The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge - Your Turn -- What's On Your Mind Plus The Random Ranter

Episode Date: March 13, 2025

We always get letters when we ask for them but never quite like this week.  The question was the old fallback --What's On Your Mind?  Well, you responded in record numbers.  The Random Ranter stays single focused too.

And hello there, Peter Mansbridge here, you're just moments away from the latest episode of The Bridge. And it's Thursday, that means your turn. And your turn this week was the simple question, what's on your mind? And boy, did you respond. That's coming right up, along with the Random Renter. Right after this. hi there another uh another thursday and another remarkable week of events that affect our lives and uh tell you there are no surprises anymore. Things just keep on coming.

Now, Thursday, this Thursday is the day before the new Prime Minister is officially placed in office. Mark Carney becomes the Right Honourable Mark Carney as of tomorrow, along with his cabinet. And the rumblings, as they've been for weeks now, is that it's going to be a much smaller cabinet under Mark Carney. Somebody actually put a number on it yesterday. It was my friend David Cochran at the CBC. He says what he's hearing is somewhere between 15 and 20 members. Well, that is a much smaller cabinet than the ones we've been used to of late, about half the size of past cabinets for the last number of decades.

So it'll be interesting to see that unfold and see who's in the cabinet. The rumbles have also been all along that there are going to be some people who do not hold seats, just like the Prime Minister, and that they will run in an election expected to be called within the next couple of weeks, if not sooner. But that is not our question for this week. Our question for this week is, what's on your mind? And you covered the bases, although there's no doubt

that the major focus is still on what's happening between Canada and the United States and the difficult relationship that now exists and where it's all leading and what it says about us. That's certainly on everybody's mind from different aspects. So we'll get to that. There are new rules this week. We placed a 75 word limit on answers and I've got to say love you guys

because almost all of you stayed with the rules. Some of you went long fingering that you'd be an exception. Sorry, no exceptions this week. You went long, figuring that you'd be an exception. Sorry, no exceptions this week. You went long. We're not editing. But the bottom line is there were so many responses.

I'm pretty sure we're going to have to go into two weeks, this week and next week. We'll probably add a couple of days, but only a couple of days for new entries. New entries, so not entries if you've already done one. So I guess the bottom line is if you don't hear your letter now, don't worry, it could well be on next week. So let's get started. Enough from me. We start with Sarah Hughes, who is from Prince Edward Island, but she's currently living in Haarlem, the Netherlands. I wish we could stop using the words 51st State.

These are not our words. They are Trump's words. He repeats lies and inventions until they take on a life of their own. Think of her emails, fake news, stolen election, and so on. Let's stop letting him determine the conversation and even the words we use to describe it. Debbie Fletcher in Jackson's Point, Ontario, that's on the south shore of Lake Simcoe, beautiful area. That's where Peter Zosky used to hold his annual golf tournament in support of literacy. Debbie Fletcher writes, I have grave concerns about electoral interference in our soon-to-be upcoming federal election.

Watching the chaos that is the American government of late is honestly keeping me awake at night. The undemocratic appointment of Elon Musk in an unapproved Dodge department that's government deficiency is of particular concern. Both Mr. Trump and J.D. Vance have shown the world that the U.S. is no longer an ally to us or any other democratic sovereign nation. Lisa Williamson in Hamilton, Ontario. What's on my mind is the unknown and how it eerily feels like pre-COVID. Back when we were wondering what this virus meant for us, no one could have predicted where it took us. Death, lockdowns, masks, and even the Freedom Convoy.

So-called. Déjà vu with everyone wondering what the tariffs mean for Canada. Will we have a new pre? Will pre-COVID as a measure of time be gone, replaced with pre-Trump? Bumping times ahead, but our flag is back. Canada is united and strong. Richard Valkoviac in Toronto.

The Canadian government should buy and save the Hudson's Bay Company from bankruptcy. Turn it into anything and everything made in Canada, bricks and mortar and online retailer. The Hudson's Bay Company was instrumental in creating Canada 355 years ago. The Hudson's Bay Company was instrumental in building Canada. Fast forward to present day. The Hudson's Bay Company could be instrumental in saving Canada. Elaine Braun and Brandon Manitoba. Canadian politicians are on my mind.

I have so much respect and admiration for men and women whose life is spent serving their country, even if I did not vote for them. I watched Jean Chrétien's speech Sunday evening. His passion for this beautiful country is still evident. I loved the whole speech. However, my favorite part was the ending where he called out, It was moving and beautiful. Rochelle Blair in Toronto. Canada is to Trump what Ukraine is to Putin. Lauren Finlayson in Cumberland, B.C. That's the central east coast of Vancouver Island.

I keep thinking about the sorry state of Canada's Conservative Party. Sure, they still command a large following, but that support appears to be collapsing. The reason is quite clear. The Conservatives have saddled themselves with a leader that just cannot read the room, so to speak. At a time when Canadians are crying for a united opposition to Trump and all he stands for, Pierre Poliev is wandering around in the barren deserts of meanness, nastiness,

and those worn-out pathetic slogans. Where's Aaron O'Toole when Conservatives and Canadians need him, a mature, calm leader who would have assembled a team to support Canada's efforts in these perilous times? What a pleasant contrast to the divisive offerings of Pierre Polyev. Jeff Goldhar in Aurora, Ontario. Thinking about the campaign Mark Carney will be running, how about a positive campaign? Tell Canadians that Pierre Poliev wants the best for this country, but so do I, albeit in a very different way. Boy, would those positive ads have traction. How refreshing would that be? Mark Carney exudes class and it would be a perfect fit. Nancy Sigafoose in St. Catharines, Ontario. Using the term American for U.S. citizens is dangerous.

It supports the philosophy of manifest destiny, a belief in the inherent superiority of white colonialist males and the conviction that they were destined by God to conquer the territories of North America. The country to our south is the United States of America, not America. We must be vigilant in our language and not inadvertently cede our sovereignty by using the term American. Of course, we've used that term for decades. Darren Neal, Oshawa, Ontario. One set of questions regarding the American economic trade war that I can't shake from my mind are the following questions. Why are no or few mainstream media productions

interviewing corporations operating in Canada? I believe Canadians need to know how corporations like Toyota, Honda, Costco, Walmart, etc. plan to deal with Trump's attacks. What opportunities are available to form a collective to fight Trump's actions? Will Canada cancel the contract for F-35 fighter jets? And let me just say that just because you haven't seen the interviews that you're looking for doesn't mean they haven't been requested. Okay, and I know firsthand that in some cases they very much have been requested.

They're just not getting the responses that would lead to interviews. On the F-35, you know, Ottawa ordered 88 of those in 2023 for a cost of $14.5 billion. Canadian Ministry of Defense also has estimated the F-35's operational costs for a projected 45 years in service at $54 billion. There's recently been some concern that the U.S. holds unilateral control over the source code for F-35's mission programming, so an unfriendly U.S. could remotely turn off advanced situational awareness capabilities

of the planes. That's not a good deal. Meanwhile, we're still flying F-18s. You know, which were, what, 1980s fighter planes. Richard Knight in Kelowna, B.C. It's encouraging to see Europe stepping up to fill the gap left by the U.S. and showing strong support for Ukraine. It's also reassuring to see signs of support for Canada from the royal family.

I don't know, I must have missed that. This moment serves as a wake-up call for the world, reminding us to look inward, strengthen our own resilience, and reduce our dependence on the U.S. Not everyone's so happy with the royals, not just me. Paul Jenkins in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. Many people I have spoken with in our community are appalled and angry by the lack of backbone in the king, and our alleged allies have demonstrated while Canada is under economic and annexation

threats yes yes i understand that the royal family can't get politically involved but desperate times call for desperate measures and i guess that's where i am i mean i look around and i see the king you know he's he's so busy he can't say say anything about Canada because that wouldn't be politically correct. Says who? You know, I mean, I understand protocol. I've been covering the royal family since 1970, and I've been a huge fan. I was a huge fan, huge, of Queen Elizabeth II.

I do not believe she would have sat by Through all this With not a hint Of how she feels About all this annexation talk But no we have a king who's invited Trump to come to the palace And have a state dinner

He was so busy yesterday He was working on a playlist His playlist For those who want to hear what the king listens to in the music. Oh, and I'm so happy for him. Okay, I know I'm going to get letters about that from the monarchists who say, no, no, no, strict rules, blah, blah, blah. Sorry, this is not a time for that.

Edwin Platt in Three Hills, Alberta. That's 90 minutes northeast of Calgary. When I was growing up in the 1970s and I went shopping with my mother, she taught me to look for the Made in Canada label first. She told me that since the U.S. and Canadian manufacturing were very much integrated, that I should look second for Made in USA. This was for two reasons. The best quality and to help support fellow Canadians. I have been shopping like this my whole life, and it's surprising to me that this is a new concept for Canadians to do.

Nowadays, finding made-in-Canada labels is hard to do because most of our goods come from China. Frank Wang in Surrey, B.C. As a cheeky hypothetical scenario, I want to see Canada threatened to withdraw from NORAD in response to the American aggression. If the nukes start flying over the Arctic towards American cities, they would be missing a huge part of their early warning system. It's our early warning system too, Frank.

Our next Prime Minister can take this threat with him to the White House. Look Trump in the eye and confidently tell him, Donald, don't make us play this card. You're gambling with World War III. Hamad Mirza in Toronto. Spending time with those around me and enjoying my favorite hobbies while putting down my phone. We found ourselves in a never-ending cycle where every moment is engineered to capture

our attention and keep it. We all need to check out once in a while and just enjoy what's in front of us and not around us. Marilyn Wallace, Fannie Bay, B.C. The destruction of the U.S. public service is on my mind. Public service is often characterized as an extravagant burden on taxpayers. But public servants work hard at their jobs so that those in the private sector can thrive at theirs. Children are educated, sick people are cared for, and our water and food are kept free of contamination. Banks are regulated, transportation is safe, and fair elections are ensured. The list goes on. A similar havoc must never happen in Canada.

Jackie McCurdy in Toronto. The nagging question of just how much and what types of permanent damage one man could actually do to the U.S., to Canada, and to the rest of the world in four years, I fear it's much more than anyone seems to want to contemplate and document. Beyond that, how would a Trump-Polyev government alignment increase the odds of that damage? So, yeah, doom. Predicting. Gary Dalglish in Burlington, Ontario. I fell in love with politics during the Ed Broadbent era, my golden age of Canadian politics.

I watched every convention, followed every election, Ontario and federal, and still do. I'm very saddened at the way we have followed the USA in campaign rhetoric and attack ads. Polyev's baseless attack ads today have made me sick. Liberals and NDP will follow. What happened to respect and arguing on actual policies? Debbie Draney in Toronto. It seems to me Canada's very lucky

that Mark Carney wants to be our Prime Minister. To have someone with such stellar real-world experience is a rare thing, and we should not be misled into thinking that any of the opposition candidates come even close. I get excited when I hear him confidently talk about how he knows how to build a strong economy for all. I feel relieved when I hear him encouraging Canadians to come together rather than aping the politics of division and

hate from south of the border. I feel less afraid when I imagine him negotiating on our behalf in these dangerous times. I hope the majority of Canadians give Carney a chance. He's the strong and steady hand we need right now. Elbows up, everybody. Pat Chamago in Slave Lake, Alberta. It's about three hours north of Edmonton. It's easy for me to fall prey to the anxiety of this existential threat that we face as a country. But greater than anxiety is the excitement that this upheaval brings to Canada.

It's our time to embrace innovation, be creative, and dream big with bold anticipation of the best that will be ours. Exciting times for our nation. Michael McCaukey in Waterloo, Ontario. With an election looming, the messaging of Canada's political parties is what's on my mind. Do people notice differences in how parties communicate when trying to sway voters? Are there differences in what they say and how they say it? Most importantly, if there are, I would be genuinely curious about our collective awareness of these differences. Paul O'Gratton in Miramichi, New Brunswick

I want to talk about how scared I am of our future. Some days things feel bleak. Then I realized I'd rather talk about how proud I am to be Canadian. That had been tainted for the last few years. Our flag is a symbol of pride again. Vive la Canada. I feel hopeful for our future. Elboza.

Boy, that's taken on a life, eh? Thank Mike Myers for that one. Joanne Bamford in Wainfleet, Ontario. That's the southern Niagara region. We will soon be having a federal election, and my worry is that Canada's electoral system may be under threat from foreign interference from America, of all places.

How do we protect ourselves from this threat by Donald Trump, J.D. Vance, and Elon Musk? This is what keeps me up at night right now. Meredith Woodwork. Or Woodwork. In Stratford. I'm assuming this is Stratford, Ontario, although it could be Stratford in...

This is Stratford in PEI. This is Stratford in Quebec. History is on my mind, specifically the lessons about the global community that we should have learned by now and the many sacrifices of those who have come before us. That and the supreme importance of taking care of one another. To me, that is Canada,

plus the coming arrival of spring. Double digits on the plus side this week. There's nothing happier than a Canadian in springtime. There's some truth in that for sure. Matthew Sklarczyk in Vernon, B.C. While watching the briar this weekend, I was fed a heavy dose of attack ads from liberals and conservatives. What's striking was how similar they were.

Their guy supports Trump and can't be trusted. What I didn't see from either was what they're going to do for all of us. If anyone from either campaign is listening, if you want my attention, stop telling me why I shouldn't vote for your opponent and start telling me why I should vote for you. What a concept. Rochelle Bergen. She's working and writing from China.

I normally agree with most of what your Good Talk panel says. However, this week, they missed the mark when they said that Trudeau has managed to unite Canadians as he bids farewell. He was not the one who rallied and united the country. It wouldn't have mattered who the PM is, because nothing unites Canadians like a snowstorm. Albeit, this snowstorm is orange. It's a storm all the same. George Outen in LaSalle, Manitoba. That's just south of Winnipeg on the banks of the LaSalle River. My thoughts these days are on the trade war. I strongly feel that Canada putting tariffs on goods coming from the USA will have little effect on Americans, but will have a far greater negative effect on Canadian business.

Donald Trump has highlighted the items that Americans need from Canada by only putting a 10% tariff on our energy and minerals. I think a better response by Canada would be to put some amount of an export tax, maybe as little as 5 or 10%, on these items. Well, let's see where that ends up. As you know, the electricity factor is a big deal, as it should be. Sheriff Abdelazim in Guelph. The American culture seems to be experiencing a fever. Everything is very divisive and not seeking allies or friends,

but rather client states. I fear we will meet the same fate. I underestimated Trump when he was elected the first time. That's why I'm very fearful of MAGA-like here. Now, Mike Thornton, and Mike has been a frequent writer over the years to the bridge and to your turn. Mike is a commercial pilot, okay, so he knows of what he speaks. He's writing today from Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, but he actually lives in Paris, Ontario.

Pierre Poliev, I met him in November. We had a 20-minute chat one-on-one in the aft galley of a flight en route to Kelowna, B.C. I wanted to know if he was like what I see on legacy and social media. He is. We talked about taxes, the cost of living, etc. But my main point was I told him I thought he was a bully. To his face, I said that. He seemed surprised by my opinion.

I can't vote for a bully. A bully doesn't represent me or represent Canada. Still, I wished him well and thanked him for his time. Also, he should get his security clearance. I have one for my job. What's with that? Bob Zubricki in Ottawa. Bob didn't need 75 words to tell us what was on his mind.

He needed only one. Sovereignty. Shannon Bradley Green in Cochrane, Alberta. That's just west of Calgary. I have a question that has been driving me nuts recently in regard to Trump and Ukraine and Russia. Why is it that the media aren't talking about Trump's past association with Putin

and how Trump has beholden to Putin for bailing him out when he was close to bankruptcy. No one seems to be pointing that out as to why Trump is siding with Putin. Well, Shannon, there's actually been considerable reporting about Trump's financial ties to Russia. We know that in the early 2000s, major banks in America stopped lending him money following his many bankruptcies in the early 90s. So the Trump Organization was forced to seek financing from non-traditional institutions. Several had direct ties to Russian financial interests. Donald Trump Jr. has said that Russians were key investors in the Trump

organization's assets. We see a lot of money pouring in from Russia, said Jr. Don Dufour in Ottawa. Hope is on my mind. H. How will the brilliant minds of the world's democratic nations figure out how to join forces to stand up to Trump? O. The Ottawa Senators will make the playoffs. And they might. They're in a very good position to do that right now.

P. Putin's reign of terror will end soon. E. Every one of our children and grandchildren will live in peace and prosperity. Well, that's how you spell hope. Keep your fingers crossed. Rachel Evans in Puerto Escondido, Mexico. That's the Pacific coast of Mexico. Regarding the upcoming federal election, it's concerning that parts of the electorate are not only victim to simplistic partisan nonsense, but also voter fatigue. Trump's threats to Canada and the world order requires all of us to be

actively and thoughtfully engaged in the upcoming federal election. Canada's recent surge of patriotism notwithstanding, I fear voter disengagement and disinformation may play a significant and most unfortunate role. I pray that I'm wrong. We're kind of past the halfway mark, so let's take a break. Let's take a break first, then we'll come back with a random ranter,

and then we'll get back to lots more of your letters. And as I said, there's so many letters this week. We'll be pushing this into next week as well. But right now, let's take a quick break, and we'll be back, as I said, with the Random Rant right after this. And welcome back. Peter Mansbridge here with the Bridge Thursday episode, which is your turn, of course. You're listening on Sirius XM, Channel 167, Canada Talks, or on your favorite podcast platform.

We welcome you from wherever you are listening, anywhere in the world, as we have a worldwide audience, and we appreciate that. Okay. Random ranter time. He's been single-focused, too, on what's been on his mind of late, so let's catch up to where he is this week. You know, when you listen to the experts talk about our trade war with the US,

they always talk about the need for measured actions, trusting the process, and relying on diplomacy. I get that. It's important to have rule-based norms to fall back on when international emotions get high or heads get hot. Who wouldn't believe in that? Well, Donald Trump for one. He doesn't believe in norms, or experts, or advice, or legal limits. He doesn't even seem to believe in borders. So every time he utters his 51st state crack, you know one thing's for certain, he does not believe in diplomacy. So when I hear the experts talk, I have to stop and remind myself that what they are saying makes perfect sense 99% of the time. Trump is the 1%. He breaks the mold the same way he breaks everything and everyone he deals with. He's unreasonable,

impulsive, hateful, and corrupt. Trump is a predator of the worst kind. He's not about the kill. He's about the pain, the retribution, and the punishment. That's what you saw in the Oval Office with Zelensky. Trump's twisted, evil, ugly, quid pro quo victory lap. The casualties are in the hundreds of thousands. Cities have been razed. Yet for Trump, none of that matters. For him, it's all about a phone call in 2019 and Hunter Biden's laptop. Look, I'm not saying I know more than the experts. I'm saying that when it comes to dealing with Trump, all bets should be off. He comes with no guarantees. He's as unpredictable as he is dishonest. Flattery might get you somewhere with him, but on the next round,

he'll expect fawning, then brown nosing, and then the next thing you know, you'll be doing the full Lindsey Graham. It'll get you nowhere but broken. Now, I'm sure the diplomacy experts have a page in their book for dealing with someone like Trump, but I think that page was intended for some tin pot dictator, not the president of the United States, not the leader of the largest economy and the most powerful military. I mean, it's pretty unbelievable that America elected someone so unfit for the job and so profoundly indifferent to the responsibility. Twice. And yet, that's Trump. He represents the absolute worst of America, drunk on power. He's got no respect for tradition, a warped knowledge of history, and a perverse sense of economics.

I mean, he's on the news right now celebrating the price of oil coming down, when the reality of the situation is, it's only falling because his tariff antics are prompting fears of a worldwide recession. It's far from good news. But that's Trump. You can't apply logic to him, and if you try, you'll just end up giving yourself a traumatic brain injury. He's not a problem we can fix. And unlike his first term,

he's not a problem that can be contained by the adults in the room. Because those guys are all gone this time around. In fact, I think half of them are in hiding. All that's left now between Trump's impulses and official U.S. policy is the charge on his phone and the Wi-Fi signal on the Oval Office toilet. But you know, like they say, if you can't beat them, then maybe we should, well, not join them, that's for sure, but maybe we should get this all over with and just skip to the end. I mean the gloves are dropped and the diplomatic dancing has gotten us nowhere. Trump's threats are increasing and they're doing real damage. For the most part

regular Americans seem to be as dismayed as we are by all this nonsense. But we shouldn't fool ourselves and count on that. If we know anything about Trump, it's that he's capable of wearing them down. And as tough and as committed as we are, we can't win a prolonged trade war. But we can win enough short, sharp battles to give Trump pause,

to bloody his nose, to crash markets, to cost jobs, to do damage, to throw a wrench in all his plans, and hopefully, hopefully, wake up all of America to the existential threat to the world that Trump truly is. The sooner we get this fight over with, the sooner we can start rebuilding for a better tomorrow. So the next time Trump escalates things, we shouldn't hesitate. We should flick the power switch, shut the oil valves, and stop the potash trains. Trump is testing our metal. It's time we test his. We're all in this together. Canada first. Canada strong, Canada always. So the ranter goes extreme, go for broke.

I don't know. There's a lot of what he just said I agree with. Not sure I go quite as far as he does at the end. The power thing is a big deal, and we watched how Ontario played it this week, and there's debate about, you know, did Doug Ford screw up in the way he did that, or was it actually a master play? That's debatable, okay? But it's an incredible weapon, just like oil and gas,

but electricity is instant. And shutting our neighbor into the dark in what is still the winter is a play that, well, has consequences. Let's just leave it at that. Anyway, thanks to the Random Ranter, as always. We are moving on with your letters, and we'll get as many in as we can, but we are going to make next week still a continuation of these letters.

I think we have enough for next week already. J.L. Tager in Prince George, B.C. Amazing over a few months, Trudeau went from ridicule to a serviceable Captain Canada. We might yet remember him fondly. A Trump shock, awe, and distraction strategy has been effective in this low-attention age of complacency, but it will lead to costly mistakes eventually.

How will this U.S. administration do once the lies and missteps pile up? How will they fare managing a crisis that isn't self-manufactured? And how long until the infighting starts? Let's consider Putin's strategy. You don't have to beat the Americans. You can simply outlast them. Bring on the pain. Joe Henschel in Calgary.

Would you take a pass on the 1936 Berlin Olympics Games? I think it's time to get a coalition of nations together, beginning with the Commonwealth nations, to take a pass on the Olympic Games plan for Los Angeles in 2028. I don't know, that's a long way off. I'm not sure what clout that would have, or even whether you could organize it. Bill Legate, seeing as, you know,

we've had such stellar support from our allies so far. Bill Legate in Holland Centre, Ontario. That's the Georgian Bay area. I believe Trump and Putin have formed a dangerous pact. Trump's new manifest destiny targets Canada, Mexico, Greenland, Panama, and now Gaza, suggesting forced relocation of Palestinians. His abandonment of Ukraine directly supports Putin's ambitions in Ukraine and Eastern Europe. This emerging Trump-Putin axis seriously threatens global stability,

leaving democracies, including Canada, vulnerable. I'm deeply concerned about the future security of our nation and our allies. Yvonne Clifford in Cambridge, Ontario. With everything happening in the world, the environment feels like the biggest loser. When times are good, we overlook it. When times are tough, we neglect it even more. What if Canada used this transition to lead economically by prioritizing environmental protection? As the Lorax says, it's not about what it is, it's about what it can become.

Let's be like the Lorax. Let's speak for the earth and shape a sustainable future for Canada. For those unfamiliar with the Lorax, it's a Dr. Seuss book about a character who speaks for the trees. A movie version was made of that as well. Christina Hayes in North Vancouver, B.C. What's on my mind is joining the Canadian Reserve Force. I'm old and out of shape, but I'm currently looking at part-time positions in my area.

I can't believe we're at this point. Michael Tettelbaum in Toronto. I just listened to your conversation with Janice Stein. While ordinarily I would agree that employing flattery, however unpalatable, which appears to get the best results when dealing with Trump, we have to recognize he is treating Canada differently because he clearly has designs on our resources. Accordingly, Carney has to tread a very fine line. While diplomatic, he has to make clear that we expect respect as a sovereign nation and fair deals, which Trump claims he wants will then follow.

Dave Kellett in Lakefield, Ontario, near Peterborough. Why is no one pointing out that Trump announces tariffs on Chinese cars because they're built with government subsidization, but we are not allowed to tariff the American agricultural products which are subsidized in their country? Canadian farmers are playing by a completely different set of rules, and our prices reflect the costs of production. If we want to compare prices, we need to level the playing field. Tim Stott in Minnesota, Manitoba. What's most on my mind these days is how is the current political

and economic climate is going to affect my children and their friends who are all young adults starting out in life in very uncertain and unpredictable times when it comes to just about every aspect of their daily lives. Doug Moffitt in East Lansing, Michigan. Doug was actually born and raised in Winnipeg. I'm concerned that Doug Ford is provoking Trump unnecessarily. Trump is vengeful, and he has years to go.

People down here are pushing back against this tariff nonsense. I'm writing my representatives, which is all I can do. Doug Ford should be talking with the governors of the states he's attacking to work with them against tariffs. Actually, to be fair to Doug Ford, he has been doing that. He has good relationships with a number of governors, especially the three that are most concerning to him, who have the benefits of the auto deal between Canada and the U.S. Laura Plant in Chilliwack, B.C. I have a few things on my mind lately.

How do we encourage Canadians to get out and vote in record numbers in this most important federal election? How do I know if my personal shopping and travel decisions are having enough of an impact? It would be nice to see some kind of data on that. We must be getting close to the point where we can get some official data on that. And finally, how do we plan a Canada Day party that is one for the books? Bernice Ross in Nanaimo, BC. I understand the British don't hold debates before elections. Actually, Bernice, they do sometimes. There was one in 2010, but none in 2015 or 2017. There was one in 2019,

and there were five last year that included the top two contenders. Anyway, back to Bernice. I'm quite worried that Ricarni in a French debate against Polyev, what if he didn't participate in the French debate, just the English one? Would the result be any worse than a horrible performance if he goes up against fluent debaters? I don't think that would work, Bernice. You can't back out of the French debate. And listen, I go with Chantal.

Chantal says his French is not that bad. And Quebecers, this is less of an issue for Quebecers than it seems to be for English Canadians who feel they have a knowledge of French to make this comparison. So I don't think there's any doubt that Mark Carney will be in the French language debate, assuming there is one. And I know they're working towards one, but all the parties have to sign off, not just the Liberals.

The Conservatives have to sign off. The only time I remember, I think it was 1980, when there was no debate. And that was when Trudeau was so far ahead in the polls, they didn't want to risk anything. And so they made up some excuse about no need for a debate. Deborah Backer in Vancouver, BC, or Baker, 2Ks. On my mind this week is the change to daylight savings time the u.s tried permanent daylight savings time in the 1970s but only for eight months before they backtracked on the widely unpopular change science and sleep medicine experts are clear more

morning light is healthier and better for our brains and bodies stopping the switch is key but it needs to be in favor of permanent standard time my brain aches when i try to deal with all these time changes scott burke in halifax i've always believed that even if you don't respect the person in a particular office, you should respect the office. I want to thank President Trump for creating a swell of patriotism across Canada and reminding us what we have in our backyard for food products and tourism. Millwood Sutherland in Toronto. Philanthropy. It needs to be performed only with after-tax dollars. You'll recall Paul Martin's concern, paraphrasing here, you end up with concert halls in Toronto instead of MRI machines in Timmins. Anyone who spends time with their kids at the athletic facilities

of independent schools can see that a not insignificant portion of philanthropy dollars are a method of directing what would otherwise be tax revenues towards facilities that the general public cannot enjoy. Don't even get me started on how independent schools do not pay property tax. In case you're missing the point, Millwood is arguing against tax credits for charitable donations. Though Paul Martin, as finance minister, did away with capital gains tax on stock donations to charity. Don Mitchell in Ottawa.

Complacency. Even with the Trump threat that has been with us since November of last year, I still see no urgency in our federal government to address the infrastructure, defense, intelligence, and foreign engagement deficiencies that Trump has clearly demonstrated that Canada is extremely vulnerable to. Justin Trudeau should have gone to the people in September. We were going to be exposed no matter who was going to sit in the White House. Harris would not have been the bull in the china shop that Trump is,

but the Democrats would have been more forceful than ever in forcing some hard truths on Canada. Will Carney be the agent of change this country needs? Not if he's handcuffed by the same crew that supported Trudeau for the last decade. David Charlesworth in the Calabrese, Nunavut. The biggest thing on my mind these days is what has happened to climate change in politicians' rhetoric. We can no longer kick the can down the road, Canadians agree. Why can't politicians deal with it?

Mathia Cowell in Saskatoon. As people move from higher cost areas to the prairies, housing availability is extremely limited and the prices are close to an all-time high. Medical care in Canada, specifically on the prairies, wait lists no longer exist because there are too many people waiting for family doctors and for anything specialized. You could be waiting years.

How embarrassed I am of the Saskatchewan Premier and his utter lack of support for Saskatchewan citizens. Elizabeth Prosser in Bracebridge, Ontario. I'm wondering why some of your guests often call our public officials by their last names only. I don't find it respectful. When someone devotes themselves to public service, they deserve to be referred to as Mr. Trudeau, Mr. Carney, or Ms. Freeland. Let's not denigrate our public discourse by sliding into a U.S. style of journalism. You know, for some of us, when we joined the CBC, our style was to refer to everyone on a second reference as Mr. or Mrs. or Miss.

There was no Miss at that time. The only exception was for convicted criminals. Well, like everything else, time changes. Doug Haw in Priceville, Ontario. The winter has been a little tough on the soul around here with lots of blowing snow that I haven't seen since the 70s. The better weather and warmer sun has me thinking about making a little bit of a maple syrup. We try to make around five to ten gallons of it and it's a lot of work. Nothing heals the soul like fresh air, warm, fresh syrup on a pancake,

and turning off the news. Man, that sounds good. Thank you, Doug, for writing that. Mark Newman in Delta, B.C. Like many Canadians at present, I am livid. I'm seething. Emotion aside, we as Canadians need to understand there are both short and long views vis-a-vis our response to the U.S. I have heard comments about preparing

for a wartime economy, yet at 42 years of age I have no lived point of reference as to what this would mean. I believe it necessitates hearing from a range of perspectives as the economy will be front and center at the ballot box of the next election. Jennifer Eliasmith in Waterloo, Ontario. I worry that when someone like Trump promotes women's sex-based rights, people reflexively reject that sensible position. Women athletes deserve fair categories, free from males who identify as women vulnerable women need sex segregated shelters and prisons there are places where sex matters this left-leaning woman hopes for one good thing from this chaotic president meanwhile in canada we deny women's sex-based rights.

Bruce Bauman in Quesnel, B.C. It's between Prince George and Williams Lake. The issue on my mind is the ongoing statements by the President of the United States to make Canada the 51st state and the economic war he has declared on Canada. It's not tariffs. Call it for what it is, war, although economic means that has been declared on Canada.

We must respond appropriately. We need to do everything, even those actions that will appear unthinkable, like applying export taxes to all exports to the USA and tariffs to all items coming into Canada, or refusing shipments from the USA. Buy Canadian first, anywhere else second, and never the USA. Louis Bouchard in Santa Cruz, California. He was born near Riviera de Luz in Quebec. As a dual citizen, I followed the liberal leadership race closely, as I intend to vote

again at the next federal election, a critically important one. Listening to four articulate candidates in both French and English, I couldn't help but getting increasingly upset at Biden for robbing us of a robust Democratic primary in the U.S. Kudos to Trudeau for exiting gracefully. Shame on the Democratic Party for the mess they left us all in. Two more for this week. Mark Furlan in Regina.

Grateful for being Canadian. I had the opportunity to listen to Jean Chrétien's speech in the Liberal Convention. The best thing I've heard in the past five years. He made me laugh. He made me cry. But foremost, he made me proud. Stop this nonsense.

What else is there to say? Here's our last one for this week. Ross Hales in Comox Valley, BC. What's on my mind is how grateful I am for the Canadian opinions and voices I've grown to love through the CBC. My strong sense of being Canadian developed because Peter Zosky, Stuart MacLean, Vicki Gabbro, Barbara Frum, and countless others, extraordinary people, express themselves as unapologetic Canadians.

Canadians on Canadian media, speaking to and for the Canadian experience. And Ross adds, Just reading what you write, Ross. I'm also grateful to have Peter Mansbridge to listen to again, having only recently discovered the bridge. Welcome to the bridge family. We enjoy getting together most weekdays right here on SiriusXM or on your podcast platform, whichever one you choose.

They're all available to you. And we love Thursdays because we get to hear from you. And this was a classic week. I've got twice as many letters as I've already read. So I've got a whole nother batch. So we'll extend this into next week. But, you know, at this point, don't bother writing more because I've got lots. I've got lots. And thank you so much to all of you who kind of respected the rules that we instituted this time. See how much better it flows on shorter letters. It's great. All right.

That is going to wrap it up for this week. Thanks so much for listening. Tomorrow, of course, is good talk. Chantelle Hebert and Rob Russo will be here. And as always, lots to talk about. Talk to you again this time tomorrow.