Saturday's letters: Searching showgoers' purses is un-Canadian

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I attended the Broadway musical production Come From Away, and was shocked to find a handbag search at the door. We were told that there was no actual threat, but that the American touring company had required that this search take place.

I am very disappointed in the management of the Jubilee Auditorium for caving in to the misplaced demands of a foreign presenter. This is the first time I have ever encountered such an offensive practice and I am a regular patron of the ballet and the opera at the Jube as well as the symphony at the Winspear, not to mention cultural events in Toronto, Vancouver and abroad.

It may have missed the attention of the American company, but this is Canada, where we have no need to conduct handbag searches of women attending musicals.

The great irony is that Come From Away is all about Americans finding a safe haven in Canada and learning to appreciate the community values of this country. Clearly, this lesson has not actually been learned by the Americans who manage these touring Broadway musicals.

I and my companions will not return to attend any more of these American musicals at the Jube so long as this misguided invasion of privacy exists.

E.M. Ellerman, Edmonton

MPs should represent voters first

I hope the next time the people of Edmonton Centre go to the polls they will remember that Randy Boissonnault voted to cover up the SNC-Lavalin affair.

It’s disgraceful for all Canadians to have people elected that cannot speak for those that elect them but take orders from a leader to whitewash a serious  event.

Boissonnault, along with his four friends on the justice committee, are not acting as elected individuals representing their constituents; they are acting as puppets to a leader who thinks it is OK to allow turning a blind eye to charges of bribery.

Richard C. Meagher, Victoria

Carbon tax best way to cut emissions

Young people around he world were striking Friday to demand serious action on climate change. It is now predicted temperatures in our own Arctic will be three to five degrees higher this century.

While the crisis deepens, conservative politicians and some corporations are doing little to change our course; indeed, some are spreading myths, in spite of what over 97 per cent of the climate scientists say. Most economists believe one of the most effective, least expensive ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is through revenue-neutral carbon pricing.

Other policy approaches such as regulations would cost the economy far more to achieve the same outcome. If the UCP taxes big-carbon emitters, not only will those pass on their costs to Albertans, but the incentives for both innovation and behavioural change would be absent, in contrast to a transparent, revenue-neutral carbon tax.

Carbon pricing has had negligible impacts on economic growth in British Columbia and Quebec, and has not affected growth in California, European countries and even Ontario. Alberta must have a revenue-neutral carbon tax if we care about the future of our children and grandchildren.

Victor Dorian, Edmonton

Don’t reinvent farm-safety bill

Re. “Farm group supports NDP safety legislation,” March 15

It shouldn’t be a question of whether or not Bill 6 should exist. Every other province in Canada has legislation in place to protect its farmers and ranchers, so the creation of this bill was simply bringing Alberta out of the past and into the present.

Of course agricultural work changes over time, as do the social norms around this area of work, and there should be amendments made to the regulations to reflect these changes. However, trying to reinvent the wheel and create a whole new bill with the UCP’s name on it instead of working with what is already in place sure doesn’t seem like an effective use of anyone’s time or resources.

Instead, perhaps those farmers who aren’t pleased with Bill 6 should consider taking up membership with the AgCoalition where they might have their voice heard. After all, the NDP adopted all 140 recommendations from the AgCoalition lobbyists in creating Alberta’s farm safety legislation.

Alana Tollenaar, Edmonton

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