Regardless of present political tensions between Canada and america, Rob Brewer says he did not suppose twice after he was requested to ship a hydro crew south of the border to help after a winter storm hammered elements of northern Michigan.
Brewer is president and CEO of PUC Companies, the hydro and water utility for Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., which borders the city of the identical identify in Michigan’s higher peninsula.
“Sault, Michigan has been our neighbour for 108 years,” he mentioned.
“There’s gonna be some ups and downs with respect to political management and that type of factor. However on the finish of the day, you already know, our youngsters play hockey collectively. We go to fairly often in each instructions…. And so we get a name like that asking for assist, we’ll go.”
Brewer mentioned the Cloverland Electrical Cooperative in Michigan requested his help when a winter storm hit the state in late March, chopping energy to hundreds of houses.
PUC Companies ended up sending a five-person crew south to assist restore broken energy traces.
Canada and the U.S. have been in a tariff war triggered by U.S. President Donald Trump’s levies launched in latest weeks. The tariffs have impacted work and sentiments on each side of the border.
“You hear tales with what’s been happening with respect to the political facet about folks not being welcomed,” Brewer mentioned.
“That has not been our expertise. I can inform you it has simply been phenomenal. I feel the bonds we’ve got are stronger than a number of the present scenario will affect.”
A thanks letter
To indicate their appreciation, a bunch of residents from the affected space banded collectively to buy adverts within the Toronto Star and Sault Star newspapers to thank the utility staff from the Canadian Sault for his or her assist.
Patrick Shannon, a retired prosecutor from Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., was one of many individuals who signed the thanks letter.
“The Ontario folks coming over to help was simply a sign of how we work collectively,” he mentioned.
Shannon’s house is close to the St. Marys River and he mentioned he sees Canada each time he seems out the window.
He mentioned his group has had shut ties with its Canadian neighbours for over a century.
“Combating with Canada is silly. It is simply boneheaded,” he mentioned concerning the ongoing commerce warfare.
Margaret Doud, the longtime mayor of Mackinac Island, Mich., additionally signed the letter.
“We need to proceed to be nice neighbors and we simply needed to ensure everybody in Canada knew that we appreciated their assist,” she mentioned.
Mackinac Island is a well-liked vacationer vacation spot, and Doud mentioned she worries tensions between each international locations will affect the upcoming journey season.
“We hope that will probably be resolved and the whole lot will get again to regular.”
Rod Nelson, retired CEO of the Mackinac Straits Well being System, signed the letter and mentioned he disagrees together with his federal authorities’s method to Canada.
“I feel it is very unhappy that sure statements have been made by of us in Washington, D.C., about our Canadian mates,” he mentioned.
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