I would like to think that Canadians far and wide harbour few illusions about the United States. Seeing them as a trusted ally harkens back to an earlier era, and most understand that harsh truth. Indeed, statistics support that many, many of us are shunning visits to that benighted land, supporting provincial bans on U.S alcohol, and working fervently to buy Canadian and non-American products as much as possible.
However, the hope that a new and more productive relationship with the Empire is possible still stubbornly resides in the upper echelons of government. Yes, Mark Carney is doing the right thing in trying to diversify our trade, a process that will take many years to bear real fruit. But he is seeking these new relationships with one hand tied behind his back where, his fingers crossed, hoping he can do so without enraging the beast.
Carney is now visiting China with hopes of reseting relationships there; however, as has been widely reported, many say he has to tread a fine line, lest he do something (like reducing the tariffs on Chinese EVs in exchange for canola tariff relief) that will provoke Trump. And that's where I think many government mandarins prefer a sweet lie to a bitter truth.
The bitter truth? That there will always be something the Americans don't like, and with that displeasure will come more punishing sanctions. Consider, for example, that U.S. trade representative Jameison Greer recently said:
Dropping provincial boycotts is part of a longer list of conditions ...
that Canada must meet in order to extend the Canada-U.S.-Mexico agreement (CUSMA).
Fortunately, all provinces except Alberta and Saskatchewan are holding firm on that ban.
Another demand is that we dismantle our supply-management approach to farming, a sacred cow for provinces like Quebec, and one that Carney said he will protect.
As well, consider this:
U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) on trade is “irrelevant” to him and Americans don’t need Canadian products.
“It expires very shortly and we could have it or not,” Trump said while touring a Ford plant in Michigan. “It wouldn’t matter to me. I think they want it. I don’t really care about it.”
Trump statements have rattled Canada and Mexico ahead of a mandatory review this year of the future of the continental trade pact. The president told reporters that “Canada wants it” but the United States doesn’t need anything from its northern neighbour.
Perhaps it's a negotiating ploy or perhaps he really means it. To me there is little difference, inasmuch as it amply illustrates the volatility and irrationality of the American leader who, emboldened by his coup in Venezuela, feels every right to rule the world, or at the very least dictate all policy, both domestic and foreign, to his vassal states, i.e., the rest of the world.
I could adduce a lot more evidence of the unrestrained imperialism that now grips the mad king and his enablers. However, in the final analysis, the quicker we realize that we are in a rigged game we cannot win, the faster we can break free and chart, as much as possible, our own course.
Unless, of course, we are content to live as a mere extension of "the American Dream."
I wonder how long we can prolong the CUSMA negotiations? I hope we can co-ordinate with Mexico.
ReplyDeleteUS tariffs are hurting us but the longer they continue the more they are hurting the USA. I don't just mean the tariffs on Canada but those on much of the rest of the world.
Just about anything the US imports seems to have had a tariff slapped on it. This must have an inflationary effect in the USA and just may be annoying importers, manufacturers and common citizens. In fact tariffs may be doing more harm to the US economy than to any of the countries whom the tariffs are aimed at. Note to self: See if there are any recent reports on this.
At the same time they are costing the USA a huge amount in goodwill and in some cases strike me as mad diplomacy.
For example, the USA has been spending years courting India as a member of the Quad, Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, as a counterweight to China. This photo suggests that things are not going well Hugs and shared smiles — Modi, Putin and Xi in a candid chat on Day 2 of SCO summit in China.
Of course Trump can carry on mad diplomacy without needing to hit a country with tariffs. Attacking President Cyril Ramaphosa in a telivized meeting in the Oval Office with false accusations of White genocide[1] in South Africa may not have been an outstandingly brilliant move.
Accepting white South Africans as political refugees also may not have been a brilliant diplomatic coup.
1. To be fair, Trump may not have known they were false. He may not even know where South Africa is though, he may think it is a province of Africa
I agree with your analysis here, Anon. Part of the problem in getting those truths out is the fact that so many of the MAGA zealots watch only networks, like Fox, that confirm their biases. However, I do believe there is growing discontent on the part of many when it comes to things like grocery prices, so we will have to see if that discontent grows.
ReplyDeleteAs for Mexico, if Trump carries out his threat to go into Mexico to strike at the cartels, perhaps Sheinbaum will come to the conclusion that it is pointless to pander to the ogre and look for more allies, including Canada, in trade and other areas.