Canada bringing horses to a tank fight
Re U.S. locking Canada out of trade talks, Trump hints, August 17 It has been said that during the Second World War, the Polish army used its cavalry units trying to forestall the invading German tanks — with predictable results. This, of course, turned out to be merely a rumour spread by the German propaganda machine. Still, the image of a charge by sword-wielding horsemen against the phalanx of advancing panzers is an irresistible picture that comes to mind as we watch the Trudeau versus Trump encounter.
We may have the nicest horses, the shiniest swords and the loftiest principles, but they have the tanks. Canadian grandstanding can accomplish nothing against the master of grandstanding on a vastly bigger “bully pulpit” south of the border. Worse still, just as no power showed up in support of the brave Polish defenders of their homeland, no world leader has come out in support of Canada to back up our sunny prime minister and his cohorts.
As for the NAFTA negotiations and the future of the auto trade agreement, is there anyone outside Ottawa and a few sycophantic media commentators who really believe that the new Mexican president will turn down the opportunity for a deal with Trump just to show solidarity with Trudeau?
The Mexicans seem to understand reality. But our politicians must be on a high with the scent of legalized cannabis wafting around them if they keep ignoring the lessons from the (fictitious but nonetheless educational) history of the Polish cavalry. Peter Bartha, Aurora