Canadians should stand with Trudeau against Trump
To Donald Trump and his advisers, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is a backstabber, dishonest and a weak leader.
This is because Trudeau had the temerity, after the G7 summit, to repeat something he has said before about Trump’s imposition of tariffs. “We (Canadians) are polite and reasonable. But we will absolutely not be pushed around.”
That’s what sparked Trump’s Air Force One Twitter tirade, calling Trudeau names and withdrawing U.S. support for the anodyne memorandum of agreement that was the product of the two-day summit.
Why? Why would something Trudeau has said before, and that has also been clearly communicated by Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland, cause Trump to flip his proverbial wig?
As Trump’s advisers joined him in piling on Canada and Trudeau, one claimed the timing of Trudeau’s comments, coming mere days before Trump’s meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, was an intentional attempt to make the U.S. president appear weak.
That could explain why the Trump-White House response was so out of proportion. Or perhaps there is no rational explanation, because all too often Trump doesn’t act rationally.
Regardless, here we are. You have to go back to the 1930s to find a time when Canada-U.S. relations were this tenuous.
From our perspective, Trudeau is on the side of the angels. He and his administration have tried different ways to cope with Trump’s illogic and ego. They tried being constructive. They tried ignoring the rhetoric and plodding away at the business of getting along. They even tried being obsequious, earning domestic and international criticism for not being tough enough with Trump.
It’s worth noting and applauding the range of leaders who are standing up with and for the prime minister. G7 leaders, notably France’s Emmanuel Macron, have said Trudeau is setting a positive example. Macron went further in condemning Trump, saying in a statement: “International co-operation cannot be dictated by fits of anger and throwaway remarks.”
Former prime minister Stephen Harper has said he cannot understand Trump’s nonsensical preoccupation with Canadian trade practice, which Harper describes as working well. Ontario premier-designate Doug Ford has said he stands “united” with Trudeau because Ontario jobs are on the line.
Alberta Conservative Leader Jason Kenney: “I’m in complete agreement with the prime minister’s statement. A reasonable, balanced and firm assertion that Canada will not be bullied ... . ” Even federal Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer temporarily set aside his partisan ambitions to say he stands with Trudeau against Trump’s assault.
That’s good. But here’s the brutal truth: Sixteen per cent of U.S. exports come to Canada, while 72 per cent of Canada’s go south. The U.S. is an elephant and we’re a mouse, albeit one that roars at appropriate times. While Canadians should stand with Trudeau, the government also needs to find a path out of this.
Trump is threatening that the auto sector is next. Yes, it’s integrated with America’s, so any harm to Canada would do equal or greater harm to Americans. But Trump doesn’t care. Trudeau, thankfully, does.
“International co-operation cannot be dictated by fits of anger and throwaway remarks.” EMMANUEL MACRON French president