YOU SAID IT: Choosing to criticize

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CHOOSING TO CRITICIZE

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During the pandemic, the common mantra was, “We are in this together.” Yet, not once did I hear the Liberals, NDP or Greens offer anything constructive, but only constant criticism during this time, and now they want our vote. Considering the NDP constantly supported the Liberals for years as the province went further into debt, this will not be a hard decision to make.

STEVE WHINE

BRANTFORD, ONT.

(Opposition parties have a role to do just that — oppose. But the point the NDP and Liberals offered no solutions is valid.)

KYIV COCKTAILS?

Re: Trudeau right to make Ukraine trip, editorial, May 10

Shame on the Sun’s editor for supporting the surprise visit by our Clown Prince PM, his bobblehead finance minister and out of her league foreign affairs minister. This was just such an obvious photo op it could have been a bad episode of Three’s Company from the moment the carbon-spewing federal government Airbus lifted-off.

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Just look at who was already there — First Lady Jill Biden and buddies Bono and Edge. Yes, Canada supports Ukraine, but with out of control inflation on food, fuel and housing at home, couldn’t our PM have just Skyped and sent Ukrainian President Zelenskyy a picture of his Ukraine flag socks instead of modeling them in person?

EDDY DIGNAN

ROCKLAND

(We’ll agree to disagree and repeat: As long as this unjust conflict continues, it’s important that Canada and Canadians signal that they support Ukraine.)

TO PERSONAL CHOICE

Re: Mental health supports lacking, letter, May 10

Mental health and physical health, are they different? Whose decision should it be to live or die? Every one of us, young, old, physically done or mentally done, should be allowed the only true right an individual has. Not everyone wants to live to 100. Some people, life-supported, being fed through a tube, don’t have a choice. Is it right? This has no place in politics. We must make “all” health care available to all of those who “want” it. Again, let common sense prevail. Most people should be dignified when departing this life, and a special day to say their goodbyes should be one’s choice.

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MIKE DEFALCO

ARNPRIOR

(Without clear guidelines, there’s too much room for error — and abuse.)

TO SILVER LINING?

Hopefully, a silver lining will be extracted from the high-gas-price problem in the form of less gratuitous fuel waste, including by individual consumers. For one thing, I’ve frequently walked past parked vehicles idling for many minutes.

Sometimes, I’ll also see the exhaust spewed by a vanity vehicle, a metallic beast with the signature superfluously very large body and wheels that don’t at all appear used for work or family transport. They’re the same gratuitously huge monsters that, when parked roadside, hazardously block the view of short-car operators turning or crossing through stop-signed intersections, and they look and spew thick exhaust as though they might get about 25 gallons to the mile .

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Inside each is the operator, typically staring down into their lap, probably their smartphones. I couldn’t help wondering whether they’re some of the people posting complaints onto various social media platforms about a possible gas tax/price increase, however comparatively small. Here in Canada, the carbon tax, though it’s more than recovered via government rebate (except for the high-incomed), induces much pastime complaining.

Meanwhile, mass addiction to fossil fuel products undoubtedly helps keep the average consumer quiet about the planet’s greatest polluter, lest they feel and/or be publicly deemed hypocritical.

FRANK STERLE JR.

WHITE ROCK, B.C.

(It appears unlikely that even these soaring prices will encourage people to keep it in park.)