Today's letters: What can Ukraine do with 80-year-old Canadian pistols?

Thursday, Sept. 19: It's disturbing to see the details of our latest 'gift' of handguns to Ukraine, says one reader. You can write to us too, at [email protected]

Published Sep 19, 2024  •  Last updated 0 minutes ago  •  3 minute read

Canadian Forces Browning Hi-Power pistols that had been earmarked for destruction will now be sent to Ukraine.  Photo by Able Seaman Camden Scott /Department of National Defence

‘Gift’ to Ukraine is embarrassing

Re: Canadian military Second World War pistols slated for destruction will instead be sent to Ukraine, Sept. 13.

We see clear evidence of the ingenuity and courage of the people of the Ukraine in being at the forefront of defending the free world, and there is clear Canadian support for them.

But it was disturbing to see the details of our latest gift of handguns to Ukraine. Canadian forces were “having trouble keeping the Second World War pistols in service because of a lack of parts and concerns they were no longer functioning properly.” And then, “a small number would be kept for military museums.”

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Little comfort to a parent whose son or daughter is engaged in close combat with a rejected museum piece. We should do better than that.

Michael Wiggin Ottawa

One way to use those old handguns

What are Ukrainians supposed to do with our 80-year-old handguns: throw them at the Russians?

Jean Currie, Ottawa

Human experience isn’t polished

Re: Nathanson, In today’s AI world, the human voice still matters, Sept. 14.

High school English teacher Jodi Nathanson writes of “humanizing” her classes as education and creative writing face extraordinary challenges posed by Artificial Intelligence.

What is a teacher, an editor or a publisher to do when a handful of brief prompts can be enough for AI to generate a detective story, a romance or a psychological thriller that is more than merely serviceable, but seems quite polished?

To a limited degree, we have been here before. Mass-produced and soulless acrylic paintings, for instance, were fairly prevalent a few decades ago. They were more affordable and an easier way to decorate the walls of a new home. Paintings of picture-perfect sunsets or those depicting fall scenes with every bright leaf perfectly positioned may have been produced using the correct techniques, but they were too polished, and therefore mindless and soulless.

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That’s what I often see today when I come across AI-generated pictures, and it’s possible to detect the same thing in AI-generated writing, too. The human experience isn’t polished; it’s complicated, unexpected and topsy-turvy. These are exactly the characteristics that make for authentic stories — ones that will continue to engage readers for generations to come.

Christopher Adam, Ottawa

Axe the tax on those EVs

Sales of electric vehicles are only about half of what they need to be in order to achieve the goal of 100 per cent by 2025. Solution: axe the tax!

When you buy an EV, the governments (federal and Ontario) make a profit of 13 per cent on the sale. If no EV is sold, the governments lose their 13 per cent. So, governments do not lose any more by eliminating their tax, whether an EV is sold or not sold.

If a gasoline car is sold instead of an EV, the governments get their 13 per cent but this defeats the objective because it will take another 10 years before that new car has to be replaced by an EV.

I think this makes the case for eliminating the tax on EVs. Note that Pierre Poilievre’s disliked gas tax is automatically eliminated if you buy an EV!

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Richard Asselin, Chesea

Sincere thanks to Good Samaritans

On Sept. 12, I was  walking to my bus stop at Bayshore Transit Station when I tripped on an open sandbag and fell, scraping my left knee and knuckles. Four Good Samaritans stopped to help me up and make sure I was OK. One woman even walked with me to the bus stop. I thanked everyone but did not get their names I really appreciated their concern and kindness.

Once again, thank you.

Joan Alexander, Ottawa

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