In a series of letters to the editor, readers express strong opinions on current issues.
High-speed rail deemed wasteful
Brian Tucker from Medicine Hat, Alberta, criticizes the planned high-speed rail project as an extreme waste of taxpayer money. He argues that the funds could be better used to reduce corporate gas taxes, which would lower grocery costs and provide cost-of-living relief. Tucker suggests that the $90-plus billion could offset government revenue from taxes, giving Canadians much-needed financial relief.
Opportunity for luxury train tourism
Tim Devlin from Toronto highlights the growing trend of luxury train tourism worldwide. He notes that while Canada has the Rocky Mountaineer, it lacks staterooms and eastbound routes from Toronto. Devlin proposes that tourism is the new oil and suggests presenting this opportunity to potential investors to develop a Canadian luxury train in partnership with other nations already profiting from this sector.
Criticism of Toronto's drug policy
Claudio Ceolin from Toronto responds to a column by Brian Lilley, expressing sadness over the normalization of open drug use in the city. He blames Mayor Olivia Chow's harm reduction program for enabling drug use, citing rising overdose deaths from 137 in 2015 to 467 in 2024. Ceolin also mentions that residents near injection sites face harassment, assaults, and vandalism. He calls for a change in city hall leadership.
