ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½

Stefanie Meligrana, ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½

Parent and student complaints have long gone unanswered at the TDSB

Doug Ford stripped school trustees of their power. Whether that’s a good or bad thing depends on who you ask, July 11

According to TDSB Trustee Alexis Dawson, with the board being under supervision, parent and student complaints will go unanswered. This is nothing new. For years, families have taken concerns regarding their children’s education to their local trustee and rather than addressing them at board level and rectifying concerns, trustees tend to send parents and students back to the source of the problem. This doesn’t bring about positive change on an individual basis or system wide. Even when delegations go to the board, they are often only allowed three minutes to explain matters of concern and, once again, the concerns are not resolved.

ÌýJanis Jaffe-White, Coordinator and Reva Schafer, Resource Parent, ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ Family Network, North York

The definition of ‘limit’ isÌýmay not extend or pass

Are speed cameras ticketing drivers for less than 10 km/h over the posted limit? Here’s what the city said — now we want to hear from you, July 14

My question about this whole article is: Do people not understand what the word “limit� means? When you travel even one km/h over the limit, you are technically breaking the law. Every vehicle since 1986 has had cruise control as a standard option. So complaining about getting a ticket for going over a posted speed limit is kind of redundant, is it not?

Kimeth Kopecky, Fort McMurray, Alberta

DropÌýdown a gear or two when the speed limit is 60 kph or lower

Much has been written about speed cameras and tickets. One aspect of the issue is that when a vehicle is in the drive gear, it is difficult to have fine control over low speeds with just the accelerator pedal. The solution is to drop down a gear or two when driving where the speed limit is 60 kph or lower. Yes, even vehicles with automatic transmissions can be manually controlled. Leaving a two-second gap ahead is as useful in the city as it is advised for highway driving.

Brian Williams, Belleville

It’s time to be patriotic and shop Canadian

Canada to target steel originating from China with new tariffs, July 16

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced measures to stop countries dumping steel in Canada. These measures wouldn’t be needed if Canadian companies bought Canadian steel rather than foreign dumped steel.

At the same time, the U.S.A. is pushing for an end to supply management in the dairy industry. Supply management also wouldn’t be needed if Canadian companies and consumers bought Canadian cheese and dairy instead of American dairy.

It’s time for Canadians to be patriotic: buy Canadian and also boycott those companies that don’t buy available Canadian steel, dairy and other products.

It’s time for all of us to support our country and for the federal opposition to support Canada instead of continuing the petty whining and silly negative sound bites about the government.

Jonathan Brookman, ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½

Trump’s tariffs are just a Value Added Tax marketed under another name

New trade deal with the U.S. likely to include tariffs, Mark Carney says, July 15

The United States government has a significant revenue problem as clearly shown by its huge deficit and debt. A consumer consumption tax (GST/VAT) would go a long way to resolving that reality. However, no American politician would dare advocate for such a thing and hope to get elected. President Donald Trump knows this well. His tariffs are plainly a Value Added Tax marketed to Americans under another name. Tariffs are definitely going to be included in every trade deal,Ìýespecially since the Big Beautiful Bill will add trillions of dollars to the U.S.A. debt. It has already kicked in as American inflation numbers begin to rise.Ìý

ÌýRoger Hilderley, Stratford

That reminds me of a Jack Benny joke

Texans don’t like taxes. They prefer to endure disaster and then file lawsuits, July 16

Heather Mallick’s article rebuking the Texans for accepting disasters rather than pay taxes, reminds me of a famous joke by Jack Benny: “A thug confronted Jack on the street: ‘Your money or your life?’ There is a long pause. The thug says, ‘Well, what’s your answer?’ Jack says, ‘I’m thinking, I’m thinking!’â€�

In Texas they know the answer.

David Gladstone, ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½Ìý

The need for bereavement support in customer service

After the loss of my husband, I was thrust into a world I was unprepared for — not just emotionally, but administratively. Settling his estate became a series of painful and frustrating encounters with bureaucracy, indifference, and inefficiency. What should have been a time for mourning and healing turned into a relentless battle with companies that seemed wholly unprepared to deal with grieving customers.

From financial institutions to telecom providers, and even online retailers, I faced repeated roadblocks: incorrect information, lost paperwork, contradictory instructions, and the need to follow up multiple times — often just to reverse charges or close accounts. At one point, I had to chase down a refund for a parking spot my husband no longer occupied. In the fog of grief, every call, every form, every email felt like a mountain.

What became clear to me is this: most companies are not set up to handle bereavement with care or competence. Worse still, when you are grieving, you are simply not in the right emotional state to advocate for yourself, let alone navigate a maze of red tape. Many people give up — not because they don’t care, but because they no longer have the strength.

This needs to change.

I believe companies — especially large ones like Rogers, Bell, and Amazon — should create dedicated bereavement support lines. These lines should be staffed with individuals trained not only in the necessary administrative procedures, but also in compassion and empathy. A single point of contact who can guide you through the process with understanding and attention to detail would make a world of difference during an already traumatic time.

We deserve better. And at our most vulnerable, we deserve to be treated with humanity.

Gwen Falkingham, ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½