{"id":585430,"date":"2026-04-06T08:08:28","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T08:08:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/585430\/"},"modified":"2026-04-06T08:08:28","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T08:08:28","slug":"letters-to-the-editor-april-6-a-high-speed-rail-line-between-montreal-and-ottawa-at-a-cost-of-billions-of-dollar-would-be-foolish-and-defy-common-sense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/585430\/","title":{"rendered":"Letters to the editor, April 6: \u2018A high-speed rail line between Montreal and Ottawa \u2026 at a cost of billions of dollar would be foolish and defy common sense\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n

The Cataraqui Trail in Glenburnie, Ont., on March 28. The federal government\u2019s multibillion-dollar plan to build a high-speed rail connecting Toronto to Quebec City is facing pushback from some residents in Eastern Ontario who warn it will damage the environment and affect their way of life.Kaja Tirrul\/The Globe and Mail<\/p>\n

Well spent<\/p>\n

Re \u201cCanada finally meets NATO\u2019s 2% of GDP\u201d <\/a>(Editorial Cartoon, March 30): Making light of Mark Carney for achieving Canada\u2019s short-term NATO goal in just over a year, which earlier administrations, both Liberal and Conservative, did not accomplish in decades despite numerous promises, seems a tad ridiculous. <\/p>\n

After all, the incremental billions of dollars now earmarked for future military expenditures may have to go toward protecting Canada and our true allies from the country, and former ally, which demanded the significantly increased threshold in the first place.<\/p>\n

Perhaps George Carlin said it best: \u201cJust \u2018cause you got the monkey off your back doesn\u2019t mean the circus has left town.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jeffrey Peckitt Oakville, Ont.<\/p>\n

Judge of that<\/p>\n

Re \u201cCan a trial be fair if the judge uses AI?\u201d<\/a> (March 30): If his challengers are correct, Justice Jocelyn Geoffroy\u2019s alleged use of artificial intelligence to write a court decision has one more serious implication: How can Canadians keep trust in a judge who may not have even bothered verifying the accuracy of an AI-generated decision? <\/p>\n

By allegedly allowing fake citations and fabricated evidence in the construct of an unreliable legal approach to a serious legal issue, Mr. Geoffroy may have failed his most basic judicial duty and us all. If proven, his allegedly wrongful and deceitful conduct should have real consequences as to his future as a judge. To simply appeal his court decision would not be good enough. <\/p>\n

Real personal accountability is required for retaining the confidence of Canadians in the competence and integrity of our judges. <\/p>\n

St\u00e9phane Lefebvre PhD, Ottawa<\/p>\n

\u201cCourts may adopt AI as a tool, but they cannot allow it to replace the human deliberation that makes a trial fair.\u201d<\/p>\n

All well and good, but even before the days of artificial intelligence, history shows us that time and time again, all the deliberation in the world does not necessarily produce a fair trial or just outcome. Just ask those who languished in jail for decades before they were finally exonerated. <\/p>\n

Cassandra King Stratford, Ont. <\/p>\n

Spending money<\/p>\n

Re \u201cFord, who once promised lower taxes, again fails to deliver\u201d<\/a> (Report on Business, March 30): Comparing personal income tax rates across jurisdictions is only one part of a bigger picture. A more accurate picture emerges if we compare disposable incomes.<\/p>\n

The contributors refer to New York state. Property taxes there are dramatically higher than in Ontario. Costs such as health care premiums, college and university tuition and mortgage rates are also higher. <\/p>\n

With an American friend with three kids, like me, and a house similar to mine, we used $100,000 of theoretical income, did the exercise and each of us ended up with about the same amount of cash in our pockets at the end of the day.<\/p>\n

We should also take into account what we get for the money we spend which, for me, greatly favours Ontario.<\/p>\n

William Love Burlington, Ont.<\/p>\n

Charged up<\/p>\n

Re \u201cBattle over Ottawa\u2019s new vehicle regulations heats up\u201d<\/a> (Report on Business, March 30): The auto industry has consistently opposed regulation, regardless of the specific issue at hand. <\/p>\n

This resistance has included mandates for seat belts, airbags, catalytic converters and numerous other requirements. Their opposition persists in the face of increasing climate change risks.<\/p>\n

The latest proposed changes to automotive regulation focus on what vehicles can be sold in Canada, rather than what can be manufactured here. This distinction undermines much of the auto industry\u2019s current argument against regulation. <\/p>\n

General Motors already offers a dozen-plus electric vehicles models in North America, while Ford and Stellantis have a wide range of EVs available in Europe that could be sold in Canada. Canada remains far behind in EV adoption. <\/p>\n

There is plenty of demand. Supply is the problem, and the auto sector should get serious about supplying vehicles for a transition that is inevitable. <\/p>\n

Otherwise they risk following Kodak into irrelevance.<\/p>\n

Raymond Leury President, Electric Vehicle Council of Ottawa<\/p>\n

Wait a minute<\/p>\n

Re \u201cHigh-speed rail project connecting Toronto and Quebec City sparks backlash over cost, land use\u201d<\/a> (Report on Business, March 30): A high-speed train sounds exciting. I have frequently used the TGV rail system in France and it is wonderful. <\/p>\n

However Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto are struggling with city transit systems that have delayed the opening or continuation of intercity transit systems. Before spending more than $60-billion on high-speed trains, how about helping our urban areas improve city transit first? <\/p>\n

The impact of better transit within our cities would help many more people than high-speed trains from Quebec City to Toronto, which would probably be used by upper- and middle-class citizens. <\/p>\n

Offer everyday citizens easier travel from home to work and back. <\/p>\n

Mich\u00e8le Dextras Ottawa<\/p>\n

For good reason. <\/p>\n

To build a high-speed rail line between Montreal and Ottawa to reduce travel time from two hours to one, at a cost of billions of dollars, would be foolish and defy common sense. <\/p>\n

The population density along the Quebec City to Toronto corridor is a fraction of the population density in Japan, where high-speed rail requires few or no government subsidies. <\/p>\n

Where is the rigorous cost-benefit analysis that shows this high-speed rail makes economic sense? Answer: There is none.<\/p>\n

David Enns Economics professor (retired); Cornwall, Ont.<\/p>\n

Young at heart<\/p>\n

Re \u201cReaders share how meeting Stephen Lewis had an impact on their lives\u201d<\/a> (Online, April 2): I remember when Stephen Lewis left office as Ontario NDP leader and MPP for Scarborough West in 1978.<\/p>\n

In his corner office at Queen\u2019s Park, he had a collection of children\u2019s books displayed on the wall. When he was leaving, staff were told they could choose a book, which he would sign if asked. I remember choosing a classic, Frog and Toad are Friends, a book my children loved and I treasured.<\/p>\n

There have been many tributes to Stephen Lewis, an extraordinary human being and a gigantic voice and orator. We all will forever miss him in this troubled world.<\/p>\n

Marianne Freeman Vancouver<\/p>\n

A unique individual like Stephen Lewis is not someone who is apart from others. Quite the opposite. <\/p>\n

He somehow made himself a part of us. And now he brings us all back together, despite our many differences, to remember him. And to praise him. <\/p>\n

For his words. For his actions. For his purpose. For his belief. And most of all, it seems, for his passion. Passion for others.<\/p>\n

That is how an individual becomes cherished as a true human being.<\/p>\n

Frank Olenski Brantford, Ont.<\/p>\n

Letters to the Editor should be exclusive to The Globe and Mail. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. Keep letters to 150 words or fewer. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. To submit a letter by e-mail, click here: letters@globeandmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Open this photo in gallery: The Cataraqui Trail in Glenburnie, Ont., on March 28. The federal government\u2019s multibillion-dollar…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":585431,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[194295],"tags":[49,48,60895,2922,1399,20739],"class_list":{"0":"post-585430","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-ottawa","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-letters-to-the-editor","11":"tag-noastack","12":"tag-nopolly","13":"tag-ottawa"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/585430","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=585430"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/585430\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/585431"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=585430"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=585430"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=585430"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}