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In this trade corner
John Manley, president of the Business Council of Canada, is correct when he says President Donald Trump "will come at us very hard" in trade talks (Trump Calls For Speedup Of NAFTA Talks, Feb. 3).
The Liberals say their priority will be "jobs for Canadians," so I hope the PM takes Mr. Manley's warning to heart. Mr. Trump won the primaries by beating polite, circuitous diplomatic language with bullying, bombastic language which set his competitors back on their heels because they had no idea how to respond.
The only way to deal with Mr. Trump is to fight fire with fire and give him a taste of his own medicine. I suspect the typical Australian toughness and pushback had this precise effect when Mr. Trump attempted to bully their prime minister, which is why the Americans had to essentially retreat and apologize for bully-boy Trump.
Mr. Trump may have hung up on Malcolm Turnbull, but ended up losing the fight. Justin Trudeau should take note. His boxing skills may well come in handy.
Alan Mew, Baie d'urfe, Que.
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Canada's brand
Re The Ugly American Returns To Europe (Feb. 3): For citizens of any country to pass themselves off as another nationality is foolish and offensive to the other nationality. Especially so for Americans pretending to be Canadians in these tense times. Better they travel anonymously and prepare to defend their nationality on their own terms.
Brian Hodgson, Ottawa
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Having American tourists display a small Maple Leaf to smooth travel in Europe runs the risk of tarnishing the Canadian brand for real Canadians when they travel.
John R. McClement, Regina
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Cyber (in)security
Re Bad Promise Made, Bad Promise Broken (editorial, Feb. 2): You imply that Karen Gould's task as Minister of Democratic Institutions to defend "the Canadian electoral process from cyber threats" is risibly redundant.
Between 2011 and 2013, The Globe and Mail covered the egregious robocall activities carried out during the 2011 election. Before that, from the days of the Pacific Scandal and beyond, there has always been much more to the Canadian electoral process than merely placing "an X with a pencil" on a piece of paper – and all the more so with the advent of 21st-century technology. Ms. Gould will have more than enough to occupy her time.
Alan Scrivener, Cornwall, Ont.
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Who leads us
On the day of the memorial service for three of the six innocent Muslim men shot to death in Quebec City, Kevin O'Leary – the frontrunner in the competition to become the leader of the Conservative Party – posted a video of himself firing an automatic weapon at a Miami shooting range (Goodale Decries Timing Of O'Leary Gun Video – Feb. 3). It's not seen in the clip, but surely Mr. O'Leary shot himself in the foot.
Jerry Steinberg, Surrey, B.C.
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The Liberals underestimate the importance of the many Canadians who put aside their political preferences (Green, NDP, even Conservative) to vote Liberal based on the bold promises, particularly around electoral reform, made by Justin Trudeau.
The Prime Minister should be aware that by reneging on key promises regarding indigenous communities, climate change and electoral reform, and with the threat of Kellie Leitch and Kevin O'Leary competing for a Trump-style leadership of the Conservative Party, there is a movement afoot of young voters choosing to register as card-carrying Conservatives in order to vote for Michael Chong, one of the few politicians who seems to make good on the values he espouses.
Liberals should not be sitting comfy in a temporary majority.
Clara MacCallum Fraser, graduate student, York University
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Missing at the top
Despite representing nearly half the work force, women occupy less than 5 per cent of CEO positions, 12 per cent of board positions, and 18 per cent of senior management positions in Canadian companies (Ladies, Check Your Privilege, Jan. 28). It's easy to say that this is because they don't aspire to these roles, but the reality is that there are more women who want these jobs than are represented in the current numbers.
Women face pay inequity, lack of access to high profile development opportunities, few senior level sponsors, and often, harassment. They are graduating in record numbers from universities and colleges. The world is their oyster, right up until the time they encounter these barriers.
It will require the collective power of both women and men to break them down. So let's all check our privilege and work together to create a truly progressive and inclusive society.
Tanya van Biesen, executive director, Catalyst Canada
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Opioid guidelines
Re Guidelines For Painkiller Prescriptions Silent On Acute-Pain Treatment (Jan. 31): Just to be clear, the original 2010 Canadian guideline (the Canadian Guideline for the Safe and Effective use of Opioids in Chronic Non-Cancer Pain) focuses on the use of opioids in chronic pain care.
The revision for which we are currently seeking public input addresses the same topic. The important issue of guidelines for prescribing opioids for acute pain was discussed at length by the task force created at the DeGroote National Pain Centre to revise the guideline. The conclusion was that this topic could not be addressed within the time and resources allocated to this revision. The Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario has already released guidelines on acute pain; work is under way by the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians, in addition to work being done at the National Pain Centre at McMaster.
Norm Buckley, director, Michael G. DeGroote National Pain Centre
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If Trump believes it
Re What Is This 'Bowling Green Massacre' Trump's Aide Kelly-anne Conway Is Talking About? (Fact Check, online, Feb. 3): Donald Trump's adviser, Kellyanne Conway, referred to a non-existant massacre at Bowling Green in Kentucky in order to justify Mr. Trump's recent executive order regarding immigrants/refugees.
The Roman playwright Terence, writing around 150 B.C., put his finger on it: Fallacia alia aliam trudit. One falsehood thrusts aside another, that is, leads to more. We can soon expect to see Mr. Trump's press secretary tell the world: The President believes it, therefore it is. Period.
David McCray, Walkerton, Ont.
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Canadians should be patient while dealing with Donald Trump. In just four short years, the United States will elect a president whose main job will be Making America Great Again. It will take a lot of work.
Ed Whitcomb, Ottawa