I cannot find independent confirmation of this – shared by a friend in the US – but love it anyway.
“Thank you Canada: Robert Meadows (Circuit Court Judge, Florida) wrote:Here is one American’s take on the growing trade war with the US and Canada.
“Have you ever stopped to consider how lucky we Americans are to have the neighbors we have? Look around the globe at who some folks have been stuck sharing a border with over the past half century:
North Korea / South Korea
West Germany / East Germany
Greece / Turkey
Iran / Iraq
Israel / Palestine
India / Pakistan
China / Russia We’ve got Canada! Canada. About as inoffensive a neighbor as you could ever hope for. In spite of all our boasts of “American exceptionalism” and chants of “America first,” they just smile, do their thing and go about their business. They are on average more educated, have a higher standard of living, free health care, and almost no gun problems. They treat immigrants respectfully and already took in over 35,000 Syrians in the last two years.
They’re with us in NATO, they fought alongside us in World War I, World War II, Korea, the Gulf War, the Bosnian War, Afghanistan, the Kosovo War and came to our defense after 9/11. There was that one time when Canada took a pass on one of our wars: Vietnam. Turned out to be a good call.
They’ve been steady consumers of American imports, reliable exporters of metals and petroleum products (they are the biggest importer of U.S. products from 37 states), and partnered with NASA in our space missions.
During 911 many aircraft were diverted to Newfoundland, an island province off Canada’s east coast where Americans were housed in people’s homes for two weeks and treated like royalty. In return for their hospitality, this administration slapped a 20% tariff on the products of Newfoundland’s only paper mill, thereby threatening it’s survival.
And what do Canadians expect of us in return? To be respected for who and what they are: Canadians. That’s what I call a good neighbor.
But the King of Chaos couldn’t leave well enough alone. Based on his delusions of perpetual victimhood, out of the clear blue, he’s declared economic war on Canada. On CANADA! And he did it based on Canada being a national security risk to the US! For no good reason, other than the voices in his head that told him it was a war he could win. So why not do it, then?
Trump went ahead and imposed his tariffs on aluminum and steel even though we have a trade surplus with Canada on those products! Trudeau retaliated in kind. And now this morning, the White House is preparing a new wave of tariffs in retaliation for Trudeau’s retaliation. This time he threatens a tariff on automobiles even though 70% of their components originate in the U.S.! It’s just a temporary spat, right? Except for that smile on Vladimir’s face in the Kremlin, as the NATO pact unravels a little more with each passing day.
Again, we’re talking about Canada. Our closest ally, friend and neighbor.
On behalf of an embarrassed nation, people of Canada, I apologize for this idiotic and wholly unnecessary attack. Please leave the back channels open. We the People of progressive persuasion stand with you.”
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Oh Canada
While I totally agree with the tone and spirit of this piece. I spot some glaring errors and omissions below.
Can you spot them?
“They’re with us in NATO, they fought alongside us in World War I, World War II, Korea, the Gulf War, the Bosnian War, Afghanistan, the Kosovo War and came to our defense after 9/11. There was that one time when Canada took a pass on one of our wars: Vietnam. Turned out to be a good call.”
The author makes it sound like CANADA joined the USA in fighting these 2 World Wars. While the reality is the opposite: But Britain and Canada thank the USA for jumping in there eventually.
1: August 4, 1914 Canada enters WW1
April 6, 1917, U.S. joined its allies.
2: 10th September 1939 Canada entered WW2
DEC. 1941 USA joined its allies.
and this:
3. Canada took a pass on Vietnam AND Iraq… another ‘good call’
There are soooooo many more. It would take a book length missive and even then he whose name shall not be spoken won’t read it.
I think we, Canada, also took a pass on your war with Iraq – but were with you big time in Afghanistan. You’ve been a grand neighbour to Canada too, so we can all hope this is just a bump in the road.
Lovely letter. Thank you. There is one inaccuracy. Canada did aid the US in Vietnam. 30,000 Canadians served, not under the Canadian flag, but while wearing American uniforms. Many died. We did it because we believe in standing beside our friends. It will probably never happen again.
Yes – just not official government policy. No “Canadian” soldiers.
Thank you Judge Meadows. As a Canadian I am insulted by Trump. How on earth can Canada be a National Security risk? We have fought side by side, taken in Americans across Canada during 911. Our Ebassador Ken Taylor saved six Americans by getting them out of Iran. Hopefully people will read what you wrote, more important, maybe they will listen and learn.
Robert “Bob” Meadows was a candidate for the Group 6 seat on the Florida 19th Circuit Court in Florida. Meadows was defeated in the general election on November 8, 2016. Sour grapes?
As well, I live in Maine, and I know first hand how much NAFTA has favored the Canadians. Canadians have been riding on the American taxpayers’ dime for decades. And if you’re going to write under the title “Lighthouse,” be aware that a lighthouse is a “beacon offering enlightenment.” You admit you don’t even know if this letter is factual. Looks like the Canadian “Press” is as “fake” and biased as that in the United States.
Gail Watkins, your “hero” is going to lose his edge in about 57 days. Remember what McCain’s daughter said about making American great again? It’s about to happen in spades…
To Gail Watkins from Maine. You read like a true-trump-tweet. You have learned well at the knees of your master. All is not fake and conspiracies in the world outside of Trump’s entourage. Do not read only what will reenforce your blind faith in Trump and his disciples. Try to verify information at knowledgeable non-partisan, non politized sources. There are many.
I’m proud to be Canadian, from a country that will always fulfill it’s financial obligations. Especially to the neighbor that will always be ready willing and able to defend all corners of our country, one of the most massive countries on the planet. I’m also happy that most Canada realizes (maybe not our grade school teacher / immature dolt of a PM) that it is more important to support our neighbor to the south than it is to destroy statues of John A. Macdonald while at the same time opening up all of our cities to immigrants all to interested in forgetting what went into creating such a great a peaceful country.
I contacted the campaign office for Mr. Meadows–he’s running for judge but is not elected yet. He did not write this article. Although positive, it’s just more fake news, easy enough to identify.
Great letter and brings to light the truth about our two countries. Whether Judge Meadows wrote it or not, it needed to be said and I hope this goes viral. I’m a Canadian with US relatives so we see it from both sides. At first we thought give Trump a chance, he might actually “Make America Great” again but wow America has one nut bar in the oval office. Even the die-hard Trump supporters are now whispering “Oh no, what next..make him stop” We certainly have one thing in common right now…both country’s are counting down to election to get rid of our inept leaders…Keep up the faith as we ride out this storm together!
Gail Watson is to ignorant too know who her real enemies are. She also has no idea how to fact check anything so calls it fake. Sad.
Ignorance is no defence to disrespect. The Canadian Vietnam Veterans Association estimates that about 20,000 Canadians enlisted for Vietnam, although other historians think that number may have been as high as 40,000. The association believes 12,000 Canadians actually served in combat roles in Vietnam as part of the U.S. military.
Thank-you, Judge, for defending Canada in the NAFTA talks!!! We are not America’s enemy – we have always been allies. Let’s restore some sanity!!! Ruth Steeves, Victoria, BC, Vancouver Island, Canada
Gail Watkins
Keep your bizarre opinions under wraps.
As a Canadian, please refute the fact that Maine would be a waste land if not for Canada Imports/exports.
You, like all Trump supporters, live in an oxygen deprived environment, which makes you totally incoherent and illogical.
Check the labels on your food items next time you have a meal?
Glenn
It’s a sincere, thoughtful account of the international relationship between our countries.
As a Canadian, I often say how grateful I am to live beside the USA! We are a large, sparsely populated country that could have easily been invaded by many countries were it not for our powerful friends next door.
The US government has recently been poisoned and hopefully with the good healthcare carried by the Administration, will make a speedy recovery! Get well soon my friend!
Gail Watkins, Canada BUYS more Goods and Services from the US than the US buys from Canada. The US has a $12,B Total Trade (Goods and Services) SURPLUS! But, I’m open to any info you have to the opposite. Please don’t quote Trump……. Thanks
We Canadians are respectful of all irrespective of who they are. Being peace keeper, we have participated in war for our southern neighbor, the United States of America. In return we expect mutual respect and friendship that stands all test. Sad we are treated like aliens by big brother recently. Will the history forgive it?
Its true that having a good neighbor is priceless. We do surveillance of a large strategic territory for almost 0$ to the US since we buy most of the hardware needed to do so from the US. We spend most of our vacations in your hotels and restaurant in Florida or Arizona. 400000 Quebec people fly south every winter to florida. We love the same music sports and culture. We salute your flag at every hockey game without an ounce of aftertough and with respect. We raise our glasse to California wines and we have a common history of colllaboration. However we are not stupid and bulling wont be tolerated on trade. We can open our market but with reciprocity and none of that BS ITAR and National Secutity BS. We are an alllie and we will continue to buy F150 pick up truck but wr could also buy Toyota and Nissan and go to Cuba for our vacations. But we will surely mids Florida and a good Ford truck but we can also manage without it
Dear Gail Watkins,
Your ignorance is exactly why I have lost faith in our neighbouring land. I hope that one day, it will be great again. This will only happen when the citizens who have been brainwashed come to their senses and realize that we are not out to get them, we do not ride on the dime of American taxpayers. We aid you when needed – Including Vietnam and Afghanistan. Lets talk about this for a moment. 40,000 Canadians served from 2001 – 2014. Someone in AMERICA tell me why Canada was even there in the first place? Tell me what you are taught and explain to me why I lost someone because of a series of events that were caused by YOUR country. I lost my brother while he was fighting Al-Qaeda. I lost the one person I had left in my life because he was fighting for the country that has decided we are unequal?
My personal theory is simple: His ego was bruised by us.
The Trump Tower in Toronto had become a national laughing stock, and tanked so badly they had to strip the sign off the building before anyone would go near it. Everyone ended us suing everyone else, and millions were lost.
It was a national story and was representative of how much Canadians despise your president (or at least as much as we Canadians are capable of anyway).
Ever since, he’s been at us like the spoiled child that he is.
I don’t know why you all are putting up with this. You do have several constitutional remedies you know.
Same thing happened to the Trump Tower in Vancouver.
I was looking for the same, as I’ve had Canadian librarian friends share it via social media.
Gail Watkins is a perfect example of what happens when one decides that FOX News is actually a News Channel rather than a Propaganda Channel. Other posts here mention that the “Horrible treatment” of the USA by Canada includes our buying more from the USA than USA buys from us. That’s called a US Trade Surplus Gail and President Trump. Of course Trump also recently announced they had agreement with Mexico on NAFTA and Canada could have 4 days to get in on it but it wasn’t really necessary as Mexico was a much bigger US trading partner than Canada is! Does he EVER check a fact before tweeting?
Sorry to break it to you, but Judge Robert Meadows didn’t write this. How can I be so sure? Because I wrote it. Please correct your false attribution.
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/thank-you-canada/
The true author of this marvelous piece is Bruce Lindner of Portland Oregon.
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/thank-you-canada/
Check snopes. Not written by a Florida Judge but by a man in Portland Oregon. Wish oeople would stop sharing all these false statements.
I want to thank you for your honesty and integrity ! We have supported the USA to the best of our ability ! It’s very sad that under Trump we find so much conflict …. he should have stuck to his “television show” which was pathetic … I don’t doubt for a moment, as shocked as Canadians were that he was actually elected …. Americans including Trump himself) must have been stunned !
I can not agree more we Canadian tought we were honest and friendly neighbors dedicated to our
Mutual democratic causes and mankind
Let us forgive and forget and project a soonreturn of an happy return and
Trustworthy and happy ending neighbouring relationship
So help us GOD
N