United We Stand, Divided We Fall
Trump has remarkably united everyone in Canada regardless of differences... well, with one exception.
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Now onto the show.
The last few days have continued to be very exciting, although in a dark way. Trump’s aggressions toward Canada have actually helped unite Canadians across political lines, not only in terms of left vs. right, but also in terms of federalist vs. separatist. Almost every federal and provincial leader has come together in unity for Canada — with one notable, although obvious exception — while the race is on for the next federal Liberal leader, who will automatically become our next Prime Minister.
So the purpose of this issue of my newsletter is to give my thoughts on these matters as I see them, including a game-theoretic justification for energy export trade barriers. I welcome any polite and constructive rebuttals.
But first, I want to show some respect for a man who I often criticize for very good reason. In this context, he deserves complete respect and I clap for him.
CPC Leader Pierre Poilievre
I openly give so much respect to Pierre Poilievre for this public statement, which is a direct quote from an interview with Vancouver Island’s CHEK News:
[Trump’s] made it clear he wants to put America first, I’m making it clear I want to put Canada first and that means that we have to develop our own infrastructure to export our energy and resources to the rest of the world without going through the U.S., we have to allow more interprovincial free trade in our own country so that we can actually trade across provincial boundaries.
And I would say to President Trump, I will retaliate with trade tariffs against American goods that are necessary to discourage America attacking our industries. I’d rather we work together, though, because if we do, we can have a bigger, stronger economy…
While actions speak louder than words, these are most excellent words and I look forward to him backing them up with actions once he becomes Prime Minister.
This respect was reinforced when I read the following today:
Mr. Poilievre told The Globe and Mail in an interview that he believes Canada must respond with tariffs of its own to counter Mr. Trump’s promise that he’ll levy 25-per-cent tariffs on Canadian goods.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe
I was remarking to my wife two nights ago that Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe has been rather quiet on whether we should retaliate against Trump, or at least that is how it seemed to me. I heard in the early days that he sided with Danielle Smith, but not so much lately.
Well, I read the following from from Jeffery Tram of CBC News yesterday:
Premier Moe also expressed concern about retaliatory tariffs and their potential impact on Canada's economy and unity. When asked about recent comments by Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, who suggested "all options are on the table," including restricting Canadian exports to the U.S., Moe was unequivocal.
"Any export tariffs or restriction of products that Canadians produce and provide to anyone in the world is simply not on," Moe said. "That would be the most divisive situation we would find ourselves in. It would divide this nation right down the centre and be far more disastrous than tariffs on the 49th parallel."
So it seemed both Moe and Smith were certainly against export restrictions, but what about import tariffs? To be honest, what I read from both of them tends to focus on exports, but given their language it seemed to me they wanted no retaliation at all.
As one of my readers pointed out to me, the media seems to be “playing fast and loose with the term retaliatory tariffs.” I have to confess that when I read quotes about their opposition to export barriers to trade, I sometimes make the error of thinking they are opposing all kinds of retaliation. So that is my bad, and I have to be more careful there. Thank you to that reader for respectfully clarifying that distinction to me.
Nonetheless, reading their words more carefully, it seems Premier Moe has indeed softened his stance (at least a little), as the following news later came out:
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, who’s often in lockstep with his counterpart in Alberta, acknowledged that his government has “policy disagreements” with Ottawa from time to time, but there are certain circumstances that require looking at the bigger picture.
“I’ve never made any secret with respect to where we have differed on policy with the federal Liberal government,” said Moe. “[But,] there’s times when we do have to come together to represent what is in the best interests of all Canadians.”
“And we in Saskatchewan, we continue to be Canadians.”
Trudeau then thanked Moe for his words of support, to which the Saskatchewan premier responded, “don’t get used to it.”
I have to admit that last line was pretty funny!
So I also openly give respect to Mr. Moe. He is a very conservative politician who sometimes seems to approach fighting the federal Liberals as his only job, but it shows a lot of integrity for him to compromise with PM Justin Trudeau for the good of our country.
Of course, this does not mean he now supports export restrictions, and he still will probably fight against them when working with the other Canadian leaders. I respect his views on the matter. But at least he is willing to put nation over politics given our threats from abroad.
But I cannot extend that respect to a certain other someone.