Let’s not create divisions
Re: Senate’s call to train imams misses the point, guest column by Sarah Mushtaq, July 15.
Your newspaper recently ran a column wherein you discussed the Senate National Security and Defence Committee’s most recent report, “Countering the Terrorist Threat in Canada.”
I want to emphasize the point that I, along with the two other Senate Liberal members of that committee, dissented from the report.
I chose dissent because many recommendations were either redundant or were simply bad ideas while others that I thought should have been included were not.
What the report should have focused on is the following: reversing major budget cuts for security and intelligence agencies; a need for police and other community outreach programs; additional research to understand radicalization; and better oversight of intelligence agencies.
We have to be very careful about not creating divisions in our society. What we need now are balanced ideas, a smart approach to the threats facing Canada and for all Canadians to work together. SEN. GRANT MITCHELL, deputy chair, Senate Standing Committee on National Security and Defence, Edmonton
Curious job numbers
Re: Windsor unemployment rate falls to 8.9 per cent, July 10.
I could not read this article without shaking my head. The deception in these numbers is quite obvious to anyone who pays attention to what’s going on in Windsor.
Could this sudden change be attributed to the fact that Fiat Chrysler’s Windsor employees and all of the supplier plants returned to work by the end of May?
Thousands of people on temporary layoff back to work and in that same month our unemployment rate miraculously went down. Sounds like smoke and screens to me.
If you’re going to give us good news about our unemployment rate, can you include how many new jobs were created in this time frame?
Nobody here in Windsor can seem to get that answer. The WindsorEssex Economic Development Corporation, which should be able to provide that information, can’t seem to produce real numbers.
Hiding behind the excuse of confidential agreements doesn’t sit well with me.
Yes, I understand the need to keep things under your hat until it happens, but when those new jobs materialize, give us the real picture.
KERRY BIRCH, Windsor
Life in a pretend world
Let’s set the record straight. According to the UN, Canada contributes 1.48 per cent of the world’s total carbon dioxide emissions while China contributes 24.65 per cent.
But let’s not deal with the facts. Let’s pretend we are part of the Liberal ma- chine and tell everyone what we are doing today is for bragging rights to our grandchildren.
Let’s pretend a cap-and-trade system that systematically increases tax revenue for a government that cannot manage the billions it already gets from a beleaguered tax base won’t affect job creation in the manufacturing or resource sector.
Let’s pretend the cost of living won’t go up as a three cent per litre gasoline tax is added, representing our individual consumption cap tax, and that food costs won’t go up due to increased costs of farming and transportation, etc.
Let’s pretend we don’t already have the highest electricity costs of any jurisdiction in North America and let’s pretend that this cap-and-trade tax won’t increase the costs even higher.
Too bad we don’t live in a pretend world.
Mexico produces 1.32 per cent of total carbon emissions worldwide, has low-cost coal-based electrical generation and is not even close to considering a cap-and-trade on carbon emissions.
Go figure why we don’t get our share of new auto investment. All I know is that if I were looking to build a new automotive plant or expand manufacturing capacity, Ontario would be way down on the list.
VANCE PETERSEN, Windsor
Ojibway stand watch
Re: Erosion of natural habitat, letter by Pete Machina, July 8.
Kudos to Machina and his fine letter. Absolutely correct is he in observing that the Ojibway group proudly stands vanguard in spirit and action against unnecessary development.
Cognizant of the reality that a group cannot possibly babysit an entire county, we the local group are left hoping that those affected elsewhere will stand watch and take matters ecologically speaking into their own hands.
This said, it doesn’t always happen. So, here’s hoping.
PHIL PARENT, Windsor
Serena is inspiring
I’ll let others debate the degree of greatness, but for me, Serena Williams is one of the most exceptional and inspiring athletes in the last 25 years — man or woman.
She was a poor black girl who took up what is essentially a country club sport for whites.
She overcame a domineering father, a parental divorce, an intense sibling rivalry, racism, people poking fun at her appearance/figure and a slew of haters to become one of the greatest, if not the greatest, athlete of all time.
Her determination and hatred of losing in the big moment is akin to all sports greats ( Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Derek Jeter).
Further, if social media is a barometer of truth, Serena appears pretty “normal,” often poking fun at herself and snapping selfies in her travels.
On top of all this, she is entrepreneurial, offering a clothing line and having a small stake in the Miami Dolphins. Well done, Serena, you are an inspiration to all.
I wish the mass media would spend more time covering you than Kim Kardashian and others of that ilk.
LARRY VIDINOVSKI, Windsor
Teachers our allies
Re: Who’s running our schools? Opinion column by Anne Jarvis, June 28.
Attacking teachers may evoke good newspaper headlines but sadly, this approach does not constructively deal with the bargaining issue at hand. Rather, it weakens confidence in the teaching profession.
When teachers speak about their profession, what becomes immediately clear is how much they care about their students. Who are these people?
It is the teacher working late marking papers or arriving early for the breakfast program.
It is the teacher taking students on field trips or devoting time to extra curriculars rather than spending time with her/his family or the teacher working with individual students.
The truth is, teachers are not your adversaries. Teachers are our allies. Our job is to recognize this truth and build upon it.
Our Ontario education system ranks as top performing in the world on the OECD’s Program for International Student Assessment. This reputation did not come about by luck. It stems from the dedicated work of our teachers.
Further, in examining countries with strong performance results, countries such as Finland and Singapore have wisely developed and acknowledge a culture of deep respect for teachers.
Yes, Ontario teachers belong to unions. This union work continues to reflect a positive impact on the teaching profession, in influencing educational policy and advocating for progressive reform in areas such as poverty, inclusion and equity.
Let’s compare our education system to south of the border. Teachers in about one third of the American states have no collective bargaining rights.
This lack of unions has led to a proliferation of charter schools where the democratic principle of equal opportunity for all students is a broken promise. They continue to be afflicted by poor results in PISA and SAT.
Those serious about improving public education recognize that attacking teachers is not the path forward. ADELINA CECCHIN, Greater Essex ETFO, local president, Tecumseh
‘Orange’ raised $10K
The directors, staff and residents at the Windsor Residence for Young Men would like to thank store manager Mark Belanger and the staff of the Home Depot on Division Road for selecting us to be the recipient of funds collected through the ‘Orange Door Project,’ a national campaign bringing housing and hope to homeless youth in Canada.
The amazing staff raised over $10,000 for us.
This store was No. 1 across Canada in sales of “orange doors,” and it should be proud of not only the amount raised but also the awareness brought to the issue of youth homelessness in our community.
WRYM is the only residential life skills program available to homeless and at-risk young men in our community and without the help of local supporters such as Home Depot, we would not be able to assist the 50 young men we do each year. CATHERINE BROOKE, executive director, Windsor Residence for Young Men, Windsor