RIVALS JUMP INTO THE SACK WITH JUSTIN

Even the prime minister’s staunchest foes stand behind him as he stands up to Trump

Politics sometimes makes for strange bedfellows — but what we’re seeing in Canada this week is a veritable orgy.

Everybody is jumping in bed with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: New Democrats, Greens, even Conservatives.

Heck, especially Conservatives.

Jason Kenney, Doug Ford, Andrew Scheer, Stephen Harper.

Name any prominent Canadian conservative, particularly those who despise Trudeau, and odds are you’ll find them snuggled under the sheets, politically speaking, with the prime minister.

It’s not that they’re particularly keen to spoon with Trudeau, but they want to be seen defending Canada against the bullying tactics of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Not only has Trump imposed punishing tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum exported to the United States, but, in a move typical of a president whose political behaviour has yet to hit bottom, he began tweeting personal attacks against Trudeau as “very dishonest and weak.”

Then his goons piled on.

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro accused Trudeau of stabbing Trump in the back at a post- G7 news conference and said Trudeau “deserves a special place in hell.”

What makes the attack particularly bizarre is that Trudeau said nothing that he hasn’t said before in public or in private to Trump about his opposition to the tariffs and the determination of Canada to invoke retaliatory tariffs next month.

Canada’s conservatives are no doubt suppressing the urge to gag as they canoodle with Trudeau, but better that than let anyone think they’d rather climb in bed with Trump.

“When it comes to the trade deal south of border, we stand shoulder to shoulder with the prime minister and our federal counterparts,” said Ontario Progressive Conservative leader and premier-designate Ford.

Former prime minister Harper went on Fox News to defend Trudeau’s we-won’t-be-pushedaround rhetoric.

WRONG TARGET

“I don’t understand the obsession with trade relations with Canada,” said Harper. “It just seems to me this is the wrong target, and from what I understand of American public opinion, I don’t think even Trump supporters think the Canadian trade relationship is a problem.”

Trudeau’s current sworn enemy on the federal scene, federal Conservative Leader Scheer, took to Twitter: “Canada’s Conservatives continue to support the prime minister’s efforts to make the case for free trade. Divisive rhetoric and personal attacks from the U.S. administration are clearly not helpful.”

Them’s not exactly fightin’ words, but you get the point.

And then you have Kenney, leader of Alberta’s United Conservative Party and unofficial president of the we-hate-JustinTrudeau club.

Just a few weeks ago, Kenney said Trudeau had “the political depth of a finger bowl.”

Now, Kenney is “in complete agreement” with Trudeau’s trade position as “a reasonable, balanced and firm assertion that Canada will not be bullied.”

I’m not sure whether it is Trudeau who gained more depth or Kenney who gained more civility.

It’d be nice to think Trudeau’s enemies are not defending him simply because it’s the smart thing to do politically, but because it’s the right thing to do morally. Trudeau, after all, is standing up to an irrational bully.

After tweeting his support for Trudeau, Kenney refocused on Alberta politics.

Monday afternoon, he was trying out his own beer-related catchphrase for next year’s Alberta election: “Free the Beer.”

Kenney was inspired by the “Buck-a-Beer” slogan that helped the Progressive Conservatives win the Ontario election when party leader Ford promised to changed alcohol rules to allow cheaper pints.

“Let’s free the beer,” Kenney told journalists in Calgary. “Can’t we as Canadians agree on one thing: lower beer prices? Doug Ford is going to make beer cheaper in Ontario. I’m going to do everything I can to do the same thing in Alberta.”

Kenney’s slogan is a little tongue in cheek, but it’s not a joke.

BEER WAR

It’s a jab at the Alberta government’s own little beer war with other provinces, a war the government is losing, if it hasn’t already lost altogether.

On the weekend, a provincial trade tribunal ruled against the Alberta government’s craft beer program that gives grants to inprovince brewers at the expense of outsiders.

The government has said it will make changes to the program, but won’t provide details.

Kenney says the government should drop all subsidies to Alberta brewers and allow unfettered trade in beer.

Maybe Kenney could bring a case or two of cheap suds to share with Canada’s unusually large assortment of political bedfellows.