Letters to the editor

35 years of empty dialogue is enough!

To the editor

In response to the editorial 'Sunday showdown between Affiliation Quebec and Jeunes Patriotes' on The Examiner website:

We are sorry you feel insulted by our choice of words; it definitely was not our intention to insult, just to inform. And we further regret that you are unable to "see the light." From the tone of your commentary, however, it is obvious that AffiliationQuebec does not represent you, and I rather doubt that we ever will. Pity!

You say that AffiliationQuebec is "divisive and alienating," and we do respect your right to hold your own point of view. Our experience with "rights abusers" is that being nice simply does not work!

That AQ is divisive and alienating, you say, Okay, but exactly to whom? To you and to Quebec separatists? So be it!

Thirty-five years of empty dialogue, deafness to pleas for equality, and more than a half million departed Quebecers have failed to improve your vision. We expect it will not get better (neither your vision nor the situation for minorities in Quebec), anytime soon. We are pretty sure you will not buy into "covert linguistic cleansing", either. We knew that.

AffiliationQuebec draws no hard line in the sand; that, we leave to the PQ, ADQ, and the Quebec Liberals, who have drawn so many lines.

We speak out about democratic civil rights available to all Canadians, except to those of us who live here in Quebec. You seem to have rationalized that; we have not.

You can wait for the civil dialogue that you and minority Quebecers are not having. I have waited 35 years; you may have to wait even longer.

AffiliationQuebec has opened a new phase of response to the ultra nationalists, one which intends to direct the agenda to Canadian values, from Quebec centered ones, only.

AffiliationQuebec will act as it sees necessary so we do not have to forever inhabit the space in which you are now so comfortable. We have already lived there for too long in severe discomfort.

But may I draw your attention to the fact that you have been forced to give both credence and respect to the self proclaimed rights of the Nationalist agenda, while they, in return, have shown their respect for you by abrogating your rights.

I suggest that you need a new pair of glasses to see the 'King's New Clothes'. In terms of my civil rights, he's not wearing any!

Allen E. Nutik

Leader, AffiliationQuebec

Redfern Avenue



Straight bike path could be dangerous

To the editor:

I have just read the following press statement dated Feb. 27, 2008 by City Councillor Cynthia Lulham: "The new bike path through Westmount Park will be straight — without undulation," she promised.

This plan will be green light for the increasing number of cyclists to switch on to their powerful gears and speed through the Park. If carried out, it will have disastrous, if not tragic consequences to the elementary and kindergarten school children who daily play along the bike path and the senior citizens who use it.

Besides, many beautiful mature trees will have to be sacrificed to the straight bike path.

Stephen Chin

Sherbrooke Street



Security lacking in crucial areas

To the editor:

It strange that the Jerusalem educational authorities did not take note of what happened at the École Polytechnique and Westmount's Dawson College, and at too many schools in the United States and other places.

The people wanting to kill students live only a 10-minute walk from schools in Jerusalem. It is only too easy to walk over with a rifle. I walked from West Jerusalem to East Jerusalem and back freely some years ago.

As I wrote in my 2002 book Letters and Ideas, "In the case of Jerusalem, no car or individual should go from the old city to the new city without being searched."

After the reunification of Jerusalem, the Israeli authorities felt there was no need for a type of Berlin Wall. But in Berlin, the East Berliners had no intention of harming the West Berliners.

By the way, "Ich bin ein Berliner" — a sentence made famous by the late President Kennedy.

Gerald Glass

Metcalfe Avenue