Re: Olympics-sanctioned boxing brutality tarnishes games — Michael Higgins, Aug. 1 Originally conceived in ancient Greece as a display of outstanding athleticism and fair play, the modern Olympic games have become poisoned by politics, DEI ideology and wokeism. For example, the Berlin games of 1936 were intended, but failed to provide, a showcase for Hitler’s theories of Aryan superiority, with African-American Jesse Owens winning four gold medals.
Fast forward to Paris of 2024, where two boxers who twice failed the International Boxing Association’s gender eligibility tests were nevertheless permitted by the high-minded International Olympic Committee to compete in women’s boxing. The IOC has long been a bloated, money-making machine, whose reputation has been sullied by doping scandals, boycotts and, the most tragic, the 1972 kidnapping and massacre of 11 Israelis in Munich. When will those who pay millions of dollars for a 30-second commercial during televised Olympic events have the moral courage to stand up to this egregious abuse of power and say “enough is enough?” Susan Silverman, Toronto Re: Insulting Christians at Paris opening ceremonies was the entire point — Father Raymond J.
de Souza, Aug. 1 With all due respect to Fr. Raymond de Souza, there is no need to be so prudish — or like we jokingly say in Québec, “Don’t be so Anglo” — about the “Give Peace a Chance” rally that was held at the Olympic Village.
The sacrilege here would be to miss the genius of John Lennon and co-writer Yoko Ono’s lyrics. Their song, in its wisdom, is a simple reminder to reflect on our common humanity and to keep hoping for a better, more peaceful world — today, especially, a prayer of paramount importance. Teenage sentimentality? This 65-year-old Christian doesn’t think so.
André Tremblay, Toronto Re: Olympic athletes condemned to hot rooms, climate priests dine in luxury — Father Raymond J. de Souza, Aug. 4 Can you imagine the surprise and anger of the Olympic athletes when they checked into their Olympic digs to find that there was no air conditioning and the menu would be 60 per cent vegan? The failure of International Olympic Committee officials — who no doubt would be dining sumptuously on protein-heavy meals in air-conditioned comfort — to take care of athletes’ needs is simply beyond belief.
All this so that IOC President Thomas Bach could state that these Olympics were the greenest ever. It’s a wonder Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Minister of Environment Steven Guilbeault didn’t jet in for the occasion. Bob Erwin, Ottawa Re: Judicial watchdog confirms Ontario judge donated to Liberals, issues first sanction under new regime — Christopher Nardi, Aug.
1 The Canadian Judicial Council may have had reason to question Ontario Superior Court Justice Diana Piccoli’s judgment for having supported the Liberals, but not her ethical standards. As for punishment, an expression of concern is, in modern political speak, “very concerning.” The judge should have been condemned to vote Conservative in the next three general elections — once for each donation she made to the Liberals.
Such penance falls clearly under the rubric of “community service.” Patrick Cowan, Toronto Re: CRA notifies Jewish National Fund it will revoke Canadian charitable status — Ari David Blaff, July 25 The Canada Revenue Agency has given the Jewish National Fund notice that it intends to revoke its charitable status in this country. Leaving aside the legal arguments against such action, the facts are that JNF has a history of raising money to improve the lives of all those who live in Israel.
Notable projects supported by Canadians have included those related to tree planting, the construction of greenhouses, the building of dams, reservoirs and water purification systems (some of the latter sustaining the people in Gaza), social infrastructure such as family centres, schools and health-care facilities, and even a bird sanctuary visitors’ centre named in honour of former Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper. Many of these projects require ongoing support for completion or ultimate sustainability. The timing of the CRA’s decision in light of the Trudeau government’s anti-Israel position on the fighting in Gaza appears suspicious, such timing being within the federal government’s control.
Such anti-Israel behaviour should be of great concern to all freedom-loving Canadians. Ron Hoffman, Toronto Re: NP View: Liberals slag Tories as ‘weird’ in desperate bid to appear normal — Editorial, Aug. 3 So Justin Trudeau’s Liberals think they are going to wash away their years of bad performance by calling Canadians who won’t vote for them “weird?” Apparently neither the Democrats in the United States nor the Liberals in Canada learned anything from the backlash against Hillary Clinton after she referred to Americans who wouldn’t vote for her as “deplorables.
” They say people who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Get out your popcorn and enjoy the fun of watching Canadians crush the politicians who called them weird. Chris Robertson, Stony Plain, Alta.
Re: ‘I was repulsed’: Abuse survivor demands Liberal MP apologize after testimony ‘hijacked’ in chaotic House committee — Stephanie Taylor, July 31; and Ottawa’s abortion fixation collides with reality, with ugly results — Chris Selley, Aug. 4 The intent of the meeting of the House of Commons Committee on the Status of Women was to discuss intimate-partner violence and how the criminal justice system handles it. One witness, Cait Alexander, testified about being nearly beaten to death by an ex-partner exactly three years ago.
Two other witnesses — women’s advocate Megan Walker and Nick Milinovich, deputy chief of the Peel Police, also testified on the subject. Yet soon after the questioning of the witnesses began, Liberal MP Anita Vandenbeld tried to change the discussion to another subject: abortion rights. That is called “hijacking” a meeting and it’s unprofessional.
NDP Leah Gazan complained that Indigenous women and girls and the LGBTQ community were not represented at the meeting. Another “hijack.” The conduct of these two MPs was infantile, politically motivated, disrespectful to the witnesses (two of whom left in tears) and unstatesmanlike.
Today, survivors of domestic violence in Canada feel pushed aside and once again victimized — this time, by a committee. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh take note: those two MPs are not fit to be constructive members of any parliamentary committee. Replace them.
André Corriveau, Stittsville, Ont. Re: Huge majority of Canadians support defending democratic allies, but Ukraine enjoys the most support: poll — Stephanie Taylor, Aug. 2 I would be surprised if this poll had found otherwise.
Canadians love David and Goliath narratives. Ukraine has consistently been painted as the plucky little nation standing up to the big, bullying Russian bear. Likewise, Canadians have spent the past several decades patting themselves on the back for helping to dismantle the Apartheid regime in South Africa, and have been looking for an opportunity to do it all over again.
None of this has been lost on the Middle Eastern terror networks, who, with the help of their Iranian and Russian sponsors, Iranian bot farms, a comfortably ensconced neo-Marxist professoriate, the tin-pot dictators who head up the unions, politicians who value votes more than integrity, and left-leaning media outlets, have done an excellent job of upending the truth. In a most cruel jab at world Jewry, especially those who survived the Holocaust or lost family members therein, Israel is accused falsely of conducting a genocide, and painted mendaciously as an apartheid regime. What a slap in the face that must be to the South African people who experienced true apartheid.
If we value what Canada once stood far, we must all demand truth and accountability. E. Joan O’Callaghan, Toronto National Post and Financial Post welcome letters to the editor (200 words or fewer).
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