YOU SAID IT: Canada deserves bronze

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CANADA DESERVES BRONZE

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Re: Russian figure skaters to get Olympic team bronze medals ahead of Canada despite Valieva disqualification, online, Jan. 30

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The International Skating Union’s decision denying Canada the Olympic bronze medal following disqualification of Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva shows how self-serving these sports organizations have become.

Whether it was Canada or another nation whose skaters finished fourth is irrelevant. The simple fact is, the fourth-place finisher should have been elevated to third place.

To only “adjust the point score” as has been reported, placing the Russian skaters at 54 points, (one more than the fourth-place Canadian skaters) is wrong, morally and ethically, and further degrades questionable Olympic ideals.

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MIKE ALAIN
OTTAWA

IT’S ABOUT TIME

Re: Kids’ play; Docs say ‘super safe playgrounds’ come with rewards, but at what cost? Jan. 28

Where has the Canadian Pediatric Society been? For years, we’ve been reading about “helicopter parents” and the harm they do to children’s self-confidence, yet it’s taken the society until 2024 to advocate for letting kids have more freedom, take risks and learn to deal with failure. Wow.

Maybe now awards for just participating will disappear along with moving kids forward in school when they aren’t ready. No wonder so many children and young adults suffer from mental health issues, they haven’t learned to deal with life and the hard knocks along the way.

As always, it comes down to the parents — so back off.

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JUDY WARREN
OTTAWA

IT CAN HAPPEN

Re: LILLEY: There is no possibility for a two-state solution at this point, online, Jan. 30

It is correct to say that the fulfilment of a two-state solution would require significant changes in Palestinian leadership and popular attitudes, but that does not mean it cannot happen. During the midst of the Second World War, I am sure that many on the allied side felt that Germany and Japan would require long-term occupation. Some felt that Germany should be permanently de-industrialized. Leadership and public attitudes can change as long as the occupied people realize there is a concrete possibility of freedom.

BRUCE COUCHMAN
OTTAWA

HAVE YOUR SAY

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