Use critical reasoning when you vote
Published Monday October 6th, 2008
Letter's to the editor
Re: Federal election
Let me remind taxpayers of a couple of facts.
Not too many years ago the National Art Gallery in Ottawa made a purchase of an estimated $3 million for an abstract painting consisting of solid stripes of colour applied by a paint roller.
Culture of a certainty is what has truly defined Canada for all our shared history, but its life does not come from government subsidies, but from the common history of a people, whether the Celtic Scots, the Quebecois, Acadian or Aboriginal forefathers.
We do not need cultural elites to tell us who we are, whatever their political stripe or income.
The CBC, another cultural institution in this country, consumes millions of our national budget and serves a valuable function. But they too regularly bite the hands that feed them.
Does anyone seriously believe a cartoon puffin delimits the vital debate on Arctic coastal sovereignty; the bank crisis; violent drug-related gang crime or our trade positions with the US, Europe or China, to name a few ideas?
I only pray that voters use critical reasoning, not the vacillating hype and unproven promises of Liberals under Dion when they vote.
Canada needs the steady hand of Stephen Harper. He deserves all our support and I believe the Conservative Party will get it in spades from Canadians of conscience.
Darrell Collicott
Fredericton
Thanks for visiting
Re: School Days Museum
The School Days Museum, sponsored by the New Brunswick Society of Retired Teachers and located in the annex of the Justice Building (east entrance), Queen Street, Fredericton, wishes to thank the Daily Gleaner and the museum's many visitors over the summer months for their continued support.
From now until June, the recently renovated museum is open by appointment only. Visits may be arranged for individuals or groups by phoning 506-459-3738.
If you are unable to visit the museum in person, consider visiting its website at http://museum.nbta.ca and enjoy a tour from your home.
Kaye Lister
Publicity convenor
School Days Museum
Fredericton
Investigate without political interference
Re: Corruption in business
The corruption in the financial world in the US goes on in Canada as well.
Our government, and it doesn't matter which party is in power, turns a blind eye to corruption in the financial market.
Whenever we question some of the corruption in the banking system and corruption in the credit card system, we are told we couldn't understand the complexities of these businesses. Yes, we can, we are not stupid, we just act stupid by accepting these explanations.
The oil industry is another one. The government does nothing with the corruption that goes on there either.
Once again we are told we couldn't understand the complexities of the business. Yes, we can, we are not stupid, we just act stupid by accepting this explanation.
What am I suggesting? There should be a full investigation into these businesses, independent of politics, by people of integrity who cannot be bought off by these corrupt businesses.
A committee should be made up of people from low income, middle income and high income brackets, with accountants as well who will interpret some of the lingo of these financial markets.
Gordon Mowry
Williamsburg, N.B.
Get facts straight on youth crime
Re: Chris McCormick's crime column published Sept. 25
Columnist Chris McCormick criticizes the announced Conservative Party plan to crack down on youth criminals. He supports the current Youth Criminal Justice Act, and opposes needed reforms to help deter rising youth crime.
In his column, he makes two factual errors:
1. McCormick claims that "...publishing the names of young offenders who commit repeated minor offences serves the interest of retribution, not rehabilitation."
This statement misconstrues Harper's proposal. I checked the Conservative Party press release (Sept. 22), and it states explicitly that providing names of young offenders to the media will be limited to serious violent offenders or "...offenders who commit a pattern of offences of which an adult would be liable to imprisonment for more than two years." This is not "repeated minor offences" as McCormick claims.
2. McCormick also states that "the total violent crime rate dropped two per cent in 2004... [and that] the rate of youths charged by police dropped six per cent," implying in some way that these statistics show violent youth crime is decreasing.
But his facts are misleading. The latest Statistics Canada press release on youth crime (May 16, 2008) states youth violent crime was up three per cent from 2005 to 2006, and up 12 per cent from 1997 to 2006. And for some serious violent crime, the rates of increase are worse.
Finally, Professor McCormick states that youth justice "...is not about victims, but how a society handles the infractions committed by its young."
Really? To say that crime victims have no rights is to dehumanize them in criminal law. He should explore the difficulties crime victims go through - especially victims of violent youth gangs in many troubled areas of our country.
Chris McCormick's facts and values are all wrong. Youth crime in Canada is becoming more serious. It is important for all federal candidates to consider this problem.
David Murrell
Fredericton
A resident wouldn't get away with leaving train station as is
Re: York Street train station
After reading all that's been written on the train station, I cannot understand why this so called historical property has not been looked after.
All other properties that fall under this program seem to have been upgraded and looked after. If this building belongs to J.D. Irving and is on Irving land, why are they not responsible for either upgrading or tearing this building down?
For years now they have been trying to get someone to take it off their hands. Surely to heaven with their resources they are financially better off to give this property a face lift or see that it's no longer an eyesore.
If this were a residential property owner in the city of Fredericton, they would be required to upgrade their property to make it presentable.
I once worked in this building when it housed the CPR and it was not in great shape then, and that was almost 40 years ago. Personally, I definitely agree with Mayor Woodside that something must be done soon to improve this area of town.
Shirley Cook
Fredericton
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While Harper isn't perfect, he is certainly a better option for ALL of Canada over the liberals. How many times do Canadians need to be hit over the head by liberal lies and corruption. The list of liberal wrong-doings is too long, so I'll leave it at this ... how exactly would a national carbon tax and an increase in GST benefit us here in Atlantic Canada and in Canada in general? How would thes two tax increases help us here in NB when our very own (liberal) government is thinking bout slapping us with their own carbon tax and increase in the HST?
Oh sure, the federal liberals SAY the carbon tax is revenue-neutral. However, these are the same liberals that were supposed to reduce GHG emissions. We all know how THAT turned out.