EDITORIAL – Sorry, Donald Trump, but put this in your pipe and smoke it

An editorial by Mel Rothenburger.

THE ORANGE LUNATIC, a.k.a. The Mad King, as some call him in his own country and others, is bashing Canada again. This time, he’s blaming us for “willful negligence” and “invading” the U.S. with wildfire smoke.

We must pay yet another tariff penalty for this irresponsible behaviour, he says.

Trump may be feeding off what a lot of our less logical and caring American friends have been posting on social media about the U.S. refusing to be Canada’s “ashtray.” But Canadians aren’t amused, advising that a little compassion for those affected by the fires on our side of the border would be in order.

Here’s one that I particular like:

To that I would add this: wildfire smoke travels on a two-way street. Sometimes the wind blows south, sometimes north. Do Trump and his merry MAGA band suppose that Canada is never on the receiving end of wildfire smoke from the U.S.? Do they forget the infernos that have burned in northern states and sent their “filthy, polluted and unhealthy air” (as Trump describes it) up to us?

Do they think the smoke from wildfires on the eastern side of our country isn’t polluting Canadian air? Do they not know that, every year, Canadian firefighters head south to assist in bringing U.S. wildfires under control?

Indeed, just a few days ago, a Canadian firefighter named Nicholas Dale was killed when his helicopter crashed while battling a wildfire in Colorado. The number of Canadians who go south to help fight wildfires in the U.S. each year numbers in the hundreds.

And, let’s acknowledge that the same goes for American firefighters coming up here to help us out. It happens because our two countries recognize the reality of how wildfires work, and have a formal arrangement that provides for instant co-operative response.

During last year’s terrible wildfires in California, we sent crews, aircraft and equipment to their aid. In other years, we’ve gone to places like Montana, Michigan and Texas.

In that devastating wildfire year of 2023, the U.S. did the same for us.

That’s the way it should be. Co-operation. Understanding. Mutual recognition of the benefits of working together. Not stupid words of blame.

Donald Trump, put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Mel Rothenburger is a former regular contributor to CFJC-TV and CBC radio, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, writes for the Kamloops Chronicle and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award, and was a Webster Foundation Commentator of the Year finalist. He has served as mayor of Kamloops, school board chair and TNRD director, and is a retired daily newspaper editor.  He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.