{"id":828925,"date":"2026-07-27T09:36:09","date_gmt":"2026-07-27T09:36:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/828925\/"},"modified":"2026-07-27T09:36:09","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T09:36:09","slug":"letters-to-the-editor-july-27-apparently-oil-is-now-critical-to-canadas-sovereignty-and-to-be-a-major-tool-in-the-tariff-war","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/828925\/","title":{"rendered":"Letters to the editor, July 27: \u2018Apparently oil is now critical to Canada\u2019s sovereignty and to be a major tool in the tariff war\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n

Mark Carney makes a statement outside the Office of the Prime Minister and Privy Council in Ottawa on Tuesday.Justin Tang\/The Canadian Press<\/p>\n

Take the lead<\/p>\n

Re \u201cCarney says he and Trump agreed to \u2018intensify\u2019 trade talks in phone call after latest tariff threat\u201d<\/a> (July 22): After decades of working in, sometimes living in and now wintering in the United States, it has become abundantly clear to me that Americans are the most competitive people on the planet. That we are failing with trade talks should be no surprise. <\/p>\n

The puck was dropped on Jan. 20, 2025, and what have we done? Complained, signed dozens of memorandums of understandings and paired up C-players such as M\u00e9lanie Joly, Fran\u00e7ois-Philippe Champagne and Mark Carney against A-players such as Howard Lutnick, Scott Bessent and Donald Trump. <\/p>\n

What does one do when down 4-0? Call timeout and change the lineup. Canada should harness its awesome private sector talent and sub out its career politicians and bureaucrats. <\/p>\n

John Budreski Whistler, B.C.<\/p>\n

Doug Ford\u2019s catchy slogan of fighting U.S. tariffs \u201cdollar for dollar\u201d is bound to appeal to his voting base and most anyone who wants Canada to fight back at the bully. <\/p>\n

For the many people who have a better appreciation of the value of a dollar, it would be more accurate to say \u201cdollar for US$0.70,\u201d which is roughly the recent value of our Canadian dollar. With the U.S. economy being so much larger than ours, a few Canadian dollars missed here and there would be as effective as a mosquito bite on an elephant. <\/p>\n

As those of us who work for hourly wages know at the end of each work day: another day, another US$0.70. <\/p>\n

Steve Harker Kingston, Ont.<\/p>\n

Re \u201cPush back<\/a>\u201d (Letters, July 23): It\u2019s tough not to stereotype when one reads a letter, critical of Alberta, from a writer in Ottawa. (Much, I suppose, as the inverse applies to one from Calgary.)<\/p>\n

Apparently oil is now critical to Canada\u2019s sovereignty and to be a major tool in the tariff war. It\u2019s hard not to imagine a similar person writing a letter only a few short years ago shamelessly admonishing Alberta for its desire to move oil and describing it as yesterday\u2019s commodity. Sunsetting the industry seemed so obvious to all who had the insight to see oil\u2019s fading importance to Canada and the world. <\/p>\n

Ironically, now Alberta can\u2019t seem to see its obvious importance to the nation. As an observer from the resting point of the pendulum, it is dizzying to keep track of the swings of its arc.<\/p>\n

Dave McClurg Calgary<\/p>\n

Personal choice<\/p>\n

Re \u201cTrump\u2019s latest tariffs read like a bartender\u2019s shopping list\u201d <\/a>(July 22): Provincial boycotts of American wine and spirits may be satisfying, but they rob Canadians of their sense of agency and the right to make their own decisions. <\/p>\n

Having the option to purchase American products, but declining to do so, would send a much stronger message than mandated boycotts and provide just as much pressure on American producers.<\/p>\n

John Seigner Calgary<\/p>\n

On paper<\/p>\n

Re \u201cGordie Howe bridge deal appears to contradict Carney\u2019s description of pact with U.S.\u201d<\/a> (July 23): The deal is titled the Gordie Howe International Bridge Proposed Agreement in Principle. A \u201cproposed agreement in principle\u201d would not appear to be enforceable in a court of law. <\/p>\n

It also reportedly states that a profit split will result after the calculation of net revenue after subtracting operating expenses. Although it doesn\u2019t list interest and amortization of the construction loan in its example of operating expenses, it doesn\u2019t exclude them either. <\/p>\n

In my business, operating expenses include interest payments as they are an expense. Amortization is also a cash expense. <\/p>\n

Therefore, I don\u2019t see how this \u201cproposed agreement in principle\u201d is worth the paper it was written on.<\/p>\n

Stan Neathery Ottawa<\/p>\n

Good deal<\/p>\n

Re \u201cFord workers ratify deal bringing 9% raise over three years\u201d<\/a> (Report on Business, July 20): Labour studies professor Larry Savage says Ford workers didn\u2019t embrace the agreement. They did, by 74 per cent. <\/p>\n

He says the union secured \u201cwhat it could,\u201d when outside of record-setting 2023 wage gains, these are the highest increases negotiated since 1999. He says a minority of members voted no to signal limits on what they\u2019d concede. There were no concessions, only gains.<\/p>\n

He calls wage increases \u201cmodest,\u201d while annual 3-per-cent raises and cost-of-living allowance provisions compound to far more than 9 per cent. A full-rate Ford production worker will crack $50 an hour during this contract, even before COLA adjustments, plus $12,000 in bonuses this year.<\/p>\n

He seems to believe autoworkers are afraid and divided, when we are more united than ever and taking Donald Trump\u2019s trade war head on.<\/p>\n

When there hasn\u2019t been much to celebrate in Canada\u2019s auto sector, this contract should be recognized as a clear win.<\/p>\n

John D\u2019Agnolo Chairperson, Unifor Ford Master Bargaining Committee; Windsor, Ont.<\/p>\n

Jason Del Buono Vice-chairperson, Unifor Ford Master Bargaining Committee; Oakville, Ont. <\/p>\n

Action plan<\/p>\n

Re \u201cAnxious about the climate? Here are 7 ways to cope\u201d <\/a>(July 20): We are wisely reminded that the best antidote to feeling overwhelmed is transforming that worry into values-based action. Every one of us can move from passive anxiety to active hope.<\/p>\n

That transition can start at home by switching to a heat pump or choosing sustainable transit. From there, our impact can multiply when we step further out of our comfort zones. <\/p>\n

Talk about the climate crisis with family, friends and neighbors; join a local environmental group; call or meet with elected officials; support community initiatives; show up at local rallies or events. <\/p>\n

Recent polls show more than 85 per cent of Canadians want our governments to take stronger action on climate change. We don\u2019t have to carry the weight of the world alone, and showing up together can give us both purpose and power.<\/p>\n

Ray Nakano Toronto<\/p>\n

Budding friendship<\/p>\n

Re \u201cI never realized how much I needed friends, until I didn\u2019t have any\u201d<\/a> (First Person, July 14) and \u201cFree solo\u201d<\/a> (Letters, July 20): A letter-writer is \u201cblissfully friendless.\u201d But one has to ask: Is he really friendless?<\/p>\n

He has found \u201cjoy and pleasure \u2026 interacting with complete strangers.\u201c I would suggest that what he has discovered is the first step in the natural process of creating friendships. He seems to want the rewards of friendship, but does not want to make the emotional commitment that forms the basis \u2013 and, yes, the obligations \u2013 of long-term friendships. <\/p>\n

He wants his cake without helping to wash up the baking pan and dishes.<\/p>\n

W. E. Hildreth Prince Edward County, Ont.<\/p>\n

Letters to the Editor should be exclusive to The Globe and Mail. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. Keep letters to 150 words or fewer. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. To submit a letter by e-mail, click here: letters@globeandmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Open this photo in gallery: Mark Carney makes a statement outside the Office of the Prime Minister and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":828926,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[49,48,60895,44,2922,1399],"class_list":["post-828925","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-canada","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-letters-to-the-editor","tag-news","tag-noastack","tag-nopolly"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/828925","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=828925"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/828925\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/828926"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=828925"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=828925"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=828925"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}