Canada faces the threat of a hostile takeover by the US. It is not an idle threat, it has to be taken seriously.
Putin launched an all-out attack on a neighbour with the intention of absorbing it into Russia. Donald Trump is doing the same, but by way of a trade war rather than a military one.
His explicitly stated objective is to absorb Canada into the United States. His opening salvos were to disparage the Canadian people and repeatedly refer to the Canadian Prime Minister as “Governor”. He has now launched punishing tariffs (falsely justified as being to counteract the importation of fentanyl). This is the start of a long campaign.
Have no doubt about Trump’s ambitions. He is serious about annexing Canada and Greenland, as well as taking back the Panama Canal.
Derek Bean, Hillsborough.
Looking back
Labour’s recent rise in the polls and Chris Hipkins being touted as preferred Prime Minister is good news for those who want to be led by people who during their last six years in power were associated with the phrase, “we’re looking into it”.
This while they clothed their inaction in the guise of consultative groups, working parties and steering committees that inevitably cost the country millions with very little to show for it. The abandoned cycle lane across Auckland Harbour Bridge was a glaring example of this.
Let’s also not forget, among many other failed initiatives, the KiwiBuild housing programme of 100,000 affordable homes which barely got off the ground. Then there was the promise to reduce child poverty but it actually increased during Labour’s term.
Labour invested billions in mental health in 2019 but reports show that those outcomes actually worsened. Finally, there was Hipkins’ decision during his party’s caucus retreat earlier this year. Not releasing any indication of what might inform people of Labour’s policy manifesto come the 2026 election does not inspire confidence.
If people want a re-run of all this with another disastrous Labour-led government, then, in the final words of the Herald editorial (March 11) let’s “Bring it on”.
Bernard Walker, Mount Maunganui.
Backwards thinking
Correspondent Susan Grimsdell bemoans that the Government is taking us backwards with its school lunch programme and alteration in climate change targets (HoS, Mar 9).
Many continue to wonder why parents cannot provide school lunches in the manner that they have for decades past and why so many still believe in man-made climate changes when sensible and knowledgeable scientists tell us that it is very largely the sun and its continually altering relationship to the earth that determines the world’s climate.
Hylton Le Grice, Remuera.
Misguided policies
Susan Grimsdell’s catalogue of so many destructive Government actions makes shocking reading.
Why is our Government choosing to do these things? Is it because they don’t understand these decisions? Do they really believe loosening the laws against speeding and smoking, cancelling public housing projects and cutting public health are in the public interest? No – I think they do understand.
The only plausible explanation is that their cruel and misguided policies are being driven by lobbyists and their money. They are enabling these wealthy groups to profit by damaging everything from our children to our environment (the school lunch fiasco is another example of their lack of care for children).
Clearly the public good is not important for this Government. They are a lobbyists’ Government and we must rein them in before it gets even worse in our country. We don’t want to end up like the US, where greedy oligarchs are now in charge.
Vivien Fergusson, Mount Eden.
Equal pay
I always watch both men and women’s sport worldwide, including golf which is so exciting to watch – especially days three and four, where they play them in order of their scores, with leaders last to tee off, so I fast forward both days one hour till the final four tee-off.
Yet the women golf winners aways get far less prize money than the male winners. Why is that so?
But a huge surprise came last weekend as Ryan Peake, a bikie ex-gang member from Perth, Australia, after years in jail (HoS, March 9) won the 104th New Zealand Golf Open with his prize of $335,000 - not too bad for only four days work.
This sounded like a really great prize but then Dame Lydia Ko from New Zealand, on the same weekend won the HSBC Golf Competition in Singapore, winning $643,000; twice the men’s prize on the same weekend At long last far more money for the woman winner than the man winner.
May it continue forever around the world. Women deserve at least equal pay to men in both sport and work. The way to go surely?
Murray Hunter, Titirangi.
Expanding gambling
Does Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden think she’s doing New Zealand a favour by increasing the opportunities for gambling here?
It is well understood that the purpose of right-wing governments is to prioritise business and profit-making but must this include the (largely foreign-based) gambling industry? And issuing 15 new operating licences is surely wildly excessive.
The impact on individuals who get hooked, on families who lose everything, is so destructive, not unlike excessive alcohol (and drug) use. Must we let business (and personal freedom) rights trump what is good for society?
Barbara Darragh, Auckland Central.
Tough love
Does anyone remember the concept of “tough love”? When a family was having problems with children, finances and everyday living, although it really hurt them, a rule of tough love was imposed.
This was necessary to counter excessive unnecessary spending and self-centred children who cared nothing for the greater good of the family. A family should work together.
Surely this is what Christopher Luxon is trying to apply to New Zealand. To regain our mana as a nation we need to swallow a bitter pill before we get better. For too long it has been too easy to accept government handouts as our due.
Linley Jones, Half Moon Bay.
