As a regular Citizen reader it pains me to see the exaggerated and unsubstantiated claims regularly put forth by your readers.
Everyone has a right to their opinion, but at times the sentiments expressed are nothing less than ridiculous. There are many examples, but those that stand out most are recent offerings. “All Canadian Conservatives are Republicans” really is beyond the pale.
This is Conservative bashing without regard to the facts. Canadian conservatism is neither American or European. It is a unique. The sentiment that conservatives, or for that matter Republicans, are right wing Nazi fanatics [not expressed in the above-mentioned letter to the editor] is inaccurate, insulting and misleading. One might as well say that Tommy Douglas was the same as Stalin.
Likewise, the notion, that Donald Trump’s election was invalid and that he is a dictator is overblown rhetoric and serves no one. President Trump won the election fairly under the American electoral system, like Presidents Hayes, Rutherford, Buchanan, and John Quincy Adams before him, all without the popular vote. The American system is designed this way, to prevent states like California and New York from deciding all elections.
Also, the idea that all other candidates votes exceeded Trump’s means he did not win is inaccurate. Jill Stein, the Libertarians and all others do not represent a clear winner against Trump. Even the notion that Clinton won more of the popular vote is sketchy. Without the necessity for photo ID in many states, and evidence that people voted in two different states and multiple times in Chicago and Detroit we just don’t know. It would honour and help all of us, as Canadians, if we were more balanced.
Once upon a time, before the CBC and left wing sentiment told us how to think, we Canadians were famous for it.
Perry Foster
Duncan