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Ketchup patriotism
I am delighted Loblaw has relented in the face of consumer pressure and reversed its decision to stop stocking French's ketchup (An Online Plea For Ketchup Patriotism Bears Fruit On Grocery Shelves – March 16).
I love ketchup, but I stopped buying the Heinz brand in 2014 when that company killed 740 jobs by closing its tomato processing plant in Leamington, Ont. Similarly, I stopped buying Kellogg's products when the cereal maker closed its London, Ont., plant in 2014, throwing 500 people out of work.
For more than a decade, I've refused to buy anything made in China unless there's just no alternative and the item is a "must have." I prefer to support Canadian businesses and workers. (Plus, Chinese goods are often shoddy, and I refuse to support a regime with little regard for human rights or the environment.)
Do my boycotts make any difference to Heinz, Kellogg's or China? I doubt it, but I sleep better knowing I'm doing my small part to support Canadian workers and our economy. I wish more people would do likewise. A little economic nationalism isn't a bad thing.
Ken Cuthbertson, Kingston
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French's ketchup, a new product that uses tomatoes from Leamington, Ont., has been made a "folk hero" of sorts. Heinz, which pulled out of Leamington, is the folk hero's evil nemesis. The story pits a "local" product, French's ketchup, against Heinz.
This is a heartening story that shows the power of social media and citizens' political action, but it is also one that conveniently ignores some facts about the agricultural industry in Canada.
Ketchup made from Leamington tomatoes – whether by French's or Heinz – is not a "local food" in the strictest sense. The region's growers utilize a work force overwhelmingly populated by migrant agricultural workers, who have few rights and cannot stay in Canada permanently.
It's true that French's actions have helped restore lost jobs in Leamington, this is worth noticing. But it's also worth noticing that our "local" food supply has a very politically complicated story to tell. We should listen.
Jody Mason, Ottawa
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If it weren't for the publicity, I might never have tried French's ketchup. I came for the patriotism, but I'm staying because it's good – downright meatloaf worthy, in fact. This incident makes me wonder how many other Canadian products are out there that we don't know about – but would support if we did.
Sharon O'Neill, Toronto
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Road to Washington
Re Clinton, Trump Rack Up Key Victories (March 16): Following the results of the latest presidential primaries, it has become ever more clear that the contest will be between The Lady and The Trump – with a campaign full of sweetness and spite.
Craig Kamcke, Ottawa
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I don't think Donald Trump is a racist (Win Or Lose, Trump Is Destroying The GOP – editorial, March 15). He's crude, an egomaniac, but not a racist. His proposal to temporarily stop Muslims from entering the U.S., if implemented, would be a measure to protect the security of all Americans, including the Muslims who live there. It can be seen as overkill, but it is a legitimate policy position.
The proposed construction of a wall across the U.S.-Mexican border is not racist either. Illegal migration across the southern border is out of control. Many Mexicans appear to feel large parts of the southwest were effectively stolen from them in the 19th century, and so they don't need to comply with immigration laws. Perhaps building a wall and allowing substantial legal Mexican and other Latino immigration into the U.S. through openings in the wall would put some order into what appears to be a totally chaotic situation.
The Globe has become an overly politically correct publication: Blunt and crude people like Mr. Trump, despite his faults, often say what needs to be said.
Tom Healy, Gatineau, Que.
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By the numbers
Arguments about whether Alberta should have saved like Norway are part of a larger issue (Norway's Model – letters, March 16). Everyone seems to have their own set of numbers on equalization payments. Suffice it to say that Albertans have transferred billions through their federal taxes to other provinces for equalization. The bigger issue? Arguments like these only fuel Western alienation and hurt Canadian unity. Provinces that accept equalization yet block pipelines while importing oil only add to that.
Why we are exporting Canadian jobs and wealth by refusing to provide pipeline access to reach markets other than the U.S.?
Dan Petryk, Calgary
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It is tremendously misleading to focus narrowly on the $3-billion Albertans contributed to equalization payments through their federal taxes in 2015. In fact, between 2000 and 2015, the federal government took a net, that is a net, of more than $205-billion from Albertans. In some years, the net contribution of Albertans to the federal budget exceeded $20-billion.
In every year, except 2015, it well exceeded $5-billion. Alberta's net contribution to Confederation in 2015 was the lowest in 15 years because oil prices began to drop in mid-2014 and job losses were in full swing throughout 2015.
Mike Priaro, Calgary
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Death by doctor
Re Why Religious Conscience Must Be Part Of The Debate (March 16): If some doctors prefer that their end-of-life patients suffer months of pain and misery because of their – the doctors', not the patients' – religious beliefs, I question their fitness to be in the medical profession in the first place. My father spent almost half a year in such a state. Being doped on morphine may have taken the edge off the pain, but for the misery in his voice when he said "I just wish it would be over" there was no drug.
If a doctor really can't see their way to giving a patient the relief that they would grant a stray dog, then they should accept the offered compromise and immediately refer the patient to someone who will.
Doug Gregory, Pickering, Ont.
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PBW alert
Re U.S. Auto Safety Agency Wants Details Of Google Self-Driving Crash (March 11): Why are some car manufacturers and Google wasting time, energy and ship-loads of money developing self-driving cars when we already have autonomous vehicles?
We see them every day.
Look, there goes one where the person behind the wheel (PBW) is texting with one hand and drinking coffee with the other, while theoretically steering with his knee. There's another, where the PBW is lighting a cigarette and checking her makeup in the rear-view – make that the face-view – mirror. And another where the PBW is staring at the rear seat, where the kids are hitting each other and screaming. And that one, where the PBW is listening to music on headphones, devouring a hamburger and gazing at a map app. Those cars must be driving themselves, as no human has much control over them.
Jerry Steinberg, Surrey, B.C.