It’s A Sad Day For Our Relationship

~ Bitchy After 60

Canadians are inundated with American news, culture and politics while the average American knows very little about what goes on in Canada. Well let me tell you, right now Canadians are very disappointed with what’s happening with our neighbours down south because we have been friends forever. We like Americans. We like to visit your country and meet your people. We feel like we are your closest kin. Now the whole relationship has become marred and fragile.

After telling someone in the blogging world today, that I say very little on social media these days, I do feel the need to say how proud I am of our Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, for his professionalism at these times. The man is diplomatic and polite. He does not holler and rant and belittle people. But he also does not back down. With that in mind, I want to share his response to the current events. Events that are going to make life very difficult for many Canadians, as well as many Americans who may not understand how our economies are so uniquely tied together.

Here are the words of our Prime Minister that you likely won’t hear on American News:

CBC News

An unbowed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday that Canada will hit back hard at the U.S. after President Donald Trump launched a North American trade war by slapping devastating 25 per cent tariffs on virtually all Canadian goods.

Speaking to reporters at a news conference on Parliament Hill, Trudeau said Trump is trying to prompt “a total collapse of the Canadian economy” because he thinks that will “make it easier to annex us,” something the U.S. president has repeatedly said he wants to do.

But Trudeau said that will never happen because “when it comes to defending our great nation, there is no price we all aren’t willing to pay.”

Trudeau said Canada will not back down from a fight in the face of “completely bogus and completely unjustified” trade action that has the potential to ruin bilateral relations and prompt job losses, economic devastation and higher inflation on both sides of the border.

Trudeau has already slapped tariffs on an initial tranche of $30 billion worth of American goods and promised $125 billion more will face levies in three weeks’ time. He said more, non-tariff measures are coming if Trump doesn’t immediately back down.

Trudeau said Trump is doing something “very dumb” by attacking Canada like this, given there will be serious ramifications for American workers and consumers with higher prices on everything from food, car parts and fertilizers to pharmaceuticals and paper products.

Referencing a recent Wall Street Journal editorial that called Trump’s trade action against allies “dumb,” Trudeau said he had a message for the president: “Donald, you are a very smart guy, this is a very dumb thing to do.”

Trudeau said Canada doesn’t want to be embroiled in a painful trade war with a country it once regarded as something of a best friend but that Trump’s act of economic self-sabotage has given the country no choice.

“Your government has chosen to do this to you,” Trudeau said in remarks directed at the American people. “A fight with Canada will have no winners.”

Trudeau said Trump’s claims that these tariffs are all about the flow of fentanyl is nonsense and it’s now clear there was never a possibility of avoiding these tariffs by cracking down on the border as Canada did in the last few months with a $1.3-billion border plan.

He said the fentanyl excuse for the tariffs was something of a cover — a “legal justification” to tap emergency presidential trade powers so he can invoke tariffs that clearly violate the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) that Trump himself signed in his first term.

Trudeau said Trump’s actions could destroy one of the most successful relationships the world has ever known while also drawing closer to a “lying, murderous dictator” like Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“The United States launched a trade war against Canada, their closest ally, their closest friend, at the same time they are talking about working positively with Russia,” Trudeau said. “Make that make sense.

Source: CBC News

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-canada-response-tariffs-1.7473965

And FYI only 1% of the Fentanyl entering the United States comes from Canada.

If you comment, please be civil. This is not a personal attack, it is an observation. Thank you.

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28 thoughts on “It’s A Sad Day For Our Relationship”

  1. I have to say I know little about your Prime Minister as, like you say, he doesn’t appear in the news ranting and raving and acting crazy! He sounds an excellent leader.

    I also think Zelensky of Ukraine looks to be a very good leader and I’m dismayed at Trump’s attitude to him and the stance Trump is taking on the Ukraine war. At first, I was glad someone was talking to Putin – hoping they were talking sense into him. And then it took this nasty turn and Trump appears to be backing Putin. How anyone could back that madman, I’ve no idea! (Hope Putin doesn’t read my comment or he’ll hunt me down and stick a poisoned umbrella in the back of my leg while I’m out hiking!

    Liked by 1 person

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      1. me too. When I was clearing out my mother’s house when she went into a home, nearly all the furniture, fittings, household equipment etc. all went to Ukranian refugees who had come over here and were having to set up a household without any of their stuff. Very timely for us both!

        Liked by 1 person

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  2. He’s allying with Russia and fighting with Canada… both of which are unimaginable. I can hardly stand to watch the news, it gets crazier every day. I fear for my country, I really do.

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  3. I like Trudeau and I like his wisdom: “A fight with Canada will have no winners.” He said it and I believe it. I cannot think of any sane reason why The Donald wants to fight with Canada. None. Yet here we are, people who like each other being used as pawns in 47’s bogus trade action. I’m sorry you’ve gotten drawn into his craziness. It is inexplicable.

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  4. Who’s the crazy politician who agreed to the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) in the first place in 2018? Oh yea, that was Trump! What a mess! I can’t disagree with anything you wrote. It’s such a strange thing. I know this tariff war is going to cost everyday people like me and I can’t argue with anything Trudeau is doing. If the US were in the same position, we’d want our president to do the same thing. Let’s hope cooler heads prevail in the US and were eventually able to mend these challenges! Thanks for sharing!

    Liked by 2 people

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  5. Great post. I also think Trudeau has done an excellent job and am proud of him. I havent heard Danielle Smith yet, but I don’t expect any brlliance from her.
    These are scary times. I keep wondering when Trump going to ‘jump the shark’. What is the line when the US finally says enough? Maggie

    Liked by 1 person

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  8. I am thoroughly embarrassed by our President and the people in government who are too spineless to call him out. The ones that really get under my skin are the hypocrites that once found fault with many of his policies but suddenly have turned a blind eye. The fact that Trump has decided to impose these massive tariffs on Canada makes no sense. I find myself apologizing to what should be our foreign allies.

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      1. And yet half the people in the country think things are wonderful. I have been scratching my head for more than eight years and am totally baffled. The emperor has no clothes.

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  9. Please accept my sincere apology for the ridiculous state of affairs between our countries. About half the US population find the current situation with Canada and other former allies to be more than embarrassing. I pray for all of us because we have been sentenced to four more years of this farce.

    Liked by 1 person

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  11. Strange times. Number two Son, the one in Canada has been filling me in on some of the details of what is likely to happen as a result of the tariffs and confirmed what we all think – even the Chinese say that nobody wins a trade war. The USA will find that Canada is a far different prospect to some of the countries it pushes around. It will also find that there is a lot of support for Canada around the world.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Oh yes I remember that you have a son in Canada. So you are more aware of our circumstances than many. We are in interesting times right now. It is nice to be on the side that has the support and respect of so many nations.

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      1. My plan is that Canada should invite Mexicans looking for work to build a massive wall across the continent to keep the Americans out of Canada. Once we have them penned in with a wall at each end the problem will become more manageable.

        Liked by 1 person

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