An Undeniably Abusive Relationship

 

It should be clear to most Canadians by now that we are in a pernicious, abusive relationship with the United States. And as often occurs in such relationships, we go through a period, sometimes protracted, when we seek peace with the abuser, either justifying their abuse or going to great lengths to try to placate and appease them. All studies in such relationships suggest those are losing strategies; healing can only begin when we both acknowledge the abuse and, as much as possible, minimize our contact with the partner that so despises us.

Commendably, Prime Minister Mark Carney has expended considerable effort into widening our support network of new trading partners, efforts that will bear much fruit in the future. However, in many ways we are still in the denial/appeasement stages of our relationship with America, as I have written many times on this blog - caving to American demands on the Gordie Howe Bridge (which Carney misrepresented to the public), ditching the digital services tax, not filing complaints over unfair trading practices and widespread violations of CUSMA, etc. This behaviour, despite earning nothing but more abuse and more demands from an implacable Trump, suggest that it is well past time we started showing some national self-respect. 

Political Science professor Blayne Haggart says it is also time to wake up from the delusions some may be still labouring under, the hope that somehow we can get our relationship with the U.S. back on track. Indeed, he calls Carney's approach "magical thinking."

The Carney government, and groups like the Business Council of Canada, have consistently sought some kind of agreement with Trump’s United States. Proposals and plans for deeper economic, energy and security integration have been mooted under titles “Fortress Am-Can” and “Fortress North America.” Trump’s latest outrage doesn’t seem to have changed Carney’s approach. Initial reports are that, in response to Trump’s tariffs, Carney plans to “intensify” trade negotiations with Trump.

Unfortunately for Canadians, these strategies are an example of cargo-cult policy-making, imported from a world that no longer exists. They’re designed for a world in which the United States could be trusted to keep its word and to respect Canadian sovereignty. In such a liberal-international world, trade agreements are a normal way of regulating sovereign economic relations, with at least the potential for creating win-win situations.

There can be little question in most citizens' minds that the days of peacefully co-existing with the southern behemoth are over. According to Professor Haggart, it is time for Carney to realize that fact.

First, if Trump can’t be trusted, then it is literally impossible for any trade agreement to provide the “certainty” that Carney and so many business leaders desire.

In other words, it makes no sense to renegotiate the USMCA, an agreement that Trump has arbitrarily violated, in order to keep Trump from arbitrarily attacking the Canadian economy. Any agreement would bind only Canada, not the United States, while any concessions would only lead to more demands.

Second, Canadians and Canadian businesses have to get used to uncertainty. The old relationship is dead. A country with two-party system in which one party is openly authoritarian, that elected Trump twice, cannot credibly commit to long-term international agreements.

These are hard truths that our politicos are finding difficulty in accepting,  but accept them they must:

It’s a political fight with an authoritarian country that seeks to dominate and subjugate Canada. Tariffs are the weapon, not the game.

Trump’s new tariffs expose, once again, the folly of pursuing deeper integration with an authoritarian United States. Concessions — what less-kind observers would call appeasement — buy you nothing. Integration with an untrustworthy, authoritarian partner invites only vassalization. What’s more, it’s likely to overwhelm Carney’s other nation-building policies, because the only sure way to increase Canadian autonomy from the United States is to stop integrating with the United States.

This magical thinking — the refusal to acknowledge the reality implied by Trump’s authoritarian nature — has allowed Carney to pretend that his approach will deliver autonomy at a relatively low cost, while avoiding a realistic discussion about alternatives and the cost of policies that could actually deliver autonomy.

While solutions may be hard to find, Haggart suggests they could begin with a Royal Commision into how best to navigate the future to ensure our autonomy from the U.S. I don't know what might come out of such a commission, but I do know that we cannot continue on our present course. Too much of our sovereignty has already been compromised. Like any other victim of an abusive relationship, we must now take strong measures to break free from the abuser.