Dear Editor:
Having “almost” made up my mind not to vote in the upcoming provincial election, I paused to ask myself, “What would entice me to vote by, or on, Feb. 27? Health care seems to be a huge topic for all the parties involved, but that is nothing new. Another election fought on health care. No thank you!
One issue that has been around a long time and doesn’t get the attention it deserves is how trade barriers between the various provinces cost just about as much as the 25% tariff the U.S. is threatening to put on Canada.
Why are we so upset about the potential harm they might do, while at the same time we are willing to live with the billions of dollars it costs all of us each year by our own elected government? It makes no sense to me and the effect felt has resulted in low levels of productivity, investment and standard of living.
It is time to talk about solutions and how internal trade barriers hinder our wealth and have impacted our ability to be a richer, more prosperous country. Doing so would protect the health care we all want, our construction workers and truck drivers as well as a myriad of other services. We could be prosperous instead of drowning in debt, and having to bribe, or subsidize, other industries to locate here.
Until we get serious, tell the truth, get everyone on board through education and a media who will cover this topic, the age-old tropes no longer work for me.
Janet Calderwood,
Rockwood