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Bruce Kerr, ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½

Fords policies endanger the public

Ford government’s needle ban must be undone, July 14Ìý

Premier Doug Ford’s needle ban is just one of his policies that will cause unnecessary deaths. Removing bike lanes will cause more injuries and deaths. Cancelling wastewater testing, the low-cost way of detecting dangerous pathogens that threaten public health, is one of his most dangerous decisions. Removing all environmental regulations to benefit his developer buddies in the midst of the climate crisis is also completely irresponsible.

Paul Kahnert, Markham

A compelling argument for Canada to join the European Union

Should Canada apply to become the 28th member state of the European Union? July 12

I concur entirely with Maria Popova’s advocacy for pursuing EU membership. Her opinion was compelling while Bill Morneau was unpersuasive. I see our current predicament as analogous to the 1930s when Winston Churchill vehemently opposed pacifism despite being treated with cynicism until it was virtually too late. As a partner in the EU, Canada would be a formidable opponent for the capricious White House. Prime Minister Mark Carney is a man of substance who possesses the vision and skills to achieve this goal.

John W.ÌýWilliams, Alliston

World leaders must stop watching Trump and act

Trump’s tariffs: U.S president is motivated by the spectacle of it all, July 15

ÌýMatthew Lebo asks what Canada and the world is to do with U.S. President Donald Trump, but he doesn’t answer the question. It is a puzzle that, after so many years of watching Trump in action, we continue to see so much inaction by world leaders. Just as BRIC emerged as a counterpoint to the G7, so democratic countries must disentangle themselves from U.S. dominance and evolve as a new entity in the world stage. This would not be a case of fighting with the U.S., but simply diversifying their options and becoming less dependent on others. We can then all hope that someday in the foreseeable future the U.S. will return to its senses and become a reliable partner.

Charles Campisi, Oakville

Parents should be held responsible for their children’s actions

Two teen girls arrested, two others wanted in swarming attack of Muslim woman at Oshawa Pizza Pizza, July 11

In the viscous attack of a Muslim woman at the Pizza Pizza in Ajax, police have just charged two girls aged 13 and 14. They have knowledge of an 11-year-old boy who cannot be charged due to the Young Offenders Act. A 13-year-old boy is wanted for assault causing bodily harm, obstructing police, and failure to comply with a release order. A fifth suspect is described as a girl between 12 and 15 years old. This attack occurred after midnight. Where were the parents? This should be dealt with as a hate crime, and the parents should be held responsible for the actions of their children .

RussellÌýNewman, Richmond Hill

Two more reasons new homes sales are low

Market conditions favour buyers, so why are sales of new homes so low? July 7

In his consideration of the GTA housing market, Dave Wilkes highlights how the costs regulators and policymakers add to new homes “interact with the cost of production and interest rates to exacerbate market volatility” and concludes that “reducing the excessive level of added costs on new homes would lessen market volatility by making sure more new projects can meet the economic viability threshold, making a greater range and supply of new homes available.”

While these contentions are certainly applicable, it seems to me the article suffers from the critical omission of two other essential considerations, namely informed assessments of present-day employment security and necessary wage increases and an overview of trends in the profit-margins realized by the new-home construction sector in the GTA. Surely these considerations are also significant factors affecting new-home sales, especially in the GTA.

James McKnight, St. Catharines

Families need space, not unnecessary luxuries

Dave Wilkes blames interest rates, climbing building costs, economic uncertainty, the OSFI stress test for declining housing sales. What he doesn’t mention is that perhaps the decline is due to tiny apartments shoddily built or uber luxury homes filled with marble, elevators and umpteen bathrooms. Families need space for children and their gear, not unnecessary luxuries.

Julianna Drexler, ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½Ìý

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Antagonism against Ottawa, Liberals and ‘leftist radicals’ is little more than a divisive ruse

Danielle Smith planning a road show to boost separatism despite ballot rejection of the cause, July 1

It was the Alberta NDP and the federal Liberals who permitted and built the Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion. It was the B.C. NDP and federal Liberals who permitted the Coastal GasLink pipeline and the LNG Canada export plant. And it may very well be that the federal Liberals will permit and possibly build another oil pipeline to the west coast — this time to the safest location for an oil terminal on all of Canada’s west coast at Prince Rupert, B.C. — and a natural gas pipeline to an LNG plant at either Baie-Comeau or Saguenay in Quebec.

The antagonism, especially in Alberta, against Ottawa, Liberals and “leftist radicals� is little more than a divisive ruse to mislead a gullible sector of the public . Let’s not go down that path.

Mike Priaro, Calgary, ABÌý

Camp story brought back fond memories

Summer of ‘69: Inside the ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ camp where moms found freedom,ÌýJuly 12

What a nice surprise to see Bolton Camp featured in the Star Fresh Air Fund article. My grandmother Janet Barry was the camp nurse there for 10 years going into the Great Depression. She was allowed to bring my mother Nancy Barry (Morgan) as a camper for all those summers, and she often spoke fondly of those days and of the wonderful holiday so many mothers had at the camp while their children also experienced the outdoors away from the city heat. It was wonderful to hear that the site is being rebuilt after closing long ago. Maybe the concept of parents escaping to camp with their children could be offered again. Everyone should have a chance to enjoy camp life at least once. Your article inspired me to make a donation to the Fresh Air Fund in memory of my mother and grandmother.

Ann Morton, ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½

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