Letters to the editor

A6

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I recently read a column "Educational slogans empty without substance," which evoked much thought.

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Most educational slogans inclusive of school and district mission statements are without any real substance and they become just words that sound nice, although creating said "words of wonder" was the "politically correct thing to do."

Several barriers exist that are unspoken but do indeed impede students from further education.

Given the poor economic state of the province, there is limited opportunity for return on the cost of further education. Given that the former provincial government refused to legislate "fair hiring practices" pertaining to the most lucrative employment opportunities (in government), it's understandable that students would not see any real benefit to further education given potentially low return on investment in the private sector and "unfair governmental hiring practices."

However, many other factors contribute to students who don't continue their education past Grade 12. One of these is the "negative perception" that they have acquired through a public system, which can impair student thought processes involving further education. Many just want to get out of a school system that can be plagued with discrimination based on a variety of factors including socioeconomic status, bullying, harassment, punitive measures (instead of discipline) and an absence of due process, which many would refer to as fairness. And once targeted by management students become "branded."

Once "branded," students drop out, are forced to withdraw, told not to return, and they disappear as "undesirables" from a school culture within a district system that requires much new construction.

MICHAEL MALONEY

Moncton

Romeo LeBlanc was an honourable man

Romeo LeBlanc was a great Acadian, a great New Bruswicker, and a respected politician, journalist and governor general.

I was executive director of New Brunswick's bicentennial in 1984. It took one meeting between Premier Richard Hatfield, Romeo LeBlanc and his executive assistant, Paul Zed, to forge an agreement wherein the federal government would become equal partners with the province of New Brunswick in funding celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of the establishment of New Brunswick as a province separate and distinct from Nova Scotia. Their contribution of matching dollars made the bicentennial celebrations possible.

It brought about a publications program which produced innumerable local histories; a family reunion programme which continues today; and a special projects programme which assisted tours of the province by "Cent Pour Deux Cent" which included '1755', the renowned Acadian rock group, the RCR Band from Camp Gagetown and a tour by Marshall Button, who morphed into 'Lucien' later on.

Romeo LeBlanc was a distinguished, honourable man. He was also warm and generous with his time and talent, a New Brunswicker who really made a difference. He will be sorely missed and I extend sincere condolences and deepest sympathy on behalf of our family to his.

WIN HACKETT

Quispamsis

Mistakes made in cabinet shuffle

Excerpts of a letter to Premier Graham

After your latest cabinet shuffle, I'm starting to question your ability to sit as premier.

My first point of contention is moving Kelly Lamrock into the Social Development and Housing portfolio. What does he know about poverty? Then you put Mary Schryer in the Health portfolio. As minister of Social Development and Housing she was building "new" instead of saving the province millions of dollars by utilizing and maintaining what is already there. When you wrote her a letter, you received the normal format letter in return and the wording was always exactly the same.

But my biggest point of contention is when you placed T.J. Burke in Environment. He's the guy who should be in Social Development and Housing. T.J. comes from a humble background and to this day is able to turn anger, frustration and helplessness into a source of energy to work harder and further. He is an intelligent and articulate man who cares more about helping others with his experience than advancing his own situation.

I'd grow eyes in the back of my head, Mr. Premier because the Tories are building a strong team against you. I don't know who your advisors are, but they aren't doing a good job. This is one Liberal you won't be getting an "X' from in the next election.

PENNY ALBERTS

Saint John

Guns aren't always weapon of choice

Peter Ryan ("Study shoots holes in $2B 'fabrication'," June 18) is quoted as saying that "There needs to be the other story that it saves lives, that it saves health-care dollars, that it's a public safety issue."

Public safety, nice phrase, encompasses many things.

Weapon of choice in domestic violence and suicide however is without question incorrect. In the year that the Firearms Act was enacted (1994-95) there were 995 domestic homicides of both women and men. Of those, 358 were shootings but 636 were stabbings, beatings and other. (Source: Revised Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 1995). It would appear that someone has forgotten fundamental arithmetic.

As for suicides, this too is incorrect; for the year 2001, there were a total of 3,688. Shooting (651) was third by method to hanging (1,509) and poisoning (968). These figures do not vary all that much year-to-year (sadly, I will add).

A 10-year total of all homicides across Canada from 1996-2006 was 6,239. Shootings accounted for 1,975 of them, all other methods accounted for 4,264.

It would appear the presence of a firearm is irrelevant. There are 7 million firearm owners in Canada with 21 million firearms. The percentage of misuse is infinitesimally small compared to the number of owners.

On the other hand, doctors (a relatively small number) will kill more Canadians this year (through medical mistakes) than firearms.

Maybe we need to licence and register them.

No, wait, we already do.

WAYNE LYMBURNER

Grimsby, Ont.

We should not abandon citizens

On Saturday, Abousfian Abdelrazik finally made it home to Montreal. For the past six years, he has been in Sudan, abandoned by his government.

Despite being a Canadian citizen, his own country refused to issue him a passport. Why? That's a question that hasn't been suitably answered. No government official has come forward to explain why a fellow citizen should not be entitled to return to our country. This should deeply worry all of us.

Put yourself in Abdelrazik's place. You fly off to visit your sick mother in her home country. Once there, you're arrested and tortured on suspicion of being a terrorist. You spend a year in prison, get out for a few months, and then back into the cell for nine more months of mistreatment. When you're finally cleared of charges, your government won't let you go home. This scares me. As a Canadian, I expect my government to pull me free, not stomp on my hands as I cling to the edge of civilization. My Canadian passport should be an assurance that, no matter where I go, I can get back home.

After landing in Montreal, Abdelrazik said, "I'm proud to be a citizen of this famous nation." After his shameful treatment, I wish I could make the same claim.

We cannot permit any citizen to be abandoned. Doing so puts us all at risk. We must bring value back to our citizenship. Above all, we must make it something we can rely upon and trust.

JEFF ROSE-MARTLAND

St. John's, Nfld.

New technology exposes Iran

Advanced technological development has exposed the cold harsh authority of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his government.

Their brutal and violent reaction to protestors over a fraudulent election outcome probably won by their candidate, President Ahmadinejad, was unbelievable. Their outrageous and shocking tactics have been condemned by leaders around the world. Many women and students in this increasingly young, educated and urban population have courageously stood up for justice, openness and input in a strictly controlled society dominated by religious leaders.

The wild rants, incredible accusations and threats by this government and their supporters have lost relevancy and legitimacy because of their behaviour. The genie for more freedom and power has been released, and it is only a matter of time before they achieve success.

Good luck to all their brave and committed citizens, who have become the catalyst for change.

HAROLD PHALEN

Fredericton