Canadians are strong, and although Canada's pain will be more immediate than America's, we are better suited to ride out the storm.
Ian Bremmer is typical of the American commentators- they distill everything into a balance sheet. Unaccounted for in any spreadsheet is not just national pride, but the tools of national resilience. Unlike America, Canada does its best to help those hurting - from EI, to family children support payments, to CPP, and now a number of specific measures aimed directly to help Canadians when we need help most.
We do not leave you struggling in the ditch when the economy sideswiped you. There is a huge difference between lending a hand and struggling up by your bootstraps when you get back on your feet.
Guess which one of these two maxims Canadians follow?
I don't think Mr Bremer could get that answer right - he'd never find it in his spreadsheets - and That, everybody, is the Canadians' bottom line!
Yes our resolve and pride is strong, strong enough over the long run will drive our economy into the ground. Guess what? Makes us more susceptible to foreign threats whether they be legitimate or just verbal. We should stop the retaliation and play a longer less political and emotional game with the tariffs. Play like Mexico and the EU… a wait and see game.
It’s not clear what Bremmer means by fold. How does Canada ‘fold’ in this case? Trump’s tariffs are being imposed. Canada doesn’t get to decide. But I agree John, Canadian resolve should not be underestimated.
To be clear: American consumers pay the tariffs Trump has imposed on Canadian imports. Not the exporter. If the materials subject to tariffs are essential and unavailable domestically, Americans have no choice but to pay up.
No matter how high tariffs are on potash, America’s farmers must still purchase it. There’s no alternative domestic supply.
Will Americans pay 25% more for a car or truck? Depends on how badly they need it. Moving an entire assembly line and supply change from Ontario to Michigan could take years. And when will the lawsuits from affected parties - auto manufacturers and their states - start pushing back against these illegal treaty-violating tariffs?
I usually read Ian Bremner but I too think he has underestimated the resolve of Canadians with the right vision & leadership Canada’s position in World will strengthen once it is less dependent on America
Thanks John! I needed that. If only we had a leader and government who would speak so eloquently. I don’t like retaliation with tariffs. Fix our own house
I don't think we'll back down. I certainly hope we won't. We must not capitulate to a moronic bully, for two reasons: 1) he will keep hitting us once we're down, 2) he's a moron and following a moron is just a bad idea.
Buy this means that we must join together. We must heal the artificial divide that the political parties have tried to manufacture (and yes, I'm looking at you, PP). Those that can weather this the best must help those that cannot. We must pull together, and become a community again. Break bread with your neighbour, help them fix their roof, mend the fence at the schoolyard, volunteer at the animal shelter, at the food bank, and wherever else you can help.
Main street Canadians know this is going to cause them pain, and who to blame; main street Americans, on the other hand, think tariffs are going to lower their taxes and pay off their national debt, with very little pain. Retaliatory tariffs are necessary to bring them more fully into the circle of pain.
Thank you for this. I too believe that the resolve of Canadians is very real and present-certainly at the moment. But that resolve has to be marshalled as it has never been done before. If this moment is not grasped firmly by our next PM, the moment may be missed and our collective resolve could dissipate into the usual mix of unfocused individual priorities all competing for attention. I believe that Marc Carney largely gets this when he says that Canada and Canadians will have to do extraordinary things faster than anyone has imagined before. I have a very deep sense that the ground has shifted profoundly and that big change and sacrifice is coming. Of course, it may all be a passing cloud. Even if that transpires, our relationship with the US and our own priorities as a sovereign state have changed for ever. And that may not be a bad thing.
Carney seems to be sketching an alternate, national building vision for Canada based on critical infrastructure, bicoastal trade, breaking down internal barriers, substantial military investment and other measures. Part of this an implied critique of complacent corporations that take the easy way out by north south trade, are risk adverse and are shy to commit to innovate. I hope the anger that most Canadians feel towards the US will create a sustained resolve to break out ingrained patterns and embrace a transformation agenda. It will be a long haul and in the short term we will experience pain. Thank goodness the friends language is slipping from our relationship language. At best we can hope is to remain principled and civil with a toxic neighbour on a condo board.
I found over the years that Alberta and the NWT,western provinces still have the enterprising spirit. When I’ve visited Ontario,too many people are waiting for the government to help,fix things for them. Then I ask them have they voted?
Tighten our belts and don’t knuckle under. When the looney tunes and his toons realize we won’t give and their own people want their hides, the dust should settle, however, our relationship with the U.S of A Will never be anything other than iffy.
We need to recognize that our relationship with the US was almost always "iffy". The legality of softwood-lumber tariffs has been adjudicated more than once with the decision always favouring Canada. Yet, I believe those tariffs were re-introduced doing the first Trump term and maintained under Biden. The only rules that apply in US trade agreements are those that apply to the other countries.
Essentially the US has always regarded us as their DUFF (designated ugly fat friend) who will always be there when they need us and who will willing tolerate being mistreated because we have no other friends. In reality, they are our DUFF, otherwise why would many Americans wish they have a safe country, with sane politicians, universal healthcare, and a social safety net. They make us look good!
I recall reading some time ago that GATT had ruled in Canada’s favour on the softwood lumber disputes every time (13 if I remember correctly) after which the U.S. just reimposed the duties regardless of which administration. Not fair but what can you do?
Exactly. It still makes it somewhat ridiculous to sign a trade agreement with them. Nonetheless, we will likely negotiate with them again and have a deal until they dishonour it again.
That is definitely true! They seem to be so determined to destroy themselves that we may need to duck somehow to avoid the shrapnel.
Do you honestly see a positive way forward for the US? If the current administration remains in power until January 2029, the country will be unrecognizable.
I too read Mr Bremmers comment. This question needs to be put to all the candidates - folding should not be an option. This article is very well put thank you!!
What are we fighting about? What does surrender mean? Who pays tariffs? Why should we punch ourselves in the face, just because the Americans are doing it?
It's not a war we can win. Sounds like Trump got everything he wanted from Carney today so I guess that's it. But one does need money to fight a war. Our grandfathers - in my case my father too - were much more temperate with the public purse
Bingo! Material reality matters. There is no version where Canada can win this trade war. Elbows up Canuck’s will be in for a rude awakening when it becomes crystal clear we have nothing.
But if you read the piece - maybe you didn’t - I wasn’t suggesting that Canada could win a trade war with the US, just as Britain couldn’t defeat the Nazis with beer bottle stubs. But if we hold our nerve, the internal opposition to Trump could do our work for us.
Maybe. If and that’s a big if, Trump/Elon manage enough savings to squeak out no income tax below 150k before the midterms, holding out on this this new version of America might not be viable and they may have more runway than we can possibly imagine. Displaced animosity towards Canadians on American social media is one of the weirdest things I’ve ever seen. The lacklustre performance of the Dems is also a shocker to me. Meant to add as well, how much economic pain do you think millennial’s and Gen Z will tolerate after seeing their economic fortunes go negative over the last decade?
Canadians are strong, and although Canada's pain will be more immediate than America's, we are better suited to ride out the storm.
Ian Bremmer is typical of the American commentators- they distill everything into a balance sheet. Unaccounted for in any spreadsheet is not just national pride, but the tools of national resilience. Unlike America, Canada does its best to help those hurting - from EI, to family children support payments, to CPP, and now a number of specific measures aimed directly to help Canadians when we need help most.
We do not leave you struggling in the ditch when the economy sideswiped you. There is a huge difference between lending a hand and struggling up by your bootstraps when you get back on your feet.
Guess which one of these two maxims Canadians follow?
I don't think Mr Bremer could get that answer right - he'd never find it in his spreadsheets - and That, everybody, is the Canadians' bottom line!
Yes our resolve and pride is strong, strong enough over the long run will drive our economy into the ground. Guess what? Makes us more susceptible to foreign threats whether they be legitimate or just verbal. We should stop the retaliation and play a longer less political and emotional game with the tariffs. Play like Mexico and the EU… a wait and see game.
I so hope you are right. I trust that Canadian courage will carry on.Seeing a few breakthroughs in the Republican party. Crossing our fingers
It’s not clear what Bremmer means by fold. How does Canada ‘fold’ in this case? Trump’s tariffs are being imposed. Canada doesn’t get to decide. But I agree John, Canadian resolve should not be underestimated.
To be clear: American consumers pay the tariffs Trump has imposed on Canadian imports. Not the exporter. If the materials subject to tariffs are essential and unavailable domestically, Americans have no choice but to pay up.
No matter how high tariffs are on potash, America’s farmers must still purchase it. There’s no alternative domestic supply.
Will Americans pay 25% more for a car or truck? Depends on how badly they need it. Moving an entire assembly line and supply change from Ontario to Michigan could take years. And when will the lawsuits from affected parties - auto manufacturers and their states - start pushing back against these illegal treaty-violating tariffs?
I usually read Ian Bremner but I too think he has underestimated the resolve of Canadians with the right vision & leadership Canada’s position in World will strengthen once it is less dependent on America
Thanks John! I needed that. If only we had a leader and government who would speak so eloquently. I don’t like retaliation with tariffs. Fix our own house
I don't think we'll back down. I certainly hope we won't. We must not capitulate to a moronic bully, for two reasons: 1) he will keep hitting us once we're down, 2) he's a moron and following a moron is just a bad idea.
Buy this means that we must join together. We must heal the artificial divide that the political parties have tried to manufacture (and yes, I'm looking at you, PP). Those that can weather this the best must help those that cannot. We must pull together, and become a community again. Break bread with your neighbour, help them fix their roof, mend the fence at the schoolyard, volunteer at the animal shelter, at the food bank, and wherever else you can help.
A united community is unstoppable.
Main street Canadians know this is going to cause them pain, and who to blame; main street Americans, on the other hand, think tariffs are going to lower their taxes and pay off their national debt, with very little pain. Retaliatory tariffs are necessary to bring them more fully into the circle of pain.
Thank you for this. I too believe that the resolve of Canadians is very real and present-certainly at the moment. But that resolve has to be marshalled as it has never been done before. If this moment is not grasped firmly by our next PM, the moment may be missed and our collective resolve could dissipate into the usual mix of unfocused individual priorities all competing for attention. I believe that Marc Carney largely gets this when he says that Canada and Canadians will have to do extraordinary things faster than anyone has imagined before. I have a very deep sense that the ground has shifted profoundly and that big change and sacrifice is coming. Of course, it may all be a passing cloud. Even if that transpires, our relationship with the US and our own priorities as a sovereign state have changed for ever. And that may not be a bad thing.
Carney seems to be sketching an alternate, national building vision for Canada based on critical infrastructure, bicoastal trade, breaking down internal barriers, substantial military investment and other measures. Part of this an implied critique of complacent corporations that take the easy way out by north south trade, are risk adverse and are shy to commit to innovate. I hope the anger that most Canadians feel towards the US will create a sustained resolve to break out ingrained patterns and embrace a transformation agenda. It will be a long haul and in the short term we will experience pain. Thank goodness the friends language is slipping from our relationship language. At best we can hope is to remain principled and civil with a toxic neighbour on a condo board.
I found over the years that Alberta and the NWT,western provinces still have the enterprising spirit. When I’ve visited Ontario,too many people are waiting for the government to help,fix things for them. Then I ask them have they voted?
I’ll take “things that definitely happened” for 200 please, Alex.
So it seems you can reason with a tiger when your head is in its mouth.
Or maybe it's not really a tiger.
Tighten our belts and don’t knuckle under. When the looney tunes and his toons realize we won’t give and their own people want their hides, the dust should settle, however, our relationship with the U.S of A Will never be anything other than iffy.
We need to recognize that our relationship with the US was almost always "iffy". The legality of softwood-lumber tariffs has been adjudicated more than once with the decision always favouring Canada. Yet, I believe those tariffs were re-introduced doing the first Trump term and maintained under Biden. The only rules that apply in US trade agreements are those that apply to the other countries.
Essentially the US has always regarded us as their DUFF (designated ugly fat friend) who will always be there when they need us and who will willing tolerate being mistreated because we have no other friends. In reality, they are our DUFF, otherwise why would many Americans wish they have a safe country, with sane politicians, universal healthcare, and a social safety net. They make us look good!
I recall reading some time ago that GATT had ruled in Canada’s favour on the softwood lumber disputes every time (13 if I remember correctly) after which the U.S. just reimposed the duties regardless of which administration. Not fair but what can you do?
Exactly. It still makes it somewhat ridiculous to sign a trade agreement with them. Nonetheless, we will likely negotiate with them again and have a deal until they dishonour it again.
Alright even more “iffy” because they can’t be ignored totally
That is definitely true! They seem to be so determined to destroy themselves that we may need to duck somehow to avoid the shrapnel.
Do you honestly see a positive way forward for the US? If the current administration remains in power until January 2029, the country will be unrecognizable.
I too read Mr Bremmers comment. This question needs to be put to all the candidates - folding should not be an option. This article is very well put thank you!!
What are we fighting about? What does surrender mean? Who pays tariffs? Why should we punch ourselves in the face, just because the Americans are doing it?
I dunno. Ford folded and declared victory when he did so. Canadians may have the resolve but their treasury doesn’t have the resources.
We’d be speaking German if our grandfathers had opted for that route.
It's not a war we can win. Sounds like Trump got everything he wanted from Carney today so I guess that's it. But one does need money to fight a war. Our grandfathers - in my case my father too - were much more temperate with the public purse
Bingo! Material reality matters. There is no version where Canada can win this trade war. Elbows up Canuck’s will be in for a rude awakening when it becomes crystal clear we have nothing.
But if you read the piece - maybe you didn’t - I wasn’t suggesting that Canada could win a trade war with the US, just as Britain couldn’t defeat the Nazis with beer bottle stubs. But if we hold our nerve, the internal opposition to Trump could do our work for us.
Maybe. If and that’s a big if, Trump/Elon manage enough savings to squeak out no income tax below 150k before the midterms, holding out on this this new version of America might not be viable and they may have more runway than we can possibly imagine. Displaced animosity towards Canadians on American social media is one of the weirdest things I’ve ever seen. The lacklustre performance of the Dems is also a shocker to me. Meant to add as well, how much economic pain do you think millennial’s and Gen Z will tolerate after seeing their economic fortunes go negative over the last decade?