Over the years I have become inured to the partisan nature of letters written by Joe Sawchuk. I confess I have even responded from time to time when his bias and bile reached unacceptable levels, and this is one of those times.
Friday last he entertained us with a diatribe that dismissed the legitimacy of the last Alberta election because the winning party had less than a majority of the total votes cast, which is the height of hypocrisy coming from such an ardent supporter of the late regressive Conservative government and Stephen Harper. In fact, I clearly remember that when another writer raised that issue Mr. Sawchuk responded with arguments totally at odds with the one he presents now.
We all have our own perspective, and the right to express it freely. As a fan of the medium I faithfully read the letters to every publication, whether it be a newspaper or magazine, because the opinions of my fellow citizens matter more to me than most of the other content. I especially enjoy the enthusiasts and extremists and would like to take this opportunity to thank them one and all for years of amusement, diversion and sometimes even education. That being said, I believe there are certain standards of honesty and consistency that should be adhered to.
By condemning in his opponents what he forgives in his allies Mr. Sawchuk commits an hypocrisy. While I respect his right to have as many mutually contradictory opinions as he chooses, I suggest that in this case a patriotic Canadian like himself, aware that a goose is our national bird, should not forget the old adage about what’s good for ganders.
David Lowther
Mesachie Lake