Don't Patronize the Canadians

The article "Lower Prices and Weak Canadian Buck Trim Shopping in US," Nov. 18, implies that Canadians are finally seeing the light by moving to a more American-style governance of their markets. Such an assessment seems simplistic, if not patronizing. As an expatriate Canadian now living in a "right-to-work" state in the United States, I have seen the effects that each country's regulatory systems have on its respective residents. Canada's unions and regulatory networks must evolve, but they are major f actors in Canada's having been selected by a United Nations agency as the world's best place to live. Neil R. Hughes, Athens, Ga.

In Canada we do have a more expensive distribution system. We pay a higher tax on most items that we buy; therefore, we have more regulations. Now look at the benefits: Our roads are better maintained; our cities are safe and clean; and our health and education systems are second to none in the world Ken A. Cook, Sunderland, Ontario Gender discrimination

The Opinion page article "A Test of Canada's Gender Equality," Nov. 18, is excellent. It is disgraceful that Western governments support countries such as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia that practice gender discrimination in blatant violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Please publish more articles in the same vein as this one. Cynthia Salvadori, Northampton, Mass. The South African `stoep'

The Home Forum page is always a delight to me. No matter what the subject, there seems to be an element of surprise in the content. The article "In the Shelter (and Exposure) of a Well-Loved Porch," Nov. 12, was particularly interesting because of its close association to the South African "stoep," or veranda. Before I came to South Africa from England more than 30 years ago, I avidly read books about South Africa, and the stoep was a great fascination to me. Many of the houses with a stoep are like the American porch, either on one or more sides of the house. My husband and I visited America last year, so now we have actually seen the American porch, not just in the movies. Barbara Stone Diep River, South Africa