Has this tariff “war” against Donald Trump invigorated you?
When you are confronted by a bully, forget the bromides about the meek inheriting the Earth and “the better part of valour is discretion.”
Collectively, we have been slapped on the back of the head by Bully Trump. We were originally stunned by the unprovoked attack. But we are fighting back. Even though we know that the brute could impose some long-term pain, it is exhilarating to see the shock on the bully’s face when he realizes this is not going to be a cake walk. As consumers, figuratively speaking, we cannot expect to clock Trump with a punch to the jaw; but we can give him a few good kicks to the shins, hoping that he will soon become distracted by some other vulnerable victim, and leave us alone.
So, as we develop eye strain from examining grocery store labels, remember that we have been here before.
Back in 2018, during his first term as US President, Trump cited national security worries for the imposition of ten per cent tariffs on Canadian aluminum and 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian steel. Ottawa fired back with tariffs on goods such as Florida orange juice, and whiskey and bourbon from Tennessee and Kentucky.
The dispute lasted about a year; both sides eventually agreed to a truce and lifted the levies. There was a lot of economic damage suffered by both countries. Some analysts have concluded that the Trump tariffs amounted to one of the largest tax increases in the U.S. in decades and hurt the U.S. GDP.
Now, our leaders are trying to figure out what, if anything, could appease the President, who is mad about, among other things, fentanyl, illegal border crossings, the trade deficit, the absence of American banks in Canada, the massive sums of subsidies the Americans allegedly pay to maintain Canada as a viable country. After awhile, you get accustomed to the whining and insults. Trump begins to sound like the teacher’s “wah-wah” voice in the Charlie Brown cartoon. Yes, Canada is responsible for every “crisis” the poor Americans are dealing with. Yeah. Whatever.
There are many things we ordinary folks can do to play an active role in the “war.” But please do not boo the Star Spangled Banner at sporting events. That is so Trumpy. Show how classy we are. Although they voted for him, not all Americans chose to pick on us. Our quarrel is with the big guy in the Oval Office. And Elon Musk.
Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford is ending the Ontario government’s contract with Elon Musk’s Starlink. Worth about $100 million, the deal was intended to provide high-speed internet service through Starlink’s satellite to 15,000 homes and businesses in Ontario. But, Ford points out that Musk is “part of the Trump team that wants to destroy families, incomes, destroy businesses. He wants to take food off the table of people, hard working people, and I’m not going to tolerate it.”
A silver lining in this lose-lose skirmish is a renewed awareness of where our food comes from, and how difficult it is to determine its source.
Did you know? A “Made in Canada” label only requires 51 per cent Canadian content, while a “Product of Canada” label means 98 per cent of the content is Canadian.
Trump has obliged us to be more cognizant of how much we have relied on imports, and how we ought to, whenever possible, support local and Canadian producers.
We realize that we must facilitate trade between our provinces, and that we must diversify our economy and seek out trading partners elsewhere in the world.
Consensus on the proper plan of action will continue to be elusive, given the current political context.
Yet, people on both sides of the 49th parallel have been remarking on the strong stance taken by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“We prefer to solve our disputes with diplomacy,” Trudeau said during a speech announcing retaliatory measures. “But we are ready to fight when necessary.”
In what is widely viewed as one of the best addresses of his political career, he said, “I’m sure many of you are anxious, but I want you to know we are all in this together. The Canadian government, Canadian businesses, Canadian organized labour, Canadian civil society, Canada’s premiers, and tens of millions of Canadians from coast to coast to coast are aligned and united. In this moment, we must pull together because we love this country. We pride ourselves on braving the cold during the long winter months. We don’t like to beat our chests, but we’re always out there waving the maple leaf loudly and proudly to celebrate an Olympic gold medal.”
He continued, “Canada is home to bountiful resources, breathtaking beauty, and a proud people who’ve come from every corner of the globe to forge a nation with a unique identity worth embracing and celebrating. We don’t pretend to be perfect, but Canada is the best country on earth. There’s nowhere else that I, in our 41 million strong family, would rather be. And we will get through this challenge just as we’ve done countless times before together.”
Now, that is a good pep talk, eh? Fasten your toques, folks! We are in for a bumpy ride!
What are you doing to help our country in this trade war? Let us know at rmahoney@seawaynews.media
