Thursday’s letters: Look for opportunity in tariffs crisis

With Trump applying tariffs to Canadian steel, aluminum, et cetera, everyone is running around like chickens without heads. We need to rethink how to address the issue. Let’s look at the Chinese characters: crisis, danger and opportunities; with the tariffs, what’s the opportunity out there? Explore other options.

For example, you play tennis for years with the same partner. One day he says, I am not playing with you anymore and you should also give me your racket, too. Is the sky falling? Absolutely not, you look for another partner. With Trump applying tariffs and wanting to take over Canada, let’s take the opportunity to look for countries as trade partners. Come on, Canada. The sky is not falling. Let’s take the opportunity and explore other countries.

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Allan Mah, Edmonton

Alberta should tax fly-in workers

I have been lobbying the Alberta government since 2014 on the proposal of provincial income tax charged to out-of-province workers by Alberta. To date, there has been no reply. This has been a situation of radio silence from the Progressive Conservatives, the NDP and the UCP.

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The situation in most of Canada is that non-residents working away from their home province are paying income tax to the province where the income is being earned. This usually is a situation of a fly-in/fly-out worker to the Fort McMurray oilsands facilities. Alberta’s non-renewable resources pay these salaries, and not one cent is left in Alberta. The same situation occurs in Saskatchewan. Our province has lost tens of millions over the last 50 years. The government is aware of this.

Andrew L. Zebak, Edmonton

Stop using the term 51st state

Words are important. Groups of them communicate facts and ideas. Repetition of a non-fact distorts people’s thinking. Donald Trump has referred to Canada as the future 51st state. The notion that Canada become part of the U.S. is revolting enough, but as one state? Yes, in the language of the bully.

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How Canadians have responded to Trump’s blather is curious. CBC News and government ministers have used the term 51st state in interviews. Damage occurs when anyone in Canada uses that term. If we have to refer to Canada being part of the U.S., let us at least do it in a constructive manner. Fifty-first state? How absurd. Canada has 1.5 per cent more land mass; we ourselves should be 51 states. Canada has 10 provinces and three territories; that equals 13 states. Canada has 12 per cent of the U.S. population; that’s six states. Any way we look at it, let us never, ever, think or talk of our great dominion as one state.

Charles Hitschfeld, Edmonton

Ban tankers on East Coast, too

Perhaps the most persuasive argument for Energy East could be the imposition of a ban on all tanker traffic on the East Coast and St. Lawrence. After all, exactly the same as the West Coast ban. Save those whales?

Les Thompson, Edmonton

Letters welcome

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