Our fight, it is no exaggeration to say, is the civilized world’s fight. It is a fight for reason and comity in the affairs of nations, against an administration whose worldview, and behaviour, is increasingly that of an aggressive dictatorship, in all its crudeness and its thuggery.
Mr. Trump, as the Prime Minister has said, aims to “break us,” a phrase with historic echoes. He has to now, or others will follow our lead. If he succeeds, then the world will be governed by nothing but force in the end, in trade as in other matters. But if we prevail, then “broad and sunlit uplands” must surely await.
EU, Japan, now do the same. It is insane to submit to Trump’s threats, he will always be back for more.
Contrast this with how other countries have responded to American threats. Japan, which relies on the U.S. for 3 per cent of its GDP, nevertheless agreed to a 15-per-cent baseline U.S. tariff – down from the 25-per-cent tariff it was facing otherwise – while committing to invest US$550-billion in the U.S., increase purchases of U.S. energy and agricultural products, and provide greater access for American cars.
The European Union, with an exposure to the U.S. similar to Japan’s and an economy two-thirds the size of the U.S.’s, likewise buckled, making a long list of concessions – no tariffs on U.S. industrial goods, wider access for U.S. agricultural products, and increased purchases of U.S. energy, AI chips, and defence equipment, in addition to US$600-billion in investment – “in return for” agreeing to U.S. tariffs of 15 per cent.
Been watching in dismay as this unfolded. Blatant betrayal of people’s interests. I expected quite a bit more from the EU especially. I expected more than from our gov given how much more exposed and infiltrated we are.
Yeah, it hurts seeing how they buckle down to Trump… spineless bastards.
trump’s imperialist mindset.
Happy to see Carney make the right call. I worry that we will need to invest in missile defense systems soon…
And remember, keep yer stick on the ice.
Meanwhile, in the USA…
I would love to see Canada being a part of the EEA and schengen. I don’t know that it will happen, but more integration with Europe and less with the US would be good.
In particular as a Canadian, I would love to see membership in a mutual defense clause with the EU specifically, outside of NATO.
As long as we (europe) tolerating Trumps stupid tarrifs and invest even more in the US and letting them sell their bullshit products here, they are better without europe.
He picks a fight with random countries every week. Bets are open for the next week.
It was China, then the EU, then Spain, then Greenland, then Iran, then Italy and now Canada
I hope he chokes to death on maple syrup
The hell he will! He don’t deserve our delicious tree nectar…how about runoff from tar sands?
He can choke to death on fully synthetic breakfast syrup. That matches his level of sophistication.
