Country needs leadership, commitment to sovereignty from next government
By Lethbridge Herald on March 21, 2025.
Editor,
In a recent letter I received in the mail from Rachael Thomas, MP Lethbridge, she claims that Canada is broken under the leadership of the Liberal government. While I would agree that our current government has not been living up to its commitments to its citizens and the world to the best of their ability, I disagree that we are broken.
I feel that the proper term is more “mismanaged” by our current government. This rhetoric is and has been taken in a negative way by those outside our country. The U.S. government is smelling blood and threatening annexation because of our perceived weakness brought on by these comments. Investment in our country is beginning to wane as well.
Our opposition government needs to be very careful of what they say because there are others waiting and listening for opportunities to change who we are as Canadians. It is beyond my comprehension that our great country of Canada would be threatened by a neighbour of more than 100 years but it is happening. It should also be noted that 45 per cent of the federal Conservative party members approve of Donald Trump.
We need strong leadership in our country who are committed to the sovereignty of our country and the welfare of its citizens. We will accept nothing less.
Kent Perry
Lethbridge
-5
very scary that, if your numbers are correct, almost half of those supporting poilievre approve of trump. the core of those are likely to be found in ab, sk, and bc, along with some rural redneck zones in mb and on.
meanwhile trump interfering – can that fool help himself? – by stating his support for poilievre in a backhanded way. mind you trump lacks the sophistication of the likes of russia and china, each of whom are going to be doing their best to ensure they can affect our election outcome to their best preference.
Depends on definition of broken. We are way behind as far as developing industry for progress. Liberal government squandered millions , perhaps billions for a battery plant , which was going to save the world from global warming. The battery plant is dead. The money is gone. It was a failure from the start. Turdo patted himself on the back , globally ,for saving the world with a meaningless pipe dream. And that is just 1 example.
The appeal Trump has is USA first. Country first. Misdirected dedication sometimes, but a good idea. Past Canadian government? Himself first? All his immoral ideologies first ?World stage , world government first? Certainly not the well being of Canada and it’s citizens.
Where’d the battery plant go? Answer, it didn’t go anywhere just not built yet. As far as billions gone, wrong again as the majority are future commitments of government money based on production. I hated the way Trudeau ran this country but you do no favours to yourself by your statements.
I doubt there has ever been a Canadian govt that met all its pre-election promises or met all the needs of every citizen. That doesn’t mean it was broken.
Ms Thomas is just campaigning for Orange Man’s preferred candidate with her rhetoric. I prefer to have a Prime Minister with Carney’s vast and varied experience vs an individual whose only experience is being in political office and none in the real world.
At coffee this morning all 15 of us said the same thing. He is a thousand times smarter than Reformer Pierre Poilievre, yet once again the polls show how stupid people from the prairies are they show Poilievre with a lead of 43% and Carney at 29% let’s hope they wrong but I doubt they are we know how these idiots elected Danielle Smith don’t we?
Kent Perry, your opinion of “broken” and mine (and obviously our MP Rachael Thomas) is consistent. However you wish to call our conditions broken, fractured, ruined, shattered, this is where the Liberal government has directed us.
Forget about the Republican Party of the USA, our economy was diving and our dollar was crashing well before President Trump and the Republicans formed a very strong majority government in the USA.
Trudeau himself was instrumental, with his antics ( not one, not two but three “code of conduct” violations) his continual poor representation of Canada in his international attendances and more importantly his conduct with members of his Cabinet beginning with, but not limited to, Jody Wilson-Raybould!
Apparently you aren’t smart enough to realize that Trudeau faced the most horrific financial mess we have ever seen with the COVID Pandemic, while intelligent Albertans praised him for how he handled it, including Police officer friends with the way he handled the Convoy Trucker Criminals, but I bet you don’t care that they created a $65 million debt for taxpayers do you? Proving what a fool you are. Have you noticed that people aren’t dumb enough to agree with you?
If, my friend Tamara and the those expressing freedom and not willing to be shackled and shamed by Liberals politics did not rise up, we may have been in a worse state of lock down and who knows for how long.
Notice you didn’t mention the $65 million debt they created proving there is nothing conservative about you and once again no one agrees with you.
Making an ass of yourself is what you do best, isn’t it?
Freedom from what is the logical question my friends ask while you ignore what your Reform Party pals have created for Albertans like an $85 billion debt and a $260 billion oil well cleanup mess while Trudeau poured billions of dollars into Alberta to help us survive this COVID pandemic and oil industry crash of 2014.
Can you explain why Smith didn’t bother to use the $1.7 billion Ottawa provided for the oil well cleanup mess and had to return it when it wasn’t used?
We know why, Smith can’t stand to have Liberals helping any Conservatives in Alberta which is why she doesn’t want them helping our municipalities either.
She wants complete control of everything like screwing the people out of their oil and corporate tax wealth and forcing us into a privatized healthcare and education system like she wants to do.
Typical. If by “Tamara” you mean one of the leaders of the truckers protests that should come as no surprise. The same group that Poilievre embraced alongside swastikas, “f*ck Trudeau, Confederate flags , government overthrow rhetoric, assaults etc. It was a pandemic and extreme measures were required. Mistakes made? Yes of course but as with Poilievre and his constant blaming without saying anything useful, it was not all Trudeaus fault, far from it.
Your hero Lich and Poilievre are channeling Trump in all matters. They would bow at the altar of the autocrat down south and Canada would descend into chaos.
gosh, they sound like such a fine group with whom to climb into a hot tub.
Carney is not a better choice, unless of course you appreciate and want the status quo. It took about 30 seconds for Smith to find out that what Carney said in a private meeting with her was rebuttled by Carney’s environment minister. The Production/emission caps remain.
Based on that what do all the wonder people here see for Alberta, Do you see prosperity and growth? If so, how, is your only answer the NDP and Nenshi? How does that affect the Production Caps? So we are in a loop here and as per normal most take the easy way out…in this case Carney.
So…how does Ottawa still build a pipeline that makes Quebec happy and does nothing at all for Alberta? Well if you were listening to Carney’s amazingly inspirational thoughts and actually comprehended them, it would not take long to see projects like “The ring of Fire in Ontario, High Speed Rail for Ontario/Quebec to realize Carney if for them”. He did mention “Energy” but Energy can be comprised of many things not necessarily Oil/Gas.
So lets assume Carney (who owns a refinery and a Brazilian pipeline through his kazillions of shares, rights, and warrants in Brookfield) wants to actually build a pipeline? Well to placate Alberta, he dangles the carrot of emissions. What he means is if the emissions per bbl come down then the Production Cap isn’t really a production cap, but if the private sector does not feel its worth it, then it is a Production Cap.
So suddenly in his new found Canadian Citizenship he announces a relocation of line 5 to make sure that never again can Alberta Oil be used by the USA to shutdown his new found friend Captain Canada and Quebec. That is the ONLY pipeline build in our near future. Its imparative we save Ontario and Quebec FIRST. Then once Quebec gets thier dirty oil, the “Rent a Nationalist” will say…NO DIRTY OIL allowed through Quebec. (Carney has already stated Quebec will have a VETO power (so he can get more votes))
The line 5 build begins….ah where? Oh yes, from Winnipeg, under, over, around, the Great lakes. How many Alberta jobs so far?
So let me tell you exactly what a Carney and probably Polliviere Government will do. They will create jobs for Energy East, which is basically using the existing pipeline that goes to Winnipeg before heading down to Superior Wisconsin. That will give Manitobans and Ontario Jobs. They will announce Ring of Fire jobs, which will give Ontario Jobs, and they will announce High Speed rail, which will give Ontario and Quebec Jobs. They will announce more Clean Energy (Hydro) so will give Quebec more jobs.
Alberta? Well were the cash cow for all these projects, no wonder Captain Canada was so righteous yesterday!
Lets suppose whomever posted the X% of Conservatives favor Trump is true. Why is that? Is it because Albertans cannot forgive the rest of Canada for National Energy Program? Are you that naive’ ? Or is it, that they see what is coming and believe Albertans would get better treatment and appreciation for the Cash Cow it is? Why are so many pissed with Confederation, have you asked yourself that yet? Do you actually believe its a figment of thier imagination or do you believe there very well may be some wierd basis for it? Why not address the elephant in the room? We seem to be great at condemning those who can read the tea leaves! Do you have a better way of reading them? Is Nenshi the answer to the bigger problems or is he just another politician to be thrown in as an alternative to what you don’t like?
Now, I really don’t care whether Nenshi or Smith are in Alberta Power because both would be pissed, only Nenshi would smile, and pretend he wasn’t!
Any platform that shows success at the cost to Quebec or Ontario, is a failed platform! Removing the production cap (Poliviere) changes nothing until pipelines are built!. How many years will that be under Carney or Poliviere? I would say under Poliviere there will be more redneck churn, Carney more classical churn, but actually starting, that will be waived as a “elect us again” 3.5 years from now!
So, it does not matter if its Poliviere or Carney. Poliviere will be less dignified and rattle off Trump like statements and Carney will rattle off Brookfield Asset Management statements to look smarter than you….other than that….we are selecting a -Nenshi smile but pissed, or, a -Smith pissed at the Federal Level…..still no cattle!
Correction- Let me rephrase, Quebec and Ontario are selecting either Poliviere or Carney (it will be Carney) and the separatists out of Quebec once again creating the power, and we will still pretend our vote mattered! Just like we pretend that Nenshi congenial smile will solve our problems…..our problems are systemic and that system is run by Quebec and Ontario through Carney. Until that elephant moves, you get a butt end view of the world.
I will debate the FACTS above with any of you, as long as you take the blinders off and ask yourself what will Albertans get out of Carney. To articulate that is not a separtist thing to do, the pie is being divvied up now…So where is our piece, what is our piece, when is our piece coming? Because this is a highly religious community I will put it in context. our pie will arrive with the “second coming of Christ” and whether you like it or not, Smith realizes that, right now!
Perhaps this is why we are getting X% Trump supporters for a 51st state? I am not one of those but I can understand the underlying reasons. I am old, I will be dead in the next 5 years, but I can still smell the frustration, and I can see Smith’s frustration, and I can see right through the Nenshi smile. Niether can solve this problem.
I agree the eastern pipeline is not going to happen or it will be so expensive, courtesy of la belle province it won’t make sense. West and north are where pipelines might get built.
pipe it as far as quebec’s western border, set up a distribution holding center, and rail/truck it east from there. with any luck, perhaps such a pipeline will be built with a greater measure of integrity than any to date.
In other words you aren’t smart enough to understand what Albertans could have had if these Reformers starting with Ralph Klein hadn’t destroyed what Lougheed had created for the good of the people like they did in Alaska and Norway. But apparently you haven’t talked to any lawyers, accountants, economists, oilmen, bankers and former conservative MLAs like we have, have You? Are you going to be willing to help pay for the Horrific Financial Mess as Lougheed called it that these Reformers have created, and are you going to support selling off some of our hospitals to Smith’s Private-for-Profit friends like her hero Ralph Klein did. Unlike Klein she wants to rent them back at a huge cost to taxpayers and give them the opportunity to charge whatever they want.
What has Danielle Smith, or the UCP done that that is good, or right for Alberta? Nothing, other than do the most costliest debacles repeatedly, break ethics and conflicts of interest rules, while treating the vulnerable, seniors, medical professionals, teachers, students, rural property owners, the environment and democracy in Alberta with disdain. So far, the UCP have made well over $80 billion in very costly debacles and mistakes. The UCP have only carried on with the fiscal ineptitude and poor planning that the Alberta PCs did, ever since Peter Lougheed was no longer the premier of Alberta. The latest very costly debacles by the UCP are the well over $600 million Corrupt Care scandal, which the R.C.M.P are now investigating and blowing $11 billion on loan guarantees. Pierre Poilievre is a career politician, who has a substantial political pension. All Pierre Poilievre does is babble platitudes. He also can’t control things that are a global issue, such as inflation.
Sorry did not see your questions, I think if we end up in Another National Energy Program most of your questions will be answered. No idea if you are old enough to remember but I can assure you that if it occurs at the same time as Trump Tariffs, you won’t know what hit you.
Smith is demanding any revenues from any Counter Tarif remains in Alberta. As I have mentioned to the person living in the past, I have been in Alberta for 12 years so my history is limited. I can, however tell you all about McGuinty and his liberals and what they did to Ontario if you wish, but its too long.
So, correct me if wrong. Liberals will never get in again in Alberta unless you have discovered a secret no one else knows. That means we have two parties to pick from. I am Conservative, the old Blue type in thought process. I tend to be slightly right of Center. You do not have a “Slightly left of Center Party here”. So the Choice is NDP or UCP. Being “slightly right of Center is not condusive to signing up with the extreme left.
My personal belief is Smith is a wrecking ball gone wild with no percieved purpose. Many of the things she has done I have disapproved of, but, many of the things she is blamed for she did not create….some are Notley some are Kenney.
So unless you know of a way to overthrow the Alberta Government mid term, being a critique or a cheerleader is nothing more than your political position at the time. At least it is with me. Would I vote for Smith again? no, would I vote for Nenshi? No…which leaves me no choice but to be critical of both parties when deserved, and occassional cheerleading both parties when deserved. Did Smith cause the Doctor Crisis….no, unless you believe she caused the Doctor Crisis in BC, Sask, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and eastern provinces too?
Is she screwing up AHS? No idea, haven’t seen the final product. Is she screwing up a NDP stronghold, probably. Are other provinces seeing greater numbers in Doctors arriving then Alberta, if you talk to the NDP, yes, if you look at statistics Canada, Alberta is no worse or better. Does the NDP senstationalize every Doctor leaving AB? Yes, Do they mention how many we did get…not a word. Its all partisan, I try to use data, not emotion.
If the UCP say they will cut my taxes because they want seniors to live better and if the NDP say the same, am I gullible enough to believe either? No, I use statistics, it is getting harder and harder every year, why? Cost of living including rising taxes and service fees.
When Notley became Trudeau’s best friend no one criticized her for selling out the Oil Industry. Smith saddles up to someone who could literally shut our oil off and all hell breaks loose.
Lastly, all of the promises that Poliviere and Carney are making are paid for by Sask/Nfld/AB oil. The have not provinces are Quebec, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick Prince Edward Island, Ontario. The provinces funding the have nots are Alberta, BC, Nfld/lab Sask to the tune of $24BILLION. So saddling up to Trump buys Canada time, so even though I am critical of Smith in some topics, not this one. When Carney or Poliviere promise tax cuts etc when our soverignty is being threatened and Ontario/Quebec could be crippled, I tend to look at what Smith is doing as “mild” in comparison but of course Nenshi is losing his mind!
I don’t let fake outrage, lies and distortions bother me because if I did, I would have to disconnect from Local/Provincial/Fed Politics. The latest laugh is Spearman says the “Liberals are the only party that is near the center???? Since when? last Tuesday?
Team Canada- Have you noticed Captain Canada’s Tariff suddenly disappeared. I think the meeting with the US went something like, do it and we will send you an F35 fighter, early! It was a really really really good meeting says Ford!
Back to Smith- Should she go to Prag/U? If it buys time, go for it. I think many that post here do not understand how close we are to being Annex’d!
Why do I believe Poilivere would be better than Carney? Trumps interpretation of Liberals is that they are democrats of Canada. Do I believe that electing a “Republican Party of Canada (Poliviere) is best? Yes because it buys us “time” to retrieve our 3 functional Leopard tanks from Latvia, so we have something to defend ourselves with! (Tongue in Cheek)
Ok but voters have to pick their poison. So which is it, in your opinion? You don’t appear to want to say? There is pros and cons for all parties and all candidates, as many people have pointed out. And the question of whether or not to vote for a candidate or a party or both, is the conundrum.
For me, foreign interference is a big factor. Big campaign contributions from foreign lobbyists especially are a concern. Candidates beholden and under foreign control makes me wonder who are they choosing to represent. Does a candidate have dual citizenship? What does their or their party’s voting record show as to their loyalties in regards to foreign affairs?
Unfortunately like a municipal election,it is not until after an election that campaign contributions are revealed. But generally there is a pattern for career politicians, that one can see.
Voting becomes a big balancing act. People tend to have one or two emotional button issues and tend to only look at reasons to support a candidate or not based on what the picture looks like based on those 1 or 2 issues. For example lets say I was an extreme Evangelical Christian, any party that supports the Book of Revelations (and the slaughter that would entail be dammed ) you would probably have my vote, regardless of anything else. Because it appears as though the dreamed of second coming of Christ,is worth all the slaughter of innocents, some how? What could Christ’s return solve that he or she didn’t have the opportunity to solve the first time around?
“Loose lips sink ships”