The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge - Your Turn -- What's On Your Mind?

Episode Date: May 30, 2024

We asked "What's on your mind?" and you answered "A lot"! From centralized power in the PMO, to what will happen to the Senate, to the use of the flag to the Middle East and everything in between. There's a lot of variety from all regions of the country and from overseas as well. And then the Random Ranter gets very worried about AI.

And hello there, Peter Mansbridge here. You are just moments away from the latest episode of The Bridge. What's on your mind? Lots, apparently. And the random renter on AI. And hello there, welcome to Thursday. Peter Mansbridge here with The Bridge for this day. Your turn is our Thursday episode, as usual. And the random ranter will be along as well. The ranter today on artificial intelligence. It's quite a commentary. You're going to want to hear it. But first of all, it's your turn.

That's right, and lots of letters this week. We threw it wide open to a what's on your mind episode where you literally can just write in about whatever you want. And as always, most of you, most of you followed all the little rules that we do on your turn, which is include your name, your location, and get it in before 6 p.m. on Wednesdays. Now, a number of you did not make the deadline. And I got to tell you, the deadline exists for a reason. Things can't be processed after that for your turn.

So if you sent it after 6 p.m. last night, Eastern Time, it is not on here. And not every letter makes it anyway, right? There is a kind of filtering process. Fair. I promise you. All right. Let's get started. Shana Evans writes from Abbotsford, British Columbia.

This week I've been thinking about how government power is too centralized in the Prime Minister and his office. Canada is unlike the United States, where they vote for their representatives in Congress separate of their vote for President. In Canada, we vote for our local MP and that's it. The strength in Canada's system is supposed to be found in regions having representatives with equal voice sitting on their behalf in Parliament. And yet that is not how we have been operating. The Prime Minister's office carries a lot of power and seemingly everything goes through the PMO in one way or another. In addition, the Prime Minister has the ability to exert a lot of control over his own party members. How do we resolve to empower the regional

representation over centralized power? Is it time to consider reforming how we vote? Should we vote separately for Prime Minister and RMP? This is what I'm pondering today. It's a good question, and it's one that's existed for at least the last 50 years. The centralized power of the PMO. So, Shana, it's a good question. Glad you've asked it. Gary Gould in Brantford, Ontario. In the lead-up to the

release of the budget, a surge of news coverage, advocacy group initiatives and calls to action heightened expectations for the Canada Disability Benefit. Their anticipation was met with profound disappointment. The budget outlines only 600,000 of more than 1 million disabled Canadians will be eligible, with support limited to $200 a month. This budget has fallen short. This budget dooms those in need to a life without dignity, living in severe poverty and its relentless cycle. Ross Lennox in Calgary, and Ross has his mind on Alberta politics.

Please speak about the insidious move towards authoritarianism, which was minor in Jason Kenney's time and has intensified with the Smith government. Bills 18 and 20, which strip municipalities, agencies, and universities of their ability to act on behalf of their constituents in favor of a veto by the provincial government. The government says we would use this legislation in extreme circumstances, but that is pure intimidation. Background, Bill 18 would require, this is in Alberta, right, would require approval from the province for any new or amended funding agreement between the federal government and municipalities or other provincial entities, such as universities and colleges. Bill 20 gives cabinet new powers to compel councils to amend or repeal municipal bylaws and remove councillors, while also allowing party affiliations to be listed

on municipal election ballots. Karen Boshy in Edmonton. How can this not be concerning? A population increase of 100,000 in the city of Edmonton over the last two years. That's roughly the size of the city of Red Deer being added. 60,000 more vehicles on the roads, 40,000 new households to support. How will required investments in infrastructure, housing, health care, education, social services, transportation and policing, just to mention a few, be achieved to keep up with the ever-increasing demands and consequences of significant population shifts and growth like this? How am I going to feel in the future about my own neighborhood and quality of life as I continue to live and age in this city that I love and have called home for nearly 50 years?

Mike McNaughton in London, Ontario. I know this is nothing new, but anytime I use any social media app, it seems impossible to not have a video or picture of a celebrity get pushed onto my screen. I just don't understand why people care so much about someone who lives a life of luxury and frankly might not care about an average citizen at all. Perhaps it's people's way of escaping their lives for a few moments

and imagining what their life could be like as that of a celebrity. Maybe people need to feel like they are a part of a group and must buy celebrity-endorsed products or do the latest celebrity trend to fit in. I just don't get it lawrence brawl in calgary you know a couple of weeks ago we we talked about on your turn how to save money in inflationary times lawrence brawl acknowledges he's late with his note. But since this is what's on your mind week,

a note about saving money is okay. I was listening to your podcast while changing my winter tires for summer ones. That's what I do to save money. I do chores myself that I could pay someone else to do. My wife and I did a paver patio this spring ourselves. The estimate was $7,000. Doing it ourselves cost us just $3,000 for materials. Great sense of satisfaction too.

Lauren sent a picture and it looks pretty good. Rick Draper in Port Howe, Nova Scotia. I'm a proud Canadian and I take great pride in our national flag. I feel a great sense of frustration when I see others using it to represent their views that I may not agree with. The Canadian flag represents an entire population, so why is it okay for it to be co-opted by specific groups to advance particular agendas? When a group uses a flag to represent their specific views, it can feel like they are claiming ownership over a symbol that belongs to everyone.

I must say I am less proud to wear or fly the Canadian flag these days. That is a shame. Maggie Bear in Ottawa. I'm becoming increasingly disheartened by the politicization of Canada's staggering opioid crisis. Canada has historically treated drug use as a crime and punishment issue, like the American War on Drugs. This approach has never worked, and it most certainly does not suffice now as we face the unprecedented toxicity of street drugs.

The experts who work with drug users support decriminalization of personal amounts. However, Pierre Palliev pushes disinformation for electoral gain. Justin Trudeau is giving free drugs to your kid, neatly appeals to both law and order and parental fears. I see very few politicians standing up for the people who are suffering the most and desperately need governments to enact policies to protect their lives and health. Does anyone ever listen to their voices or care about them? Not a lot of votes in that, I guess. Jean Fougue in Notre-Dame-de-Las, Quebec.

That's the gateway to the Laurentians from the Ottawa Valley, about an hour and a half north of Ottawa. Sitting in the Timmy's drive-thru lineup in my newly acquired EV with two large Ford pickup trucks in front of me and another in the back, with my AC on recirculate to stop me from inhaling all that exhaust fume, I wonder, as a society, what will it take to take this climate change seriously? Jennifer in northern BC has asked me to use just her first name, and so I have, and

not naming the exact town either. I've been working in a secondary, you know, I do that occasionally, not always, but I understand here. Jennifer writes, I've been working in a secondary school for several years in a non-teaching position. I've been wondering about the statistics of how many grades, how many kids enter grade eight and then actually graduate in grade 12. In this school, it seems to be about 80 grade 8s enter, and our average grad class size is about 25. Since COVID, I see a great number of kids who are unmotivated and not successful. I look at a large school like the one I work at

and think of how much money and resources are spent pushing these kids through. We have a lack of teachers and support staff. Similar to the health crisis, it seems difficult to recruit good, qualified people in the North who can make a difference in these kids' lives. I have three kids who have graduated in a different area of BC and one who is now enrolled where I work. Smart kid, but I feel he's not in an environment that is helping him thrive and reach his full potential. As a mom, I worry. As an employee of the school, I know my concerns are valid.

Can I just say that, you know, my friend Mark Boguch and I wrote, you know, our latest book was How Canada Works. And in that book, we profile the principal of a school in northern BC. It's not Jennifer's. And he explains how difficult it can be for students there. Dennis O'Sullivan, Mississauga, Ontario. While I have leaned towards support of Israel since the October 7th attack, the tactics of Israel have been tragic to Palestinian civilians and ultimately counterproductive to Israel's long-term security. I now see no clear plan, no clear strategy to root out Hamas leaders.

Rather, what I see is day-to-day tactics of vengeance to the population at large. Israel is going to wind up in a small corner with just a small hound full of supporters, just as the U.S. wound up 50 years ago due to its Vietnam War tactics, and apartheid in South Africa wound up 35 years ago with its suppression of the black race. Israel really needs to present a case for its war. Benjamin Netanyahu doesn't perceive how close he is to becoming convicted of war crimes. Carol Cornwell in Lacombe, Alberta.

That's about 25 clicks north of Red Deer, with a lot of letters from Alberta today. Anyway, Carol writes, Since when has the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms gone from the right to peaceful protest to a right to set up encampment on private property, that is, university property? We all have limitations on our rights,

especially when our rights start infringing on other people's rights. These encampments infringe on the rights of people who may not support the cause and need to feel safe when accessing the campuses. Who is advocating for their rights? Why are they not being supported? Is this another example of the squeaky wheel getting the grease? I think I belong to the silent majority, but I'm not sure how much longer I can be silent. It is poor use of my tax dollars to break up encampments when they should be outlawed in the first place. Travis Moore in Ottawa. In Ottawa normally, but right now he's in Greenwood, Nova Scotia.

Travis writes, Remember when the death of George Floyd sparked mass protests on college campuses across Canada and the U.S., calling for equality and an end to racism? We focused on dismantling systemic racial barriers and for a time, walked on proverbial eggshells to avoid unintentional offenses through inadvertent microaggressions. Professional sports teams cancelled games in protests. Even realtors started referring to primary bedrooms instead of master bedrooms due to the word masters' historic connotations.

Fast forward to 2024, and it's now acceptable, if not actively encouraged, to publicly chant and scream brazen anti-Semitic slogans in these same places of protest, calling for intifada and praising those terrorist groups committed to the eradication of Jews. These same entities are even moving to boycott businesses based merely on the owner's religion or heritage. It's disgusting, abhorrent, and antithetical to Canadian values. We need leaders with integrity to address and challenge this behavior. Philip Shaw in Dresden, Ontario. You know, I grow weary of constantly hearing about Gaza, Palestine, and Israel

while other conflicts are going on. For instance, the Rohingya genocide in Myanmar and the other civil war atrocities there. There's also South Sudan. However, those conflicts are ignored, even though those people bleed too. Please give a more balanced outlook. Well, excuse me, Philip, but we've done a number of shows on South Sudan, including shows with Dr. Samantha N, while she was in South Sudan.

So let's not go over the top here in our criticism. And Rohingya genocide in Myanmar, we've done lots on that over the last half dozen years. Now, are either one of those getting the same attention as the Middle East or Ukraine right now? No, they're not. But they are not being ignored. Marilyn Wallace, Fanny Bay, British Columbia.

Just this week, Dr. Stein introduced me to a new term, attention economy, as it relates to political leaders. As I understand it, when there are many international conflicts competing for their attention, it becomes challenging to manage all of the priorities. What's on my mind is my personal attention economy. How do I handle all the competing demands for my concerns? Climate change, the Middle East, Russia, and Ukraine. My attention economy is in a bit of a recession.

Fanny Bay, Maryland. She has a way with words. Ted Van High. Exeter, Ontario. It's north of London. What's on my mind? The lack of nuance in our discussions on current issues, whether they're environmental, economic, or social.

We are becoming a society with only black and white views that fail to see reality for what is truly shades of grey. I believe politicians of all stripes exploit this phenomenon, fostering polarization with democratic societies. Spencer Stinson in Blenheim, Ontario. I'm still convinced Justin Trudeau is going to step down. Call me crazy, but I think the Liberals are keeping him afloat for as long as possible, so once they switch leaders, the Conservatives will all of a sudden need to rewrite all their anti-Trudeau ad campaigns. It's still a strategy with a lot of risk, but at this point, what have they honestly got to lose? Spencer, let me point out one thing.

The Liberals aren't keeping Justin Trudeau afloat because they have no mechanism to bring him down in this current time slot. So even if they wanted to, and there's no indication that they want to, there's some disgruntled MPs talking behind, you know, not going on camera to talk, and they don't have a mechanism to do it.

So it's entirely his choice at the moment. John Backer in Eagle Bay, B.C. It's an hour and a half east of Kamloops. Justin Trudeau called the last election because he wanted a majority. He failed. Staying on as leader has the makings of another failure. The Liberals need a leadership convention. If Mark Carney were to win, Canada would get government leadership,

particularly in financial and climate matters. Statesman-type leadership would also broaden the base by attracting progressive conservatives. I, for one, am fed up with politicians giving us empty slogans and empty rhetoric. We need a competent adult who's honest and has experience in the real world. Mm-hmm.

Well, you've been writing and there's lots more letters to come but we're going to take our first break our only break uh in today's program and we'll come back with more letters and we'll come back with the random renter on artificial intelligence that That'll be interesting. But first, this. And welcome back. You're listening to The Bridge, the Thursday episode. It's your turn. It's what's on your mind this week. You're listening on Sirius XM, Channel 167, Canada Talks, or on your favorite podcast platform. Okay. We've got more letters, but why don't we take our random ranter break? Because the ranter, well, he always has something to say. And this week is no exception.

Because this week, he wants to talk about artificial intelligence. I grew up at the tail end of the Cold War, so I missed out on all those school bomb drills where kids were instructed to crouch under their desks. I don't even know if that was a real thing or if it's just something from the movies, but it must have been an incredible time living with such an existential threat as nuclear annihilation. It was all good or it would be all bad, but there was no drawing it out. If it happened, it would happen in a flash, literally. Well, we still live with that threat, I guess, but it's really not been top of mind for decades because today we have much bigger problems. I mean, where do you even start? Climate change

with its fires, floods, and famines? Resource scarcity with its promise of wars, those things together, well, they'll accelerate mass migration, the loss of biodiversity, and bring with them new pandemics. And I'm going to double down on being a Debbie Downer today because I haven't even reached the big one for me yet, AI. I think it's the biggest and most immediate threat we face right now. It's out of control. The people developing it are so enamored with it, they think it can solve all our problems to the point where they're blind to the problems it will create. Our governments aren't trying to rein it in. They're jumping on the bandwagon with all the billionaires.

And no one's really talking about it. I mean, Elon Musk came right out and said he thinks AI will take all our jobs, and that barely made the news. I don't know about you, but when I hear that prospect, my alarm bells start ringing. Because AI isn't like nuclear technology. It's not something you can control or restrict. It's something that gets unleashed. It's a Pandora's box. And there isn't a big enough desk in the world you could crouch under that'll make you safe from it. Look, I use AI software almost every day.

It's incredible. And its capabilities are growing exponentially. A year ago, I was skeptical. Six months ago, I looked at it as a useful tool. Today, I'm starting to think one day it could actually replace me. And who knows when that one day might be. The way it's developing, it could be a lot sooner than I think. So what happens when suddenly people start losing their jobs en masse to AI? It's not going to be good. I don't know what these developers are thinking, but they should have watched less Kumbaya Star Trek and more harsh reality Terminator. Nothing good will come from a

society without jobs. Even if you provide everyone with a generous income and all the trappings, people need to work. But how do you fight AI? The people developing it are billionaires. The technology learns from us. And with the proliferation of social media, pretty much everything it could learn from us is out there for the taking. There's no hiding from it. And so far, all my tinfoil hats have proven ineffective. Look, I know I sound a bit extreme on this, because AI has incredible potential to do good.

But you know, when we unlock the vast potential of nuclear energy, we also develop the nuclear bomb. I fear the same about AI. And when the people developing it start talking about eliminating everyone's jobs with it, like it's a good thing, it makes me question how we can possibly trust anything they create. So, you know, the AI puzzle, we've done shows on'm going back more than a year now and i always feel a little frustrated at the end of them because there's no kind of answer to okay like how do we deal with this how do we handle this um and every you know as the ranter says, like every month, there's some new element to AI, something new to be either proud of, excited about, or worried about.

And I'm just not sure which way to turn. I've been trying to think about, you know, another show on AI. I mean, there's lots of people out there who can talk about it. But, like, what's the focus? What is the focus for a conversation on it? I'm not sure. However, I will keep thinking about that. Time for more of your letters now.

Here we go. Percy Phillips in Portage and Prairie, Manitoba, one of our regulars. Former Prime Minister Mulrooney knew and publicly stated that the number one task of the Prime Minister of Canada is to foster and champion a vision for Canada and to foster national unity. Net zero, axe the tax, and we will get you more, are slogans, and none are remotely close to a vision for Canada and each are divisive by their content and basic appeal.

Canada is a rich country, uniquely positioned in the world geographically and has lived through 70 plus years of prosperity under a world order that was stable but is now rapidly changing. We are truly living in interesting times. Canada requires leaders who have a vision for Canada and accepts Canada's role as a responsible member of the Western Alliance. We need leaders from all political parties that possess vision and a unifying message for Canada and a great country,

something that currently seems absent. Penny Robertson in Napanee, Ontario. That's just west of Kingston. Listening to your interview with Andrew Lawton the other day inspired me to write to you about what is on my mind, concerns about what a Prime Minister Polyev is a pull-yourself-up-by-your-own-bootstraps conservative like Margaret Thatcher, Ronald Reagan, and Mike Harris. The free market trickle-down economics they promoted has been proven many times

to work well only for the wealthiest members of society. Average Canadians who believe Polyev's policies will improve affordability are being misled. Lower taxes lead to service cuts and privatization that costs us all more in the long run. So does a failure to address climate change and the root causes of addiction and crime. Stephen Harper once said, you won't recognize Canada when I'm through with it. He did not manage to accomplish that. But I'm concerned that Prime Minister Poliev would. Esther Ewing in Barrie, Ontario.

When I heard the end of your interview with Andrew Lawton, I got a really bad feeling heard the end of your interview with Andrew Lawton, I got a really bad feeling in the bottom of my stomach. What initiated the feeling was his certainty that Polyev would abolish the CBC as we know it. I don't think I'd heard it stated so bluntly before, or perhaps I hadn't been paying attention. I have believed that Monsieur Polyev was dangerous to Canada, but now I'm feeling even sicker. Losing the CBC would be disastrous to Canadian culture. I hold dear.

Glenn Lee in Berlin, Germany. As I listened to your interview with Andrew Lawton, I recall a comment made to me about the Liberals, namely that Justin Trudeau was trying to social engineer Canada into a liberal progressive country. Yet what Mr. Lawton had to say tells me social engineering works both ways. Canadians are stronger when we approach major issues together rather than trying to see faults in others to promote our own positions.

On D-Day, 80th anniversary coming up next week, and we have two special shows next week about D-Day. Back to Glenn's letter. On D-Day, Canadian soldiers did not enter landing crafts based on political ideology, but on a mission to defeat the most horrific regime ever to rule over Europe. Would that Canadians still had such unity? Sean Bennett in Saskatoon. What I have on my mind this week is Canadian immigration.

My wife and I were married in the Philippines in February, What I have on my mind this week is Canadian immigration. My wife and I were married in the Philippines in February, and I've been working to get her permanent residence status. I just want to say the contrast between our system and over there was absolutely night and day. Without going too much into everything, I wanted to give a nice shout-out to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada for how quickly they've been able to process applications.

While criticism is probably fair in some instances, I think it highlights how lucky we are to have such a good system in the first place. This whole process has made me even more grateful for being Canadian. Well, how often do you hear that? Somebody thanking the bureaucracy for handling their situation in a timely fashion. Thank you, Sean. Murray Robertson in Napanee, Ontario.

That's the second letter from Napanee this week. What's on my mind, you ask? Polls, specifically political voting intention polls. It said that the only poll that really matters is the poll taken on election day. Why then are we so obsessed with polls so far in advance of an election? In my opinion, all they are is popularity contests that encourage some voters to cast their ballots based on what the pollsters say others are going to do, rather than a careful analysis of what the politicians running for election stand for. us down the path of American-style four-year election campaigns, where polling becomes more important for politicians than doing what they believe is good for the country. With great respect and apologies to Bruce, I wish voting intention polls would just go

away. Lynn Post in Nepean. With regard to election campaigns, I've heard Bruce say a number of times that people don't want to know what a party has done, but what it will do. I find this worrisome. What a politician or party has done to date is fundamentally important in deciding whether to vote for them. As managers of any kind know, the best indicator of future

behavior is past behavior. This is true all over the hiring process, otherwise we wouldn't need CVs or letters of recommendation. Track records speak and people rely on them. Hiring the next government is what the people are doing in an election. I hope they will have lots of opportunities to scrutinize carefully the records of what's on offer. How can that be accomplished if it's not considered important? Alan Hustis in Wentworth, Nova Scotia. I just wanted to tell you that I've really been enjoying good talk for about four weeks now after a neighbor put me onto it. I've always been a big fan of Chantal Hébert and I'm enjoying Mr. Anderson's insight as well. I'm 72, rural, would probably vote progressive conservative if the party still existed, and I get most of my

news from CBC Radio, the CBC website, and the Halifax Chronicle-Herald. I've not had a TV signal for 23 years, so I missed you in your prime. I'm tired of Mr. Trudeau, but I don't have much time for Mr. Poliev. Like Mr. Scheer before him, they're both boys who have never had a real job. Dave McIntyre he's in Puerto Vallarta Mexico your end bit on Tuesday about airline food got me thinking my wife and I just flew from Barcelona

Spain to Calgary for $222 each one way really Barcelona to Calgary for $222 each. One way. What, did they sit you out on the wing or something? This was less than I made per day at my last job in 2019.

In 1978, it cost me about $350 for a one-way ticket on Laker Airways from New York to London. More than a week's salary at the time. Flying is much better today. Well, if those numbers are right, I guess it is. Matthew Sklarsik. Vernon, British Columbia. At the risk of sounding insensitive,

something insensitive is coming. At the risk of sounding insensitive, the conflict in the Middle East is exhausting to follow. It appears to be yet another chapter in the ongoing friction in a place which could otherwise be one of the most beautiful places to visit, especially if you're a history nerd like me. The only way I can ever see peace in the Middle East is if one generation stops teaching its children that the other children are their enemy. One generation has to be willing to do it differently than their predecessors. What concerns me is what I see here

in my own country with regards to this conflict. We have regrettable parts of our history where we've made generational progress like slavery, workers' rights, women's rights, gay rights, and the treatment of indigenous peoples. But are we in danger of importing old ways of thinking that should be left in the past? I hear so much anger and hatred in these protests, fueled by a very thin understanding of the situation. Are we watching a generation fuel a hatred they will pass on to their children.

Let me just say a couple of things on that one. Yes to the most beautiful places on the planet. You know, I've been in the Middle East quite a few times, and it's usually for reasons that are not peaceful. And yet, the stunning beauty of the place, you just go, my God, this could be a tourism mecca. And the other point is the children-to-children thing. You know, I remember having dinner with the former Israeli prime minister, Shimon Peres, in the year or so before he died,

and my son was there, Willie was there. He was going to U of T at the time, and there was, you know, there were, I don't know, half a dozen or eight people at the table, and we were kind of battling stuff around. And Mr. Perez looked at Willie and said, what about you, son? Have you got a question for me?

And Willie did the question of his age group, which is like, when is this ever going to end? Like, what do you guys have to do? And Shimon Peres thought about it for a minute, and he said, well, your generation is the first that could really make this happen, because you know how to talk to each other through social media.

And if those on either side of this argument at your age can influence the discussion through dialogue, that could lead to the end. Well, he was hopeful and maybe there's a reason to remain hopeful, but it hasn't happened yet. Frank Hendrickson in Bainesville, Ontario. Absent from the speculation about the changes that a Polyev-led government could bring to the country, is any insight into how our Senate would react to the legislation that is required to bring about some of his more radical proposals. Right now, the upper house is controlled

by independent senators, few of whom can be considered CPC supporters. Can we expect a power struggle about the notwithstanding clause or defunding the CBC. I'd be curious to hear what Chantel and Bruce have to say about this. Well, Frank, I will ask them tomorrow. It's a good question. As you know, they're independent senators, but most of them are appointed by Justin Trudeau. Many of them considered basically liberal senators. But we'll see.

I will ask the question. Albert Lynch in Suris, Manitoba. Your listeners can reference the Canada National Observer's article titled, Report used in Axe the Tax Rallies Contains a Big Error. For context, I'm limiting my comments because your Friday show hopefully will cover all. The PBO, Parliamentary Budget Officer, has made an error that will have an effect on the next federal election. This error is now being compounded by the PBO downplaying the issue.

All Canada's federal parties should demand that the PBO apologize to Canadians and resign. Canadians deserve much better than this, especially at this time, regarding our most important issue. I'll look into that, Albert. I did see the article. We've got a couple of letters left. Only a couple. Joanne Barnford in the Niagara region of Ontario. I recently visited the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

near the Hamilton Airport. I was amazed. We got to see up front the Lancaster plane, which was used during World War II. It is one of only two left in the world, I might add. My grandfather and father both served in the RCAF. My grandfather was a navigator during the war, and my father served in Edmonton for five years in the 1950s. The D-Day anniversary, coming up 80th next week, is special to me because my mother was under Nazi occupation as a child during the war, and this day marks the beginning of the end of tyranny in Europe. Visiting the Warplane Museum was

special to me because of my family history. I hope people will visit this gem of a place and learn lots of our World War II escapades in the sky. It is a fantastic museum. And as I've said before, I've been out there and I support that museum. I've been on the Lancaster. I've flown in it a couple of times. So has my son.

My father, my son's grandfather, was in the RAF, the Royal Air Force, and he flew Lancasters. He did a considerable amount of flying during the war and was decorated because of it. So we're actually a family where three generations have flown into Lancaster, and I don't imagine there are many who can say that. But those were pretty special days. Ben Duggan in Conception Bay South, Newfoundland, Labrador. What's been on my mind is the repatriation

of the remains of a Newfoundland soldier from the First World War. On July 1st, a military funeral will be held at the National War Memorial in St. John's, laying the unknown soldier to rest in a tomb. For those who aren't familiar with Newfoundland, we were a Dominion before we joined Canada in 1949. The repatriation of the remains of the Newfoundland soldier are significant because it reflects the sacrifice Newfoundland soldiers made

to support their Commonwealth allies in World War I. I've been reading Frank Gogo's book, The Royal Newfoundland Regiment in the Great War. Reading this book and hearing of the brutality and hardships these men went through shows me that we take our freedom and safety for granted, and hopefully the addition of a tomb of the unknown soldier will remind us that freedom comes at a cost. Sure does.

That will be a very special day, not unlike the day that Canada's unknown soldier was laid to rest at the National War Memorial in Ottawa. That was, well, it was 24 years ago. May 28, 2000. He was moved from a cemetery near Vimy Ridge, France to Ottawa. And here's a letter many of us can share the thought behind. Julie Smith Allen in Lethbridge, Alberta.

My mom is on my mind. She died two weeks ago. And yes, she lived a good long life. She was 92 and three quarters. But that just means that my sisters and I were used to having her in the world. Our mothers share our triumphs and our disappointments, cheering us on, weeping with us, and saying heartfelt prayers for us our whole lives.

We must tell people regularly that we love them, because by the time we realize we've said our last goodbye, it's too late. Thank you, Julie. thank you Julie thank all of you for your letters again this week you know I'm really I wasn't sure what would happen when we started this segment off these Thursdays of your turn

I think it's important that you have an opportunity to weigh in on stuff. We don't always agree. You know that. You don't agree with me. You don't agree with Bruce. You don't agree with Chantel at times. But you also have a vehicle to express your thoughts.

Not everybody gets on. I appreciate that. But the overwhelming majority do get on. So I thank you. And I love sensing the, you know, the widespread locations of where you're writing from, whether it's across the country or across the world. Podcasts are a wonderful thing. And I'm glad you enjoy ours. And I'm glad you enjoy Thursdays.

Tomorrow, it's Good Talk. Chantel and Bruce will be here. We'll ask that question. Who was it? It was Frank Hendrickson asked about the Senate. And I'm sure there'll be other things that we'll talk about as well, because we always find room to talk on Fridays with Chantel and Bruce. Next week, as I said, 80th anniversary of D-Day.

We have two special shows. Nala Ayed will be with us. You remember Nala from her days at the National, same time I was there. She's now the host of Ideas on CBC Radio. But Nala's just written a book, and it's a great book. And it relates to D-Day. So Nala will be with us.

I think that'll be Tuesday. On Monday, it's James Holland, a name you probably know. He's a British historian. He's in almost every documentary you see about World War II. You'll see James Holland. He's going to join us on Monday, kind of to set up the D-Day week. D-Day, of course, is June 6th. We're going to do these two shows before then to get you in the mood

for the events and the heroism that took place on that day. That's next week. So thanks so much for listening on this day. It's been a treat, as always, to hear your letters and to hear from the Random Rant here. Talk to you again in almost 24 hours.