To the Editor:
Having travelled and worked briefly in northern Alberta, I can only say that it struck me as a place as friendly as the maritimes, with an energetic positive-thinking population. Blue sky and nice people.
Having come from a part of Canada whose economy depended on two resources - coal and steel - I have experienced the collapse of those industries and gratefully moved to Western Canada. The glut in oil production with demand dropping is not Ottawa’s fault, no matter what prickly little premiers are telling their constituents.
Coupled with free trade agreements that crippled American and Canadian industries, the very powers who promised “trickle-down” are laughing all the way to the bank and demanding we work for less, bashing unions from coast to coast.
What our current prime minister suggested, while in opposition, was the new method of proportional voting, which would prevent Toronto and the province of Quebec from perpetually forming governments. Once in power, the Liberals hushed that election reform. His predecessor, Stephen Harper, enjoyed a majority while only getting four votes in 10 nationwide.
And as Stephen Harper promised, and quickly forgot, was the idea of an elected Senate, which would no longer be a retirement home stacked to stifle the decisions of elected Members of Parliament.
Canada weathered the near collapse of the global economy, Since our banks are regulated, unlike the mess Ronald Reagan legalized during his terms as president. So Maggie, Bush and Reagan are no longer in power but their legacy has impoverished more people in Britain, Canada and the United States, with their global oppression and deregulation, which is destroying the working class in all three nations, and the middle class as well. In response to governments’ lack of investment in education under the North American Free Trade Agreement, it was decided to import foreign workers, rather than educate our own citizens. Another government plan to drive down Canadian wages and pressure us to work for less.
If this country is to survive globalization, we need new leadership in both major political parties, not another string of privileged kids or dusty relics of the “old boys’ school.”
Angus Campbell Sr.
Thompson
