The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge - Your Turn and The Random Ranter -- Aside from Trump, What's Your Campaign Issue?

Episode Date: March 27, 2025

Every week we get lots of letters but none more so than this week.  We've had so many emails from coast to coast to coast with your concerns that we have enough for a few weeks on this issue.  Plus the Random Ranter is here with his thoughts on a certain Premier -- Danielle Smith in Alberta.

And hello there, Peter Mansbridge here. You're just moments away from the latest episode of The Bridge. It's Thursday, it's your turn. What's your campaign issue? You've spoken strong and loud. Coming right up. And hello there, Thursday's your turn and the Random Ranter are just moments away. When we started this idea, you know, the letters used to kind of trickle in. Now they come in in huge waves and never have they come in in a way like they've come in this week. You have written from coast to coast to coast. You've been very firm in your opinions on what you think the issue is for you in this campaign.

I think we all share the concerns about the situation between the United States and Canada, and that peeks through in a lot of your comments this week. But I ask you to go beyond that. Tell me more. What is the issue that most concerns you? And as I said, we've had so many letters, emails, in the last couple of days that we easily have enough for two weeks, maybe even three weeks. You know, it's quite something.

I've heard from so many of you. And that's the beauty of Thursdays, because this is your day. I'm proud of our program. I'm proud of the bridge. I'm proud of the bridge. I'm proud of the guests we have who help us think about the various concerns that we all share in our country and in our world. But Thursdays is your day. It really is.

These are your feelings about the issues of the day and you know you look around there's there are not many programs that offer you this um opportunity and i'm so glad you take it and i'm so glad you you follow our rules and we switched to this 75-word thing a couple of weeks ago, and it's really working. It really is. Occasionally I have to prod some of you to say, you know, you're way over. And if you want to be considered, you've got to rewrite. And you do.

And thank you for that. Okay, enough rambling from me. Let's get at her um we'll get as many done as we can today and we'll also hear from the random ranter he's got his random rantering hat on this week i'll tell you you'll hear that coming up okay let's start with uh ericar in Pierrefonds, Quebec. That's on the West Island of Montreal. For me, the main election issue is how to deal with the uncertainty of Trump's mood swings.

Will our government be nimble enough to be able to react appropriately to the more than likely ever-changing landscape due to Trump's scattered thinking? And we've seen some of that this week, right? Brian Bruiser in Victoria, BC. Trump thrives on creating chaos. Why should we take the bait? This is a waste of our democratic rights. Instead, let's focus on maintaining and also increasing our many national strengths. A strong Canada is the best shield against Trump. Jen Dennis in Baysville, Ontario. That's cottage country north of Toronto. They say history repeats itself, and we are seeing that in real time.

It is chilling. My son is almost 15, and there are moments when I'm afraid of what he might be called to do if the insanity of Donald Trump continues. I'll vote for a leader that can strategically and skillfully deal with the U.S. and can forge strong economic and military alliances with stable world partners. Doug Bennett in Grimsby, Ontario, that's west of Toronto, it's out near St. Catharines. Besides the obvious existence of Canada election issue, the most important issue for me is the rise of authoritarian regimes in the world and the resulting removal of basic human rights

that it has taken decades to acquire and mere months to remove. Once a country chooses to go down the road leading to ultra-conservative governments, it seems that these regimes see the election victory as a green light to go down the slippery slope to control the personal freedoms of individuals. Once that begins, it's difficult to reverse course. Lauren Meschishnik in Moores Beach, Saskatchewan. It's about an hour northeast of Regina. The only reason Trump is the biggest issue is because the legacy media, liberals and

NDP, are telling us that's the biggest issue. The biggest issue is the liberal record of failure on environmental and economic policies, but they can't run on that. Pretty simple, unless you're hiding from something. Frederick LaChapelle in Golden, BC. That's Southeastern BC. My biggest concern heading into the next election is Canadian unity. It feels like we've regained some momentum after years of division. I'm looking for a party and a leader who can keep that going by bridging regional, cultural, and political divides

to move the country forward together. Julian Parra in Toronto. A significant issue for the election is health care accessibility. Canadians are increasingly worried about long wait times, health care costs, and the overall quality of services. Candidates need to present clear plans to improve the health care system, including mental health support and rural health care access. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted existing gaps, making it essential for leaders to prioritize funding, innovation,

and collaboration with provinces to ensure that all Canadians receive timely and effective medical care. Ryan Laliberte in Ottawa. The big issue for me is our security dependence on the rest of the world. Conventional warfare is not the largest threat, but economic warfare, disinformation campaigns designed to sow doubt in our leaders and institutions, naturally causing social chaos and fear, cyber attacks on our infrastructure, etc. If we've learned everything, or excuse me, if we've learned anything from the pandemic, it's that we take reactive, not proactive approaches to global chaos. That needs to change.

Christos Neves in Toronto. National defense and security. I've been enormously encouraged by Mr. Carney's detailed outlining of the issue and the steps that he's putting forward to work toward it. I truly do wish that we would get more than another three-word slogan from Mr. Poliev, but alas, the defense deal with Europe was already a huge step for us. I'm looking forward to more announcements for Canada's independent military manufacturing industry. Grant Carlson in Outlook, Saskatchewan. That's about 80 clicks southwest of Saskatoon.

I would like the voters to dwell on the following story that I personally listened to on CBC Radio in Regina. This story came to light the first summer of the pandemic. The reporter interviewed one of the two contractors that bid on the job to empty the Government of Canada warehouse in Regina that held PPE. Remember that? Personal protective equipment like masks and gloves? It took 32 extra-large dumpster bins to empty this warehouse and take it to the landfill. This contract was completed mere months before the pandemic struck.

There were other warehouses. In my opinion, the incompetence and corruption started early in the Liberal government, and it continues. Well, you know, we decided to look into this, and it's true as far as it goes, but the PPE had expiry dates, and those dates had been reached. So, yes, they threw them out, and then the pandemic hit, and even masks that were past their best dates were deemed better than nothing. So, in some other provinces, expired masks were used.

So in retrospect, it looks bad to have thrown them out. But since Grant blames the Liberals, I came across a story from 2024 where the Saskatchewan Health Authority threw out more expired PPE, stuff given to them during the pandemic by the feds. And of course, Saskatchewan is not run by the Liberals. It's run by Scott Moe's Saskatchewan Party. Moving on. Pamela McDermott in Burlington, Ontario.

I not only feel Mark Carney is best equipped to deal with our Trump troubles, but also our deficit. He has told us of his long-term, big-picture growth plans that have us building our business base in the direction that most of the world is moving towards, whereas Pierre Palliev is offering the same old tax break promises that we hear from most politicians at election time, with no long-term plans.

Josette Sassoon in Toronto. I strongly oppose the $100 million that Jolie and Carney and the Liberals are sending to Gaza. This is an outrageous misuse of Canadian funds. Hamas and Palestinian jihads will seize it, not the Gazans who need it. It's reckless to fund destruction while Canadians, especially indigenous communities, the poor and homeless, struggle. This money belongs to hard-working Canadians, not terrorist regimes. Canada comes first. Checked up on this too. The $100 million is supposed to be for humanitarian relief and governance support for Palestinians,

though there is concern that Hamas will use the money for other purposes. That's supposed to be harder because the funds will flow through agencies like the United Nations, the World Bank, and the Red Cross. MR Blair Day in Aurora, Ontario. That's the northern part of the greater Toronto area. Here's what I'm asking as I look at the parties and candidates in the current federal election. Who can best lead Canada in new and exciting directions for a renewed future? I think our current situation is an invitation to Canada to grow, developing new and positive ways in terms of the economy and trade,

social programs, research and development, and military prowess. Joan Hugenbos in Dorchester, Ontario, just east of London. I'm dismayed as I listen to all the hyperbole about Trump. The threat is real, but he is not to blame for the sorry state of our economy and the deteriorating social fabric of this nation. Canadian families are struggling. Homelessness and drug addiction are everywhere. Crime and corruption are flourishing.

Look beyond the headlines, practice discernment, and ask yourself, why? David Turnbull in Waterdown, Ontario. The biggest election issue for me is how Canada is going to diversify its economy. Can we build more trade relationships with the EU or Latin America? Can Mark Carney get rid of internal trade barriers by Canada Day, as he promised? It's not tariff specific, but how can we make Canada less dependent on the U.S. as a whole while strengthening our economy in the process. Gabe Shea in St. John's.

I'm looking for the party and leader who is not only best able to deal with Trump and the economic fallout of his policies, but also able to credibly address the multitude of other issues Canada faces, for example, cost of living, climate change, and health care. Put another way, who can best take on the very challenging task of governing Canada at this critical moment? Adam Casper in New Hamburg, Ontario. That's just east of here in Stratford, about 20 minutes. It's important for us to re-establish our collective identity as Canadians through constructive conversations.

The past 10 years has been filled with difficult conversations that have divided us. COVID mandates, truth and reconciliation, and climate change. The conversation has been breaking down as a result of social media. Now that we have been unified around the threats to our sovereignty, we have to get back to constructive conversations

and our mosaic of perspectives to help come to a unified compromise to move forward as a nation in this new world order that has emerged. I'm voting for the candidate that will be able to nurture these conversations across party lines rather than dividing us. Ken Pellishock in Newstead, Ontario. Up until three months ago, my primary voting issue was NATO contribution. Specifically, I wanted Canada to take leadership in assisting Ukraine. Unlike the morally grey foreign entanglements

we tend to get tangled in, this is a righteous cause where we can take leadership and shed our NATO leeching reputation. It's still an issue I'm passionate about. Imperialism can't be allowed to come back. Alison Clark in St. Thomas, Ontario. Since I live close to one of the Great Lakes, Lake Erie, they are always top of mind for me. Because of that, I wonder how a new government will protect our access to them

if the U.S. should decide to break the treaty in place and steal our most precious resource. Matthew Sklarczyk in Vernon, B.S. should decide to break the treaty in place and steal our most precious resource. Matthew Sklarczyk in Vernon, B.C. Economic growth. The Trump tariffs revealed our vulnerability of having too many eggs in the American basket. The negative impacts of his actions are largely dependent on our lack of exposure to other markets. We need to sell Canadian products, especially raw materials, to a diverse portfolio of willing buyers around the world.

We should have had the foresight to do this without the Trump effect, but we got complacent. Defending Canada's vast borders are top of mind for this election. We need an updated mandate, a revised SWAT analysis. That stands for strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Why?

Canada's sovereignty will depend on a stable government supported by our own military defenses and reliable alliances. A stable government without physical defenses will get crushed. Canada is no more a peacekeeper. Rooney de Alves in Toronto. Gary Stevenson, a UK economist, says wealthy inequality is the root problem to many issues we are seeing today. CEO pay has ballooned to 268 to 1. That means the average pay for the CEO of an S&P 500 company is 268 times higher than the median pay for employees of that same company. This and growing number of billionaires creates inequality,

driving up costs of everything, including real estate. Politicians claim everyone should own a house. Why do we fall into a cycle of electing people who make promises, but don't tie it back to the needed tax reform? Dave Call in Wallaceburg, Ontario. That's in southwestern Ontario. Unfortunately, it isn't going to matter who will be dealing with Trump. It's going to be difficult.

What does matter is we need to expand the export of our natural resources, specifically getting oil and LNG to new markets, liquid natural gas. This is the only way we get out from under the U.S. I'm concerned the liberals don't see it this way. Todd Burns in LaSalle, Quebec, suburb of Montreal. Take away the obvious Trump concerns.

My number one concern in this election is a plan to guard our sovereignty, our defense. We have to build up our own defenses and stop replying on pacts with our nations to defend us. Relying, not replying. Our Arctic is of great concern to me.

If we have to cut services or raise taxes, I'm okay with that, as long as the money goes to our troops and the equipment we need. Edward Peters in Kamloops, B.C. Like many Canadians, my most pressing concern this federal election is the economy. Unlike many Canadians, my worries center on our ongoing productivity crisis. Canada is filled with exceptional, hard-working people. Our labor force deserves to bring in more than the current 71 cents per dollar brought in by U.S. workers.

If Canadian productivity can be restored, weathering Mr. Trump's fiscal attacks will be far more manageable. Michael Artendale in Sudbury, Ontario. The big issue for me is still affordability, but not in the sense of things getting cheaper. It's about how will our federal government invest in Canada to bring jobs home. Many of us are buying Canadian. The problem for us is that there are some products that have no substitute that is Canadian that could be Canadian-made.

If we were able to buy Canadian goods, that means more people working in better-paying jobs, which means that even as prices rise, things will stay relatively affordable. Erin Lee Light, she's in Yarrow, BC. That's part of Chilliwack. My biggest concern in the upcoming election is the outright lying from some politicians and media outlets and from foreign adversaries like the USA. In Britain, they have the representative or the representation of the People Act, which prohibits lying during a campaign. I think we need to institute a similar

law here. Politicians, mainstream or social media platforms should be heavily fined and or suspended during an election if they lie. And of course, Trump. Ban him from Canada. I'm not saying a law against lying in a campaign would be good or bad, but the Representative of the People Act of 1918 in the UK did not stop anyone from lying. As far as I can tell, all it did was granted the vote to women over the age of 30 who met a property qualification and it gave the vote to all men over

the age of 21. As for banning Trump from coming to Canada, as he's supposed to for the G7 summit in Alberta in June, well, Canadian immigration law says anyone convicted of a criminal offense is inadmissible, and Trump has been convicted of 34 felonies. Jagmeet Singh has suggested that Trump not be allowed into the country. Justin Trudeau was still prime minister at the time, and he said banning Trump would be an irresponsible approach to governance and relationships with other nations. prime minister at the time, and he said banning Trump would be an irresponsible approach to governance and relationships with other nations. He's not prime minister anymore, so we'll see what

happens. Don't hold your breath. Rachel Drews, a Canadian living in Rostock, Germany, northwest, or the northern coast of Germany. As a Canadian living in Europe, I'm most interested in which candidate will be able to strengthen Canada's relationship with allies in Europe and abroad and build new ones. I hope our country elects somebody steady, experienced, and as unlike Trump as humanly possible. Kim James. Kim James Omei in Burlington, Ontario. Here's our last one before we take our break. How do we best manage Trump instability and tariffs?

There's a risk of being too negative. Leaders today are navigating uncertainty along different paths, some reinforcing deeper ties with the U.S., others advocate greater independence. We have to navigate uncertainty and focus on what we can control and make sure we are ready for change. Mark Carney is doing this. I'm very confident he is the right man at the right time for Canada. Okay. We're roughly at the halfway part. And we still have the random ranter.

And as I said, he's all wound up. He's all wound up about Danielle Smith today. We'll hear that in a moment. We're going to take a break first, and then we'll be right back after this. And welcome back. You're listening to The Bridge right here on Sirius XM channel 167, Canada Talks, or on your favorite podcast platform. Glad to have you with us. It's Thursday.

That means Letters Day. We've got lots of them. Lots of them. We've got so many, we won't get them all Letters Day. We've got lots of them. Lots of them. We've got so many, we won't get them all in this week. We've definitely got enough for next week. Maybe even some for the following week as well. But right now, we're focused on the ones that we're going to go through this week. But we're also focused on our good friend, The Random Ranter,

who has his thoughts for this day. And, you know, he never holds back, our friend the renter. He's always got something to say. Sorry, a little off mic there. He always has something to say, and what he has to say is well it's clearly important to him if it sounds like I'm like filling time here you're right because I'm trying to figure out where the random went where

the random ranter went in my computer here he's somewhere in here, and I should find him. Oh, here he is. Okay, random ranter man. Go for it. We can talk tough all we want about resisting Donald Trump, about standing united and elbows up,

but there is a kink in our armor. There is a weak link in our chain. And it's Daniel Smith, Trump's backdoor to making Canada the 51st state. From her ultimatum to Carney threatening a unity crisis, to her appearances on Breitbart and at right-wing U.S. fundraisers, Smith is proving with her every action that she's either the biggest thing in appeasers since Chamberlain or the Queen of Quislings. I'm betting on the latter. I mean, she's got time to head down to Mar-a-Lago, she's got time to attend U.S. fundraisers, but she can't be bothered to show up for an all-hands-on-deck Premier's meeting? I know she claims to be lobbying against US tariffs,

but can she really be taken at her word? Can she really be trusted? Her history is one of disloyalty. She's switched parties multiple times, and she's got a proven track record of being a self-aggrandizing opportunist. Simply put, her ship is willing to follow wherever the wind is blowing, and there's a mighty gale coming from the south right now. It's disturbing, but what's even more alarming to me is her lockstep alignment and full-throated endorsement of Pierre Polyev. Look, I talked about this last week, but I guess I'm not quite done. The Conservative Party of Canada is no longer the big tent of Mulroney,

or Harper, or even O'Toole. I mean, in today's world, the closest thing to a Mulroney Conservative would be a carny Liberal. Polyev's regressive Conservatives have adopted what I call a Fox News worldview, where there is no right, no wrong, no truth, no loyalty, and no shame. Only politics. They will say anything to get what they want, and what they want is power. They don't want to represent, they don't want to serve, they want is power. They don't want to represent. They don't want to serve.

They want to control. And they'll say or do whatever they have to to get it. Just look at all the parallels between Trump and Polyev. The constant demeaning, the demonizing, the derogatory nicknames, and there's all the stuff beneath the surface, like the abandonment of the environment and the polarizing social stances. It's like Polyev is reading from Trump's playbook and is just substituting the word Canada for America.

The whole thing is as lame as Trump's I-prefer-liberals attempt at reverse psychology, which brings me right back to Smith and her angling to create a greater Albertistan. She wasn't bluffing when she threatened Carney with a unity crisis. She'll use whatever she needs to use to get what she wants, including Western alienation. And look, I know Easterners don't always get it, but Western alienation is a very real thing. There's an urban-rural divide amongst voters across Canada, but on the prairies, it's a whole other beast. Out here, there are ridings where the Conservatives garner over 80% of the vote. Imagine living in a homogenous community

like that, where pretty much everyone you know watches Fox News, where liberal is the dirtiest of words, and where traditionally the election is settled before your vote is even counted. It's not hard to see how some Westerners can feel alienated, how they can feel disenfranchised. And Smith? She's not afraid to fan those flames. If Carney wins, she'll play that card In fact, I think she'll be excited to play it There he is, the random ranter For this week Let me just say this about his comments

And I'm focusing on the last chunk about Western alienation. You know, I've been covering politics in Canada since the late 1960s, and I lived in Western Canada for 10 years at that time. And I can tell you I've watched Western alienation, like in some ways Quebec sovereignty, go up and down over the time period that I've been covering it. But I agree with the ranter

on this point anyway. The potential for Western Alienation becoming a dominant story again is right now. I'm not sure how to deal with it. I can remember spending many long nights with my old friend Izzy Asper, who was a Westerner at heart, made his life in the West.

His family still does. Terrific people, the Aspers. But Izzy was always concerned about this issue of an alienated West and what it could mean to the future of Canada. Anyway, I'll leave that for another day.

Onward with your letters. And there are lots of them, so let's get right back at it. Mary Philpott in Abbotsford, B.C. Climate change, health care, housing, affordability, and elder care are all election issues in my mind. But overriding all is the growing sense that world order is being turned on its ear. Democracy is threatened. Old alliances make no sense. The U is being turned on its ear. Democracy is threatened. Old alliances make no sense.

The UN seems toothless. Leaders make their own rules. I'm looking for a voice of reason, calm, thoughtful decision-making, which will affect our future. The Canada I love is not prepared. The status quo approach no longer works. I'm looking for vision in a leader, and I'm looking for courage and compassion in my fellow citizens.

Danielle White in Edmonton. One of my election concerns is senior care in Canada. My mom is in her late 60s with a myriad health concerns. My parent-in-laws are in their mid to late 70s. Trying to navigate senior services almost exclusively online is cumbersome and often confusing. We aren't quite at the point of looking into various types of adult living facilities, but our friends say it is expensive and waiting lists are so long. Health care waiting lists for them is long.

Costs for my low-income mom are soaring. My husband and I are 50 and 47 respectively and concern for our parents is just one more layer of stress in this already stressful environment in Canada. Scott Mayer in Burlington, Ontario. Leaders in this campaign speak of investing in AI, but none is talking about steps that need to be taken to protect our data sovereignty. Our data is collected and controlled by a few powerful technology platforms in the U.S. This is a matter of national security. The F-35 can be bricked, elbows up, sure, but eyes up, off our phones too, and protect Canada's data sovereignty.

Where are we going here? Patrick Tallon in Lorignell, Ontario. Lorignell is pronounced L-O-R-I-G-N-L. Thank you. Eastern Ontario, almost at the Quebec border. One key issue I'll be watching this election is whether Polyev or Carney make a strong commitment to increasing Canadian military spending with a focus on supporting

domestic manufacturing. Companies like General Dynamics Land Systems in London, Ontario, already supply world-class light armored vehicles, the LAV, to the Canadian Armed Forces. A new order to upgrade our current LAV fleet would boost defense spending, create jobs, support Ukraine, and help counter Trump's NATO criticism of Canada. Jamal Tekelveld in Toronto. In my mind, honesty is the key issue this election.

Honesty from our leaders. Honesty in their campaigns. Honesty about their policies and plans for our country. Honesty in the information we, the electorate, use to make an informed vote. Honesty in ourselves and with each other as voting Canadians. I think honesty is the antidote to what ails us these days, so let's strive for it this election season. Fred Mather in Waterloo, Ontario. I would like the election to appear less of a presidential campaign and show more of what sort of team will lead the next parliament.

Who are the members that will likely sit on the front benches and in cabinet? I'm particularly interested in the new and accomplished individuals who are allied with their respective leader. I think it's an important thing to look at in this campaign. Who's the team? Who's the team behind the leader? And what does that team tell you about what kind of government that could be? That's an important fact.

It's not a one-person country. Mark Dunham in Mississauga, Ontario. The largest issue for most youth is housing. The payment on the average house, $670,000 versus $419,000 in the U.S., costs 64% of the median Canadian household income. Canadian fertility hit a record low because youth don't have the space or money for kids. The Toronto Star reports that 43% of young Canadians said they'd join the U.S. because Canada has deliberately chosen to lower our living standards.

Okay, that 43% figure comes from an Ipsos poll. It said that number would vote to join the states if Canadians were offered full American citizenship and had their Canadian assets converted into U.S. dollars. Kate Welsh in Stratford, Ontario. I think today, more than ever, Canadians need to not vote traditional party lines and vote for who better can deal with Trump. This has to be the priority.

This in itself is going to cause Canadians some pain, and we need to really think who will guide us through the times ahead with things like thoughtful cuts to government spending and getting housing costs down. Matt Sullivan in Oshawa, Ontario. I'm looking for the leader in this campaign who recognizes they need to make long-term economic decisions rather than short-term headline grabbing gimmicks. We don't need a tax holiday or a one-time check. We need new trading relationships, better interprovincial trade, improved affordability, particularly in housing. Canadians are ready to sacrifice in the short term to secure our future.

Talk to us like adults and explain this truthfully. Right on, Matt. Brent Harris in St. John, New Brunswick. I maintain that fixing the housing system in Canada is the preeminent problem to solve. Real estate and leasing doesn't build, grow, or make anything valuable for our country. Establishing critical minerals infrastructure to be competitive in advanced manufacturing requires us to develop cities with industrial and logistical capacity. But the lack of available housing that the average income earner can afford is wreaking havoc in our communities. Constance Blundy in North Vancouver, B.C. I've just finished reading John Valiant's Fire Weather, the making of a beast about the Fort McMurray fire. It is clear that humans, with their usual hubris,

thought they could harness the energy that comes from burning fossil fuels and make it serve them. They've disregarded scientists' warnings as far back as 100 years, and they've created a beast that is now more powerful than they are. So my main concern for this election is, who has a plan to stop the emissions of CO2 and methane? Callum Arnold in Ottawa. Jagmeet Singh backstabbed Trudeau without so much as a courtesy call.

Pauliev cozied up to convoy crazies. Carney's a newcomer. If there's one thing all three of them need to prove, it's that they are more honest, more fair, and truer than the orange menace down south. Our PM can't lead us unless they lead by example. Ray-Anne in Shoal Harbor, Newfoundland. It's part of Clarenville, which is almost 100 kilometers southwest of Bonavista. Confidence in our elected officials, transparency,

and respect for rules and norms of democracy. For example, why won't Pierre Polyev get his security clearance? It's baffling. Is this refusal an indication of his scorn of the rules and norms of democracy? I want confidence that our PM will uphold the pillars of democracy, especially as we watch the USA's democracy grapple with the fallout from this same scorn for democracy. Katharina Clausius in Montreal.

Canada's colleges and universities are in existential crisis. Huge deficits, layoffs, and widespread program cancellations are nationwide realities. You can blame our chronic underfunding, the federal cap on international students, and now Trump's suspension of millions of dollars of research funding that Canadian institutions depend on. It's essential to Canada's future to train young people in excellent institutions in all sectors and in all parts of the country, but higher educations on the brink of collapse. Marie Lawrence in Okotoks, Alberta.

If a political party hasn't acknowledged that climate change is real and doesn't have a plan to deal with it, they won't get my vote. Jason Zacharias in Edmonton. I fear the Conservatives have been the opposition for so long they only know how to oppose, but for the election they need to show they can lead, more importantly than attacking Carney. We want to know what the Conservatives' plan is for Canada, including, but not limited to, Trump, tariffs, Canadian sovereignty, and a provincial Conservative leader that cries separation every time she doesn't get her way. Nadine Kouk Karasik, Nadine Kauk Karasik, in Nanus Bay, British Columbia. That's the east coast of southern Vancouver Island. Leadership is aligned with Canadian values and principles, meaning

centered politically, proven economic and business crisis experience, established global relationships that can be leveraged immediately, Can build out our defenses to protect our sovereignty. Able to build long-term plans, restructuring Canada internally and externally. And establish respect domestically and globally. Has both street and book smarts. Creative problem solver. Extreme collaborative skills. Excellent listener.

Respectful. Well, there's qualities for a leader. Greg Millage in Kingston, Ontario. Canada faces many existential challenges. Climate change, homelessness, health care, the cost of living. For me, the federal election has one very important issue to deal with. We must stop the Trumpification of Canadian politics. Pierre Palliev uses many overly simplistic tricks

stolen from the tickle trunk belonging to Donald Trump. He likes rhyming slogans like Axe the Tax, tagging his opponents with adolescent names and policies designed to be popular instead of good for Canada. Ian Gorman in Ottawa. For now, we must elect leaders who can deliver us from Trump. For the future, we must maintain a society and electoral system that protects us from demagogues,

where politics is between opponents, not enemies, where voters can extract good information from BS. Jackie McCurdy in Toronto. Protecting Canada from the inevitable impacts of recent and upcoming U.S. policy changes, including the ongoing collapse of constitutional law, immigration, DEI, and women's rights. These all have the potential to change Canada, whether or not sovereignty is tested. More importantly, building intranational trade, as we build stronger international trade and defense relationships with the EU,

a reconstructed NATO, and openness to explore a possible Cairns-UK relationship. That's Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. Tom Koshon in Whitby, Ontario. The Trump factor identified our domestic and global economic and militaristic gaps. Either Prime Minister Carney or Pierre Pelliev could be in charge for 10 years. Both leaders must present big ideas that energize us to fill those gaps. Imagine a robust, independent, domestic Canadian auto industry, new global trading partnerships, all supported by a stronger Canadian entrepreneurial spirit. Alas, with tax cuts at their opening salvos,

as their opening salvos, it seems our leaders just don't think big. Edwin Platt, Three Hills, Alberta. That's between Calgary and Red Deer. Little east of both. Edwin writes, My biggest concern with this coming election is the tendency of humanity to be a herd species. We can be riled up and herded off a cliff like lemmings or sheep.

In the 2015 election, a photograph of a Syrian child that had drowned riled everyone up over immigration. This changed the entire election. Canada over-immigrated, and we are seeing the results of that now. I support inclusivity and multiculturalism, but everything is a balance. Canadians are riled up over Donald Trump and his annexation rhetoric. I believe it is exactly that, rhetoric. I've lived a life supporting Canadian-made products, and I'm surprised that people are just now getting the idea. In fact, Canadians are riled up like lemmings over this. I'm afraid that it's going to end with very negative results. Craig Jansen in Indian Harbor, Nova Scotia.

That's just north of Peggy's Cove. For me, the most important election issue is improving Canadian unity. I will vote for the leader who demonstrates he has the ideas, humility, and drive to invite Canadians around some nation-building big bets. This could be around energy, infrastructure, security, or something else that ignites Canadian pride and causes a real and sustained partnership between the federal government and provinces. Renny Chan in Amsterdam, Newfoundland. Aside from Trump, I'm finding it very difficult as a Canadian tech entrepreneur. I do not want to raise money from the U.S. right now. I want to build in Canada, but there's very little capital and limited willingness to take risks

from Canadian venture capitalists. I would like to see more support from the government to keep tech companies in Canada. Let's build Canadian unicorns. Getting close to the end for the first week of this. As I said, we have lots and lots of letters.

And we will keep going next week with them. We don't need to write anymore. We got enough. But we'll keep going next week. A couple more here. Andrea Bayer in Vaughan, Ontario, just north of Toronto. As a former reservist, what matters most to me is seeing Canada become the strongest economy and the safest country in the world.

I want my three kids, they're 24, 19, and 15, to be able to afford a home without needing my help. I want peace of mind knowing the USA will never invade us. Economic strength and national security aren't luxuries. They're the foundation for freedom, dignity, and a future worth believing in. Sean Conkin in Calgary. Climate change is the biggest issue before Canada and the world. I fear it is now on the back burner. I do not live in Quebec, but I'm impressed with the bloc's principled stance against new fossil fuel infrastructure.

None of the other parties put fighting climate change front and center in their first speeches responding to Carney's election call. Not even the Greens. Tim Stott in Kennesaw, Manitoba. He's actually writing from Coursod, Surmer in France, a place I know well. It's the site of the Juneau Beach Center, the museum honoring Canada's Second World War effort on one of the D-Day beaches right there,

where our guys landed on June 6, 1944. It's a very special place. Anyway, Tim writes, Trump is the low-hanging fruit in the election, in my opinion. Yes, it's going to be a challenge and difficult for the next four years. The real question should be, what has the liberal government done over the last nine years that would make me want to vote for them? Nine years of policy cannot be forgotten by changing a leader when the party still has the same platform. Okay, there's the last one for this first edition of what do you see as the election issue.

Barry Wood writes from Toronto. At a business conference some years ago, I learned that the Chinese word for crisis comprised two different symbols. One stood for danger, the other for opportunity. Let's treat this crisis as an opportunity to forge a new compelling vision for our country, both internationally and domestically.

A few examples. Ren, renewed focus on our trade with the world, building stronger economic ties with Europe, a reinvigorated military to better independently defend our nation, elimination of interprovincial trade barriers, world-class education at all levels, all our governments committed to accomplishing more with less. Let's seize the opportunity these days present. Thanks for that, Barry. And thank you for all your letters. You know, some of you guys should be

running for office. You've got some great ideas and you have the right thinking about stuff. You don't all agree. And that's Canada. That's the way it should be. We have different ideas, different suggestions for opportunities. You know, an election campaign can be an inspiring, invigorating time, no matter what the background of the story is. We all know the background right now. But this is us. This is the opportunity for us to make decisions about our future.

And the best way to do that is to be fully informed and have an array of ideas in front of us, and my gosh, you Bridge listeners sure know how to put an array of ideas in front of us, and I thank you for it. As I said, we have lots more. We have lots more letters, and we'll get to them well, next week and maybe even the week after.

I also said, enough. Don't write anymore. I got lots. We got lots of great letters. And I thank you for them from across the country. Okay, that's going to wrap it up for today. Tomorrow, of course, is good talk.

Chantelle Hebert and Rob Russo will be here. And I hope you join us. And I hope you subscribe to The Buzz, my weekly newsletter. You can get that at nationalnewswatch.com slash newsletter. Doesn't cost anything. You just have to give us your email. And away we go by sending you every Saturday morning by 7 a.m. Eastern Time the latest edition of The Buzz.

I'm Peter Mansbridge. Thanks so much for listening. We'll talk to you again in about 24 hours.