Letters: Conservative anger, Western separation needs to be tempered

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Conservatives are again furious with fellow Canadians who have chosen to give the Liberals another minority government.

Perhaps their message might resonate more with average Canadians, if it wasn’t drowned out by so-called supporters driving around in jacked-up trucks festooned with profanity laden flags and Trump decals.

Now we have the lunacy of a fringe group touting Alberta separation. A recent poll showed one in four Albertans were in favour of separation. Based on my high school math, that would indicate that three out of four Albertans want nothing to do with it.

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It’s time for some common sense in this discussion.

Robert Carleton, Regina

Alienation real, but election was fair

I’m 66 years old and I’ve lived in Saskatchewan since I was 13. Goodness knows, I’ve felt my share of Western alienation. I get as angry as any other westerner when the federal government and the people in central Canada ignore the concerns of Western Canadians.

But could everyone please knock it off with that “vote-rich Ontario” phrase that journalists and commentators are using? I’ve never liked that expression.

It implies that Ontario has an unfair advantage over the rest of Canada. It’s representation by population. Remember? If your province has more voters, it gets more seats in Parliament, and that’s how it should be. This is not to suggest that Ottawa is treating the West fairly.

I don’t like Alberta Premier Danielle Smith using the threat of Western separation to try to blackmail Ottawa. I don’t want the West to separate and I definitely don’t want to join the United States. However, the Liberal federal government really needs to start taking Western Canada’s issues seriously.

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The Liberals need to stop treating the West like “the sticks” and Westerners like “hicks.”

Petra Seyffarth, Regina

Poilievre facing his day of reckoning

There is bound to be a day of reckoning for a leader who blew a 27 percentage point lead and lost by 2.4 per cent of the popular vote. He also lost his own seat. There seems to be several reckoning possibilities emerging: I reckon Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre is perfect. No change needed.

I reckon Poilievre will change, although he told controversial academic Jordan Peterson that he never had. I reckon that Conservative campaign strategist Jenni Byrne will tune in those conservative premiers.

I reckon Pierre and the CPC will destroy Prime Minister Mark Carney the way he did Justin Trudeau, although that took three elections.

David Steele, Saskatoon

Let Regina voters have their say on fluoride

In 1954, 1958, 1965 and 1985, the people of Regina voted against fluoridation in Regina’s drinking water. The citizens of Regina have never voted for fluoridation. City council’s decision to fluoridate Regina’s drinking water is in direct opposition to the historical wishes of Regina’s citizens. That is not democracy.

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Pat Dunne, Regina

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