Trump treatment of Canada disgraceful

If you are wondering what is going on in the United States with the president, rest assured that most of us Americans are trying to figure that out, too.

Alienating our closest friend, Canada — not to mention our other global allies at the G-7 summit — was predictable, par for the course, given the Trump Administration’s blundering, populist, nationalistic approach to nearly everything. But that is not how Americans define diplomacy or good citizenship, nor is it an approach with which we agree.

Trump’s trade-war/sanctions are bush-league, to begin with. But for him to expect that the Canadian people would get kicked under the bus without a fight, demonstrates the sort of disdain and arrogance that is quintessentially Donald Trump. That Prime Minister Trudeau stood up to this global bully was not only to be expected — but it should be applauded.

My wife and I have lived within in a few hours’ drive of the border for our entire lives. We have a family member who is married to a Canadian and who lives in the Maritimes. My wife’s nieces and nephews and their families are Canadians. We visit Canada often; we vacation there; and we respect Canadians as our neighbours, our friends and our allies. And, Canadians spend a lot of money in my state, Montana.

Canada is our sister country; we share the Waterton Peace Park with Alberta. Thus, we consider the Trump Administration’s treatment of Canada, and his sophomoric attacks on Prime Minister Trudeau to be disgraceful.

Trump lost the popular vote in 2016 by some 3 million votes. He was elected only because of an historical artifact in our Constitution — and, of course, with the help of dark megamoney and Vladimir Putin.

But, 2020 is only two years away, and I trust that women, African Americans, Latinos, minorities and millions of rational U.S. voters will tell Trump, “You’re Fired.” We the people will consign this embarrassing, losing administration and its leader to the dust bin of history.

James C. Nelson

Helena, MT