Dear President Obama,
I was pleased when you were returned for a second term in office as President of the United States in 2013. You are now in your last term and I need to get a message to you before you “retire.”
These are challenging times for you and your people: significant racial unrest on the heels of police shooting black people, terrorist attacks on innocent children, immigration and citizenship standoffs, and of course the controversial Keystone Pipeline issue.
Although I am aware that your international skills have been questioned on more that one occasion I continue to admire your work on the home front: health care initiatives, attempts at gun control, a strong stance for freedom of speech and your country’s long steep climb out of staggering debt.
As your neighbor I hear your pleas for common sense, compassion and calm. Many Canadians admire your clear sight, good judgment and inspired action by using your considerable veto powers. Anyone who has received a Nobel Peace prize is worth knowing.
I was wondering; would you consider becoming our next Prime Minister? Some of us are hoping to have a vacancy sooner than expected. (I hope) Our current choices are unacceptable: one is a bully, another too young, and the third is, well, the third.
In any case Canadians could use someone to look up to, someone who speaks from the heart, and someone whose oratory is outstanding. Your integrity would be a bonus.
We do have our own problems of course, many of which you are already familiar with in your own country: political scandals, marginalizing minorities, ignoring veterans, muzzling scientists, spying on our friends, and bullying whistle blowers. We too have our own overpopulation of a certain minority in our prisons, just as you do in yours. We are not perfect.
That being said, there are many extraordinary reasons for you to become our Prime Minister, the major one being your exhausting battle for universal health care will be non-existent. Most of us love our universal health care system in Canada and wouldn’t give it up just so we could pay for the privilege of private health care. Our air is, for the most part, cleaner than yours, and at the moment our economy is more stable. We have good fishing and hunting.
Most of us Canadians are humble nice people. Do not think that we are a boring people. We are not boring. We have raised many fine musicians, artists, and intellectuals some of whom you have given a temporary home.
We have four seasons in Canada, four real seasons, where we can wear our shorts one day and a parka, toque, mitts and scarf the next. Many of your people come to our country to enjoy our fine outdoor sports.
We have less crime with fewer mass shootings (although we are catching up), minimal occurrences of hurricanes and floods (comparatively speaking), a lower unemployment rate, and far fewer foreclosures per capita (so far). Our public educational system is in high regard worldwide.
Basically I think you are a nice guy who is trying to do good, honest, caring work in a country that does not appreciate you. I speak for many Canadians and say that we would support and welcome you as our next Prime Minister.
We like your beautiful face.
We like your honorable discourse.
We like your impassioned hope.
We would do well together.
In the event that you do a tour of Western Canada this week we will be having a small dinner party at our home for my birthday on February 8th. We live in a quiet, fairly safe neighborhood in Edmonton, Alberta. The door will be unlocked.
A Canadian fan
Julia Kopala
Aw, this was an exceptionally good post. Finding the time and actual effort to generate a
superb article… but what can I say… I procrastinate
a whole lot and never seem to get anything done.