Canada shoots itself in foot

Re: Were I an Albertan, I'd be asking: What's the point? Rex Murphy, Jan. 22

It's a good thing many of Canada's grand achievements in great construction have already been built. The Canadian Pacific Railway, Trans-Canada Highway, St. Lawrence Seaway, the many great bridges spanning our waters, the infrastructure to distribute water, natural gas and oil pipelines and so on. But the main Canadian occupation these days is not construction “for the greater good” but rather obstructionism “to satisfy the few.” If Vancouver were trying to build the Lion's Gate Bridge today, it would not happen as the preference would be to keep all traffic out of Stanley Park — so no roadways. The St. Lawrence Seaway plans would be scuttled because some farmland and towns would need to be abandoned and flooded and Quebec would object to more cargo ships and tankers in the river passing their cities. These days it becomes a five-year planning session to build a foot bridge over a ditch, if you can get all to agree. So many times, things don't get built, much to the detriment of the economy and GDP growth. Why are Canadian governments so much more adept at shooting themselves in the foot compared with other countries? Didn't they learn anything from John Diefenbaker's scuttling of the Avro Arrow?

Tony Borbely, Calgary

Should Western Canadians give up on Canada or will there be meaningful reforms to our governance? Canada continues a long outmoded system which denies provincial equality. Our Constitution provides representation by population in the Commons but no equal representation by province in the Senate. Additionally, power is too concentrated in the office of the PM, who appoints governors general, Supreme Court justices and senators.

What changes are needed? Replacement of our senate with a triple-E (elected, equal, effective) senate is overdue. Remove power from the PM to solely decide on GG and judicial appointments and instead create an all-party body. Enact legislation guaranteeing balanced civil service employment by province to ensure that Canadians understand and respect the diverse nature of Canada. Free trade coast to coast and guaranteed free movement of goods including oil is a given.

If Canada is to continue, constitutional reform must happen soon.

Donald Koch, Calgary