ALARMING TREND
The letter by Donald K. Monroe (Sun, Jan. 4, 2020) concerning vaping reflects on a much larger problem. That is the influence that the media has on any issue. It is a miracle that the human race has survived without the modern media. Headlines are made and are out of proportion to reality when one or minuscule occurrences happen out of a population of one and a half or four and half or 35 or 350 million. Such reporting promotes down right fear mongering. As a person who believes that people are responsible for their own actions and should not be a burden on society, the media does not help by inflating the significance of this so called news.
DICK VARLEY
(Umm, getting really, really sick from something you don’t need to do is the perfect example of being a burden on society.)

NOT GOOD ENOUGH
To quote Jim Unger, author of the comic strip Herman, and one of his strips from 1980, “One day you’ll realize that the people capable of running the country are too smart to get into politics”.
EPP STEVEN
(Ya think?)

THANKS, JUSTIN
Now that the temperature has turned for the worse and my furnace is running most of the day — even though I have my thermostat set at 67F — I’d like to thank Mr. Trudeau for his carbon levy (tax). Happy New Year, Justin, can you pay for some carbon credits for me and all the other Canadians who couldn’t afford to go with you to Costa Rica.
G.G. CALHOUN
(Enjoy paying a tax that absolutely punishes Canadians for living in an often brutal climate.)

FOR LOVE OF COUNTRY
Re: Champak Bhaumik bullet point No. 4, where he writes: “… and a solid pension after eight years …” I mistakenly thought people got in to politics to serve the people and not for what they can get out of it. Watching a documentary about Jean Chretien on the CBC would be akin to watching a documentary on Karl Marx produced by the Communist party. Lastly, while it does no one any harm to learn another language, the education system cannot ignore or dismiss teaching the fundamentals of the English language. English is the language of commerce. It always has been and always will be.
JEFFREY ANDERSON
(That’s what the ancient Greeks used to say when they ruled.)

WHAT THE WHAT?
Did I miss something, it seems to me there was a nasty eight-year war between Iran and Iraq that probably killed a million people! And now it seems they are joined at the hip. What is the leader of Iran’s military doing hanging around Iraq? These recent events can only mean trouble for a lot of the world including Canada. As you may recall, we are not on Iran’s friends list after sneaking out some of the American hostages a few years back!
DON HONEYCHURCH
(He was up to no good.)

WELL DONE, TSN
Thank you TSN for broadcasting the complete complement of games of the world juniors from the Czech Republic. Your broadcasting crew has done an absolutely outstanding job with knowledgeable comments and discussion throughout the series. Good on you, TSN, I’ll be watching next year.
DOUGLAS CASSELL
(TSN ‘owns’ this thing.)

BONUS LETTERS — ONLINE ONLY

THAT’S NO MISTAKE
There have been airplane crashes similar to this Ukraine/Iran one before, and I feel sorry for the victims’ families, but what I can’t understand is why this one is so special. ‘All of those important people on it that died’. Other crashes had many similar persons on board and we never heard such an outcry, and it was a ground-to-air Iranian missile, so what is the excuse, calling it a ‘mistake’? Who were they trying to shoot down?
BILL KUSHNIRYK
(Other crashes didn’t claim so many Canadians.)

MANY QUESTIONS
So Iran shoots down a plane with Canadians in it, not Americans. And then J.T. says it was probably a mistake? Really? Who is zooming who on this one? It wasn’t a mistake. They picked on one of America’s allies that has a small military and a leader who is weak (the most charitable thing I can say about him). If this airplane was full of Americans, the story would be considerably different.
JOHN SHORES
(Iran still denies it shot down the plane — accidentally or otherwise.)

BIRTHING SCAM
When I recently read about the growing problem of birth tourism, I was annoyed. Pregnant women are coming to Canada to give birth because their children automatically become Canadian citizens. In Vancouver, for example, the Coastal Health administrators rake in money for the birthing procedures (assuming the fees are fully paid) while warning the hospital employees not to talk to the media. Politicians stand mute. It is just another way for wealthy foreigners to buy their way into Canada and legally flout the immigration rules. Where’s the fairness? Where’s the accountability? Wealthy foreigners are playing us for saps. Canada is indeed the land of political milquetoasts and door-opening money.
LLOYD ATKINS
(We wouldn’t want to be mean about it, would we? This government is soft on getting used.)

POOR COMPARISON
I had a tough time reading Mr. Jarislowsky’s piece. It is clear he has become the very thing he was fighting against in the Second World War. Comparing Hitler to the natural progression of the climate is why we are getting tired of the far-left and the media’s chicken little rantings. Hitler’s intentions and the solution to stop him were clear. The climate has been evolving and changing ever since the Earth was formed and attained an atmosphere. Pointing to natural phenomena — i.e. icebergs calving, fires due to lack of proactive brush clearing, chinooks and warm Decembers in southern Alberta — he claims these are the warning signs and irrefutable evidence of man-made climate change. He is simply re-spouting propaganda that would make Josef Goebbels blush with embarrassment. I would also point out that he and his ilk always give China a pass despite that nation is going full speed ahead with “carbon-based” development. Despite that the climate “warning signs” are fallacies, Mr. Jarislowsky insists we must act now. His solution, as that as the climate alarmists would have, would be that we become vegan, socialist serfs. It sounds like he wants us to live like we were in the former Soviet Union. What he doesn’t realise is that his vision will turn out to be Pol Pot’s of Cambodia. Many people died in that low-carbon utopia of the Khmer Rouge. Climate change is nothing new. What makes him think the government can stop it?
MICHAEL THEODORE
(It’s one man’s opinion.)

OBVIOUS MOTIVE
One must conclude that all unions that are affiliated with the public sector workforce support the same socialistic ideology as the NDP. You know, hire more and more public employees so they can vote for us, pay more dues to unions, so the union management will support us with fear-mongering ads in opposition to the government in power. The latest union to join is the HSAA. I question whether they are genuinely interested in representing their 26,000 members, or more interested in supporting the NDP opposition. The 26,000 members pay on average $400 per year to the union as dues, 26,000 x $400 = $10,400,000. Wow, that would sure support a very, very comfortable lifestyle. Just think if the membership was reduced by 10% (2,600). That would mean dues would be reduced by $1,040,000. Doesn’t that make you wonder just what the HSAA’s motive is.
DOUGLAS CASSELL
(A union’s going to support its workers’ jobs and a government that is friendly to them. It’s not complicated.)

JOB WELL DONE
Congratulations Team Canada. I, like many Canadians, would like to say a massive “congratulations”, to the executives, coaches, trainers and, of course, the players, for an excellent world junior championship tournament held in the Czech Republic, winning the gold medal. From recruiting the best management team, to scouting the best players across Canada and working together for a positive outcome, with one common goal, to bring the gold medal back to Canada. I commend all involved, for working so hard, striving to deliver their very best and representing all Canadians coast to coast. Canadians can stand proud and united. Maybe it’s something our federal government could learn from?
CAL OATWAY
(An economic Team Canada? Working for all Canadians? Kind of like a central government? You, sir, are a dreamer. And the kids did real good.)

STRATEGY WORKING
In response to Martin Kosik’s comment Friday about my suggestion for a blockbuster trade, I say, I told you so! Don’t you think Brad Treliving has motivated the players by suggesting I’ve traded one and you might be next? Treliving has started preparation for “my” blockbuster trade, by trading Frolik. The Flames have not lost since the Sun received my letter Jan. 1 and then published my letter, Jan. 3. The Flames were 20 wins with 22 losses and now they are 24 wins and 22 losses, as of this morning, Jan. 10. That’s trending positively and that’s a playoff mentality. I am a devoted Toronto Maple Leafs fan, who has seen them win four Stanley Cups. Yes it’s been a while, and for the first time in my life wishes to see the Flames beat Toronto, on Jan. 16, just to prove my point. If you are really wondering what I am made of, I am the guy who wears the Toronto Maple Leafs captain’s jersey with Iginla’s name, number, and autographed inscription, “In your dreams, Nelson, Jerome Iginla.”
NELSON PHILLIPS
(Go Flames!)