Gripen is Canada's only real alternative | Letters to the Editor

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In regards to the Ottawa Catholic School Board, where trustees still have a say, the selection of a candidate is critical in order to maintain the board’s status. Let’s not forget these boards are responsible for our tax dollars.

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I urge all electors to do their research before placing a random vote or leaving this part of your ballot blank. One can view who the trustee candidates are running in their districts on the elections Ottawa website. I urge you to do your homework, search their website, give them a call and ask them about their stand on issues of your concern. The election of trustees needs to be of utmost concern both for those with or without children in the system. Let’s not hand over the control of education of our children to the bureaucracy in Toronto.

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Geraldine Schultz, Nepean

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The ‘risk-averse’ candidate Mark Sutcliffe

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Re: Sutcliffe a no-show for student municipal election debate

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So even Jim Watson knew which election debate events to attend, knowing students would show up in force and grill him and he would garner publicity.

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But you, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, seem to be risk-averse, and not willing to apply much more effort to key issues like transit, housing and food affordability that got the student crowd at Carleton University animated.

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I hope, too, that your upcoming conflicted debate schedule does not distract you again when it comes to carrying out your promised plans like planting a million trees.

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Nor do I hope that you once again become conflicted like when you pushed through the Lansdowne Park 2.0 plans of a local consortium for less stadium seats and no roof, less green space, for more unaffordable condos and more city debt.

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So why, Mr. Mayor, would voters in Ottawa want to award your lackadaisical leadership and take a second chance on you this time around?

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Running for office is indeed a marathon task, but I am sure losing out will leave you more time to improve your running time in those scheduled races.

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If you must, blame your involuntary exit from office on mistakes like skipping out on tough election debates.

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Ken Rubin, Ottawa

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A vote against privatizing Canadian airports

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The federal government does not have a stellar record for using revenue from Canada’s largest airports to invest in the regional airport system in the country, going back to introduction of the National Airports Policy in 1993. In the years since then, hundreds of millions of dollars have been sent to Ottawa annually from the country’s bigger airport authorities and it has primarily been directed to that hole in Canada’s railway system: the Via Rail deficit.

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The funds generated by this suggested concession sale scheme that will go to the Consolidated Revenue Fund are unlikely to find their way to regional airport re-development and/or improvement.

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Shawn Sutherland, Calgary

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