Prime Minister Justin Trudeau looked a bit embarrassed, even humiliated … like a surrendering foe … seated next to Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago dinner table Friday night, along with several smiling Republican personalities and surrounded by several other tables filled with Trump’s social, business and political cronies.
This was no social occasion, no dinner with friends or allies, no special honour for Canada’s leader as the next US President’s first invited or celebrated foreign dignitary.
And certainly, not a negotiating session among equals at a mutually-agreed neutral location.
Let’s keep it real: Trudeau, accompanied by his Chief of Staff Katie Telford and Public Safety Minister Dominic Leblanc, was literally on Trump’s home turf, almost submissively, trying to stop the President-elect’s threatened economic attack on Canada as soon as he takes office in January … trying to avoid the potential costs and carnage that could be inflicted on Canada’s economy.
Trudeau was using his best weapon at this point: feeding Trump’s bloated ego, by flying directly to Palm Beach and no doubt reminding him how long Canada/US have been good friends/allies, how American exporters have benefited from the USMCA deal engineered during Trump’s first term … and promising now to do better at keeping illegals from crossing the northern border into the US and interdicting fentanyl and other illicit drugs from heading south as well.
It certainly was a different approach from Mexico’s new President President Claudia Sheinbaum’s initial loud and public reaction Tuesday that Mexico would retaliate with tariffs of its own if Trump imposed his threatened 25% tariffs on all Mexican exports to the US.
Frankly, my own initial reaction to Trump’s threat was closer to hers.
Let all those Washington apples spoil on the ground, I thought: let Idaho’s potatoes rot in the ground, let California’s millions of dollars of Canada-bound produce turn into compost, let’s retaliate with duties on all manufactured goods and food imports from the 36 US states whose prime export market is Canada, and let’s add a 25% tariff on the $57 Billion dollars of US-made automobiles sold each year in Canada, even if it increases even more sales in Canada of cars built in Japan, Korea, Europe, even China.
Of course, that would likely also raise prices for Canadian families … already struggling with high grocery and other imported product costs.
Luckily, I am not Prime Minister!
Clearly, Canada … ie Trudeau … had decided loud vows of retaliation was not the way to go with Trump.
At least, not initially.
Canada has been down this road with Trump before; and, when talks, negotiations and logic failed and Trump did impose tariffs, Canada responded with limited, specific targeted duties … and the US/Canada eventually worked out our differences, for a while.
Now, here we go again … and the goal of both sides should be to address the issues causing problems (illegals, security, drugs, guns, trade/market issues etc.) without adding to consumer costs or loss of jobs on both sides of the border.
That’s what Trudeau’s Friday dinner effort was all about … even if he had to eat a little crow.
Which brings me to Pierre Poilievre.
It is the DUTY of the Opposition to oppose, to criticize and expose weaknesses, omissions and failures of the government, its proposed solutions and actions.
But when you aspire to be Prime Minister … and all the polls say you WILL be, in less than a year … I believe Canadians should be able to expect something more: real proposed solutions to real existing problems.
Sunday Poilievre called for increased border patrols and “technology to crack down on illegal drug trafficking, as well as tightening visa rules and working with provincial law enforcement”.
Pretty puny moves, considering the magnitude of Trump’s bellicose complaints and threats.
According to CTV News, Poilievre also “demanded the federal government present a plan before Parliament to beef up border security”.
(You can read the full story here: https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/poilievre-calls-for-asylum-seeker-cap-border-plan-as-u-s-tariff-threat-looms-1.7129740.)
Poilievre has been very heavy on criticism of Trudeau, but very light on proposed solutions.
“No wonder foreign leaders believe they can walk all over him, they see him as a weak, incompetent leader who does not even have the support of his own caucus,” Poilievre said earlier this week.
Great sound bite … but I think Poilievre and the Conservative shadow cabinet should be able to come up with more than that in the face of such major critical threats from the US!
“In Canada, a government official said Canada is preparing for every eventuality and has started thinking about what items to target with tariffs in retaliation,” the Associated Press reported last week.
“Canada, for instance, announced billions of new duties in 2018 against the U.S. in a tit-for-tat response to new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum,” the AP said.
“Many of the U.S. products were chosen for their political rather than economic impact. For example, Canada imports $3 million worth of yogurt from the U.S. annually and most comes from one plant in Wisconsin, home state of then-House Speaker Paul Ryan. That product was hit with a 10% duty. Another product on the list was whiskey, which comes from Tennessee and Kentucky, the latter of which is the home state of then-Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell.”
That’s what the Trudeau government did: I want to know what would a Poilievre government do?
Would Poilievre have gone to dinner at Mar-a-Lago? Would he do as Mexico’s President did … openly threaten retaliatory tariffs? On all US or specific products? Would he have handled Trump differently? How?
Sound bites entertain … but solutions require substance.
What would Poilievre do differently from Trudeau or the Liberal government in dealing with Trump and his threats?
Hopefully, the “working’ media will start pressing Poilievre on that.
Harv Oberfeld
(Follow @harveyoberfeld on “X” for FREE First Alerts of new postings on this Blog.)
This post is being made on Monday Dec. 16.
With Freeland fleeing the Minister of finance post has now cooked Trudeau’s goose completely, Trump and tariffs and all.
We are now going to faced with a MAGA Lite Conservative Party, complete with anti-science; anti-vaxers, anti-Global warming and all the dregs of unelectability, who will now probably get elected, as we see with Rustad’s Conservatives!
Hi Harvey, I think you may have misread my statement, I was talking about “criticizing,” not “governing.” Thanks for the column though, always enjoy it.
In your post Harvey….
“Poilievre has been very heavy on criticism of Trudeau but very light on proposed solutions”
His criticism hasn’t amounted to much more than blame Trudeau for everything back to the extinction of the dinosaurs, which for a while resonated but his tune hasn’t changed and is now starting to get old very quickly
“ but I think Poilievre and the Conservative shadow cabinet”
What shadow cabinet,? Poilievre is in front of every camera he can find, does he not have anyone else responsible for a shadow file that can articulate the oppositions viewpoint in front of reporters, and not just take up space on the weekday political yak shows. ?
And we have to ask ourselves why Poilievre does not yet have a security clearance which may give him better insight to the details of the incoming trump show that can’t be discussed in public if the polls are correct and will have to deal with those issues.?
(Response: It’s worrying: Poilievre has kept up his rhetoric about Trudeau mishandling the border, trade etc etc; yet, still very light on substance. Thereare many reasons I’d still like to see Trudeau dumped (by his party or the voters), but dealings with Trump/US is not one of them. h.o)
Canada needs to find other markets. It isn’t good to rely so much on one country. The globalist puppet who is pretending to run Canada needs to eliminate wasteful spending, cut taxes, stop the Soros policy of open borders, be tough on crime, stop illegal immigration and stop giving free drugs to those he considers useless eaters. I doubt he will, though, because he doesn’t believe in any of that. He’s a radical leftist who doesn’t get along with Donald Trump. The solution is simple. Call an election and let Pierre Poilievre show him how to deal with the USA.
(Response: The LAST thing Trudeau is going to do is call an early election! 🙂 h.o)
Does anyone remember how rudely Trudeau acted towards Trump? I remember the nasty little comments that he and Macron of France were making about Trump at a conference. I bet Trump relished the idea of the little bully having to come begging to him now? At our expense of course, because we have an idiot for a P.M.
Canada is not lily white when it comes to drugs, immigration issues and terrorism.
According to the National Post, Canada yielded 87 per cent of all terror suspects stopped at U.S. border crossings! There were 358 intercepted in the last year, as compared to just 52 from Mexico! And Trudeau is aghast that Trump wants tariffs on us because he can’t control the border!
And let’s get into our immigration (and theirs too) crisis. We have too many illegals working at low end jobs while attending fake “colleges” (How many young Canadians do you see working at McDonalds or Burger King these days folks?)
Now with the drug problem, please read this article:
https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/canada-fentanyl-super-lab-hot-spot
and this too:
https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/mexico-president-says-canada-has-a-very-serious-fentanyl-problem-1.7131981
Trudeau is the one who created the problem. He hit the bear (Trump) with a stick during the first presidency by acting the cool cowardly bully. Then when Biden was in, he just allowed our country to become very much Third world with immigration, drug trafficking and terrorism. Not surprised at all that Trump reacted the way he did. Trudeau brought it on himself. Unfortunately, it may be the rest of us who have to pay the piper!
Only when they get caught do they act (aka our $250 bribe) better. I think it’s time to turf the libs and start all over again. Anybody would be better than what we have in power right now …. I honestly think I’d prefer Trump over Trudeau as my leader.
(Response: You had me agreeing with you … until your last line. I find Trump so personally reviling, I’d even prefer Trudeau! Ugh! Meanwhile, Canada is now paying the price for the Trudeau government’s policies: trade, immigration, refugees, public safety, health care and, most lately, sacrificing traditional Canadian principles and values policies … domestically and internationally … pandering to the growing Muslim vote. Too bad so much of the co-opted, complicit, intimidated media are ignoring the negative shift in the Trudeau government’s values and actions. h.o.)
Trump over Trudeau, get serious.
And here we come how politics has devolved too, personality contests, with not an ounce of substance. Once you put hate in the politcal mixture, all politics is lost.
I do not like Mr. Trudeau, but I do not fear him. I am scared of Trump and what he can do for Canada.
Politics in the West are based on 18th centruy and 19th century concepts, where honour (even honour amongst thieves) was a big part of the politcal process. In today’s world there are few honourable politcans and the big “party” machines have gamed the system. In the USA, their politcal system is completely broke and Trump, the ultimate grifter has completely gamed the system and yes, with a little bit of help from his oligarch billionaire supporters and the madmen running FOX Entertainment.
In the USA, “Freedom of Speech” has been perverted to “Freedom to Lie” as we have seen ad nauseam with the last election south of the 49th.
In Canada, the MAGA American cancerous ooze is spreading North of the 49th and beginning to infect our politics, especially with the virtually unregulated civic elections, which have been gamed by big money. Read: Broadway.
The media, once the respected fourth Estate has devolved to gossip for the chattering classes and nothing more – mostly fish wrap.
The next election I want substance from our politcans and not “flag wrapping”, “axe the tax” drivel. How are we going to deal with a Trump USA?, How are we going to deal with Russian and Chinese expansionism? How are we going to deal with global warming (currently the governments treat global warming as a revenue source through carbon taxes and nothing more)? How are we going to deal with our housing and population issues? How are we going to deal with our transportation issues? And the list goes on…………
From my viewpoint, The Conservative’s Mr. P only platform is that he is not Trudeau; well in these dangerous times, sometimes the captain you dislike is better than the captain you don’t know. And the Wee P., I am growing more and more concerned.
And pray tell, how did Trudeau deal with Trump? Not well at all in the beginning and now groveling now – is that the mark of a leader?
Your lack of respect for the leader of the opposition is all too telling (Wee P…. are you serious???) – you are a liberal through and through. I guess you haven’t looked at the Conservative platform whatsoever. Please do so and you will find more than just ax the tax.
And by the way, how come we are so becoming a Third World country thanks to the carbon tax? Tell me one good thing that Trudeau has done for you, other than possibly giving you $250 of your money back to you, if you are working and nothing if you are a pensioner. Has your life style got better or worse? I would say for me, definitely worse. Housing shortages, grocery hikes, inflation, etc. – all because of that lovely tax you don’t want to see gone. Axe the tax is a good first start I would say.
How do you stand on ethics violations, immigration mistakes, letting in terrorists – you would sooner have the Liberal loser as your leader? Are you serious? You are only concerned with Trump, give me a break. We have worse internal problems. Trump is only forcing Canada to actually do something about the problems that have been percolating for many years thanks to the wishy washy nature of the current leader of Canada.
Drugs, terrorism, our lack of control of our own borders north and south– all of these are doing well with Trudeau? Right. LOL! Only when it is pointed out to the libs that they are in trouble, do they ever pay attention to anything.
How much damage has Trudeau done to this country? If you have kids, what are their employment chances? How many Canadian teens do you see working in McDonalds, Timmies, etc.? I notice today’s unemployment rate is at 6.8%….. guess that’s your Turdeau’s fault (I am using your denigrating terms here since you like to use it on the other guy) – we are heading for a recession. This was before even Trump’s proposed tariffs are set to go in.
Pandering to the Muslims in Canada and letting the pro-Palestinians make our country look horribly antisemitic – are you good with that too? Treating females like dirt all through his personal and political life – that is Trudeau’s legacy? Good with that too. As someone with Jewish ancestry, I am ashamed of what I have seen by the government’s inactions towards Jewish hatred in this country.
You probably think that Biden’s pardoning his own son is a good thing but if Trump had done it, there would be holy hell to pay? I have a hard time believing the liberal mind set that whatever the left does is just fine but if the right comes in, the world will end. Get over it. The only thing that hopefully is over is the liberal wokeism that is antisemitic, anti- female to a large extent and anti-freedom and last but not least anti-business!
If Trump were as bad as you think, he would not have won the election. Weird as he is, at least maybe he will clean up a lot of the messes that previous governments created. A weak American presidency has led to a lot of tensions in the world. A strong presidency may prevent World War 3. We have a weak wish-washy PM who would sooner dance at a Taylor Swift concert that deal with pro-Palestinians wanting to kill Jews!
And people think Pollierve will be any different? He must contend with the same fractious lot in Canada as Mr. Trudeau. He must appease the French, the first nations and every other vocal group protesting in Canada.
He also has to deal with global warming, something not one politcans, even the Greens, are doing.
You are chanting MAGA’s song and Canada is a long, long way of becoming a third world country.
As i said, I am no great fan of Trudeau the Younger, but when one cuts through the politicking and histrionics of the “Wee P”, he offers little, just a word salad of the same old MAGA nonsense imported from down south.
If he axes the carbon tax, where will apply new taxes to make up the lost revenue?
Building more housing that people cannot afford, solves nothing because that is what currently happening now and it ain’t working.
6.8% unemployment, to be expected as Canada tends to mirror failed economic strategies, based on Neo Liberalism and a failing education system. In short we are doing it wrong and that started with Mulroney!
As for the American election, it seems Trump won because the American voter did not want a black woman president and now with Trumps recent cabinet picks, major voters remorse is setting in.
As for Trudeau going to Mar-la-Go, what else could he do after the MAGA/Trump premier of Ontario’s racist remarks about Mexico and the shrill scream that “we are not Mexico”.
It backfired of course, but as they say, revenge tastes best served cold. Canadian revenge will happen.
The MAGA cult is so seductive, so alluring, just as was the German cult of 1933, lead by a funny little man in a funny little mustache, backed by a compliant media and looked what happened.
Trump is too intent on revenge to have a competent presidency; his cabinet choices more than worrisome, are mired in controversy and this does not play well for Canada. Mexico is already in bed with China and the options for Canada are slim, with having closer ties with the EU the only real option left.
Welcome to the new world order as we are now living in interesting times.
If PM Trudeau actually cared about Canadians, he’d resign. Of course he won’t because he’s too self-centred and delusional.
I don’t want to be devil’s advocate, but so many young people I’ve know love the USA and pronounce zed as zee, and so many say a apple instead of an apple that I think they would be happy to sell out.
I love Canada but when I see it becoming so woke and disloyal to the generations that put it in place and when I am being called a settler even though I skinned my knees right here in Canada. And when I hear there are so many improved varieties of Tax Free Savings Plans in the US and when my housing equity would get me so much more in some US states, I cannot help but wonder if we should start an organization that would put joining the USA to a referendum.
Perhaps that way we could squeeze more then 13 provinces out of the arrangements and prevent a war and avoid some rain.
(Response: The Republicans will NEVER allow unification of Canada into the US: they know by far most Canadians, on the political scale, would be Democrats and it would tilt the current almost 50-50 divide. Besides, I love visiting the US …but, as I’ve told friends there, I would never want to live there: despite our problems, Canada is a much better society to call “home. h.o.)
Well this post is being made on Wednesday, Dec. 4 – so much has happened.
After watching the FOX propaganda network skewered Trudeau and Canada over Canada being the 51st State and the absolutely lame Canadian media, making all the wrong assertions about a Trump Presidency (probably dictated to by their American hedge fund owners), where are we today – weaker.
But it was not Trudeau’s fault, it was the almost hysterical Ontario Premier Ford’s news conference that tipped the scales for this grossly ill advised visit.
https://youtu.be/r-uImJouDrs?si=4jx5NG53loH36Bh3
His ill informed rant against Mexico got more attention in the USA than the tariff dispute!
Canadian premiers are nobodies internationally yet the egos of the provincial premiers are such, that they think they are.
As for the boarder issues the importation of illegal weapons is huge in Canada and they are used as part payment for imported drugs. The American gun manufactures know this, but do nothing and it is time Canada also start treating American weapon manufacturers as drug dealers!
By the way, those politcans supporting Bitcoin also support international criminals because the Bitcoin is the currency of international crime.
The Mango Mussolini, by the way that term is being scrubbed by Meta (Facebook), is a malignant narcissist and he pictures himself as a “strong-man”, like Putin or the other dictators that infect this world.
Here is the problem for Canada, we have grown lazy being next door to the USA and the MAGA American hate us and the MAGA Americans will do everything in their power to destroy Canada (us). And if our media don’t get that; our provincial premiers do not get that; our federal leaders do not get that, we will be doomed as a nation.
Trudeau’s “post national” world is crashing down around us and one feels like Churchill, during his days in the wilderness, warning of the NAZI quest of world domination, Trudeau, Singh, and the Wee P, the provincial premiers are playing the part of Neville Chamberlain, desperately trying to avoid a war, coming back form Germany, waving a scrap of paper and declaring “Peace for our time” …. at the cost of Czechoslovakia.
Like it or not we are in an undeclared war with the MAGA USA and our Canadian politcans, forever wrapping the flag around them, will not only sell out Mexico for favourable terms, they will sell out Canada to further their political aims.
Canada doesn’t have a Churchill; but we have plenty of Quislings.
Trump may appreciate all of the experience and connections Trudeau has developed over his years as PM–his relationships with Xi, Modi and Macron, to name a few. Additionally his political career couldn’t help but toughen him up, thus making him a good ally should Trump choose.
Perhaps I am dreaming here, but Trump may be able to assist Trudeau in removing the chokehold that Singh has on him.
(Response: We all know Trump has in inflated ego, and I suspect Trudeau and government strategists believed by doing the Palm Beach pilgrimage Trump could see Canada in better terms as an ally than just as an adversary. And I’m sure behind the scenes, all those Republican governors whose states export billions of dollars worth of goods to Canada are sounding alarms. But I am curious to know, beyond the rhetoric, what Poilievre/Conservatives would do differently … or better … than Trudeau/Liberals? h.o.)
Yes your right, Polievire must show his mettle if he has any, as opposition leader in the new fight arena of Emporer Trump. This is his test. If he can’t show strength there then what good is he really to Canadians as a leader. This is the big test for Trudeau and him as they face off for the bigbone next year. It’s going get fun. Uughh.