Your letters: Weakness is no way to respond to a bully

I was outraged to learn that Canada has agreed to accede to the heinous demands made upon us by the United States, merely to obtain a 30-day reprieve to the tariffs being threatened by that God-forsaken nation.
President Donald Trump has explicitly threatened to use economic force to annex Canada and, in response to those threats, we have shown him that we are weak and vulnerable, and open to giving him whatever he demands of us.
What lessons have our nation not learned about appeasement, that we should so cravenly give in to this modern-day gunboat diplomacy, and for so little a reprieve as 30 days?
If we as a nation do not stand up to Trump and the outrageous threats his government made, when the threats keep coming and we inevitably end up becoming America’s 51st state, I can only say as we deserve that miserable fate.
Canadian sovereignty is under threat and our leaders are treating it like a schoolyard game.
Grow up and do your jobs.
Anastasia Burgess, Castor
U.S. can protect its own border
Am I missing something about the current U.S. president’s complaint of Canada being responsible for fentanyl entering the U.S.?
Is it not the responsibility of the receiving nation to stop the crossing of illegal drugs and arms?
Noreen Avey, Calgary
The destruction of Marda Loop
Doesn’t the Marda Loop district already have enough overpriced rental units that many cannot afford, let alone every other storefront is a dog parlour?
Stop the urban destruction of a once-quiet neighbourhood that will soon have no green space parks for children to play in, and become a downtown slum that smells of dog excrement.
Dennis J Gordica, Calgary
We still have friends in the U.S.
To dispense with the obvious, the flow of dangerous and illicit drugs — especially fentanyl — from Canada into the United States is an infinitesimal fraction of what flows from Mexico or, ironically, what is trafficked north into Canada by its southern neighbour.
Likewise, the United States is Canada’s biggest source of illegal guns and migration.
Canadian imports and exports are foundational to the U.S. economy and Canada is the largest trading partner of the United States. In short, Canada is a friend, a partner, an ally; President Donald Trump has unilaterally declared economic war with no justification.
I want our northern friends to know at least half of Americans oppose Trump and his assault on Canadian sovereignty. He is a bully, a hemispheric imperialist, and reckless to boot. This impending tariff war with Canada, Mexico and China would light the inflationary fuse and punish his own political base. As the harms and human casualties mount, the tide will eventually turn against this American experiment with authoritarianism.
While half of America still supports Canadian sovereignty, all of America needs the Canadian economy.
Eric Radack, Sante Fe, N.M.
Wednesday letters:
Energy focus erodes stability of Heritage Trust Fund
As a retired portfolio manager with more than 40 years of experience, I am deeply concerned by statements made by Alberta Finance Minister Nate Horner regarding expectations for the Heritage Fund’s future returns. Specifically, the claim that the fund could generate an annual return of 9.2 per cent seems highly unrealistic, given the historical performance of 7.2 per cent over the past five years.
The Heritage Fund has long been considered a critical asset for securing Alberta’s financial future, and it has traditionally adhered to principles of diversification and prudent risk management. However, recent leadership changes at AIMCo — coupled with what appears to be an increasingly concentrated focus on the energy sector — raise serious questions about the long-term stability and sustainability of the fund. Given that the energy sector remains subject to fluctuating commodity prices and geopolitical tensions, an overexposure to this asset class could expose the fund to substantial downside risk.
The Heritage Fund must stay true to its original mandate. Given the fund’s track record and current leadership transition at AIMCo, I fear the lack of a clear, consistent strategy could undermine the fund’s ability to meet its long-term goals.
Alberta’s future depends on the careful stewardship of its resources, and the Heritage Fund is a cornerstone of that effort. I urge the government to reconsider its approach rather than chasing short-term returns at the expense of future generations.
Patti Dolan, Calgary
Tariff fight isn’t over
Though we should be thankful that the U.S., Canada and Mexico have temporarily stepped back from the precipice of a trade war, we should also acknowledge the role that standing up to President Donald Trump’s bully tactics and related diplomacy played in winning a reprieve.
But a sigh of relief will only be warranted if subsequent negotiations reaffirm the primacy of a rule and evidence-based international trading system.
Trump’s attempt to make an example of Canada and Mexico will otherwise signal to the rest of the world that rather than making America great again” he has set it on the road to decline and ruin for many Americans.
Patrick Bendin, Ottawa
Ford owes Smith a thank you
I would like to thank Premier Danielle Smith for helping to make Ontario Premier Doug Ford appear to be a statesman.
Bob Senekowitsch, Calgary
Time to put Canada first
Lest we forget how we ended up in this awful place where the U.S. is essentially the only foreign customer for our oil. Remember the “tar sands” campaign? That whole effort was funded by U.S. interests to ensure our oil and gas stayed in the ground. Their strategy was to label our oil as “dirty.”
Even though President Donald Trump claims the U.S. doesn’t need anything Canada has, make no mistake that Trump would like to have Canada as a 51st state, because that would give the U.S. full control over Canada’s vast natural resources.
Let’s hope our federal government has the backbone to put Canada first.
J. Denis McGrath, Calgary
Tuesday letters:
Drop the hammer on U.S.
You have all heard the saying, “we are going to need a bigger hammer for this job.”
I am proposing that we have one at our disposal, and that is a total ban on all exports to U.S. beginning Feb. 10 and lasting 21 days. I also propose a travel ban by Canadians to the U.S. for their own safety, because we do not know what Trump supporters’ reaction will be.
This action will affect their agriculture, energy, manufacturing and tourism sections. It will also result in a necessary stock market correction, which Trump is hoping to avoid.
Twenty-one days of sacrifices by Canadians is better than four years of uncertainty by Trump.
Jerry Rasmuson, Calgary
Another crack in health system
Last week, MyAHS Connect sent me an email informing me to update my volunteer Research Participation Preferences. I went to do so and was dismayed to discover that the “other” category for research interest had been removed. This is where I was previously able to enter Long COVID research as an option.
I am not surprised, given the release of the contentious COVID-19 government report.
As a Long COVID patient, I have personally required at least nine “specialist’ referrals and multiple emergency visits. I have found specialists to be generally ill-informed (through no fault of their own). Some of their advice is actually a danger to patients, necessitating the need for patients to become the educator. All organ systems can be affected by Long COVID, resulting in huge effects on specialist appointment availability.
So it is astounding to me that Premier Danielle Smith is not making a greater effort to promote Long COVID research and treatment options.
Our health system is already at breaking point, and I fear without further resources directed to research and development of a cure or treatment options, there may be a total health system collapse.
Lori Bullock, Calgary
Cancel MLAs’ visit to U.S.
I am disgusted that at least three MLAs will be attending the upcoming Prayer Breakfast in the U.S.
Canada is under an unprecedented economic attack from the U.S., yet this government thinks it’s OK to cosy up to them on my dime.
Trying to sell this visit as diplomacy is insulting in the extreme. These visits are nothing but a display of weakness and betrayal.
Janice Reynolds, Calgary
Stop coal mining in Rockies
The UCP government must rethink allowing Australian coal company Northback to reapply, under a new name, for the same project rejected a few years ago. It was deemed then not to be in the public interest and nothing has changed.
It has been researched, proven, observed and supported by scientists and research papers, including four papers from Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz’s office, that selenium and coal dust are toxic byproducts of open-pit coal mining.
Selenium cannot be managed, mitigated or eradicated. It is forever.
Agriculture, ranching, waterways, and drinking water must be protected so that southern Alberta is able to safely feed Albertans and Canadians. Threats of lawsuits are tame compared to the jobs, incomes, crops, cattle and drinking water lost to toxicity for many years in the future.
Janet Wees, Calgary
Monday letters:
Eastern Slopes being sold out to highest bidder
Our family moved to Alberta 50 years ago to be near the mountains. They are our sacred spaces.
It is with a sense of disbelief that we watch our provincial government preparing for the destruction of large sections of the Eastern Slopes for coal mining, yet again. This would be akin to desecrating a cathedral.
Why is a foreign company’s profits more important than our water, ranching and tourist industries?
Something is very wrong with a government that would allow this, and manipulate the public to make it happen.
Harry Dudley, Calgary
Election interference in Canada?
Now that our nation is facing crippling financial threats and even suggestions of annexation from our once-trusted neighbour, I thought it would be useful to remind folks what election interference looks like.
Foreign electoral interference is an attempt by a government to influence the elections of another country. It aims to achieve a political outcome in the targeted country that may include interventions through military force or economic coercion.
The only thing I see positive in this situation is that Canada is not the only target.
Jeff Toffin, Calgary
Government selective on survey results
Isn’t it interesting that the UCP government released the results — in fact, early results — of the recent passenger rail survey, yet won’t release the results of the Alberta pension plan survey?
It is certainly suspicious that they selectively release results that support their agenda, but won’t release results that (probably) don’t support it.
Sid Tolchinsky, Calgary
COVID report flawed
Re: Critical academics slam?COVID report, point to ‘bad science’; ‘This is one of the safest, most effective vaccines that we’ve ever had,’ doctor says, Jan. 29
Your article about the UCP’s expensive, anti-science “findings” and recommendations away from proven preventive measures regarding COVID, and the report’s endorsement of quack remedies, is both alarming and, sadly, not surprising.
The report is not worthy of any informed government.
Dave Severson, Calgary
Skepticism a healthy trait
If you can’t read or don’t read, anyone can tell you a scientific paper says anything.
There are two kinds of dangers: One is that we have a society in which precious few fully understand details about science and technology. This combustible mixture of ignorance and power has blown up in our faces. Who is running the science and technology in a democracy if people don’t know anything about it?
The second is that science is more than a body of knowledge, it’s a way of thinking, a way of skeptically interrogating the universe with a fine understanding of human fallibility. If we are not able to ask skeptical questions of those in authority, then we’re up for grabs for the next charlatan — political or religious — who comes ambling along.
We need to stress that it isn’t enough to enshrine some rights in the Constitution or a bill of rights. Canadians have to be educated and they have to practise their skepticism and their education.
Otherwise, we don’t run the government. The government runs us.
Francis Skulsky, Calgary
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