Dear Editor,

Whichever Candidate succeeds in winning the White House will make history. John McCain would not only be the oldest man ever to be elected president, he would also be the first president born outside the United States. While the Constitutional requirement that presidents be born in the U.S. made sense in the early days of the Republic, it shouldn’t be a requirement to day. Over the past 70 years or so, (longer in the former Panama Canal Zone) thousands of Americans have been born wherever U.S. military families have been stationed overseas. Barack Obama would also make history if he were elected by being not only the first Afro-American but also the second president (Andrew Jackson’s parents were Irish immigrants) whose father was an immigrant.

William Bedford

Dear Editor:

There was a time in this country when recipients of the Order of Canada award helped to unite the country. True medical heroes like Banting and Best made us all proud when deserving civilians were recognized for a lifetime of outstanding achievement and dedication to the community.

That was yesterday. While there were those who applauded at least as many were outraged when the Order of Canada award was granted on Tuesday to Dr. Henry Morgentaler the abortion-rights activist and crusader of the 1970’s and 1980’s.
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By William Bedford

THE TORONTO BLUE JAYS WENT TO PHILLY

FOR THAT GLORIOUS DAY WHEN THEY “THREE- PEAT

Re “Toronto New Jays arrive.” (June 24).
Just because Cito Gaston coached the Blue Jays of yesteryear to victory in two World Series, doesn’t mean he can steer the current Jays
to a theepeat. Nostalgia is all very well, but you can’t recall, except on video, the splendor on the grass or the glory of the past.

William Bedford
Toronto, Ontario

Dear Editor,

Dion has taken the fight for humanity’s environmental future to Mr. Harper. Mr. Dion proposes a tax-neutral green shift: taxing things we don’t want - pollution - and reducing taxes we on things we want - income and investment. Mr. Harper counters and accuses Mr. Dion of trying to “screw” Canadians. So, what do the facts say about the government’s approach to tax-shifting and environmental management?
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Dear Editor;
It’s a no-brainer that we should all do our utmost to insure our children live in a world of clean land, water, air and food. However, when it comes to global warming our best efforts to reduce our carbon footprints would have little effect. While Canadians are among the biggest wasters of energy and water in the world on a per capita basis, our overall contribution to global warming is miniscule compared to carbon big-foots like China, India and the U.S. If we all traded in our cars for bicycles, bought only locally produced food, got rid of our air conditioning and reduced our carbon footprints to baby-booties, it would have little or no effect on global warming.

William Bedford
Toronto

Dear Edtor,
Re: Killing the Canadian in the Canadian
Dan Murray’s article, “Killing the Canadian in the Canadian” is right on the mark. Official Multiculturalism and massive immigration as dictated by the immigration industry, serves to eventually eliminate all the benefits and freedoms the new immigrant thinks he is coming here to enjoy.

The teaching of Canadian history is a disgrace. Even the historian Jack Granatstein, who I have met and admire, fails to recognize that Canadian history must be taught on the basis of the settlement of all English-speaking North America.
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The flags flutter at half mast
and the wail of pipes waft on
the summer breeze
as the honor guard shoulders
the casket bearing their fallen
Comrade.
His mortal remains will be interred in
his earthly home.
His immortal spirit will live forever in
his eternal home.
On a chilly November morning
we will remember him.
But for his loved ones,
every day will be Remembrance Day.

William Bedford

Dear Editor,

Listening to the Conservative rhetoric these days, you’d think M. Dion’s carbon tax would make the sky to fall. Compare this reaction, to how cabinet ministers reacted to Gordon Campbell’s BC carbon tax and you will see a major discrepancy:

Stephen Harper said, “Contrary to some commentary, the national plan and British Columbia’s plan complement each other.” The “mother of all taxes” is “complementary” to Mr. Harper’s undisclosed plan? http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=0376bd41-ebe2-4e06-bcd9-e284a81d5f5f

John Baird said, “British Columbia is a province that takes the climate change issue seriously, and have moved forward with a variety of initiatives.” http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080220/carbon_tax_080220/20080220?hub=QPeriod
He added, “I don’t have a problem with that at all. We’ve chosen a different path in this regard, but that’s fine.”
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/story.html?id=322378
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Dear Editor:
As a Progressive Conservative I was frequently interviewed by Tom Zytaruk of the Surrey NOW, finding him, if anything, a little too sympathetic to Stephen Harper and James Moore’s old party, the Canadian Alliance. As a Progressive Canadian candidate in the last election I was interviewed by Zytaruk, finding him, if anything, just a little dismissive - until he discovered I had more of substance to say than the so-called Conservative candidate, something hardly surprising because I had been a PC policy wonk while the Con was a parrot.

So the suggestion that Zytaruk may have doctored the Cadman tape is, at best, a little amusing.

Accusations of dirty tricks by dirty tricks prankster James Moore are hardly credible. This is the same James Moore who shamelessly wandered the Liberal leadership convention hall with fistfuls of buttons ridiculing leading Liberal candidate Bob Rae. Just seconds after Rae was knocked out, it was reported, Moore pulled a handful of buttons from his pocket and said: “There’s a reason we handed out so many of these.” Are Moore’s present accusations or his party’s “expert” witnesses much of the same? Who supplied the “North American” “experts”? Is Moore the designated old Reform hit man assigned to distract Canadians from Stephen Harper’s refusal to testify in the Bernier affair? In the neocon world is the prime minister above the rule of law and responsible government just like a “sitting” US Republican president?

Brian Marlatt

Progressive Canadian candidate-of-record South Surrey-White Rock-Cloverdale