Letters, March 8

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 08/03/2025 (236 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Full disclosure

I have a suggestion: All retail food stores should tag applicable items with an American flag just as has been done with the Canadian flag. Then we shoppers can actually make the decision to avoid American products.

We should not buy American products of any kind if we can avoid them.

Bob Greenhalgh

Lockport

Americans act

Tom Brodbeck’s column Silence from regular Americans on trade war speaks volumes (March 5) not only slanders “regular” American people (many of whom are family members and friends of Canadians), it’s blatantly wrong.

Canadians need only watch five minutes of Rachel Maddow on MSNBC or The Daily Show on Comedy Central for coverage of widespread protests against the Trump/Vance regime.

In fact, the huge scale and effectiveness of the protests should be inspiring — witness how citizen protests caused Trump to back down on his spending freeze within days. Americans are even joining Canadian tariff protests, including one on March 4 outside the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa (which included American organizers) Further, polls continue to show that a majority of Americans do not support the tariffs.

Similarly, social media is flooded with news of American boycotts of Amazon and other companies who financially supported the Trump/Vance campaign. Americans are joining online Buy Canadian groups. Progressive American groups are using their social media to organize peaceful protests — and, I’ve seen many of these groups using social media to publish apologies to Canadians and encourage other Americans to buy Canadian products.

Personally, I’ve received apologies from American Facebook friends and seen them posting public support of Canada.

Canadians are right to direct anger at the Trump/Vance administration, rather than the millions of Americans who not only voted against Trump, but are actively working against him.

Kathryne Cardwell

Winnipeg

No deal

The Métis and Manitoba, or anyone else, do not have legal authority to make a deal to access natural resources of any kind in treaty territory without First Nation involvement.

The Manitoba Natural Resources Transfer Agreement of 1930 was made subject to the treaties with First Nations. The Crown, it is presumed, would not have deliberately allowed easy breaches of its treaty fiduciary obligations to First Nations when it entered into the Agreement with Manitoba.

Since the Métis people are not mentioned in the 1930 Agreement, it would not apply to the them. Furthermore, the word “existing” in s. 35 entrenched, recognized and affirmed rights, which existed on April 17, 1982. The Métis do not have treaties with the Crown or 1763 Royal Proclamation rights to land. Thus, they cannot make legally binding agreements with Manitoba or anyone else on land related matters without First Nation input.

Of course, I invite the Métis and Manitoba, to set out how they, or anyone else, can legally make the potash deal in question without First Nation input. In particular, from the treaty First Nations impacted by the arrangement.

With much respect.

Kenneth B. Young

Winnipeg

Thanks but no thanks

This is the letter my wife and I are in the process of sending to the Governors of Washington state, Oregon, California, South Dakota and North Dakota. We are also sending our letter to the Directors of the Tourism Boards of these same five states.

“Last fall my wife and I started to plan a one-month road trip into the U.S.A. We were going to visit a total of 10 states (e.g. initially Washington, Oregon, California, and then ending with South Dakota and North Dakota) before arriving back home in Winnipeg, MB. All of our plans changed once Trump took office and his administration decided to initiate economic warfare against Canada.

“We cancelled all of our U.S.A. reservations and chose to vacation in Western Canada instead. As a family we have decided to never set foot again in the United States while Trump continues with these attacks on Canada. As CNN reported a few days ago, your own Warren Buffett, described Trump’s use of tariffs against Canada as ‘…an act of war …’.

“The Trump administration has chosen to attack Canada, its closest ally. Since the Trump administration came into office Trump’s negative focus on Canada has caused Canadians, of all political stripes, to become more resolute and angrier towards the U.S.A. Those feelings are growing daily.

“The Trump administration, in two short months, has caused the beginning of the erosion of the strong, positive relationship, between our two countries. Something that has been present for over 150 years.

“There is no doubt that Trump’s tariffs will hurt Canada but it will also hurt the U.S.A. One of the major consequences of many of Trump’s recent policy decisions are slowly causing the U.S.A., geopolitically speaking, to become more and more, an island onto itself within the world. Canada’s historical, collaborative and supportive relationships around the world, with other sovereign nations, is only going to get stronger during this time.

“My prediction, along with many of our Canadian friends, is that after four years of the Trump administration there will be nothing left of the Canada-USA relationship. That will be America’s loss.”

Craig Turner

Winnipeg

So long…

Josh Guenter, a member of the Progressive Conservatives, stood up in the Manitoba legislature suggesting that 43 per cent of people aged 18 to 34 would consider annexation if they were offered U.S. citizenship, because they would be financially better off.

My suggestion to Mr. Guenter would be that he and that so-called 43 per cent he claims to have polled pack their bags and be on their way across the 49th parallel to what he sees as a better life.

If their main focus is financial betterment, then they are welcome to cross the border and leave Canada for the people who value freedom and love this country we call home.

Alice French

Winnipeg

Nothing makes sense

Donald Trump practically worships Vladimir Putin and has often publicly stated how well they get along. Indeed, while imposing punishing tariffs on his allies, he wants to remove sanctions on Russia.

Like Justin Trudeau recently said: “Make that make sense.”

Of course it doesn’t.

On the other hand, Trump does not like North Korea, dislikes China and absolutely hates Iran. Yet these three countries are all allies of Russia. Again, make that make sense!

We’re in for some interesting times … and not necessarily good ones!

Gilles Roch

Winnipeg

A little good news

Bravo to the federal, provincial and Indigenous leaders for coming to agreement that the Seal River watershed should be protected from development and should remain wilderness.

In a time when we are destroying our planet at breakneck speed, all in the quest of the almighty dollar, somebody has the insight and foresight to realize that our wild areas need to be protected and preserved.

What a feel-good story in this time of upheaval.

Can’t wait to see everything finalized. Get it done!

Ken McLean

Starbuck