That's the advice of Justin Ling as as the deadline for Trump's new set of punitive tariffs fast approaches, and that strikes me as eminently wise, for any number of reasons:
The Americans are apparently still demanding we join Trump’s half-baked Golden Dome missile defence system, ditch our made-in-Canada procurement rules and get back to the business of buying almost exclusively American military hardware. Each should be a firm red line for us.
[W]ere the prime minister to brief the public about where things are at, I think he would find that most Canadians are ready to say: no deal.
Stubborn and prideful though it may be, it’s the right move. We are just three months from the U.S. midterm elections, which Trump has, thus far, failed to rig in his favour. If the Democrats can regain control of Congress, it will put Trump’s ability to levy tariffs in considerable doubt.
As well, we know, along with the rest of the world, that Trump's signature on a deal means nothing.
... Trump uses tariffs as a means of extortion — and after he’s successfully extorted his victims, we know he keeps the tariffs in place anyway.
Indeed, even the right-wing press is taking a hard line on these 'negotiations'. The National Post's Kelly McParland writes that talks with Trump are pointless.
Whatever the temporary pain, Canada would be far better off in the long run avoiding any sort of agreement that lets Washington claim the slightest victory in its attempt to bully concessions out of Ottawa.
Better to walk away, let the White House do its worst and deal with the consequences. That will inevitably be the result under this administration in any case.
If the reports are true, Washington is essentially demanding a surrender of our sovereignty:
special rights to Canadian minerals, required purchases of U.S. technologies, guaranteed access to Canadian resources, all of which represent a surrender of Canada’s right to do as it pleases with its assets.
Now’s as good a time as any to inform Washington Canada is uninterested in further pointless discussions, and let ordinary Americans get back to bearing the brunt of their president’s expensive obsession.
As I have written before on this blog, the national mood is one of defiance and anger, as well it should be. Mark Carney's government will also soon be facing three byelections, events that should give him pause if he is tempted to continue down the path of appeasement that has yielded nothing but more outrageous demands from Trump.
Sometimes, the voice of the people demands to be heard and heeded.
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