Honorable Prime Minister and Respected Cabinet Ministers,

I woke this morning, after a restless night, after weeks of self-isolation and distancing, to learn that it has been decided to send the Snowbirds off on a cross-country flight as a signal of hope and encouragement during the Covid-19 pandemic. I burst into tears and I am shaking.

I've been heartened, proud and hopeful during this earthshaking time because our governments at all levels have been pro-active, unified and genuinely concerned for the people of Canada and all humanity. UNTIL NOW. We have been feeling fragile and uncertain but you have given us strength. UNTIL NOW.

The decision to send the Snowbirds broke me. It is financially hugely wasteful in a time when our economy is in jeopardy. This cannot be justified.

It is the very worst decision you can take for our Environment. You've declared a Climate Crisis and are to take thoughtful actions to reduce carbon emissions. We cheered when you determined to spend money in Alberta to rehabilitate orphan oil well creating green new jobs. Did you hear us?

The hope many of us have felt during these difficult times has come from re-imagining our society. We have been envisioning a healing world where nature and livingkind take priority over economy. Our air quality and our water sources have been improving...sigh.

Please be the true leaders you've shown yourselves to be until this time. Please do the right thing and cancel this antiquated show. It has not brought me and many that I represent an uplifting of spirit and sense of unity, rather despair and sorrow . We are greater than the symbols and the shows of superficiality, we are united in supporting our democratic institutions and the people they represent.

Sincerely and with a pledge to continue to do my part,
Sue Near

(Feel free to use any part of my letter or ideas to create your own emails. (firstname,[email protected])