An Open Letter to the United States of America
When California was on fire, Canada sent water bombers to help. When our country is burning … You sent us a grievance letter. America, we need to talk.
Dear United States Congress,
Thank you so much for your deeply concerned letter about our wildfires “ruining your summertime.” Genuinely touching.
We say sorry that our forests, after years of record heat, drought, and corporate logging (some of it by your own lumber giants), had the audacity to catch fire and interrupt your BBQs and lake weekends.
However because you’re so concerned, let’s review the scoreboard:
When California was swallowed up in flames, Canada sent water bombers. No letter. No whining. Just assist. Because that’s what friends do.
We routinely send highly trained Canadian firemens to California, Oregon, and Washington when your forests are burning down much faster than a rant from your president. We do not send out a letter grumbling about the smog drifting north, we send out assistance.
When your medical facilities were overwhelmed and out of PPE during the pandemic, we shipped masks and gloves south. At the exact same time, Trump threatened to cut us off. No letter. Simply help.
When 9/11 occurred, we took in 33,000 stranded guests and fed them in Look, Newfoundland. We didn’t send a letter grumbling about our tourist season. We opened our doors. You may try it at some point rather of burning the world for campaign money.
On the other hand, you send us … a letter.
You compose with concern about your “capability to go outdoors and safely breathe.” We’re worried about that too. We’ve been worried for years as your corporations have actually belched more carbon into our shared atmosphere than almost any other country on Earth. You lecture us about “active forest management” while at the same time gutting your own environmental protections and subsidizing the really nonrenewable fuel source market that’s setting our planet on fire.
All the while, we’re actually buying green energy to avoid these fires before they start. You might attempt it at some point instead of burning the world for project money.
You wish to discuss what’s “ruining the summer season”? Let’s speak about the raw sewage and hazardous waste you’ve been dumping into the Excellent Lakes for a century. Let’s talk about the intrusive types that drawback a ride in your ships and decimate our environments. Let’s discuss the acid rain from your factories that has poisoned our lakes and forests for generations.
Oh, and let’s talk about that “outside entertainment” you’re so anxious about. You understand, the exact same outdoors you have actually been paving over with pipelines, fracking, and oil rigs. The same air you’ve been happily polluting for years, accelerating the environment crisis that makes these wildfires even worse.
Your letter points out arson, but conveniently ignores the primary accelerant for these fires: environment modification. A crisis you have actually actively lobbied to overlook.
So please, spare us the lecture. Don’t you dare grumble about the smoke in your sky when you have assisted build the fire.
You implicate us of “an absence of forest management”? Please. Our forests are twice the size of the state of Texas. And think what? We didn’t spend years rejecting climate modification while burning coal like it was going out of style.
We Canadians enjoy our summer seasons, too. We likewise love having the ability to breathe. But most of all, we value relationship and reciprocity. Things that are plainly in short supply south of the border nowadays. Real good friends show up with containers, not grievance letters.
If you’re so desperate for fresh air, possibly stop choosing political leaders who believe the only green policy worth supporting is the color of their project contributions.
Instead of sending out snarky letters, how about sending out fire teams? Or maybe instead of funneling your giant defense budget into more tanks, border walls, and that Big Stunning Costs spending plan that props up ICE and billionaires, you could assist battle actual global dangers. Like environment change?
Next time there’s a crisis, possibly search in the mirror before you look north.
With all the polite Canadian sincerity we can summon,
Canada and The World D
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Let’s show that real pals show up with containers, not complaint letters.