We must answer tough questions to avoid U.S. slide
An appeal to ALL Canadian political leaders, ALL our political parties and ALL our rational, citizens who care about our country’s future. I am writing this to you as a former American, who has “lost his (former) country”, and as a proud Canadian citizen who loves his country.
Is it not time for our politicians and our citizens to realize, and accept the reality that the “unravelling” of the U.S. can also happen here? Granted, there are a minority of Canadians that support Mr. Trump and his actions and “style”. Having said that, this letter is addressed to our political leaders and citizens, that like me, are deeply distressed to see the ugly “revolution” down south taking place.
Is it not time, for our political parties to put their differences aside for a moment, and acknowledge that our country’s future must be (should be) the main topic of discussion? Do we really believe (via our own arrogance), “Oh, what is happening in America could never happen here!” On that similar note; the question many Americans are asking themselves: “Oh, how did that happen here?”
Well, it can happen here because we have become a bit apathetic, chosen to disengage from our political process, have become less aware of issues, failed to keep political leaders in check and DO HAVE, though we like to think we don’t, an angry underclass, e.g. the widening socio-economic gaps, the growing number of poor versus the “elite”, along with the middle class being marketed out of existence. And while this quiet anger continues to grow, our politicians’ main goals are working towards getting elected immediately after getting elected. The parties cater to their specific constituencies, while working in their sequestered back rooms political war rooms figuring out how to outdo each other.
Is it not time for the leaders to put the country as a whole and its citizens’ needs, our great country’s future survival FIRST, before their own political needs and gains?
Is it not time for our politicians, on every level of government, to come up with an enlightened, for-the-good-of-the-country, let’s-leave-our-egos-at-the-door, approach to governing? To ask the important questions such as, how to strengthen our democracy for all, create a level playing field, as well as protect our institutions? Isn’t it time to ask, how can we truly start communicating, working together to ensure Canada does not take the downhill slide the U.S. has. To acknowledge that we are NOT immune to an extremist, ugly, revolution that will change Canada forever. The U.S. of A has been and will be changed for many, many years, a lifetime, in fact.
It is TIME, to start governing and working differently. If we and our politicians believe that our citizens, our valued institutions, our communities and a functioning enlightened government are priority, then and only then will we have a much better future than America. It is about time to act, to work much differently. Oh Canada!
Steve Frankel
Thetis Island