By Unknown

Copyright thestar

Another 12-year-old boy is charged with murder. What has become of us in Toronto? Sept. 16

Rather than focusing on a blow-by-blow account of recent crimes committed by youth, concluding that “we have no clue how to reverse random crime,” all Rosie DiManno could have checked out the well-known work of a few experts, say Toronto based Deb Pepler or Scot Wortley, or even Nobel Prize winning economist James Heckman. She might have also reviewed the strategies of countries that have been successful in reducing youth crime, say Norway or Belgium. There are analyses going back to the 1960s that offer compelling data-based solutions to the social problems she deplores. Repeating that “It’s unbelievable and … has to stop” won’t do.

DiManno is right. This IS who we are, a society not prepared to act on more than 50 years of evidence.

Yvonne Bohr, Toronto

Address the means and well as the motives for youth violence

Yes, youth violence is here and is unlikely to go away. There is always a bail or catch-and-release system to blame, as well as social media algorithms that select for and amplify violent behaviour. In October 2002, John Allan Muhammad, 48, enlisted a teenage sidekick, Boyd Lee Malvo, and the two became The Beltway Snipers, shooting and killing 10 people, while critically injuring three others. In July 2019, two teens, Kam MacLeod and Bryer Schmegelsky, shot three victims to death, and lead the RCMP on a 3,000 Km, cross-prairies chase before killing themselves. It’s time we emphasized the means used in producing mayhem, and not just the motives.

Ron Charach, Toronto

Advance directive would make more sense for MAID

Children’s book author Robert Munsch says he has chosen medical assistance in dying, Sept. 16

As a retired social worker, I was very upset to read that Robert Munsch, as well as others, will likely end their lives prematurely due to the need to actively consent to comply with the MAID rules. At one time there was legislation proposed which would allow a person to make an advance directive, which in Munsch’s case, would mean medical assistance in dying would take place when he would have trouble talking and communicating. This makes more sense than having people severely stressed over selecting a date to comply with the law when they may feel not quite ready to take this final step or, perhaps, feel that they still have some quality of life left.

Ruth Weisbrod, Toronto

How about suggesting developers cut their profit margins to lower housing costs

It’s back to work for our governments. Here’s why the housing crisis needs to be atop their GTA agendas, Sept. 8

Dave Wilkes is CEO of Bild, an industry whose purpose is promoting developers. His solution for our housing crisis is always the same: reduce taxes on new homes, exempt GST, eliminate funding for approvals of bylaw changes, etc. In most cases, these shift the burden to the taxpayer. I keep waiting for Wilkes to suggest the developers reduce their profit margins. Margins are approximately 20 per cent and cutting them in half would allow a fair profit and a substantial reduction in cost of a new home.

Peter Pinch, Toronto

Lessons in how to assault women and not get convicted

Toronto Coun. Michael Thompson is acquitted of sex assaults at Muskoka cottage, blames ‘political’ prosecution on jilted ‘business people,’ Sept. 16

Having read the decisions on the Michael Thompson case and the Hockey Canada case, it seems there is a foolproof way to get acquitted for sexual assault. Find a woman who’s been drinking, then argue that the plaintiff or plaintiffs were drunk and therefore their testimony is unreliable and they should not be believed. Maybe all women who go out should have a designated observer with them who will stay sober and will therefore be believed. Absurd? Yes. It’s all absurd.

Catherine Burns, Beeton, ON

Speed cameras a cash grab? So are parking tickets

‘A knee-jerk reaction’: Vaughan city council votes to cancel speed camera program, Sept. 15

People aggravated by speed cameras made me laugh. But then Vaughan capitulated. People also complained when drinking and driving became illegal. And when seatbelt use became mandatory. Then smoking in public places. What gives the — democratically elected — government the right to tell them what to do?

Speed cameras are a cash grab? Then so is radar in general. Or parking tickets. This is 2025. Our cellphones know how fast we are moving. Our in-car display knows what the speed limit is within 10 metres of our location. There is no expectation of privacy of any kind when we are in a vehicle. What are people going to do when the cameras come down and our cars report our speeding, red-light running, and failures to stop, autonomously? They’re not sorry for their actions. They’re just upset that they got caught!

Peter Lehman, Waterloo, ON

Getting rid of trustees is a terrible idea

Between us we’ve been school trustees, education ministers, and a premier of Ontario. Doug Ford is on the verge of making a terrible mistake, Sept. 16

It is about time someone spoke up. Getting rid of trustees is a terrible idea. The writers are very experienced people, who know the value of trustees. As I previously stated, if the province wants to control all of Ontario, they should get rid of municipal councils and see how bad that would be. Trust trustees to do the right thing and the proper job in making public education better for all students in Ontario.

Joel Hertz, former vice-chair YRDSB, Toronto

Trustees must go

Ontario’s school boards are ungovernable and unaccountable. Shut them down, Sept. 3

I am in total agreement with the Minister of Education regarding eliminating trustees from school boards but for dramatically different reasons. He is consolidating governmental power rather than liberating education from its century’s long history of patriarchy and authoritarianism. Trustees are elected with a minuscule number of votes in their ridings and spend their political careers accomplishing very little that is discernible — all at taxpayers’ expense. Over my career in education, I had no constructive contact or interactions with trustees either at the school or board level. This was a travesty. What they contributed was a mystery.

Robert Bahlieda, retired elementary school principal, Newmarket, ON

Robert Redford at TIFF

Tributes pour in for Robert Redford, legendary actor who died at 89: ‘A genius has passed’, Sept. 16

In 1992, I attended the Toronto International Film Festival to watch the world premiere of “A River Runs Through It.” Robert Redford was the director and Brad Pitt starred in this movie. After Robert Redford and Brad Pitt made their speeches before this movie, they sat down beside me to watch this movie. I nearly fainted.

Ken Sisler, Newmarket, ON