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As Trudeau’s critics get louder, some remain grateful for the Bloc and NDP siding with him

Bloc leader says he won’t support non-confidence vote against Trudeau government, Sept. 18
Let’s get real here. Our prime minister says he is here for Canadians and has much left to do. He and the Liberals have had nine years to do what they promised and did very little since then. Instead, Justin Trudeau was busy promoting himself on the world front. Our country is in the red, our economy is in shambles, many Canadians lost their homes and businesses. Our health care is crumbling before our eyes and many people are homeless. There are many reasons why the prime minister and this Liberal government need to go, including scandals (blackface photos, SNC-Lavalin, WE charity), embarrassments (his India trip, inviting a Nazi soldier to Parliament in the presence of a Ukrainian president), questions (foreign interference, first-past-the-post) and mismanagement (carbon tax, foreign workers, immigration). 
I understand why Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet will most support the Liberals in Parliament in the non-confidence vote but this is not the time to do this. Our government is in the red financially and if this continues, we will no longer have the resources to keep our social programs afloat. This will affect Quebec as well. The dental care and Pharmacare programs are the result of the NDP, not the Liberals who keep saying the programs are their accomplishments. I wish that all our leaders would stop name calling and concentrate on what is best for the whole country, not just for their party. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has a chance to make changes and prove himself to be a good leader. If not, he will be out.
We Canadians will not be fooled another time!
Colette Rayakovich, Wasaga Beach, Ont.
Not in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would be in a position to support a Bloc Québécois policy. I am thankful that the Bloc will not support the Conservatives’ non-confidence vote and force an election. We do not need an election at this time.
Judy Cathcart, Guelph
I wonder why Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is not using the term “carbon tax” in his move to bring down the government. Is it because the carbon tax is not a tax at all? It is a carbon deposit just like the deposit on beer bottles. We pay and then get our money back. Its purpose is to make people think twice before filling up the car and taking off. It makes them consider carpooling, biking or walking. People are essentially thinking about the environment through their wallets. It is working here and many other countries. A recent study by DeSmog reveals that Poilievre has voted against environmental protection 400 times in his 20 years as a politician. Perhaps he realizes that 401 times may be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.
Gail Rutherford, Etobicoke
Is it possible for the Liberals to vote non-confidence in themselves in the upcoming vote?
Terry Toll, Campbell’s Bay, Que.
Toronto has a congestion crisis. Here’s what needs to be done to fix it, Sept. 19
There is a no-cost way to help reduce Toronto’s congestion crisis — stop leaving those damn construction cones blocking usable traffic lanes. Construction crews need to reposition the cones and reopen usable lanes when there is no work activity taking place. It is common to see badly-needed usable lanes blocked off by these cones for no valid reason simply because someone did not want to bother relocating them. This lazy practice is annoying and is causing unnecessary congestion.
Robert Woodcock, North York
Coun. Brad Bradford suggests that construction projects in the city should be co-ordinated more effectively to minimize traffic chaos. It’s a good idea and it will help a little, but it won’t make Toronto’s traffic hell go away. More people on buses is exactly what we need and we could have it. More people would chose transit if it was more comfortable and reliable. We also need more people walking and cycling. We’d have that too if we made our streets safer for people who are not in a car. Torontonians don’t drive so much because we love sitting in traffic. Too many of us feel we have no other choice.
Marjorie Nichol, Toronto
Coun. Brad Bradford has illustrated a number of excellent issues and solutions. However, on the suggestion of new building construction, I believe he missed the obvious problem and solution. New building construction projects often get a lane blocked off for material deliveries. Why? Why should a public road be partially blocked for a private project? These projects should be required to make space within them to off-load materials. When First Canadian Place was built, all deliveries went down a ramp to a turntable in the basement, unloaded, turned around and drove back up the ramp. No lanes were blocked! Obviously this isn’t a solution for other projects but new buildings must be tasked to find a solution that doesn’t involve giving up a live traffic lane.
Michael Gilmor, Ajax
My husband went to a hospital to get better. The food made him sicker, Sept. 19
I completely agree with the points about the healthiness of hospital food. A few months ago, I had surgery that resulted in a near-weeklong stay. Meals were disgusting, beyond what I thought hospital food should be with almost everything being heavily ultraprocessed. This isn’t food that they should be serving those who are sick, injured or recovering from surgery. I am the kind of person who loves her salads. When I saw that salad was a “starter” option, I immediately picked that. It was not a salad. It was garnish. The mere size of the so-called “salad” explained it all. It was so small that I had no choice but to add it to my sandwich. I didn’t use their ultraprocessed salad dressing (I suppose I shouldn’t expect a hummus and vinegar dressing like I make at home). The food got so bad that I ended up getting takeout from the food court, which had, to be honest, healthier options. And yes, I got a salad.
Cynthia Cheng Mintz, Toronto

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