I live in the Don Mills and Eglinton area and daily drive on Don Mills Road by the current location of the Ontario Science Centre.
On weekdays last week, the southbound lane was clogged back almost to Eglinton Avenue East with cars waiting to enter the parking area. The police had to close the left turn lane going northbound at Gateway Blvd. accessing the southern parking lots. Similarly, when schools are in session, this is exacerbated by busses with loads of children coming to the science centre.
What kind of similar traffic jams will this generate on Lake Shore Blvd. at the proposed new location at Ontario Place? Or will patrons instead take the Downtown Relief Line or Eglinton Crosstown LRT from the inappropriately and confusingly named Metrolinx Science Centre station?
We must find a way convince our politicians to renovate and leave the science centre where it is and preserve its place in the Don Mills community.
Maybe another “flip-flop” from our premier is something to wish for in the New Year.
Lorna Eaton, Toronto
Canada needs lead the way in fighting fires with water bombers
Is Canada’s fleet of water bombers fit for climate-change fuelled wildfires? Dec. 22
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This article notes that most provincial fleets of water bombers are nearing their service lives, and that it will take a long time to get new ones because the maker is backed up for about 10 years with orders from Europe.
That’s good news for the maker, but bad news for Canada. Surely even the government understands that the destruction of our forests and the climate change that it is causing is a threaten to all of us. This is a national emergency, not a provincial problem, and we need a federal fleet of water bombers to defend Canada and to help out, where needed, elsewhere in the world.
I note that some countries use helicopters, which are much more expensive and less effective than our water bombers. The United States has some jet transports, which operate from big airports and fill up from hydrants. Once loaded and on target they can deliver more water per load that a Canadian water bomber but our lake-based planes can deliver more water per hour than much more expensive jet tankers.
As along as we lead the world in this field, let’s lead it!
This is a matter of national — even global — defence. We need to do it.
Andy Turnbull, Toronto
Conservatives' ‘right-to-work’ legislation will weaken unions, lower wages
Pierre Poilievre must hope that union members forget that he’s long advocated anti-union “right-to-work” legislation, as implemented in 26 U.S. states. There, workers can opt out of both union membership and paying union dues, free riding on the benefits from union representation in contract negotiations and workplace disputes.
In Canada, membership is optional, but there’s no free riding: workers must pay dues.
The call for “right-to-work” legislation is in the Conservative party of Canada 2023 Policy Declaration.
The predictable result of “right-to-work” is weakened unions, greater difficulty in organizing workers, and lower wages. In short, as former president Obama said, it’s the “right to work for less.”
Rod Hill, Saint John, N.B.
Poilievre needs to include the consequences in his ‘axe the tax’ slogan
Pierre Poilievre has gotten a lot of mileage out of his “axe the tax” slogan. Unfortunately, like much of what Poilievre says, “axe the tax” is misleading because it is both incorrect and incomplete.
For example, not only is the price on carbon not a tax (it is the cost of polluting), Poilievre makes no mention that getting rid of carbon pricing will result in the cancellation of the “climate action incentive” which in the majority of cases returns more money to families than they pay in carbon pricing.
Poilievre also neglects to offer any effective alternatives to mitigate the effects of climate change nor does he tell those who are listening to him that it will cost a great deal more in the future if we do not act responsibly now.
I suggest that if he were to be honest with Canadians, Poilievre would add some consequences to his slogan. For example, “axe the tax; kill the climate action incentive,” or “axe the tax; burn the boreal forests,” or more succinctly, “axe the tax; destroy the planet.” Any of these, and likely many more, would add a significant degree of honestly to Poilievre’s slogan. As it stands, honesty and integrity are currently missing from “axe the tax.”
Lyle Goodin, Bowmanville
Free weekend parking will just encourage drunk driving
It's truly unfair that Scarborough residents have lost access to more accessible transit and I sympathize with the writer who lives in Scarborough and would like to be able to drive to Toronto on weekends, suggesting that free parking until 3 a.m. would encourage him and his friends to drive into the city more frequently to support nightlife.
However anyone planning to attend bars and clubs is undoubtedly going to drink alcohol. Making parking free on weekends until 3 a.m. will only put more intoxicated drivers on the road.
Not a good solution.
Julia Bowkun, Toronto
Great start for women’s hockey league
Congratulations to the new hockey league.
Great commentary and interviews and very professional play and telecast. No stupid team names. Great role models for our girls. Put together in six months.
Watch out NHL. To paraphrase Eric Lindros, we’re coming for you.
Peter Bradley, Mississauga
The sentencing of Nathaniel Veltman
Why there can be no ‘closure’ for the family of an Ontario white nationalist killer’s victims, Jan. 3
My hope and wishes during the sentencing hearing of Nathaniel Veltman is that no smart aleck or do-gooders will adduce or invoke the infamous but dreaded NCR (not criminally responsible) as an excuse to justify his unjustifiable crime.
Muri B. Abdurrahman, Thornhill
