A town-commissioned report earlier this month said the Jasper wildfire response was complicated by the interference of Alberta government officials.JASON FRANSON/The Canadian Press
Should we go?
Re “Keep it up, nasty Canadians” (July 23): How dare the U.S. ambassador to Canada call us “nasty” for not visiting America.
Leaving aside the tariffs and annexation threats, it is simple self-preservation to not visit the United States right now. Less than a year into the Trump administration, many Canadians know of friends or family who have been harassed at the border or in the U.S., denied entry for legitimate work requirements because “they are taking a job away from an American,” or even put on a list denying them entry for years.
What Canadian would place themselves and their family in such jeopardy to visit a place where the government is, at best, indifferent to Canadians or, at worst, actively hostile to our being there?
David Tanner South Bruce Peninsula, Ont.
Re “On hold” (Letters, July 19): Our family too enjoys yearly intergenerational holidays in the United States, except we have come to a different conclusion today: We go.
As the oldest generation in our group of 20 or so, we make the case that family should overcome politics; that these times together make indelible memories, but with age are increasingly at risk; that, of all times, we should mend fences with our friends to the south rather than build barriers and turn wrongly, we believe, inward and isolationist.
We should instead summon our better nature and work toward the better days that will eventually emerge.
They should go.
Ted Brough Woolwich, Ont.
Supply issues
Re “What makes supply management so uniquely vile? Let me count the ways” (July 23): The New Zealand dairy system is praised as the world’s leading dairy exporter.
In New Zealand, population about 5.3 million, one co-operative dominates the 10,000-plus dairy herds. Sounds like a monopoly to me.
Canada, population about 41.5 million with 9,000-plus herds, imports three times as much dairy products as it exports. In other words, Canadian dairy is centred predominantly on domestic consumption.
Compounding that economic focus, I believe, is our first-past-the-post electoral system which rewards rural seats with greater influence. New Zealand uses a mixed-member proportional system where the power of FPTP members is diluted by members elected by proportional representation.
Perhaps a PR system in Canada would loosen the power behind supply management.
David Priebe Toronto
Re “How should Canada rearm itself? Fix aging bases, buy submarines, air-defence systems, experts say” (July 21): Those in favour of rearming Canada by boosting defence spending seem to miss an obvious economic solution: supply management.
Canada secures its essential foods through supply management, a system that, unlike a free market, keeps Canadian producers in business and reduces our dependence on outside countries, particularly the United States. In addition to keeping our farmers in business, the money consumers spend on eggs, milk and butter recirculates in local Canadian economies; unlike the oil or auto sectors, profit is not exported.
If we want to insure a secure, onshore supply of armaments, free of constraints from potential enemies, we should guarantee a market for Canadian producers of guns, rockets, planes and, yes, even warships and submarines. We have the expertise, and a managed supply market could achieve this.
If Sweden can produce a world-class fighter-bomber in the Gripen, why not Canada?
Alan Ball New Westminster, B.C.
Final tab
Re “Ottawa’s hotel bill for asylum seekers reaches $1.1-billion” (July 23): Our government must perform a balancing act to deliver critical social services for Canadians, while adequately funding defence for an increasingly hostile world.
Without raising taxes or running deficits that burden future generations, our choices are limited. So it boggles the mind to learn we’re spending $1.1-billion a year to house asylum seekers – all while many Indigenous communities lack housing and clean water, rural hospitals are closing emergency wards and homelessness is at an all-time high.
If all asylum seekers were fleeing war-torn homelands, that would be one thing. But data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada show the number of international students seeking asylum last year was more than 20,000, nearly double the 2023 figures.
So it seems we finally fix Roxham Road and reduce foreign student inflow, only to allow the refugee system to be exploited instead. Our government should do better and plug these holes.
Graham Farrell Toronto
Take the lead
Re “Rebuilding Jasper a ‘heavy burden’ for residents one year after the wildfire” (July 23): Danielle Smith’s latest theatrics over the report on the Jasper wildfire should surprise no one. It seems to be the response typical of a government unwilling to be a supporting partner, especially when the lead agency is Parks Canada, an arm of the federal government.
She has since softened her demand for an apology. Someone in her office must have read the whole report, and let her know its recommendations are well-founded and measured.
The province exhibits to me a pathological need to be in charge of any intergovernmental undertaking, whether it’s to fight forest fires, establish $10 daycare or, in my city, design LRT lines or approve bike lanes.
Frank Johnston Calgary
Spread out
Re “When cities keep doing the wrong thing” (Editorial, July 19): Canada is cursed with so much “empty” space that the easiest decision for many municipalities is to reach further out into suburban areas, green space and agricultural land to allow development and build housing for our growing population. They thus avoid potentially ugly confrontations with existing neighbourhoods, communities and residents.
But the downsides we all have to live with are real: ever-longer commute times, overextended municipal services, deteriorating physical infrastructure, stifling traffic congestion, noise pollution and the like. One only has to look to Europe – any number of cities there – to appreciate how densification and livability can go together in urban spaces.
Of course, it would also mean addressing the public transit problems that our cities face. Again, the lessons from Europe are numerous.
Let’s not endlessly extend development out into our precious green spaces. We don’t have to pave paradise, put up a parking lot.
Richard Paterson Ottawa
Great views
Re “The viral Coldplay kiss-cam video shows digital sleuthing can go too far” (July 23): About 40 years ago, my wife and I, along with quite a few others, were waiting for a table at White Spot on busy West Georgia Street in Vancouver.
The hostess announced, “Mr. and Mrs. Smith.” They stood up and were informed, “I have a window seat for you.”
Very quickly, Mr. Smith replied, “I’m sorry, but we don’t want a window seat.” Immediately, everyone within earshot knew what was going on.
Howard Dallimore North Vancouver
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