Re: “Carney apologizes to Trump,” Nov. 2

Apologized to Donald Trump. Really.

My old Gran used to say, “Never complain, never explain.”

Why? Because complaining sounds like whinging, and explaining leads to finger-pointing, neither of which is very dignified, and both make one look to be on the back foot.

Not a great portrayal of public confidence.

I like Ontario Premier Doug Ford. He plays politics like old-time hockey. I liked to think Wayne Gretzky had his Dave Semenko, and Mark Carney had his Ford.

Can you ever imagine a coach like Punch Imlach apologizing for his guys’ behaviour on the ice?

He might have given guys hell in the dressing room, but as far as I can remember, he never publicly threw any of his team members under the Zamboni.

I know you don’t want to draw penalties, but sometimes taking a guy into the corner with a bit of a roughup can result in two minutes in the “sin bin.”

And sometimes it is well worth it. It energizes the crowd and elevates morale on the bench. And as Conn Smythe used to say: “If you can’t beat ’em in the alley, you can’t beat ’em on the ice.”

I think Team Canada should play smart. Eye on the puck, stick on the ice, all that stuff. But if there is a chance to drop the hip and crush a guy cleanly into the boards — do it.

Let the other coach be the guy whinging and finger-pointing.

Richard Mackenzie

Saanich

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s apology to U.S. President Donald Trump has seriously dismissed Canada’s standing in the world, and it has undermined his credibility in Canada.

What happened to “elbows up?” Carney’s apology and approach are an embarrassment to Canadians. He should stop capitulating to the U.S. administration — the country will support him if he takes a more strident approach.

It’s time to stop the niceties and represent Canadians.

We are disappointed. No one is standing up to the president. It’s time that Carney did.

Steve and Peg Orcherton

Victoria

Don’t forget the art of the deal! A trade agreement only works when both parties have something the other wants.

In Canada’s case, the one thing the U.S. needed from us was something it didn’t have or couldn’t easily get elsewhere — energy.

It was our vast oil reserves that the U.S. coveted, and in return, the U.S. granted Canada access to the largest market in the........

© Times Colonist