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Despite Coun. Gian-Carlo Carra’s efforts to massage history, the campaign to cancel fluoridation in Calgary’s water 13 years ago wasn’t some noble quest to protect the taxpayer’s chequebooks from the travesty of compulsory dental hygiene.
Dismissing the strong recommendations of the Canadian and American dental and medical associations to retain fluoride in the city’s drinking water in January 2011, Carra and nine other councillors, without any scientific oversight or public consultation, unilaterally saw fit to ensure Calgary’s least advantaged children have a higher incidence of tooth decay than similar children in Edmonton.
Incidentally, the project to pollute our precious bodily fluids will be more than two years late as per the feeble crystal ball-gazing of councillors entrusted to guarantee the timelines of civic projects, mega-scale or otherwise.
Ottawa’s words without meaning
Webster’s defines blather as “voluble nonsensical or inconsequential talk or writing.”
The foreign interference inquiry has shown that our prime minister and our public safety minister are able to raise this term to an art form.
F. M. Wormsbecker, Calgary
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Keep voting rights for citizens
Re: Councillor’s notice of motion seeks to extend municipal voting rights to permanent residents, April 13
Calgary council is contemplating a proposal to allow permanent residents to vote in municipal elections. I am strongly opposed.
My wife and I are both immigrants who had to put in the time and effort and give up our original citizenship to become citizens of our adopted country, Canada. We have earned the right and the privilege to vote and be part of our country’s political process.
To suggest that someone other than a full citizen be allowed to vote is insulting and demeaning to those who have worked to become citizens, and it eliminates any incentive for immigrants to become citizens.
Why can’t city council keep their focus on managing the city?
Jonathan Gardiner, Calgary
Stay in your lane, Premier Smith
Premier Danielle Smith blatantly does what she accuses the federal government of doing. Should we tolerate her interference and overreach into municipal affairs?
We elected those officials and they should not be pawns in her imaginary fight with the federal government. The citizens of Alberta are sick and tired of the money spent on delusional battles.
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Smith constantly compares us to Quebec and wants what Quebec has, but do Albertans really want that?
Quebec’s income tax is 15 to 25.75 per cent, while Alberta’s is 10 to 15 per cent. Corporate tax in Quebec is 11.5 per cent but Alberta’s is eight per cent. Sales tax in Quebec is 9.975 per cent and Alberta is zero per cent.
The UCP should govern our province and stop this nonsense.
We need properly funded health care and education, as well as proper attention to our environmental responsibilities.
Dominique Wilson, Calgary
Carbon tax critics missing the target
Kudos to “gas price blowhards.” It seems to be increasingly difficult to sift the truth from biased commentary from a very vocal group of anti-federal government protesters.
You know Canada is not the only country with a carbon tax. Read on, all ye protesters.
Barrie Munro, Calgary
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