BY JOHN MCLOONE

Forgive me if this is difficult to read this week. I seem to be writing it within a haze.
Our entire summer seems to be playing out this year in a stinky fog, courtesy of our neighbors to the north.
Summer used to be the time for outdoor recreation, beach visits, baseball games and barbecues. Now, I go outside and itch at my eyes and try to breathe.
Canada has to get a grip on this thing. This past weekend, our activities were shrouded in the stinky smoke they send our way. Pretty soon, tourist spots will have to update their advertising. “Come for summer fun! Go home stinking like smoke and gasping for breath!”
The behind the scenes debate rages on whether it’s poor forest management, incompetence or climate change. I’m not getting into the middle of that one with a 10-foot pole. I am surprised, however, that the folks who tell us to quit guzzling gas aren’t taking a bigger stand on this one.
I’m going to do my own silent protest because of the affect Canada has had on me. I’m still thinking of what that is, because I just realized I don’t know what it is we get from Canada. Maple syrup? We have plenty of that right here at home. Bacon with way too much fat on it? I’ll stick with what’s on sale at Kwik Trip. I know there are legitimate exports from Canada like petroleum, but I’m not smart enough to understand why we buy someone else’s gas and sell ours.
The one thing this invasion has done is giving meteorologists another thing to plug. They are now also Canadian wildfire experts as well. They’ll look at the satellite images and let us know that our eyes don’t deceive us: It’s tough to see into the distance and if you go outside, try not to breathe. Our family gathered over the weekend at a destination about 3 hours away. I drove home Sunday morning in air conditioned comfort. I pulled onto my exit and made the mistake of opening the car window. By the next stop sign, my eyes were watering, and I was wheezing. Welcome home!
The conspiratorial side of me thinks maybe this could be political. There have been some new tensions over immigration, drugs coming across the border and tariffs. However, the last couple years, there was a different administration. They were fine with whatever Canada did, obviously including attempting to smoke us out during the only three months of the year we’re supposed to be outside enjoying the weather. Why is there no political upheaval? I’ll vote for the person who can make this stop.
Or, who could at least negotiate some treaty where they are allowed to pump unlimited smoke into the United States in the winter instead! I realize there’s science behind when fires ignite, but it’s a start. It can be hazy from December-February. We need our summers back.