A person wears an Alberta First hat in Stony Plain, Alta., on Thursday, while signing a petition that seeks to have a referendum on the province separating from Canada.JASON FRANSON/The Canadian Press
Dark days
Re “How much state violence will America accept?” (Opinion, Jan. 27): Debra Thompson’s observation that “people are being disappeared” by ICE agents in the United States is like something from the darkest days of the Soviet Union. Back then, you kept a small suitcase with warm clothes and food ready for that dreaded midnight or predawn knock on the door, when NKVD (later KGB) agents arrived to take you to a waiting vehicle. Freight trains packed with people then started the long journey to the Gulag slave camps in Siberia. In the morning, word spread quickly of who had disappeared. That is how one member of my Estonian family disappeared.
Reiner Jaakson Oakville, Ont.
Separation anxiety
Re “U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent weighs in on Alberta separatism, calls province ‘natural partner’” (Jan. 24): U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent would be well advised to measure secessionist sentiment in his own country before commenting on Alberta. Possibly he based his remarks on a recent Pollara finding that 19 per cent of Albertans would vote for separation. But it is worth noting that much higher numbers of Americans - 24 per cent - support their state seceding from the union, according to a Yougov poll conducted from Feb. 2 to 5, 2024.
That poll revealed that secession is most popular in Alaska (36 per cent), Texas (31 per cent), California (29 per cent) and New York (28 per cent). Out of all 50 states, two thirds had higher support for secession than Alberta.
Since many of these states are contiguous to Canada, I would say the likelihood of Alaska, New York, Washington, Idaho and Montana of becoming Canada’s next five provinces is greater than that of Alberta joining their much-diminished union.
Randall Litchfield Thornbury, Ont.
Never-endum referendum
Re “Parti Québécois stays course on referendum despite Carney’s call for unity” (Jan. 26): Before even considering a referendum, look at the possible unintended consequences. Over the past year U.S. President Donald Trump has mentioned annexing Canada to become part of the United States. If Quebec or Alberta – or both – decide to separate, Canada will be fragmented. That makes annexation more likely. And yes, that would probably include Quebec and Alberta. Your provinces are better off staying in a united Canada; don’t spoil it, because if you do, you’ll regret it.
Doug Payne London, Ont.
I may not agree with the Parti Québécois on much, but party leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon is right about the Plains of Abraham not being the birthplace of Canadian unity.
This event set the stage for the Royal Proclamation of 1763, a policy of forced assimilation under which French folks were required to submit to British ways of life.
After years of this policy’s failure combined with growing fear that the American War of Independence would inspire the French to revolt, the Quebec Act of 1774 replaced this approach with policy of accommodation, enshrining many French-language and religious rights that today are part of our Constitution.
This may not have birthed national unity per se, but it does have important lessons: Assimilation has never been a success in Canada, and nothing seems to bring us together faster than events south of the border.
Esther Steeves Edmonton
A friend indeed
Re “In service to Canada and our allies” (Editorial, Jan. 26): Another example that puts the lie to U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that the United States never needed help from its NATO allies and “never really asked anything of them,” is the story of the combined U.S. and Canadian military campaign to retake the Alaskan island of Kiska during the Second World War.
Following the horrendous losses in retaking the island of Attu, the American secretary of defence asked the Canadian government for military assistance, which was provided. In his well-researched book The Good Allies, author Tim Cook stated this is the only instance of the U.S. asking for military assistance on their own soil. More than 5,000 Canadians trained with the U.S. soldiers and jointly attacked Kiska. Unknown to the U.S. naval intelligence, the Japanese had quietly left the island. However, due to the abysmal weather conditions and a mine that blew up a boat, about 100 soldiers and sailors were killed.
This assistance was asked for by the U.S. and granted by Canada.
Hugh Molesworth Orangeville, Ont.
Food for thought
Re “The Carney Liberals find bad habits are hard to break” (Editorial, Jan. 27): This editorial points out that the latest program to boost the GST credit will once again be paid for by our future generations. As we are also burning through our non-renewable resources at a record pace, it should be noted that not only will they be paying our tab, but they will have to do so with depleted resources. We will go down in history as the most selfish generation ever.
Robert McCullough Edmonton
Ottawa’s GST rebates may help households in the short term, but they don’t fix the market’s core failure: the lack of usable price information.
A simple, pro-market reform would require large grocery retailers to post current store-level prices online and hold them for a defined period. With reliable, comparable data, the private sector would quickly build apps that take a shopping list and show where each item is cheapest. Retailers would then have to compete on price and value, not marketing.
Markets need information. Let’s start there.
Paul White Toronto
‘Government by slogan’
Re “Can Pierre Poilievre’s conservatism win in our brave new world?” (Opinion, Jan. 24). Ben Woodfinden provides a helpful analysis of the political philosophy apparently governing Pierre Poilievre’s quest for power, but he fails to demonstrate that the Conservative Party Leader understands and is prepared to negotiate the complexities that exist in our country, to say nothing of the international order.
For example, housing, resource development and professional licensing all involve at least two and sometimes three levels of government, as well as professional associations. Pledges to eliminate gatekeepers and reduce regulation can only be achieved by a federal government prepared to trample on the very freedoms Mr. Poilievre professes to espouse.
When politicians make promises they know – or should know – they can’t keep, they drive disaffected voters ever further away from our democratic process. Government by slogan is not only simplistic, it is dangerous.
Martha Musgrove Ottawa
The bald facts
Re “You’re losing your hair. Now what?” (Jan. 22): Here is something the lucrative industry pushing false hair won’t mention, so I will: Nothing looks as untrustworthy as a bloke in a wig. Yes, it’s blindingly obvious.
Mike Firth Toronto
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