SURGICAL APPROACH

There is much that the Alberta premier has said and done that I don’t agree with but I support not putting a levy on oil going to the United States. To be most effective, we must be surgical in our response, not use a shotgun like Trump. If we assess a surcharge on Alberta oil, the U.S. can look elsewhere to purchase oil — tankers are everywhere — and, in fact, that might be the excuse that Trump is looking for to justify purchasing from Putin. We need to levy surcharges or restrict export on things that can’t be purchased elsewhere, or at least not easily. Premier Ford acting on sales of electricity to the U.S. is a perfect example. They can’t turn around and buy a shipload of electricity from somewhere else. When Trump whined about the surcharge, all of our legislators should have flooded the American media to remind them that only a couple of days ago he was telling everyone that he didn’t need anything from Canada. And that maybe when he is dealing with Canada, he should be more careful since I am sure there are other products that we can use to exert some influence.

Keith Dorin
Edmonton

(This is a fair assessment that most would agree with. Canada needs a strategic approach – which some of the premiers – like Smith – have shown)

STOP BOOING

The trade war ongoing is with Trump and his gang — it is not with the average American citizen. I am just as steamed at Trump as anyone. He literally stabbed his supporters in the back after winning. I have friends and relatives in the States who are just as mad as we are, even more so as some actually voted for him and are now betrayed. The booing of their anthem is wrong and should cease. Aim our anger where it belongs and that is at the White House front door.

Bob Dorcas
Alliston

(The booing has to stop. The anthem of a great nation is not defined by the current occupant of the White House)