Today’s letters: Let’s rethink factory farming, Canada

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Factory farming is inhumane and feeds the greed of the public who have come to expect bottom-of-the-barrel pricing on meat. I know I should not be eating meat at all and have tried to limit my intake. I purchase chicken and fish from organic producers but I know this is not enough.
I, like many others, am conscientiously looking to purchase animal products from ethical producers who champion animal welfare and raise their animals in a low stress environment, allow them access to pasture and the outdoors.

Farmers should stop factory farming. Feeding the needs of the community rather than the world at large may be a way to start.

Nancy Borsk, Ottawa

Retaliatory tariffs: Let’s not do this

U.S. citizens have been repeatedly lied to about who will pay the cost of the massive tariffs if they are imposed on imports from Canada. Americans, before and after the presidential inauguration, have been told that the governments of the exporting countries, including Canada, will pay the tariffs and that the funds will flow to the U.S. treasury.

Many Canadian voices have responded to correct this misinformation about how import tariffs actually work. These voices include our prime minister, cabinet, premiers, economists, academics, business and labour leaders. Some U.S. voices have also been raised to deliver the same message.

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U.S. consumers will pay the massive cost of import tariffs, which will be included in the price of everything that originates entirely or in part in Canada. U.S. factories and other businesses will shut down and lay off thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of U.S. workers. U.S. inflation, cost of living, unemployment, car loan and mortgage defaults will bring a rising tide of financial and emotional pain — to Americans.

If we believe these to be the consequences of import tariffs, why would Canada impose retaliatory tariffs on imports from the U.S.? Surely American consumers, businesses and workers, including those in the agricultural sector, are going to feel enough pain for all of us. Why inflict more pain on Canadian industries, workers and consumers? Let us not and say we could have, but wisely chose not to.

Gordon Harrison, Ottawa

King Charles should defend Canada

Re: Needed — a message from the king, Feb. 15.

I agree with letter-writer Ken Carter. King Charles III is our head of state, is he not? He should be supporting our position, indicating to Donald Trump that any talk of Canada becoming the 51st state is a non-starter. Our acting head of state, the Governor General, has kept strangely quiet during these last few months.

Our Commonwealth brethren should support us as well, in case Trump casts his roving eye towards any of them in the future.

Louise Whalen, Ottawa

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