British Columbia NDP Leader David Eby speaks during a provincial election campaign announcement at Peace Arch Provincial Park, in Surrey, B.C. on Sept. 23.Darryl Dyck/The Associated Press
Over here
Re “Trump has done ‘more than anyone’ to protect Canada, White House says” (Sept. 25): So it is reported that Canadian military planners have modelled a U.S. invasion from the south.
They should also model an invasion from the east – specifically from the military base in Greenland that Donald Trump is determined to build, and which is surely aimed at controlling access to Canada’s Northwest Passage and Churchill port on Hudson Bay, rather than deterring unlikely Russian or Chinese attacks.
R.D. Tennent Kingston, Ont.
Chinese fortune
Re “How U.S. tariffs are driving Canadian brewers toward Chinese aluminum cans” (Sept. 21): Being neither a manufacturer nor an economist, I was surprised to read that a Canadian brewery had cans made in the United States but is now getting them from China. Does Canada really lack the technological expertise to produce aluminum cans?
In light of such developments, it is easy for me to see why Xi Jinping is so often bathed in that beatific smile. He must laugh more broadly at home as Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump undermine their economies with expensive wars and, in Mr. Trump’s case, interference in international relationships.
Add to that Chinese developments in infrastructure, foreign investment and military might – interestingly, all under the burden of communism – and it should be clear which world power will lead the way in a decade or two.
Dave Ashby Toronto
Democracy now
Re “David Eby’s snap election in B.C. snubs democracy” (Editorial, Sept. 24): Many voices are echoing a similar refrain: David Eby “tramples on democratic norms.”
One would think that the constant plea for government transparency and accountability would result in voters clamouring for the opportunity to vote on British Columbia’s future direction, even if it appears at the midpoint of a mandate.
Democratic norms are pliable and evolutionary; the right-of-centre members have changed paths so many times over the last few months that it is hard to keep track, and none of them resigned to see if their constituents approve.
Mr. Eby has a slim majority and a few MLAs with serious health issues, so it seems perfectly reasonable for him to ask for a renewed mandate.
Paul Martin White Rock, B.C.
Democracy? The B.C. legislature has been in session for only 43 days in 2026. When will it sit again?
This is not democracy. I believe this is crass opportunism at its worst.
Marianne Freeman Vancouver
Eyeing on AI
Re “Doomsday warnings over AI are growing louder. What should we make of them?” (Online, Sept. 19): Regardless of any other measures to control artificial intelligence, we should be given some protection by reforms to tort and criminal liability for unintentional and unpredictable harm caused by AI agents.
The user of an AI agent should be held strictly liable for damages caused by the agent. It should not be necessary in a civil action to prove negligence or lack of foreseeability to recover compensatory damages. If there was negligence or malicious intent, the plaintiff should also be entitled to exemplary or punitive damages.
Fines should be available under criminal or regulatory law for significant harm without the need to prove intent. Not being able to predict harms should not be an acceptable defence.
The liabilities suggested are similar to what exists under some environmental law. Someone operating a waste site cannot escape liability simply by arguing they took reasonable measures to prevent the escape of toxic substances.
Bruce Couchman Toronto
I read with interest the article on artificial intelligence on B1 (“Bell, Cohere release AI model designed to aid cybersecurity investigations” – Report on Business, Sept. 24), the other AI article on B1 (“Teachers invests $50-million in legal AI firm Harvey as competition heats up with LLM giants”), the report on AI data centres on B3 (“Employment at Canadian data centres soared in the past year, report suggests”), the AI opinion on B4 (“The dangers of letting AI agents do your shopping”) and the AI piece on B5 (“How China’s leader plans to win the future with AI”).
If this was newspaper AI bingo, I think I could be the winner, especially if I can think of another way to get AI into this letter.
Alex Fallon Founder, Artificial Intelligence Saskatchewan; Saskatoon
Paid to play
Re “Blue Jays are handcuffed to underperforming Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for 13 more years” (Sports, Sept. 25): I was disappointed to read about Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s view that his stratospheric $500-million pay package was for past performance.
But I also remember how the Blue Jays organization held back their budding star from entering the big leagues at the start of his career, as reported then, to allegedly manipulate his service time and delay his free agency by another year.
I don’t agree with Mr. Guerrero, but I can understand where his cynicism may come from.
Juzar Pirbhai Oakville, Ont.
Top-tier employees in many professions are hired based on past performance and the assumption that is the best indicator of future output. Athletes have “bad” years, often due to lingering injuries, then regain their form the next year.
While Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s batting average of .263 before this past weekend was not what anyone hoped for, it is still around the top 50 of Major League Baseball hitters, so not quite a disaster.
Just relax.
Neil Maltin Sarnia, Ont.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. certainly had a poor 2026 season, but he may accomplish what no other athlete has done.
Much like “Google” is now a verb meaning to search online, we may soon see “Guerrero” in the dictionary as a noun, as in “he pulled a Guerrero,” meaning a statement that reveals a shameless absence of remorse for failing to meet expectations and showing disdain for those expecting better.
Mark Roberts Gananoque, Ont.
Sign me up
Re “Can robots and AI companions help seniors feel less alone?” (Sept. 21) and “Human condition” (Letters, Sept. 22): A letter-writer is concerned that we will neglectfully abandon seniors to robot companionship.
I do not have a large family. My fondest wish for children did not materialize. So here I am, old and fragile with no siblings or extended family.
Although I do have dibs on dying first, if my husband beats me to it, I’ll be at the robot store the next morning. It would be hugely better than living alone (not that there’s anything wrong with living alone).
Claudette Claereboudt Regina
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