I deceived in my recollection that Lester Pearson, as president of the UN Security Council, had a large part in bringing about the Korean truce? Was it not Ike who sent U.S. troops into Lebanon to prop up

Nixonian down to the tapes

Re Elections Canada fails to prove it is doing

its job, Editorial March 1 The Conservatives are beating our slothful Elections Canada to the punch by getting to Thunder Bay and “reviewing” the call-tapes a full week before the hapless Elections Canada even gets there. There’s not one Canadian who now believes the Harperites can be trusted to investigate themselves. And there’s nothing easier to damage and doctor than tape recordings. Why is there not a cease and desist order coming from Elections Canada or the RCMP to keep their hands off this vital evidence? D. Scott Barclay, Georgetown I’m not sure which was the sadder commentary on Canadian democracy this past week: the mounting allegations of vote suppression, or the Harper government’s performance during Question Period. Their tried and true tactic of using the daily Pmo-generated talking point to successively: deny; deflect; accuse; and wait for the news cycle to move on to something new, which has served them well in the past as they dealt with things such as Peter Mackay’s helicopter, Tony Clement’s G20 boondoggle, etc., was trotted out again. Stephen Harper’s ventriloquism skills have never been showcased better than his work with Dean Del Mastro this past week. Michael Farrell, Oakville

We’ll fight for you, democracy

O noble democracy, you have danced in the minds of countless dreamers. Lovers have thrown themselves into death’s arms to shield you from his cold-hearted embrace. But I have heard rumours out of Ottawa. Some say you have become one of Stephen Harper’s painted ladies. Please tell me you have not become a robocall girl. Canadians have shed too many tears and too much blood in your name. We shall not let you be sold to the highest bidder. Our dreams can only be sustained if you dance freely for those who truly love you. Lloyd Atkins, Vernon, B.C. the government led by the minority Maronite Christians and directed the CIA to depose the Iran’s democratically elected Mossadegh government and restore the authoritarian regime of the Shah, thus sowing the seeds of future upheaval? Was not the term “brinkmanship” invented to describe the policies of Ike’s secretary of state, John Foster Dulles? Was it not Ike who was confronted at a summit meeting with Nikita Khrushchev with the evidence that Gary Powers had been captured when his U2 spy plane had been downed over Russia? Didn’t Ike lay the groundwork for the Vietnam War by sending “military advisers” to assist the corrupt Piper leads a vigil and march for Michael Eligon, killed by police.

Eligon’s death was unnecessary

Re Michael Eligon vigil calls for a ‘better

way,’ March 4 Michael Eligon’s death was not necessary. Police have more than enough in their fattened budget to train officers in using a baton, or a rake, stick or anything nearby to either disarm or isolate the clearly bewildered man wielding scissors. Take away their guns and reduce their budget, then train them to really serve and protect. Field only police officers who don’t panic when trouble approaches. I am ashamed of our police response to the poor man’s distress. Stephen Shore, Toronto Did police require deadly force to subdue this man? According to witnesses, up to a dozen police officers police officers were surrounding Mr. Eligon. I am assuming that these officers, when confronting an armed suspect, would be wearing their body armour. If a bullet can’t penetrate these vests, could a pair of scissors inflict a fatal wound? Deadly force should be used as a last resort. Police officers carry batons, which could have been used to disable him. There would have been no need for the use of a firearm or even a taser. Warren Dalton, Scarborough While there should be an investigation into why alternatives to lethal force weren’t used by the police, an inquest should be called to examine what happened at the hospital. Questions remain about the care Michael Eligon did or didn’t receive while in hospital. Had he been admitted to the hospital under the Mental Health Act, or was he waiting in the emergency department to be seen? Had he been treated before at the hospital? If so, was he receiving community supports and were they adequate to his needs? Mr. Eligon’s death may well be the canary in the coal mine, further exposing gaps in care in the mental health system as well as deficits in police response. Steve Lurie, Executive Director, Canadian Mental Health Association Toronto Branch South Vietnamese government? Was it not Ike who passed through Wisconsin during the 1956 presidential campaign without once mentioning the demagoguery of that state’s Senator Joseph Mccarthy of “Mccarthyism” infamy?

Did not the U.S. pass through a period of economic malaise leading to the emergence of the “rust belt” during Eisenhower’s second term? Was not Ike’s chief of staff, Sherman Adams, forced to resign over the “vicuna coat” scandal?

My most positive memory of Ike was his farewell warning of the threat to democracy posed by “the military industrial complex.” Michael J. Heuer, Toronto

The Conservatives’ control issues

Re Charity deal ends after Enbridge lobby

ing, March 5 It’s hardly surprising that the Harper government wants to silence an organization that promotes preservation of the environment and opposes the Enbridge pipeline. They also want to prevent scientists who work for us (through the government) from speaking to us.

This government has lied to us, withheld information from us and snubbed its nose at court orders to protect the rights of Canadian citizens. It wants to control what we hear and read while having the police monitor what we say on phones and computers.

And yet they claim to be the most honest, transparent, accountable government we’ve ever had. Now as we’re hearing that it’s almost impossible to trace the illegal robocalls that benefited their party, they’re asking us to believe they had nothing to do with it.

If you have a government that intentionally deprives you of information while telling you they’re honest and transparent . . . Randy Gostlin, Oshawa

Rumours of privacy’s demise . . .

Re Rest in peace dear friend privacy, Letter

March 7 While I agree that information technologies pose a challenge to privacy, I strongly disagree with the sentiment that privacy is dead.

As the Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, I have seen countless articles announcing that privacy is dead or dying, and that the sky is falling. What I find most disturbing is that the media, in an attempt to grab headlines with sensationalist assumptions, unduly influence the public.

Privacy is not dead. We can enlist the support of the same technologies that serve to invade our privacy, instead to protect it. We call this Privacy by Design — not Privacy by Disaster. Ann Cavoukian, Information and Privacy Commissioner, Ontario

Time for mayor to hang ’em up

Mayor Rob Ford has yet to reach the level of maturity that inspires people to make rational decisions in the governance of a city. For the sake of the survival of this city, he should gracefully resign before he saddles us with some other egregious public act. Respect exists for the office but not for the person. Frank Arturi, Toronto