Wednesday February 11, 2009
Worst in show 
Marcela Donato
I was horrified when I read Best In Show May Not Be Best For Dogs (Life, Feb. 10). Rebecca Dube has proven to be insensitive when it comes to the welfare of animals. How can she mention the heartbreaking health problems for dogs bred for looks and the overpopulation caused by breeding and then declare she will watch Westminster ''guilt-free,'' all in the same article?
Up in smoke
Alison Kyba
Balancing the social and psychological implications of banning the burning of wood against the proven pollution it causes and the health consequences is an absurdity (Vital Cultural Practice - editorial, Feb. 9). The lives of those for whom hearing the crackle of a fireplace is such an important part may soon come to an unpleasantly smoggy end.
Jaan Pill
Global climate change is also driven by ''vital cultural practices,'' which I mention in case the fact has escaped the notice of The Globe's editorial writers. Is destruction of the environment justifiable on the grounds of maintaining existing cultural practices? Society currently limits cigarette smoking in interior spaces to avoid inflicting second-hand smoke on innocent bystanders. The plan to ban wood-fire smoke in Montreal seeks to address similar health-related concerns.
Two sides to every story
J. Allan Donaldson
The Globe is to be commended for publishing Tom Segev's views on the Israel-Palestinian conflict (The Six-Day War That Will Never End - Feb. 10). Mr. Segev is one of many Jewish scholars living within Israel who have spoken out against the recent attack on Gaza yet rarely obtain exposure in the mainstream media of North America. Just as we should realize that not all Palestinians are fanatics who seek the destruction of Israel, we should also realize that not all Israelis are neo-Zionists who celebrate disproportionate response.
Shaun Narine,
In her commentary on the reasons why Quebeckers tend to support the Palestinian cause, Lysiane Gagnon missed one very important factor: The Palestinians just have a very strong case (A Troubling Show Of Solidarity - Feb. 9). Anyone who studies the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict with any degree of objectivity cannot help but arrive at this realization. I have a question of my own: Why does Ms. Gagnon have such a difficult time appreciating that the Palestinians may actually have some legitimate grievances?
Prescription for lost lives
Richard Elliott
Pamela Barnes and Nicholas Hellmann of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation were absolutely correct when they wrote that we need to dramatically scale up efforts to prevent transmission of HIV from mother to child (This Pandemic Is Entirely Preventable - Feb. 9). These prevention efforts must be complemented by treatment for those children who are infected with HIV.
Marking an anniversary
Paul Tetrault
Patrick Martin writes that Benjamin Netanyahu is reported to want Ehud Barak in the Israeli defence portfolio ''should Israel have to face the prospect of taking military action against Iran'' (Israeli Election Expected To Be Triumph Of The Right - Feb. 10). Poor Israel, having to face such prospects - first Lebanon, then Gaza, now Iran. Nothing like sneaking in a tribute to George Orwell 25 years after 1984.
It's a free country
Will Johnston
Re Free Speech On Campus? It Depends (Feb. 10): As a Senate caucus representative to the Student Society of McGill University council, I was part of a group that voted 25-2 in favour of allowing a pro-life group to form. There were a fair number of protesters at the meeting, but we made the right decision.
Field of dreams
Duncan W. Glaholt
The real story behind the Brampton Civic Hospital is the co-operation of the public and private sectors to serve a community that is growing at twice the rate of any other area in the province (In This PPP, Taxpayers Are The Ones Who Paid - Life, Feb. 5). The Brampton community had long outgrown its aging hospital and was underserviced.
A matter of life and death
Michel Sauvé
Regarding the deadly cancers found in Fort Chipewyan downstream from the Alberta oil sands, the significant increase in leukemia and other blood cancers - clustered in the last six years in association with the massive expansion in oil sands mining - is a real concern (High Cancer Rate Near Oil Sands Confirmed - Feb. 7). This should not be dismissed to chance, nor should the deaths and suffering be associated with ''an inferior lifestyle.''
Stephen Routledge
The economic boom in Alberta accelerated by oil giants such as Syncrude has essentially blinded much of the province to the environmental issues plaguing the oil sands (Ottawa And Alberta Charge Syncrude In Deaths Of 500 Birds In Tailings Pond - Feb. 10).
Michael Desautels
As one concerned about the rights of animals, I was relieved to see that Syncrude will be held accountable for the deaths of 500 waterfowl. As a humanist, I wonder if responsibility will ever be assumed for the spike in cancer rates that is occurring in first nations communities downstream from the tar sands. The same toxins, such as arsenic, mercury and lead, that proved fatal to 500 birds are widely believed to be responsible.
