Opinion | The CBC is one reason many Albertans want to separate

Heydon Park is not a “neighbourhood” school. There are no community feeder schools to send students to Heydon. Very few people know the school even exists.

Recently, TDSB tried to find savings by cutting the cost of bussing. However, almost all Heydon students must be bussed as they come from all over Toronto. These are vulnerable students, some whom have never left their own part of the city, have never been on the subway, have never been downtown where Heydon is located. The MID (mild intellectual disability) students cannot navigate the TTC. Bussing is essential for Heydon. We bus students to French immersion schools, so why not Heydon?

Heydon Park runs both an MID non-credit program and an academic credit program for students who do not thrive in a regular school.

The most important aspect of Heydon, however, is the fact its students do not have to compete with typical students. The majority of students who come to Heydon have never had a friend and have been constantly bullied through elementary school. By December, almost every new student has at least one friend.

Heydon has many success stories, such as students who have moved from the non-credit to the credit program or graduates who have gone on to acquire community college certificates and jobs in retail, early childhood education and food services.

Kathryn Grimbly, retired Heydon Park teacher (2007-2020) and volunteer (2020 -2025)

Add CBC to the long list of reasons Albertans want to separate from Canada

CBC is an enemy of Alberta. CBC constantly attacks our oil industry, our Alberta culture, our beef industry, the Calgary Stampede and the Albertan government that Albertans elected,  support and  want to continue to protect Albertan values.

Albertans believe in freedom of speech, even freedom of speech for the enemies of Albertans, but where we draw the line is when our tax dollars are used to support the media entity that  attacks us.

I find it hypocritical for the CBC to attack Alberta, when I seriously doubt  Canada could  pay for the CBC’s $2-billion-plus budget without the oil revenue that Canada receives from Alberta.  Add ending our payments to the CBC to the long list of reasons Alberta should separate from Canada.

After Alberta achieves independence next year, and an impoverished Canada completely cuts the CBC, the new smaller Canada will be financially challenged to survive without Alberta’s annual $27 billion of equalization payments, income taxes and other federal government fees and taxes such as passports., Canadians should thank the new Alberta Republic for ending the woke propaganda of the CBC forever.

Chris Robertson, Stony Plain, Alberta 

Counter the naysayers and support sixplexes

Sixplexes won’t ruin your neighbourhood, June 24

I was a minister in Willowdale in the 1980s. In those years, we started to see decent detached homes torn down and replaced by “monster” homes. Homes whose width practically straddled the property lines. There was disgruntlement, but nothing came of it. No organized protests. No political restrictions.

Now it is written that “suburban residents are panicking” over sixplexes in their neighbourhood. Really? Are we writing about homeowners who worry about how their children will be able to afford a dwelling place in Toronto? Are we talking about members of my congregation who decided to build a 54-unit geared to income housing building on their parking lot?

So much for your stereotypical suburban resident. Mayor and councillors, take time to educate your constituents.

Counter the naysayers and support these sixplexes.

Bob McElhinney, Toronto

Sixplexes anywhere? That’s not planning

And yes, affordable housing options are needed urgently. But the city proposal includes no guarantee of affordability, and the city gives itself no leverage to demand it.

Even in the suburbs, sixplexes will be just fine in some locations and under some conditions. But one size does not fit all. So, do the planning and do the consultation.

In what locations and under what conditions?

Then come back with a plan we can all support.

Bill Winegard, Etobicoke

Elbows Up! It’s Canada Day

Welcome to Canada Day 2025 … where the future looks dark indeed with threats all around us. The world seems restless, and in our part of the world we are struggling to keep our sovereignty. But there is a benefit in our defiance of the Americans who want to assimilate us; we are becoming more independent, proud and even less polite.

We are changing. After gaining independence from Britain, we are now on the path to free ourselves from our obsessive reliance on the American culture and economy. It will be a long and arduous journey, but one we should look forward to because over the years, our sense of pride, accomplishment and freedom will be palpable.

We will do what is necessary to make “the true North strong and free!”

We have much to celebrate on this Canada Day. Our government is determined in its efforts to be sovereign from America and our pride in the Canadian way of life can only grow. Let us not be distracted by wayward politicians or even the natural disasters that we face. These issues face every generation, but we are on a historical path to being a truly sovereign state.

Bring it on! And one of the first steps is to be a very proud Canadian.

Celebrate our Canada Day. Unfurl the flag and let America know we have our elbows up.

David Gladstone, Toronto