Well, one valuable thing out of this discussion. It shows that the Conservative Party supporters are still of the opinion that we should do nothing - NOTHING to irritate Dear Leader Trump, lest we suffer his wrath.
All of our internal political decisions must first answer the question: “Is this what Trump would want?” If the answer is “no”, then we must fix our policies. After all, Conservatives would have us believe that the US is our bestest friend and only ally.
Also, we should not “pander” to the Canadians who think that Israel’s military actions since March of this year as “excessive,”. After all, this is a tiny minority of only 62% of Canadians according to last week’s Angus Reid poll. According to some, we should definitely go with the 18% of Canadians who say the humanitarian situation in Gaza is being “overblown” in media reports.
After all, if we don’t go with the 18%, we might damage our relationship with our good friend Trump, who is treating Canada really, really well.
Trump is doing a fine job of proving himself a crazed lunatic all on his own, and economic ruin is far more likely to ensue by slavishly following him the way you seem to keep insisting Canada ought to do than refusing to sign up to poor trade agreements will do.
People can say whatever they want. Governments can make proclamations about anything they want. Those listening and engaging with them can choose to end their engagement based on what they say.
People’s hatred for Trump blocks them from doing what is good for Canada. The US, or France or the UK, will elect people that they may not like. You still have to deal with them and consider how your actions will affect everyone else in the country who elected you.
Canada isn’t the one tariffing goods, throwing away agreements, blocking trade, attacking countries, and walking away from negotiations. That’s just the facts. Canada is at the table and responsibly dealing with a wild monster. There hasn’t been a single word said by Trump and his team that isn’t a lie. Everything is poison and all their public acts have been in total vile bad faith.
We have the US Ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra, calling Canadians “nasty” because our citizens are retaliating by boycotting the US (due to their constant attacks on us). Trump accusing Canada of everything under the sun (from fentanyl smuggling to lumber dumping) and attacking our: digital service tax, supply management of milk, Palestine, self-governance/sovereignty, counter-tariffs, or whatever.
We all know that Canada isn’t the one blocking trade. It isn’t the obstinate partner here. Frankly, if Canada’s foreign policy actions are so hated by the Yanks… good. Add this to the other things they hate.
All this hate makes good leverage too. Guess what happened when Canada axed the digital service tax in good faith? Nothing, absolutely got nothing in return. Just more wildness from Trump. Giving away leverage gets you nothing.
Good faith (and good sense) would have not implementing it in the first place. To say that Canada is innocent and Trump is just lying is just spouting nonsense. Canada has other deals with the likes of the UK that are not implemented because of dairy. An agreement with the UK that would have allowed 98% of goods to be tariff free blocked by two key issues: 1. Canada - Blocking the UK from more access for their dairy products - I’d like Cheddar from Cheddar; 2. UK - Blocking Canadian meat due to too hormones.
A full free trade agreement of great benefit blocked by Canada protecting their dairy industry and hormonal beef. Yeah, we’re totally innocent.
I’d suggest to stop watching the official media channel of the Liberal party - CBC, and learn that Trump, while a blowhard, isn’t completely wrong in what he is saying about us.
I really, really hope that you are advising the Conservative Party of Canada, and letting them know how they should be connecting with Canadians for any future elections.
Please tell us that you’re working closely with them to pursue policies of getting along with Trump’s wisdom and great ideas. This is really going to resonate with REAL Canadians.
Consider writing lots of letters to newspapers expounding on your ideas, and make sure you emphasize how Canada is broken, and only the Conservatives can fix it by aligning as close as possible to Trump’s wise courses of action. Maybe bring up how crime is exploding in cities all across this country, and only a Strong Man can save us all.
Yes, we hear this a lot from Trump supporters - the assumption that people say bad things about him because the hate came first, refusing to acknowledge that the hatred for Trump is due to him saying and doing bad things. It’s partly projection of the way they approach the world, and partly a means of avoiding having to acknowledge the bad things Trump continually does.
Nothing Trump has proposed with regard to Canada during this administration has been “good for Canada”. Carney has absolutely been “dealing with him” and considering how his actions affect everyone in the country, which is why he’s been rejecting Trump’s objectively terrible proposals. It’s not the ideological kneejerkery you seem to think it is (unlike your approach to Carney which very much is).
And which “official media channel” do you get your news from?
Almost any not bought and paid for by the Liberals.
Oh, and for those that think I’m dooming and glooming on food lines. Food bank usage highest in Canadian history. It will only get worse if Carney doesn’t get his act together, assuming that he cares to and his plan isn’t to keep things the way he advised Trudeau to do when he had his turn at mishandling things and accomplishing nothing useful.
Canada UK trade was organized around Canada-UK TCA following Brexit. Basically allowing the UK (and Canada) to continue their previous trading as per CETA.
CETA came into effect in almost all aspects in 2017
“The Canada-United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement (Canada-UK TCA) came into force on April 1, 2021 and does not expire. Preserving the main benefits of CETA, it provides Canadian businesses, exporters and investors with extensive preferential access to the UK market, including the elimination of 99% of tariffs on Canadian goods.”
So it’s hard to see how our failure to give up supply management implies an impending fiscal holocaust due to missed trade opportunities with the UK.
Food bank usage link provided is based on data up to March 2024 and does not reflect impacts of trade decision or policies since the US government illegally and unilaterally imposed tariffs on the entire world.
I mean the link also points out “Those receiving provincial social assistance as their main source of income represent 40% of households accessing food banks” which would seem to imply that there is some provincial responsibility to the plight.
Ohhh, here’s another excellent idea for you to pass along to the Conservative Party! Get rid of the CBC entirely! After all a recent poll found that for the CBC, 31 per cent agreed with the criticism of “biased reporting” and 27 critiqued it was “too woke.”
Go with that as a campaign promise: “We will eliminate the CBC as it’s too woke!” That will lock up that 27% of the vote!
Your claim is it is not biased? Or is it that the bias conforms to your and some percentage of fellow Canadians preferences so that somehow makes it acceptable?
No, seriously. Name one news source you trust. I have a number, including CBC, CTV, Global. Probably all the ones you think are “owned by the Liberals.” I think you just don’t want to cite your sources because you’re afraid we’ll laugh at you. And I’m also an Albertan by the way. Your views don’t reflect me or most of the Albertans I know.
Ignoring the CBC, which we will never see eye to eye on, which major media outlets are left wing?
I’ll start: The Toronto Star. I’ll also stop there. The major TV and radio networks and newspapers are otherwise firmly right of centre. Post Media and its Sun newspapers are firmly right, the G&M is still right of centre. Every talk radio station I’ve heard in Canada is conservative. Bell and Rogers are old-guard conservatives.
So exactly which media outlets are tainted by the Liberal brush?