‘We must go back, following our founding father’s footsteps’
Re: ‘A long the line!’: The time Canadians fought off an American invasion — Tyler Dawson, March 5
Tyler Dawson’s article about the War of 1812 provides a game plan for the country going forward. Dawson articulates that Canada exists today only because our founding fathers set a course of action that would give Canadians confidence that they could counter American expansionism.
Dangerously, over the past 60 years we’ve gone in the opposite direction, aligning ourselves economically, militarily and culturally with the U.S. to the point where, as of now, we are an American state in all but name.
How do we avoid being swallowed whole by the Americans? In order to go forward we must go back, following our founding father’s footsteps.
First, we need to go to work building infrastructure, including pipelines and ports that allow us to export our vast resources. We’ll still trade with America. Proximity and common sense makes it impractical not to. But diversifying our trading partners makes sense. The country’s portfolio will be stronger if we avoid putting all our eggs in one basket.
Next, let’s beef up our military. First, our backyard needs tending to. Who can argue with the idea of Canadian subs guarding entrances to the Northwest Passage? The German diesel/electric subs sound perfect for the job of policing our watery borders. Silent Canadian subs don’t have to be aggressive. They just have to send a message to uninvited guests that we know you’re there and you’re not welcome. For the Air Force, the Swedish Gripen sounds perfect for Arctic airfields. Build them here in Canada and over time with modifications, we’ll have squadrons of Canadian fighter planes built by Canadians. It’s not like we haven’t built the most sophisticated fighter jet of its time before.
All these actions, of course, require a will, determination, and boldness we haven’t witnessed in this government or any other in the past 50 years. Can we do what we need to do? I have my doubts. But if we don’t, start learning the words to the Star-Spangled Banner.
Bernie Dobrucki, Burlington, Ont.
King Charles’ invitation to Trump is unforgivable
Re: British PM Starmer extends state visit invitation to Trump from King Charles, and Trump accepts — Feb. 27
The King of Canada sent a handwritten dinner invitation to the man who has declared economic war on Canada, and who dreams of taking our political sovereignty from us.
I have been a staunch monarchist all my life. I have strongly defended the institution on the basis that it allows us to separate the office from the office holder, to criticize our political leaders without criticizing the offices they hold, or the source of the authority they wield — the fundamental flaw of republican systems.
But I would never be able to forgive a prime minister or a governor general who invited Donald Trump to have dinner at Rideau Hall in the current climate, a state of near-war. And neither can I forgive my King.
I am now prepared to support a made-in-Canada office of Head of State. It is time to jettison the British connection, as the head of the British state has now jettisoned us.
Tom Curran, Consecon, Ont.
Who trusts Trump now?
Re: Sulky Mark Carney not what we need — Conrad Black, March 1
Conrad Black wants Canadians, indeed the world, to believe that U.S. President Donald Trump is seeking an honourable and sustainable peace in Ukraine. He tells us that this peace will preserve 85 per cent of Ukraine’s territory and population and assures us that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin will guarantee Ukraine’s borders. All of this will presumably be documented and an agreement signed by (at least) Russia and the United States to bring an end to the Russian-instigated war.
Given that President Trump signed the Canada, United States and Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), a renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) forced by Trump, and given that the same President Trump seemingly intends to tear up CUSMA by imposing tariffs on all Canadian and Mexican imports to the United States, perhaps Black can explain why anyone should trust any agreement signed by Trump as being either honourable or sustainable.
Black might also enlighten us at to whether the United States would be satisfied with a peace agreement that saw it have to surrender 15 per cent of its territory to an expansionist adversary.
Paul Clarry, Aurora, Ont.
Of speeches and shell games
Re: Donald Trump boasts of ‘swift and unrelenting action’ in speech to U.S. Congress — The Associated Press, March 4
I so hate to rain on Donald Trump’s brilliant scheme to eliminate income taxes in favour of tariff income, but the whole thing is nonsense. His big idea is to raise revenue from tariffs, thereby encouraging and enabling the U.S. to produce all its own products. So far so good. Then what? Once the U.S. is completely self-sufficient, raising no more tariff income, what will be their source of revenue? Income taxes obviously. It’s a shell game and our American cousins are the dupes.
Howard E. Warren, Toronto
Watching Donald Trump’s 100-minute speech to the joint session of Congress without hearing the Democrat response afterwards would have been like taking poison without the antidote. Sen. Elissa Slotkin truly delivered, and did so in about 10 minutes. But if you want to catch the passion that puts Trump’s contemptuous speech to shame, check out the half-hour response by Sen. Bernie Sanders. As Sanders walked out of the Congressional hall, he was asked, “What did you think of the president’s speech?” To which he responded, “Not much. Mine is going to be better.” And was it ever.
Ron Charach, Toronto
Unity government a bad idea if it includes Liberals
Re: To tackle tariffs, Canada needs a unity government — Tasha Kheiriddin, March 4
Tasha Kheiriddin’s suggestion that Canada needs a unity, war-time government is a rather odd considering we are in limbo, with Parliament closed, while the Liberals strategize on how to maintain power by switching front wo/men.
The Liberal government has been at war with Canadians, unified by an ideology that is entirely foreign to our history and nature. Now that the lame-duck prime minister is close to having his last dramatic quack at the microphone, we need an election as soon as possible. Providing an unelected prime minister, who has been a guiding hand behind the current hapless disciple, with an opportunity to do more damage is a terrible idea.
Yes, we need a unified government that understands how to address the damage wrought by the Liberal and NDP minority government, and it should not include any of the people who had a hand in undermining the country in every way possible. They are not patriotic Canadians who believe in this country but mere opportunists who milked it dry and toyed with citizens in ways both petty and grand. They have impoverished and divided us to their benefit. They do not deserve another moment’s notice.
Barbara Okun, Scarborough, Ont.
What will follow Trump era?
Re: Canada might just bloody Trump’s nose before this trade war is over — John Ivison, March 6
Canada will attempt resilience and seek new markets and new suppliers. We are traditionally a loyal partner to our associates. What will follow the Trump era if we find new business partners? Do Americans expect it will return to business as usual after tariffs are taken down and Donald Trump is finished his term? Pretty naive if they do.
Lenore Clark, Abbotsford, B.C.
Include oil and gas investment in national security spending
Re: Trump’s indifference to Ukraine leaves others to pick up the pieces — Kelly McParland, March 3
Perhaps it is time to include oil and gas infrastructure investment in national security spending — encouraging NATO allies to invest in the infrastructure needed to break Europe’s dependence on Russian hydrocarbons. This would both reduce the money sent to Russia while increasing the money kept within the alliance — defunding Vladimir Putin’s war machine while providing additional funds for NATO defence spending.
Scott Newson, Nanaimo, B.C.
What the tariffs are really about
Re: FIRST READING: Canadian border officials say they weren’t sure what Trump wanted them to do — Tristin Hopper, March 4
If Canadian border officials are really stumped as to what more the White House wants, given that the issues raised by the president have been addressed, they are terribly naïve.
This was never about fentanyl or illegal immigrants crossing the border into the U.S. Donald Trump is a commercial real estate broker. He sees everything in terms of acquisition and development — including sovereign countries. Just ask Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Canada has vast resources — both natural and human — and three coastlines. This “trade war” is about impoverishing us into submission.
So, we’d better get ready to tighten our belts and be prepared to make some very difficult decisions, beginning with serious investment in our military capabilities. There’s no time to waste.
Nancy McDonald, Stratford, Ont.
Cartoon unfair to Wayne Gretzky
Re: Opinion page cartoon — March 1
I was appalled at the cartoon depicting Wayne Gretzky as Donald Trump’s golf caddy, holding an American golf bag while cleaning a club for Trump with a Canadian flag.
I do not know Wayne Gretzky personally, but as far as I know, he has always been the nice Canadian to the ugly American (a.k.a. Trump). Gretzky has always been a promoter of his native land and to denigrate him thusly is unconscionable.
It’s enough we have to put up with the ugly American.
Marvin Litvack, Toronto
Iran an ‘octopus of terror’
Re: Canada’s irresolute response to Iranian terror reeks of moral rot — Joe Oliver, Oct. 11
We, a group of former political prisoners of the Islamic Republic in Iran, some of whom live in Canada, have watched with indescribable sorrow the release of the bodies of Israeli hostages murdered by the Islamist terrorist group Hamas. The brutal murder of nine-month-old Kfir Bibas and his four-year-old brother, Ariel, marked yet another chapter of the unimaginable savagery of Hamas. We extend our deepest sympathies to the Israeli people and stand firmly by their side in their long and brave fight against terrorism.
The Islamic Republic in Iran, which has actively supported Hamas in its horrific crimes against civilians, which include the hostage-taking and murder of children, has itself engaged in systemic repression and slaughter within Iran. Hundreds of thousands of Iranians have been imprisoned, tortured and executed by this regime over the years. Young people who took to the streets demanding their basic rights and freedoms were arrested, shot at, blinded, or died under torture.
The regime orchestrated the murder of nine-year-old Karun Hajizadeh and his father — a poet and teacher opposed to the Islamic Republic. Karun watched as his father was stabbed to death before suffering the same horrific fate. Kian Pirfalak was also only nine years old when he was gunned down by regime agents during the 2022 protests. Indeed, both the Islamic Republic and Hamas are sadistic, child-killing criminals.
Countless families in Iran, like the grieving families in Israel, have lost loved ones to this octopus of terror, whose monstrous head and sharp eyes are in Tehran, but whose tentacles reach far beyond its borders to commit atrocities around the world. This criminal cult impoverishes the Iranian people, using public coffers to finance terrorism, including the IRGC, Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, the Houthis, and the Hashd al-Shaabi militia. The regime’s footprint is evident in the antisemitic rallies sweeping the world — rallies where Hamas’s actions, including child-killing, are shamelessly celebrated. For over 46 years, the Islamic Republic in Iran has actively promoted and taught hatred, violence, glorification of terrorism and degradation of human life. Amid this, the indifference, weakness and moral decrepitude of most world leaders in relation to this regime and its inhumane ideology are astonishing, lamentable and deeply troubling.
The Islamic Republic, its supporters and proxies are all enemies of freedom and humanity. We, who have witnessed the brutality of this demonic regime up close, emphasize the need to confront all terrorist groups, as well as their backers, apologists, and promoters. This is a shared struggle, and solidarity between the nations of Iran and Israel is essential for victory. The head of the snake of terrorism lies in Tehran, and we, the undersigned, will not rest until that head is severed.
Behzad and Babak Asiaie, Masoud Babapour, Ahmad Batebi, Amir Tavakoli, Behrouz Javid Tehrani, Shahriar Khalasi, Abdolreza Dehghan, Ardeshir Zarezadeh, Salman Sima, Negar Shahpari, Siavash Safavi, Parsa Ghobadi, Mohammadreza Kamrani Nezhad, Bahman Kian, Mahan Mohammadi, Behzad Hamrahi, Mohammadreza Yazdanpanah.
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