Today’s letters: Federal travel costs have a context

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Report about travel needed full explanation

Re: Climate change ambassador spent more than $250K on travel in two years, July 10.

Travel is expensive. $428 a night (or 428 euros!) in a central Paris hotel is a bargain. I was quoted 500 euros a night for a non-luxury hotel in London, U.K. Depending on the time of year, try to get a decent hotel room in downtown Toronto for less than $300 a night.

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A 45-minute Ottawa-Toronto morning flight instead of the train means three hours more meeting time available. Government employees on official travel status are allowed to book business class for long overseas flights. It is important to arrive rested and ready to work.

Sensational reporting of costs without context reduces the credibility of Canada’s national newspaper.

Madeline McBride, Ottawa

Please clean up the smell of weed

I’m sick of it. The smell of dope smoke. Walking down the street: dope smoke. In a park: dope smoke. Waiting to go into a restaurant: dope smoke. Even outside The Ottawa Hospital Civic campus emergency department: dope smoke. The city needs to pass a clean air act or maybe a breathing act to clean up this pollution.

Herschell Sax, Ottawa

Ford’s priorities are completely wrong

Increased access to diagnostic imaging in Ontario would lead to faster diagnosis, improved and shorter treatment periods and better outcomes. This would also reduce the burden on the health-care system and the cost per patient.

While there is little doubt the blame for inefficiencies can be laid at the feet of successive governments, the current Ontario government under Doug Ford seems uninterested in anything other than tailgate parties, cheap beer and increased access to alcohol.

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A conservative estimate to double the current number of machines would be a capital expenditure of $7 billion. For perspective, this is about 5.5 years of the lost revenues from the LCBO and the licence plate fees.

Of course, Ford will beg the federal government for help — which basically means it appears on your federal taxes instead of provincial. Hardly a savings.

The estimated $250 million to $300 million in lost revenues from the LCBO won’t be a savings for the taxpayer either. Large corporations like the Westons will appreciate their increased profits — as they blame governments for increased retail prices.

We need leadership: people who understand that “service” isn’t about getting elected (or re-elected) but what you do when you are there. Often service requires sacrifice. Ford and his people prioritize themselves.

Scott A Sampson, Brockville

U.S. Democrats: just get to work

It’s interesting how 70 million+ Republicans are united behind Donald Trump while the Democrats are running around like chickens with their heads cut off, crying “the sky is falling, the sky is falling.” Man up and get to work.

Ray Farmilo, Ottawa

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