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Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
And hello there, Peter Mansbridge here. You're just moments away from the latest episode of The Bridge. What worries you most these days? That's the question this week on your turn. Coming right up.
Chapter 2: What worries you most these days?
That's right. It's a pretty straightforward question. Pretty simple. What worries you most these days? That's the question to you this week on your turn. And you've had, well, you've had since Monday to think about it and send in your answers. And let me tell you, you've certainly been doing that. We've had so many letters this week. There's not a chance we'll get through them all.
But here's the thing that really impressed me most. So many letters this week are from people who've never written before. They obviously listen. But this one sparked interest. This got you writing. Got you sitting at your laptop or your desktop or your phone and writing your thoughts to that question. What worries you most these days? Some of them will be obvious, some of them not so obvious.
So let's get right at it. And we're giving priority this week to first-time writers because there are so many of them this week. Our regulars wrote as well. You may hear a few of them, but for the most part, these are letters from first-time writers or those who've maybe only written once or twice before over the last few years. Let's get started.
Let's go right out to the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Sooke, B.C. Margo Swinburnson. I'm terrified about the narcissistic, malignant person whose presentation is complicated by his declining executive function. That is the President of the United States. Because he alone is making irreversible negative changes to every other concern from climate to world order.
Ron and Sandra Stevens in Whitby, Ontario. Trump, a deranged bully and his team are destroying the world as we have known it. Our well-being, the future of our children and grandchildren are being destroyed by his actions all over the world. My wife and I are in our mid-80s, so our main concern is our families going forward. We are scared as hell. Brent Jansen in Chilliwack, B.C.,
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Chapter 3: How have listeners responded to the question of worry?
I have a family of five. My wife and I both work full-time. The number one concern for our household is definitely affordability. We shop for food as we need it, not stocking up like we used to. We are basically treading water, but we're exhausted. The fuel prices are hitting also. My wife and I both commute over an hour each way to our jobs. It's becoming unsustainable.
Gabrielle Rejambault in Whitehorse, Yukon. The world is a complex web of actors, infrastructures, new technologies, random situations, and crises. It is a living organism. Our capacity to plan ahead will be severely hampered by our changing climate. As countries become stressed by lack of food and water shortages, they may well become hostile. Buckle up for the ride. Joan Farkas in Calgary.
I am most worried about Canadian unity. I live in Alberta, a place run by the separatist, MAGA-loving United Conservative Party, who are systemically destroying the very foundation of my province. They have attacked immigrants, trans kids, the environment, our health care and education systems, and now they pander to separatists who want to join the U.S.,
I volunteer everywhere, as do hundreds of thousands of Albertans, to stop her. But will it be enough? This is my greatest worry. I'm going to be in Calgary tomorrow, only for a couple of hours. This is like my fourth or fifth trip there in the last six months. Todd Burns in Montreal. As a Quebecer in his 50s, I lived my whole life under the threat of separation. Sadly, now the talk is back.
But from the West, Alberta, I am ecstatic that Quebec is not interested in a referendum. But the threat from Alberta worries me. Added with the interference from U.S. Republicans, I tire of this debate. Canada is a great place to live. Not perfect, but way better than most. Greg Steinbeck in Fall River, Nova Scotia. That's a suburb of Halifax.
As a father of young kids, the thing that worries me the most these days is the seemingly blind trust we've put into the AI bros to shape future society. If you're looking for examples, see Peter Thiel's answer to Should the Human Race Survive?, He hesitated for a concerningly long time and any Sam Altman quote in recent memory on children. Altman had a son in 2025.
He says this generation of children will always know that AI is smarter than they are. Kevin Ellis in Toronto says, Thank you very much. What are we, Romans who have forgotten about the importance of fine art and its role in leading society towards the next, better version of itself? Pam McDermott in Burlington, Ontario.
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Chapter 4: What specific concerns do first-time writers express?
At the forefront, in my mind, is the wealth inequality the world is seeing in this cycle of robber barons. History teaches us that if this continues, it most certainly will create more unrest, conflicts, and polarization. This is all sounding very negative to you. Keep in mind, the question was, what worries you most? That's why all of this sounds not very nice.
Ralph Goring in North Saanich, B.C. What worries me the most is how opposite we have become. We have become so entrenched in our views that it seems we've stopped talking to each other. It feels no one believes anyone these days and the lack of trust is too great. We need to talk more compromise.
Once we start talking and working with each other more, I am guessing other problems will start to be resolved. Mark Newman in Delta, BC. I worry that a lack of political courage and deep partisanship at all levels of government will prevent us from addressing critical challenges. While debate is essential, we cannot allow ideological friction to paralyze our progress.
Whether facing self-inflicted domestic issues or global threats, we require the collective resolve to prioritize long-term, durable solutions over short-term politics. We must have the strength to challenge ideas, openness to forge consensus, and maturity to move forward. Jacob Griffin in Halifax. It's frustrating when immigration processes feel slow and impersonal, especially in Nova Scotia.
My girlfriend has been waiting for her provincial nominee program approval, but the lack of communication and inability to check her status is disappointing. It feels like cases aren't handled with the urgency they deserve. hoping for improvements in processing times and communication to make the system more responsive and less stressful for applicants.
The Canadian government website says wait time is usually about 13 months. Maybe they should hire some more people. Tony Stansfield in Brentwood Bay, B.C., part of Greater Victoria. Our sovereignty. I have young grandchildren. Will Canada still exist as it does today when they grow up? Will the U.S.
come after our water and other natural resources by force, a possibility that will be exacerbated by climate change? I fear this part of Project 2025 may come to pass. If you've forgotten, Project 2025 is a 900-page policy wish list written in 2023 by the Heritage Foundation, one of Washington's most prominent right-wing think tanks.
It's a set of proposals that would expand presidential power and impose an ultra-conservative social version. During the campaign, of course, Donald Trump repeatedly disavowed Project 2025 while he was running for president.
But once elected, he nominated several of its authors to fill key government positions, and many of his initial executive orders closely followed proposals outlined in the document. Gosh, really? You mean he lied? Donald Trump lied? That's... Really? Come on! Jeez. Suckers. Pat Johnson, Charleston, Lake Ontario, near Gannon-Ockway in the Thousand Lakes area. Colette Bercy in Montreal says,
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Chapter 5: How does climate change impact personal worries?
Hate begets hate. In a world with so much hate, I wish we could use Colonel Jeremy Hansen's advice from Artemis. As humans, our purpose is to find joy and lift each other up. I wish you were right, Denise. I wish more people would remember that. Chris Maupoi in Calgary. Treaty 7 territory. Calgary is indeed part of Treaty 7.
The treaty was signed on 22nd of September 1877 by the Government of Canada and five First Nations. Chris writes, I recently became a parent, and the thing that keeps me up at night is the question, will my children inherit a world that's inherently more cruel than the one I grew up with?
It seems like our culture, algorithms, politics are all geared towards cruelty, and I'm desperate for a Canadian society rooted in dignity. Michelle Lopke in Winnipeg. I'm concerned about health care. While it is a provincial responsibility, the federal government provides significant funding.
Thus, if provinces are not meeting their responsibilities related to timely access, evidence suggests they are not, why doesn't the federal government withhold payments until provinces meet the requirements? I believe this is the only way the provinces will be incentivized to take responsibility and actually meet the needs of the public. Tavis Newman in Lethbridge, Alberta.
I'm worried about the creeping threat of gerrymandering. It may sound like something an elderly 90s sitcom parent would rant about, but it's a serious anti-democratic risk in Alberta. Proposed electoral boundary changes are raising credible concerns echoed by experts and widely discussed in Alberta media that they could distort future elections.
If governments start choosing their votes instead of voters choosing governments, that's unconstitutional and it's not democracy. Alex Dweck in Vancouver. I'm most worried about the erosion of nuanced thinking and conversation in our society. We often talk about polarization in politics, but my sense is the trend runs deeper and wider.
I believe that overcoming all the other existential crises we're facing depends on our collective ability to embrace complexity and tradeoffs, aim for progress over perfection, and seek win-win solutions with people we usually disagree with. Okay, one more before the break. And the Random Rancher is coming up right after the break. Cindy Zampa in Airdrie, Alberta.
Clean water tops my list of worries. By allowing Australian companies to pursue coal mining in the Rocky Mountains, the Alberta government is putting vital headwaters and ecosystems at risk of contamination. Water is our most essential resource. Clean coal is a myth.
Prioritizing potential gain, mostly for a foreign company, over the long-term pain Canadians will face dealing with land and water issues is short-sighted. What legacy are we leaving future generations? Just a little bit of background on that. A proposal by an Australian-owned mining company for a coal mine in the eastern slopes of the Rockies was denied in 2021.
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Chapter 6: What societal issues are listeners worried about?
Joining hasn't dimmed his voice in my head, though. Michael Artendale in Sudbury. A month ago, we got a storm that dumped three feet of snow in 24 hours. My worry then was about digging out. Now, due to the fact that I live on a lake, I'm worried about the flooding that keeps rising. I'm already over six feet higher than the summer level with no end in sight. Six feet?
C. Forstner in Smith Falls, southwest of Ottawa. What am I worried about these days? The crisis in Cuba. I know we have to be pragmatic, but I worry that we are losing our willingness to provide support and aid to those in need. Sam Obermeyer in Washington.
I'm worried about the possible military conflict in Cuba, but I'm also worried about the current humanitarian crisis there exacerbated by the U.S. oil blockade. Mark Hammond in Regina says, There are so many crises to worry about, but big picture, the general failure globally to enact widely helpful reforms in favor of nonsense trickle down economics.
The resulting popular anger with our government's failures to make working people's lives better as every bit of profit is squeezed out of every aspect of life. with thousands fired during profitable years, and the consequent rise of wealthy fascists using social media to popularize their agendas. Lois Nisbet Wall in Weimar, Saskatchewan, near Speedy Creek. Swift Current.
My major concern is climate change and the environment. Because of Trump and the Alberta separation threat, climate change has been completely forgotten. The oil and gas industry has been able to push their agenda and get what they want, more consumption of oil. Earth is our only home. We must protect it, but people are too short-sighted. John Houston in Okanagan Falls, B.C.
You'll never guess where that is. It's in the Okanagan Valley, south of Penticton. I worry that a wealthy Canada still doesn't secure its citizens with an adequate safety net, especially if we're facing a future of AI job losses and changed world dynamics. We may be able to learn some lessons from the Nordic nations. Conrad Amenta in Oakland, California says,
I'm worried about Canada's persistently sluggish investment in innovation. Canada ranks 17th on the Global Innovation Index. This has been the subject of numerous parliamentary reports finding routine underinvestment in research and development. If Canada is to chart a path independent from the United States, that means becoming less risk-averse.
The Prime Minister is saying the right things, but to succeed would mean cultural and economic transformation. It's a tall order. Millwood Sutherland.
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Chapter 7: How do listeners feel about political leadership and its impact?
Where's Millwood writing from? He's in Toronto. ... ... ... ... has made university admissions more subjective, advantaging those with greater resources over those with stronger ability. Not addressing these risks undermines Canada's long-term stability and fairness. Maureen Pangen in Dundas, Ontario.
As a long-time special education teacher, I am most worried about the volume of hate speech everywhere, especially on social media. My students are especially vulnerable to it, struggling to understand it and deal with bullying and misinformation. Instead, we should be spending time focusing on the good, in Canada especially. Canada, while not perfect, seems to be pretty great to me.
Boudicca Francis. Boudicca Francis in... Vancouver. My primary worry is the American administration's volatility. Although it's a long shot, I have concerns as a Vancouverite how easily Vancouver could be blockaded. So few checks are left in the American system and the Trump administration is making decisions without adequate consideration for its impacts. Violet Lucciak in Vancouver.
I'm worried about a global economic collapse that will force each country in the world to find a new way to exist without the old norm. Not every country or leadership will know how to create the new economy once the old way under the gold standard is gone. A new form of chaos could be on the horizon. John Braun in Okotoks, Alberta, south of Calgary
Canada is signing trade agreements with countries and trading blocks that will forever change our present trading patterns. These agreements must be exploited to ensure that we are not dependent on anyone for the majority of our trade. Adam McBurney in Bruce Jack Mining Camp. He's in a mining camp in northern BC.
Canadians are dealing with powerful forces that seek to divide our loyalties and conquer our resources. This keeps me up at night. But this kind of pressure has the potential to bring us together as neighbours and compatriots across our great land. You can throw Canadians together from anywhere in our glorious land, present us with a common struggle and watch impossible things get done.
It's how Fort McMurray became the capital of Newfoundland. There's no exact known number for Newfoundlanders who work in the oil sands. 10,000 to 20,000 is the best guess. Chris Nguyen in Ottawa. As a farmer, I'm alarmed that the proposed Alto high-speed train would carve through our land and community like a knife.
Prime farmland would be sacrificed, families split, and rural livelihoods pushed aside for a project to sign fire regulations from the people forced to bear the cost. Once this land is destroyed, it's gone for good. Stop treating farms as empty space and start listening. Living in Calgary, there are lots of things that worry me.
The government's assault on education, transgender, public libraries, human rights, not to mention electoral redistricting and Alberta separation. But worry is like a rocking chair. You move a lot, don't get anywhere. So don't agonize, organize. It's time to mobilize our networks, skills and resources. Pick something and do something. Jack Shepard in Ottawa.
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