A customer walks into Loblaws's flagship location on Carlton Street in Toronto on May 2, 2013.Aaron Vincent Elkaim/The Canadian Press
Global obligations
Re “Trump’s threat to ‘encourage’ Russian attacks on NATO allies that don’t pay enough sparks concern” (Feb. 12): As much as Donald Trump may huff and puff about cancelling U.S. participation in NATO, he should remember that, after the United States declared it was under attack on Sept. 11, 2001, the alliance immediately swung into action. In the entire life of NATO, this is the only time its mutual defence agreement was brought into effect.
How different the outcome of Sept. 11 might have been if other NATO members had hesitated to help. Mr. Trump should be reminded incessantly about this.
Are we not paying enough for defence? Perhaps by one metric this might be true. But remember: Friendship and a good alliance are priceless.
John Banka Toronto
Re “The conflict in Ukraine is a war between freedom and tyranny” (Feb. 9): Who would condemn morality? Not I, but I would point out that moral feeling evolved to facilitate survival in small, tightly knit groups of hunter-gathers who were frequently in conflict.
“The moral plane” is a great place to start wars; for understanding and stopping them, not so much.
Glenn Parsons Professor, philosophy, Toronto Metropolitan University
Underdogs
Re “China gains major Arctic foothold as Russia turns to Beijing more, report finds” (Feb. 7): This reinforces for me that climate change is not something the West can solve by imposing carbon taxes on our populations and business communities.
China is taking over much of our industry. This may destroy Western economies because we are assisting China every step of the way.
When two boxers go into the ring, they should be evenly matched with similar weight and experience. The West brings a self-imposed handicap; we have tied one hand behind our own back while hoping for a miracle.
China and Russia teaming up in the Arctic is scary. The world seems oblivious to the impending peril.
Peter Kaufmann Winnipeg
Well run dry
Re “Our federation helped make Alberta rich in water. Now, that dam is breaking” (Opinion, Feb. 10): After devastating droughts on the Prairies, the federal government in 1935 established the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration. It helped Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta with water supply projects, soil erosion control, tree planting and farm resettlement.
Today, when federal help may no longer be urgently needed, some Prairie governments consider Ottawa an interfering adversary – until the next time federal help is again urgently needed.
Reiner Jaakson Oakville, Ont.
Break it up
Re “Telecom companies push back on CRTC moves to open access to networks” (Report on Business, Feb. 12): One approach that would likely be effective for fostering competition, cost recovery and future development in the telecommunications industry is to follow what was done with oil and natural gas: Transmission systems became regulated utilities with equitable access to all suppliers.
In the case of telecommunications, this would involve turning internet transmission systems and cellular towers into regulated utilities, with revenue to allow for cost recovery and risk-adjusted rates of return sufficient to foster future development. Major companies that are both service providers and owners of transmission systems would need to be split into separate businesses.
This has worked well for energy suppliers, transmission companies and consumers in oil and gas. I have every reason to believe there would be a similar outcome in the telecommunications sector.
Richard Zuker Ottawa
Over, under
Re “Fair compensation” (Letters, Feb. 9): A letter-writer, retired as CBC senior legal counsel, notes that “non-unionized employees earn base salaries with extra increments for achieving corporate goals.” Elsewhere, employees get salaries for meeting their goals and discretionary bonuses for exceeding them.
It seems that at the CBC, employees who do not meet their goals still retain their salaries. Elsewhere, they would be let go.
Jacques Konig Toronto
Let me understand this compensation model.
If an employee meets corporate goals, then they receive performance pay. But if goals are not met, then what? Do they get fired? What is the downside of not meeting targets?
My husband was Canadian general manager for a U.S.-based company where his sales forecasts were routinely raised by management, so he often failed to get performance pay. But in a different scenario, targets can be set low so that all employees receive performance pay.
Seems too much like a game to me.
Czesia Nalewajko Pickering, Ont.
Key point
Re “Trudeau signals Ottawa looking at tougher penalties for auto thieves” (Feb. 9): It seems that thefts are soaring largely because keyless ignitions are easily hacked. Does buying a car with a keyed ignition reduce risk of theft?
If so, this could be added to the usual list of recommended defensive measures. It would be more convenient and less expensive than other options regularly presented.
Roy Cameron Kitchener, Ont.
Share the wealth
Re “Governments can ease the cost-of-living crisis – they just don’t want to” (Report on Business, Feb. 12): I took it upon myself to find alternative ways to “ease the cost-of-living crisis,” by taking a small portion of my savings to buy Loblaw shares. In the past six months, they’re up about 15 per cent and they don’t look to be slowing down any time soon.
Can’t beat ‘em? Buy ‘em.
Barry Schwartz Cambridge, Ont.
Collective ire
Re “The apathy surrounding Tavares’s CRA dispute is emblematic of Toronto” (Sports, Feb. 9): It’s not apathy. It’s a shared hatred of the Canada Revenue Agency that binds us together.
Gil Hardy Toronto
All in the family
Re “This Gramma once played minor hockey, and now I can prove it” (First Person, Feb. 7): How delightful to read the story of a grandma and her grandson playing a game they both love.
I hope he gets to walk by that arena’s wall of fame in Banff and see that picture of her in action from years ago. How proud he will be.
I’m delighted to be a grandma, too – a soccer gramma. When one’s grandson lives deep in the American south and soccer is his passion, FaceTime is the next best thing to being there to cheer him on.
We look forward to seeing him play live one day. I will be the loudest cheerleader there.
Val Stephanson Calgary
Letters to the Editor should be exclusive to The Globe and Mail. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. Keep letters to 150 words or fewer. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. To submit a letter by e-mail, click here: letters@globeandmail.com