Urban sprawl in an ethnic enclave
Re Newcomers face higher risk, Sept. 18 The article by Nicholas Keung on the relationship between unhealthy immigrants and the walk-ability of neighbourhoods is an issue that strikes close to home. I am a daughter of immigrants, and I live in Richmond Hill, near Markham. My family chose this neighbourhood for a whole host of reasons, including cultural homogeneity — the surrounding area is dominated by Chinese businesses, restaurants, and similar residents.
Preserving heritage is crucial
Re Saving city’s heritage can be a win-win, Sept. 14 Having spent most of my adult life writing about this country’s social and architectural history, I agree with Christopher Hume when he says that “to forget the past is to lose it.” This is a never-ending challenge. But not all property owners, developers and politicians suffer from “shivers down their spine” at the mere mention of heritage. My co-author Mary Byers and I have written several books about Canada’s architectural treasures. Wherever we have travelled across this country, we have found that heritage preservation is vitally important to those who take pride in their community’s built heritage. Toronto heritage architects Michael McClelland and Victoria Angel are taking a splendid stand in supporting this view. Certainly this is true in Cabbagetown, a neighbourhood just east of downtown Toronto where I live. Its social history includes a fascinating list of the many early residents who played a memorable part in Canada’s history — so much so, that Cabbagetown is presently being assessed by Parks Canada as a potential National Historic Site. Margaret McBurney, Toronto
Weed overgrowth embarrassing
I am shocked at how badly the public areas, road medians and sidewalks have deteriorated over the recent years. This is not just from usual wear and tear or weather but the overgrowth of vegetation that permeates almost every crack and expansion zone in most sidewalks, curbs or medians in the GTA. In many areas, weeds grow over a metre high, wafting majestically in the breeze creating an overall air of neglect. Instead of treating the problem now, we seem to have allowed through inaction and tacit acceptance this problem to escalate to become, in my view, an embarrassment for the entire GTA. Brett Hryb, Brampton
Clarifying Mercutio’s curse
Re A pox on all religious leaders, Letters Sept. 18 As founder and sole member of the Canadian Association for Accuracy in Cursing, may I point out to letter writer R.A. (Bob) McDougall, and everyone else who habitually invokes the time-honoured curse, that Mercutio’s dying imprecation in Romeo and Juliet is, in fact, “A plague on both your houses”? Robert Fothergill, Toronto Unfortunately, our neighbourhood has suffered from some of the worst symptoms of urban sprawl: big-box stores in centralized locations, infrequent and undependable public transport, and an astonishing lack of bike lanes. As a result, we are a four-car household, drive nearly everywhere, and I feel our health and community has suffered for it. However, things are starting to change, and the original nature of the urban sprawl development does not have to define a neigh-
God and guns in the U.S. of A.
Re Locked & Loaded in Las Vegas, Sept. 15 This article describes the incredible rush to buy all manner of semi and automatic machineguns and handguns because the U.S. public is apparently convinced that President Barack Obama is going to pass antigun laws. Can there be any doubt that the U.S. desperately needs to take drastic measures to gain gun control? A recent email attempted to garner votes to ban guns but received only 97,000 signatures (in a population of over 300 million). It is a very strange coincidence that there are approximately 97,000 deaths per year (28 a day) caused by guns in the United States. One might wonder if the “War on Terror” message enunciated during the Bush era and now constantly used by the politicians and the military/industrial complex is imbued in the psyche of ordinary citizens who are bombarded with “Orange Alerts” and references to “the Axis of Evil” and “acts of terrorism” etc. Needless to say, the recent explosion of anti-U.S. demonstrations across the Middle East, including the attacks upon U.S. embassies, can only foster apprehension and fear that further 9/11s will occur and therefore give more rationale to this rush to arms. Concealed weapons are now legal and commonplace in most of the U.S. and the phrase “armed and dangerous” would appear to describe the U.S. population where every political speech is punctuated by the phrase “Gold bless you and God bless America.” One can only conclude that they need all the help they can get. Al Ellinson, London, Ont. I have always been very grateful that I am a Canadian and live in Canada, but after reading this article I am more thankful than ever. Janet Caulfeild, Etobicoke bourhood for good.
Markham has advanced its transit system by leaps and bounds with the new upgrades to the VIVA system, upgrades to bus shelters and pedestrian walkways, and the new construction of the Markham downtown.
But as drivers are swearing all up and down through the construction traffic along Highway 7, only time will tell how a community so entrenched in its car-use will react to these transformations. Jennifer Ng, Richmond Hill
Let conscientious objector stay
Re War resister who sought refuge in Toronto deported to U.S., Sept. 19 I am ashamed to be a Canadian. I have been involved with the campaign to keep Kim Rivera in Canada for some time. It is obvious that most Canadians think that as a conscientious objector to the war in Iraq she should stay here rather than face court martial and jail separate from her family. When I opened my Star on Thursday I saw another story of a deportation on the same page as Rivera’s story. Fatemeh Derakhshandeh Tosarvandan is to be sent back to Iran, where she could face stoning as a result of an accusation of adultery.
What kind of a country has Canada become? Elizabeth (Beth) Guthrie, Toronto When the Iraq war was just getting underway, a person in the United States asked me if conscientious objectors would be allowed to stay in Canada as had been the case during the Vietnam War.
It never occurred to me that a policy that had been practised to the benefit of both Canada and the U.S. since at least 1850 would not be followed now and I assured him they would be welcome.
Ontario was founded to a great extent by conscientious objectors we call United Empire Loyalists. If Jason Kenney is anxious to honour Canadian history, now would be a good time to start, with Kim Rivera and others like her, loyal to the common standards of humanity. Allen R. Wells, Sarnia
Pope should mark massacre
I had thought that Pope Benedict XVI had timed his recent visit to Lebanon to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the Sabra and Shatila massacre of Palestinian refugees perpetrated by Christian militia forces under the watch of Israeli occupation troops. Apparently, that was not the case. It would have been appropriate for him to have visited the refugee camps as a belated gesture of reconciliation. Eileen Watson, Toronto
Extend legislation on RCMP
House Leader Peter Van Loan is pledging to bring in new legislation to force new accountability and transparency at the RCMP. May I suggest that, while he’s at it, he may want to bring in the same legislation with respect to the Conservative Party, since they’ve been anything but transparent and forthcoming with Canadians. Steve Showler, Toronto