After reading Geoff Russ’s article on the rise of Marine Le Pen in France amid a collapsing political and economic environment in the European Union, one cannot fail to question Prime Minister Mark Carney’s desire to establish closer relations with that unified state.
asserted
one → read → state
While increasing non-U.S.A. trade is a desirable outcome of any attempt to reverse our economic decline, it would appear this decision fails to function as more than another dubious effort to jump-start our export economy.
asserted
decision → increase → economy
A similar effort was undertaken several decades ago under Pierre Trudeau’s “Third Option” strategy with the European community.
asserted
effort → undertake → community
That effort failed miserably.
asserted
effort → fail → ?
It is unlikely much has changed in the European economy in the intervening years except even more economic decline with its many internal barriers to global trade.
asserted
much → change → trade
Furthermore, the EU tilt toward antisemitism against Israel has manifested itself in a boycott of Israel exports.
asserted
tilt → manifest → exports
And Canada has joined that parade of malice to our ongoing shame, even refusing to provide the requisite level of support to our own Jewish population.
asserted
Canada → join → population
Without a functioning Parliament it appears Canada has drifted toward a downward slope in both our participatory democracy as well as having entered a decade of accelerating decline in economic self-sufficiency with no end in sight.
asserted
end → function → sight
Raymond Foote, Ottawa
Tower of Babel redux
In June, Christine Fréchette, Quebec’s premier, told voters that she intended to strike a “different tone” with anglophones after years of acrimony.
asserted
she → tell → acrimony
Her government’s subsequent refusal to let Élections Québec continue mailing voting information in both French and English was a slap in the face to anglophones; especially unilingual seniors.
asserted
Québec → let → anglophones
(Anglophones must use a QR code to link to English instructions on the Élections Québec website.)
asserted
Anglophones → use → website
In an interview on The Elias Makos Show on CJAD 800 on June 15, Fréchette insisted that her government “cares a lot about the English-speaking community.”
asserted
government → insist → community
Yet the only TLC on display here is Targeted Language Care — because nothing says “I care” like directing that care away from the people who actually need it.
asserted
who → say → it
Earlier this month, Fréchette praised her government for “respecting” anglophone rights by keeping ballots bilingual.
asserted
Fréchette → praise → ballots
But what good is a bilingual ballot if voters don’t know when or where to vote?
asserted
voters → know → ?
The biblical story of the Tower of Babel offers a striking parallel.
asserted
story → offer → parallel
Humanity once shared a single language, and that linguistic uniformity became a tool of ideological control.
asserted
uniformity → share → control
Speech was used to enforce conformity.
asserted
Speech → use → conformity
God’s response was to break the linguistic monopoly — to introduce diversity as a safeguard against authoritarianism.
asserted
response → break → authoritarianism
That makes Quebec’s latest policy quite the achievement: it took the Tower of Babel thousands of bricks to confuse people; this government managed it with one QR code!
asserted
government → make → code
Rabbi Mordecai Bulua, Montreal
Not just a ‘Trump problem’
The perspective isn’t “maturity” — it is dangerous, historical amnesia wrapped in sentimental nostalgia.
asserted
it → wrap → nostalgia
To suggest that Canada’s economic bruising is purely a “Trump problem” completely ignores decades of reality.
asserted
bruising → suggest → reality
Both Democrats and Republicans have consistently waged economic warfare against Canadian industries.
asserted
Democrats → wag → industries
Whether it is the decades-long “Buy American” policies, the endless softwood lumber disputes, or the tearing up of trade agreements, Washington’s priority has always been America First, regardless of who sits in the Oval Office.
asserted
who → buy → Office
Relying on the memory of 9/11 and shared geography is an emotional distraction from a hard truth: the United States treats Canada as a convenient resource pool, not an equal economic partner.
asserted
States → rely → pool
While some preach “balance” and wait for a friendlier face in Washington, Canada is getting pummelled economically.
asserted
Canada → preach → Washington
Passivity masked as diplomacy isn’t a strategy — it is a recipe for continued exploitation.
asserted
it → mask → exploitation
We cannot afford to romanticize a relationship that our “neighbour” treats as purely transactional.
asserted
neighbour → afford → that
It is time to stop waiting for Washington to change and start aggressively decoupling our economic future from an inherently protectionist empire.
asserted
Washington → stop → empire
William Perry, Victoria, B.C.
Ignore Trump’s bombast over Bombardier
U.S. President Donald Trump says that if Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier wants to sell planes in the United States, it must build the planes in the States.
asserted
it → say → States
Not surprisingly, he isn’t aware that Bombardier already directly employs over 3,500 people at a number of sites in several American states.
asserted
Bombardier → employ → states
Additionally, its aircraft are built with American-made components such as engines, avionics and many more key systems provided by American companies.
asserted
aircraft → build → companies
Trump needs to brush up on his homework, if he ever does any.
asserted
he → need → any
Alexander Ross, North York, Ont.
iPhone ushered in new era for blind persons
A hearty thanks to Terence Corcoran for his timely history of the Apple iPhone as it enters a new era.
asserted
it → usher → era
I would like to add one more first.
asserted
I → like → one
Steve Jobs required the iPhone soon after its introduction to be fully operational by a blind person.
asserted
Jobs → require → person
With the flick of a finger engaging “VoiceOver,” we have full access to all of the phone’s functions.
asserted
we → engage → functions
Since then, hundreds of applications specifically designed for blind persons have become available.
asserted
hundreds → design → persons
With one phone call for example, I was connected to a trained agent who, through their computer’s screen using my iPhone’s camera, guided me through a busy retail store.
asserted
who → connect → store
We are informed while standing on a street corner when there are no cars in sight.
asserted
We → inform → sight
…and 28 more, not listed.
The Aporia
