Perhaps YOU missed it – but in July, 2025, 6 Republican Congress Critters felt compelled to send a letter to Canada”s American ambassador – complaining that Canadian wildfire smoke was affecting the lives of American citizens, and criticizing Canada’s forest-management policies !!!!! NOT making this up !!! They really did it !!!
This – a prime indicator of the Trump era STUPIDITY, CRUELTY, CRAZINESS. What else, besides ‘proving” to their FAR RIGHT voters that they’re “fighting for them” ?, would they insult the ambassador of America’s historic number one friend in the world ???????
***. “Fools are more dangerous than rogues.” [ George Bernard Shaw ]
It gets worse, as “letters-to-the-editor” pointed out:
— there are currently 12 wildfires burning in U.S. states; 2 national parks had to evacuate staff and visitors [M.J.; 7/15/25; Minnesota star Tribune]
– “the real cause is climate change” – higher temperatures, reduced snowpack, more combustible fuels, linger fire season. Suggesting better policies is “ludicrous” – most Canadian wildfires are in remote areas of vast boreal forest, far from firefighting infrastructure. ˇhese same people voted for Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” – which cut tax-incentives aimed at reducing greenhouse emissions. since 1750, the U.S. produced about 24% of CO2 emissions, Canada about 2%. [ S.H. 7/15/25; Minnesota Star Tribune]
– our Minnesota- Wisconsin Republicans “must have already forgotten where the wind was blowing when St. Louis County was burning up this spring” and the resulting smoke over Canada. {Jill Burcum: “That Wildfire smoke blows both ways”; 7/16/25; Minnesota star Tribune}
Not content with July’s letter – Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, Wisconsin Republicans signed. ANOTHER. letter in August, 2025, berating Canada for how its handling of fires ruined the summer tourist season!!! One Minnesota Republican filed a complaint with the U.S. EPA. and. the International Joint Commission – to investigate Canada’s handling of its fires !!!
A University of British Columbia forest ecologist noted that “70 years of fire suppression” in both the U.S. and Canada “is what allowed so much fuel to stockpile on the forest ground.” WE BOTH cut down mature trees to maximize profit -and left the rest – much of which is burning…..
Trump’s tariffs have made fire equipment 30% more expensive in Canada. An $850,000 truck of 3 years ago now costs. $1.4-$1.5 million. [Kristopher Tigue: “Smoke ignites more cross-border tension”; 8/16/25; Minnesota Star Tribune]
THEN – there’s TRUST. “Replacing agreements is one thing. Replacing trust is another. And that’s at risk with Trump’s economic and geopolitical aggression.” [John Rash: “Trump risks U.S. and Minnesota’s key relationship with Canada”. 5/8/25; Minnesota Star Tribune]. [NOTE: this was written two months before the infamous Congressional Republican’s July and August “complaint” letters.]
TRUST – for about 150 years, the U.S. and Canada had the world’s most peaceful and TRUSTFUL border in the world. There was a library between Vermont and Quebec which straddles the border. Crazy Trumpsters wanted Canadians to go through U.S. customs to enter. THEIR. library. One angry Canadian punched out an entrance on the Canadian side to thwart that bit of STUPIDITY-CRUELTY-CRAZINESS by YOUR government. There is an “International Peace Garden”. “that honors the long friendship between Canada and the United States’. that straddles the North Dakota-Manitoba border, established in 1932. There have been joint governmental buildings housing Canadian and American government departments along the u.S.-Canada border. Historic. TRUST.
***. “When we begin to build walls of prejudice, hatred, pride, and self-indulgence around ourselves we are more surely imprisoned than any prisoner behind concrete walls and iron bars.” [ Mother angelica ]
People may forget, even forgive. STUPIDITY, CRUELTY, CRAZINESS. – BUT. – they are unlikely to forget, unlikely to forgive HOW. YOU. TREATED. THEM. the REAL enemies of freedom and democracy are Russia and China. – NOT. countries, formerly friendly and “allies.” An intelligent American government would know this, act accordingly. – and. NOT alienate countries like Canada that are needed to combat the REAL enemies of democracy – Russia and China. Which also totally ignores how much genuine affection there HAS been – before Trump – between Canadians and Americans.
***** to Canadian readers, citizens – please consider this to be a public apology from Americans horrified by our mistreatment of Canada. Myself, my family, friends – all made many trips to Canada. there are NO better people on this earth than the Canadians we met on those trips, from the 1950s forward. I am sorry……..
With Justice For All 