What Trudeau said
By making a tactless wisecrack about the blood-spattered Ukrainian tragedy, Justin Trudeau has once again displayed his innate ability to insert his foot in his mouth (Conservatives Condemn Trudeau's 'Flippant' Comment About Ukraine – Feb. 25).
Every time he makes a fool of himself, he undermines the dedicated teams of Liberal volunteers who are working hard to build a credible alternative to Stephen Harper's divisive and unaccountable Conservatives.
Lloyd Atkins, Vernon, B.C.
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It is refreshing to have a politician speak his mind as a human being, rather than stiffly parroting a script. Justin Trudeau has the ability to speak to Canadians as people, not just as someone delivering a message.
My advice to Mr. Trudeau would be: Do not let Stephen Harper or Thomas Mulcair determine what you say. Speak what is on your mind, speak to all Canadians. We will decide what is acceptable, not your political adversaries. Say what you mean, mean what you say, and don't stop saying it.
Paul Luoto, St. Thomas, Ont.
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Justin (Bieber) Trudeau should remember the old adage: Say nothing and let people assume you're a fool rather than opening your mouth and removing all doubt. His recent remarks about Ukraine are testament to this.
If Mr. Trudeau wants the top job, he should think before he speaks. He should think a lot.
Andrew van Velzen, Toronto
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Kids, sports. Fun?
Re Olympic Inspiration Won't Get Us Off The Couch (Feb. 25): Kids of all backgrounds should have access to competitive sport programs. When it comes to keeping kids active, however, I believe the focus on competitive sports and developmental programs actually discourages many kids from playing sports. Now that my son is 9, many of his friends are tied up with punishing hockey schedules; there is a corresponding decline in the availability of casual sports programs.
Recently, he expressed an interest in water polo so I took him to an introductory day where kids could try the sport and sign up if interested. The first activity? Swimming lengths. If this was designed to weed out dilettantes, it worked on my son, who wondered when the ball and nets and some fun would arrive.
This introductory program would have required a thrice-weekly commitment (presumably to fit in lots of lengths and other developmental activities). Nine seems young to be streaming kids into "jock" and "geek." Not all kids need to become athletes; some just want to play a variety of sports for fun.
Saskia Ramsay, Ottawa
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How many calories?
Re Calorie Counts May Become Law (Feb. 25): Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews is barking up the wrong tree with legislation to compel restaurant chains to reveal the calories in menu items.
The science doesn't support this as being effective in addressing obesity. It would be better to reveal the sugar (in a meaningful manner, like "teaspoon equivalents"), as the minister says she might after further review.
The most robust science points to obesity as a physiological response to excess carbohydrate in the diet, especially sugars and refined flours (and other high-glycemic index foods). Ms. Matthews needs to act on that now.
David Harper, Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of the Fraser Valley
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Posting calorie counts on menus is neither radical nor unique. It represents an excellent example of the globally embraced "nudge" theory – tiny and often imperceptible nudges on a mass scale generate greater aggregate results than bold bans and guilt lifestyle-advertising.
Andreas Souvaliotis, executive chairman, Social Change Rewards Inc., Toronto
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Too many candidates
Re Tory To Challenge Ford For Mayor's Seat (Feb. 24): The more candidates, the better Toronto Mayor Rob Ford's chance of re-election. It needs to be a two-person race.
Bruce Cossar, Kingston
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Elephant slaughter
It's not just Asian countries that are to blame for the Slaughter Of Elephants (Feb. 22). The U.S. ranks second after China in ivory consumption. On a per capita basis, other Western countries, including Canada, don't rate much better. Nor are those smuggling ivory out of Africa all Asians: Recently, a high-ranking American defence attaché was stopped trying to leave Kenya with three kilos of ivory in his luggage.
It's unfair to suggest diplomatic efforts have produced a "lot of talk and not much else." There are strong, positive signs from the Chinese, who have destroyed six tonnes of illegal ivory already this year – a fact largely ignored by the Western press (unlike the fanfare surrounding the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's destruction of the same amount last fall).
Dag Goering, co-founder, Elephant Earth Initiative; Victoria
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Spends lots to win
Like many Canadians, I felt utterly devastated we didn't top the medal count (Olympic Medals? We Want More – editorial, Feb. 25).
You're right. Canada should spend a lot more to do that.
Many people think owning the podium should be based upon calculations such as each country dividing its medal count by how much it spends, or by its population. Not me: Let's just outspend them and send a bigger team, it'll make us feel really good.
On the other hand, some people think owning the podium is a pretty crass idea.
John Royall, West Vancouver
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Death and doctors
Re Dying Days (letters, Feb. 25): Patients rely on their doctors for help in decision-making, particularly around goals of care at the end of life. If they know their doctor can help them die, will they be able to fully trust that advice? Or will they worry that if things get tough, they will be subtly influenced to choose suicide?
There are plenty of examples of non-MDs performing "medical" services (chiropodists, nurse practitioners). Regardless of whether one supports or rejects decriminalizing assisted death, it has no place in medicine, and certainly no place in palliative care.
Hershl Berman, palliative care physician and internist, Toronto
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Taxing differences
Re In Alberta, Worries Grow That Legal Pot Will Cultivate A Crime Wave (Feb. 25): While reading Patrick White's excellent article, I laughed out loud at Stan Swiatek's comment that he is anti-drug, given his smoke-filled office. What does he think nicotine is? In the view of many, the only real difference between nicotine, alcohol and marijuana is that two are legal, licensed, and highly taxed, while the third hasn't got there yet.
Peter Hambly, Hanover, Ont.