PM’s actions could draw Trump rebuke

Until recently, I believed that U.S. President Donald Trump would focus on Mexico when reviewing the North American Free Trade Agreement because Canada’s participation appeared more benign. That assessment is turning out badly.

Mexican President Pena Nieto has been quiet lately, as he anticipates the shape of the first shoe to drop. In contrast, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been unable to resist creating counter-currents to most of Trump’s actions.

Worse, his world stage responses are measured to cultivate the impression of moral superiority. For example, while Trump discarded climate change measures, Trudeau has courted the United Nations and rammed carbon taxes into the lives of Canadians. While Trump has taken prudent measures to control border immigration, Trudeau has carelessly flung open the border. When Trump implied that Canada was one of NATO’s defence freeloaders, Trudeau shrugged and decreased military spending.

The first shoe to drop is the softwood lumber tax, and the demise of dairy marketing boards cannot be far behind. And then? Those who insist that Canada can do as it pleases are correct. But they should not be surprised if the U.S. does so as well.

Our burden is not only the harmful U.S. reaction, but also the actions of our government. In the face of Trump’s proposed tax decreases, we are wrongheadedly increasing ours. We are allowing unlimited illegal immigration, which makes us the harbour for U.S. criminality and a good reason to choke the border movement of innocent Canadian travellers, and we are playing games with our defence requirements while the U.S. remains our default protector.

We are seen to neither support U.S. actions, nor to improve the lives of Canadians. Trump’s thought might be: if you wish to suffer, I’ll help. Richard Fuschi, Tecumseh