Today's letters: Ukrainians bring much to Canada's economy

Monday, July 17: Canada is ending its emergency visa applications for Ukrainians too soon, says one reader. You can write to us too, at [email protected]

Published Jul 17, 2023 • Last updated 6 hours ago • 2 minute read

Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said back in March that Canada would extend the emergency visa application period for Ukrainians looking for a safe haven until July 15. Photo by Sean Kilpatrick /THE CANADIAN PRESS

Canada needs Ukrainian arrivals

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Re: Canada to close emergency visa applications for Ukrainians fleeing war, July 14.

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I am saddened that the emergency visa applications for Ukrainians fleeing the war are ending.

Due to our aging population, Canada needs young families and young adults who will get married and have children. Families with children are a two-for-one deal in terms of immigrants: two generations of future tax-paying Canadians for the initial cost of one.

Add to this the humanitarian needs of people fleeing war that most Canadians born since the Second World War cannot even imagine. As an adult child of a late Second World War veteran immigrant who fought alongside Canada’s allies, I am hoping that this visa program is extended while the threat of totalitarianism remains.

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Teresa Wilk, Ottawa

Be realistic about cycling

A Citizen letter-writer recently approved the closure of Gatineau Park to automobiles on the basis that cycling is the new reality. Assuming that there are 100,000 cyclists in this city, that still represents 10 per cent of residents. The other 90 per cent are the current reality.

Georges Clermont, Kanata

Let us drive on The Driveway

I agree with the mayor (and many others) that it’s time to keep the full length of The Queen Elizabeth Driveway open at all times.

From my residence, it’s the most convenient route to and from the National Arts Centre — especially when the NAC exit opens right onto that street.

Why should I and others be very inconvenienced so a few can frolic freely on The Driveway? Perhaps during COVID it served a purpose, but now it’s time to reinstate the whole route.

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Mary James, Ottawa

LRT is just a disaster

The LRT has been, and will likely continue to be, an unmitigated disaster. The Pimisi Station fiasco is merely the latest revelation. How many more unpleasant surprises are in store? Who knows?

What we do know is that it was a mistake to choose a narrow gauge and construct sharp bends in the track. As a consequence the LRT will never give us rapid transit. We will forever have to feed the LRT’s insatiable appetite for taxpayer dollars to fix things.

So what is to be done? Abort the whole silly project and stick to buses as Andy Haydon advised us many years ago. As they say in poker, the smart players know when to fold.

Andrew Lumsden, Ottawa