Letters: Canadians should work together with U.S., not criticize

Regarding Mr. Cuthand’s March 29 piece about President Trump and America, I found it difficult to understand some of its inconsistencies.

The piece suggests that racial violence in Canada was more subtle than in the U.S. Given Peter Gzowski referred to racial violence in and around North Battleford and called the area “our Alabama,” I don’t see the subtlety. Another example of the lack of subtlety might be Louis Riel and his experience.

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I definitely don’t see any subtlety in Canadian government forces chasing Almighty Voice with a cannon. Again, in the Battle of Cut Knife, not much subtlety in trying to use cannons and a Gatling gun on an Aboriginal group that included families, women and children.

It’s true that the USA bears the scars of slavery, but it’s also true that Aboriginal people and First Nations all over the Americas engaged in slave taking and slave labour for centuries before European contact. One-sided views rarely help real understanding.

The USA fought a civil war to deal with slavery and racism and has consistently promoted freedom, democracy, tolerance and equal rights.

Without American involvement in the First World War and Second World War, millions of people in Europe and Asia would most probably be living as slaves under totalitarian regimes, like the one in Russia today. Thank you, American general Douglas MacArthur for saving part of Korea.

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Instead of constant complaining and criticism, I’d hope Canadians would try to work together with the superpower, and our cousins, who live next door. God bless the USA!

Mike Sluchinski, Saskatoon

Money not answer for sexual health

Candice Klein suggests that sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections are normal and expected results from engaging in sexual activity. She indicates that more money is needed to operate Saskatoon Sexual Health. She suggests getting wealthy elderly farmers on board to help financially.

If a 65-year-old farmer has millions of dollars in his bank account, as she fantasizes, he most likely didn’t engage in the type of activities that contribute to sexual disease and I suspect that he wouldn’t be very willing to support the cause. Farmers know that you need to fix the fences so the cattle don’t get out.

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No effort is being made to “fix the fences” when it comes to sexual health. More money will not fix this situation; the situation is out of hand as a result of choices that people make. There is no need to fear a sexually transmitted disease when in a monogamous relationship.

Lillian Heichman, Saskatoon

Housing first model works elsewhere

This failed provincial government needs to get on board with “housing first” as standard policy, and the harm reduction model as the blueprint for transition into care. Treatment before housing just doesn’t work. Multiple jurisdictions globally have concluded this as fact.

Look at Finland. They built tiny homes for unhoused people, and they essentially ended homelessness in their country. You can’t get clean and sober if you don’t have a place to store your belongings, cook food and call home. We need to do better.

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We need to drastically expand harm reduction services and, frankly, we need a new government.

Jae Anderson, Saskatoon

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