Letters, Aug. 10: Scheer needs to show some Pride
Credit to Author: Province Opinion| Date: Fri, 09 Aug 2019 18:33:08 +0000
It was quite the sight. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Green party leader Elizabeth May, and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh — political rivals in the upcoming federal election — all marching together in the Vancouver Pride Parade on Aug 4.
Notably absent was Conservative leader Andrew Scheer.
Marching in a Pride Parade is perhaps the most powerful way to show support for the LGBTQ community. But so far, Scheer hasn’t taken part in a Pride Parade anywhere in Canada. And according to a Conservative spokesperson, he doesn’t plan to join any Pride Parades in future. End of story.
It’s hard to see how Scheer’s failure to march in a single Pride Parade squares with his claim that he is a staunch supporter of the rights of the LGBTQ community. You have to walk the walk or it’s all just talk.
Diane Eaton, Kelowna
Justin Trudeau criticizes Conservative leader Andrew Scheer’s commitment to human rights simply because Scheer didn’t attend Vancouver’s Pride Parade. It’s his own commitment to human rights that Trudeau should be looking at.
Two Canadians, Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, have been languishing in a Chinese prison since December. They are kept in solitary confinement with the light on 24 hours a day. It’s now August and Trudeau has barely lifted a finger to help them.
It’s all very well for our prime minister to walk a few blocks in a friendly parade and bask in the photo opportunities this presents, but when real work is needed to free two of our citizens from arbitrary detention by a hostile foreign power, Trudeau is nowhere to be seen. How dare he criticize others for their level of commitment to human rights when he is found wanting himself?
Joseph Hind, North Vancouver
The forestry industry would like us to believe that they are “professionals” and “stewards” of the forest, but they have never been either.
They cut down all of the trees and then move on, leaving behind a devastated ecosystem. I have seen this firsthand as I worked as a chokerman for a summer in my youth.
It is not until many years later that I can fully appreciate the damage that has been done, and now that the industry has cut down most of the easy stuff and is desperately searching for their next meal, I find it hard to feel sorry for them. The same is true for other resource-extraction industries. They are greedy and do not respect the environment and while we have all reaped the benefits of the resources, at some point we are all going to have to pay for it.
Time for some soul searching. What do we really want?
Doug Nash, Bowen Island
What is it with Vancouver sports teams? The Lions are a disgrace, and haven’t won a Grey Cup in almost a decade, the Whitecaps are horrible, rarely making the playoffs, and the Canucks, well everyone knows they have been in the NHL for 50 years and never won a Stanley Cup.
Is it the weather in our fine city, the wonderful cuisine available, the gorgeous scenery, the laid-back West Coast atmosphere? What causes our professional teams in Vancouver to be so perpetually woeful?
Guess I will have to actually get up off the couch, turn off the game, and go outside to actually do something myself.
Herb Mills, Vancouver
Yesterday I went blackberry picking. I have a favourite spot which I will not divulge to anyone, except, perhaps, on my deathbed, as I will not share the location except with a local bear. Within half an hour and with only a few small scratches I had a large container full.
The berries were ripe, large, juicy, sweet and warmed by the sun, plentiful and delicious. And best of all, free. They are so versatile and can be used in pies, tarts, muffins, jams, jellies or in whatever way the imagination can devise. Maybe The Sun’s food pages could devote some space to showing how these wonderful fruits can be used while they are in season.
My husband and I enjoyed a blackberry and apple crumble with a scoop of ice cream for dessert later in the day — food of the Gods!
And did I mention, the berries were free!
Barb Emo, North Vancouver
Letters to the editor should be sent to sunletters@vancouversun.com. The editorial pages editor is Gordon Clark, who can be reached at gclark@postmedia.com.
CLICK HERE to report a typo.
Is there more to this story? We’d like to hear from you about this or any other stories you think we should know about. Email vantips@postmedia.com.