Letters: With floor crossings, why do we even bother to vote?

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In his column, Tristin Hopper mentions (among other worthwhile projects) the critical need for energy projects: pipelines (to both east and west coasts) and facilities for processing and shipping oil and LNG to foreign destinations that have been begging for these Canadian products.

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Ottawa needs to scrap all the Trudeau legislation that is still hindering private investors from long-term energy investments, e.g. the Impact Assessment Act (Bill C-69), the prohibitively expensive carbon capture and storage requirements, and the tanker ban off the B.C. coast. Our energy-producing competitors (i.e. the U.S. and others) are not saddled with such unnecessary costs.

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Perhaps a total review of priorities should be the #1 item on the federal Liberal agenda.

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Harry K. Hocquard, King, Ont.

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I agree with Conservative Leader Pierre  Poilievre that the Alto high-speed rail project from Toronto to Quebec City is not worth the investment, but I disagree with his main reason, that it will require extensive expropriation of private property.

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The main reason the project is not worth the investment is insufficient population density. High-speed rail built in other parts of the world serve regions with a high population density that generates a ridership that justifies the high cost of such projects. The Alto high-speed rail would link Canada’s biggest cities — Toronto and Montreal — but the rest of the route would go through only small cities and open countryside before terminating at Quebec City.

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It would take decades of growth before there would be a high enough population density in the entire length of the Toronto to Quebec City corridor to justify the cost of a high-speed rail link.

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Reiner Jaakson, Oakville, Ont.

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Judges are discrediting themselves

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I would suggest that if there are any judges in Canada being discredited in the press it is they, the judges, who have brought it upon themselves.

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The decisions of these judges is not improving equitable treatment of defendants, it is discriminating against the vast majority of Canadians. It is not the job of the courts to bring about social change. That is the job of government and the citizens of Canada.

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Gordon S. Clarry, Etobicoke, Ont.

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‘China’s leaders are expert at playing political chess’

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John Ivison points out the risk taken by our Liberal government in its dealings with China. Our PM’s pragmatic approach to trade — making deals with any country regardless of that country’s politics or civil rights abuses — does Canada a disservice while raising questions as to whether morality and principle play any part in Liberal politics. Moreover, Mark Carney risks Canada being more vulnerable to the influence of an active enemy of the West.

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If anyone needs reminding, China is a declared supporter of North Korea, Russia and Iran. It is not as if there are any doubts as to China’s motives. It wants free passage in the Arctic and to be comfortably ensconced on the doorstep of the United States. It has been attempting to influence our Chinese politicians with threats to relatives still there and has been using cyber warfare to influence our political thought for years according to our intelligence agencies. It would like to draw us away from our allies and into its orbit as the only major alternative to the U.S.

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Not only has our government put our own nascent electric car industry in Ontario at risk by its actions but also, PM Carney, presumably in part having been embarrassed by his failure to influence Donald Trump in tariff negotiations, seems to be thumbing his nose at the U.S. president at any opportunity. This infantile behaviour has serious consequences when the leader to the south is even more childish in his reactions.

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China’s leaders are expert at playing the long game of political chess. Canada has abandoned moral clarity as a principle guide in attempting to play this game. We will regret having elected a government that is incapable of acting with wisdom while being true to the values that once made Canada admired by the rest of the world.

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Ron Hoffman, Toronto

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National Post and Financial Post welcome letters to the editor (250 words or fewer). Please include your name, address and daytime phone number. Email [email protected]. Letters may be edited for length or clarity.

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