Letters to the editor

C9

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Re: Loss of manufacturing jobs

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I am concerned about Stephen Harper and the Conservative economic policies.

These policies favour tar sands development at the loss of manufacturing jobs. According to CBC, we lost 67,000 manufacturing jobs this past year.

If the things we use every day aren't manufactured in Canada, where are they manufactured? China?

When you buy from China you often get more than you bargained for. Right now it's melamine in milk products.

A while ago it was lead in toys, asbestos in stuffed animals, chemicals in pet food and before that, radioactive waste in cast iron.

Products from China are cheap for a reason - poor regulations and standards for public safety, employment and the environment.

We need economic policies to ensure the Canadian manufacturing sector stays alive and well and that Canadians can buy everyday products with a level of confidence in their quality.

Mary Ann Coleman

Waterford, N.B.

Cheers to NB veterinarians for ending cosmetic surgery

Re: Ban on tail bobbing, ear docking by vets

I would like to applaud New Brunswick veterinarians for deciding not to do cosmetic surgery, such as docking ears and bobbing tails, any more on dogs.

To me, one who has been the human friend of dogs for the majority of my life, I find it needless, just so some owners can have what society considers the best looking of that breed.

The veterinarians of this province have enough to do for the precious animals of this province. I do know that some owners are appalled by this decision, but seriously, if you are not in it for the money and the blue ribbons, does it really matter?

Frank Andrew Drost

Minto, N.B.

Don't let partisan politics ruin us too

Re: American economy

It is infuriating and almost incomprehensible that American taxpayers are required to give Wall Street $700 billion to help them and prevent a global recession.

A free market philosophy, along with millions in executive bonuses for many years, incompetent and greedy loan decisions, and inept and laughable regulatory policies have contributed to this fiasco.

Failed leadership by many, reinforced by extreme partisan politics, has caused such a toxic environment that legitimate solutions have been dismissed and ignored.

The rescue plan is crucial for re-establishing confidence in the money market.

Student loans, payrolls, small and large businesses, car and house loans and job creation depend on passage of this legislation. This plan must also provide provisions to stabilize housing prices and assist mortgage holders.

What lessons from this catastrophe can be learned by Canadians? Extreme partisan politics, without compromise and reasonable accommodation, can become a negative and destructive force in any country.

Harold Phalen

Fredericton

Correcting innuendo

Re: Proposed Geodex mine letter published Oct. 2

I wrote a rebuttal several months ago to a Mr. Wuest's negative perceptions concerning Geodex's proposed tungsten-molybdenum mine in New Brunswick.

I notice he was back in The Daily Gleaner recently with more scare tactics of the same variety.

This mine is still in the development stages but he can be assured it is progressing under the strict environmental regulations already in place in New Brunswick.

Mr. Wuest seems immune to any benefits such as jobs or tax revenues which will flow from the project. His first point was about Geodex's reduced share value which, he may be aware, only reflects recent turmoil in financial markets.

PotashCorp has also halved in share value, but I doubt they will run for cover or shelve their new $ 1.7 billion potash mine near Sussex.

I don't know under which economic theory this share price volatility would lead to 'periodic idleness' at the mine as he describes. When the mine reaches continuous production, it will raise and support Geodex's share price. Much of this profit will undoubtedly be ploughed back into more mine exploration in the province.

He coyly refers to recent discussions Geodex had with the B.C. Securities Commission, suggesting some illegalities. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The commission freely admits to the quality of our work, which I'm sure the N.B. Department of Natural Resources would readily confirm. Problems arose only with interpretations of data on the website and comparisons with similar mines to which they are very sensitive. Read these reports. We admitted that our investor relations people had probably over-reached themselves.

I doubt this will convince Mr. Wuest or other environmental activists who seem opposed in principle to any development.

However, as I've said before, the proposed mine will have to pass stiff environmental standards, aside from the normal exacting technical and business requirements.

We hope it will also lead to the creation of many well-paying jobs which will help keep younger workers in New Brunswick.

Jack Marr

P.Geo. M.Sc.

V.P. Exploration

Director, Geodex Minerals Ltd.

Harper's plan lacks credibility

Re: Child care as an election issue

About 54 per cent of Canadian children aged six months to five years receive care from someone other than their parents, and the patchwork of public programs leave one in five Canadian children without a spot. There is a shortage of 1.4 million quality spaces and many families cannot afford the options Stephen Harper proposes.

In the last federal election Harper promised he would create 125,000 new at-work child care spaces a year by offering tax credits to private for-profit employers. When this plan failed, he replaced this scheme with a $250 million provincial child care transfer - one fifth of what experts say is needed to begin filling the national shortage of regulated, affordable child care spaces.

Harper's Universal Child Care Benefit is a deceptive family allowance subject to unfair claw backs - families that need childcare the most get the least, and nobody gets more than $100/month, which does little to offset the $2,500 the average Canadian family pays out a year in child care costs.

I fully support Jack Layton's plan to invest in our children's early years. The plan establishes licensed child care as a national program governed by the principles of quality, accessibility, affordability, and universality.

It has been proven in countries around the world that when we invest to ensure proper child care, each dollar spent returns two more to the economy.

Alec Stratford

Fredericton