Dear Donald,
My name is Osborne Burke and I am a proud Canadian citizen and a resident of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada.
There has been a lot of media coverage over the past several weeks over your comments to us, your northern neighbours, some of which has been somewhat threatening and has upset many of my fellow Canadians. Canadians do not appreciate threats, intimidation or bullying. We have fellow Canadians who annually visit your state of Florida who are so upset they are considering leaving the region and spending their millions of dollars elsewhere.
Canada has been your northern neighbour since we became a country in 1867. We have been here as a friend through many challenges, from World Wars, terrorist attacks and climate impacts such as floods, tornados, wildfires, etc…
Through all of these events, Canadians in many cases have been the first to help out. Whether it was the horrible 9/11 attacks in New York and how we Canadians welcomed, housed and fed many Americans impacted on those terrible days, to our fellow Canadians travelling to many U.S. states to assist with restoring power to our American neighbours in their time of need. Or, most recently, assisting in fighting California wildfires. It is the Canadian way and it is what neighbours do for fellow neighbours.
So, you can appreciate our shock at your suggestions that Canada become the 51st state and references to our Prime Minister as Governor. We would like to state for the record that we (Canada) are a sovereign nation with an actual border and not an arbitrary line as you have alluded to. And quite frankly and with all due respect, not everyone wants to be a citizen of the U.S.A.
We enjoy our benefits as Canadians with universal free health care, women have freedom of choice, we welcome all races, religions and genders here in Canada. We enjoy our freedoms, our much lower violent crime rates thanks to effective gun controls. So as polite as we Canadians can be, no thank you Donald.
However, please be aware we are here as your northern neighbour and if you need us to assist just give us a call.
My final comment is regarding your proposed tariffs on Canada’s exports into the U.S. Canada has been a major trading partner with the U.S. for decades and the success of our trading partnership has been second to none. Our auto industry is fully integrated, not only with the U.S., but also our other North American neighbour, Mexico. We are so integrated that the U.S. auto workers’ unions have raised concerns that your proposed tariffs could result in up to a million Americans being laid off.
Canada supplies in excess of four million barrels of oil daily to U.S. refineries. This oil is required for your country’s refineries to produce products such as diesel, that quite frankly U.S. oil is not suitable.
I may have neglected to mention that I am employed in the processing sector of the seafood industry here in Nova Scotia. Canada not only exports significant amounts of seafood to the U.S. — a lot of which is then processed and shipped worldwide and generates significant employment in states such as Maine and other neighbouring areas.
We have been doing business in seafood with many of our loyal customers and companies in the U.S., and frankly Donald they are very confused and frustrated as they realize that no one wins with tariffs, and as the importer of record, they the American customer will actually pay the tariffs and be forced to in many cases to pass onto the American consumer.
Donald, I would ask you to please stop with the misinformation. Canada actually does allow U.S. banks to conduct business in Canada and yes, Canada does import a significant amount of dairy from the U.S. to the tune of $344 million dollars in 2021, as an example.
In summary, Donald let’s stop with the rhetoric and misinformation and as friends and neighbours let’s shake hands and work together to strengthen our trade between our respective countries and continue to build a robust economy on both sides of our border and generate wealth and prosperity for our citizens.
Respectfully yours,
Osborne Burke
Ingonish, Nova Scotia
